Reference, Nuts & Bolts Volume 22, 15cm sIG33/2 (Sf) auf GW “Grille” (Sd.Kfz.138/1) Part 1

NUTS & BOLTS

Volume 22, 15cm sIG33/2 (Sf) auf GW “Grille” (Sd.Kfz.138/1) Part 1: Ausf.M. By Jari Lievonen, Tony Greenland and Martin Block. Illustrations by John Rue and Laurent Lecocq. Soft covers, 8.25 x 11.75-inches, 120 pages. Contains 56 B&W photos, 118 color photos, one line drawing, 10 pages of 1/35th-scale scale drawings, 11 pages of color art, five tables, one organogram and bibliography. No ISBN.


The latest title in the renowned Nuts and Bolts series covers the 15cm s.IG33 mounted on the modified, mid-engine Pz.Kpfw.38(t) chassis. This volume covers the later Ausf.M type, while a future one will cover the earlier Ausf.H type. The authors inform the reader that an Ausf.H has recently been recovered in the East and that when it has been restored, they will photograph it and produce a companion volume. Until then, with the advent of the DML and Cyberhobby kits of the Grille and its accompanying Munitionspanzer, this volume could not have come at a better time.


The format of the series is closely followed in that there is a parallel German and English text, which details development and deployment of the Grille as well as providing technical details, brief unit allocation histories, color and markings info, tactical doctrine and available scale models. This is complimented by detailed K.S.t.N (essentially tables of organization and equipment) tables, specification tables, production tables, unit deployment tables, and a model kit list. As with the text, all of the latter tables are dual-language. Within this area a chart showing silhouettes of a typical Kompanie in 1944 graphically details the AFVs used by this unit type. Also within this section are a number of B&W photos of the Ausf.M, but none are captioned, since they re-appear later in the section showing archival images.


The afore-mentioned images come from a variety of sources and depict the Ausf.M on all fronts. A number are familiar, while a goodly number are new to this reviewer. I was particularly happy to see the photographic sequence taken of a captured Ausf.M, by the British; the images are clearly-reproduced in a large size, so all the nuances of the markings can be seen. This sure beats the postage-stamp-sized images in most other reference sources! There are also a number of images of the ammunition carrier, some of which are also new to this reviewer.


Next up are several pages of beautifully-rendered 1/35th-scale line drawings by John Rue. They encompass five complete views of the vehicle from the outside and two more complete views of each inner side. One of each shows the gun and mount installed, while the other two have the gun deleted. This provides an excellent view of the interiors. Accompanying these drawings are four more “3/4” perspective views showing a completely-outfitted vehicle from all four upper quarters. The final sets show five external views of the ammunition carrier and four more perspective views. You want complete? You got it! The next page details the wiring set-up for the radio and intercom. This will be very useful to the modeler who wishes to add the last bit of detail to his replica.


This is followed by 11 pages of color plates. These are based on Mr. Rue’s line drawings and are “colored-in” by Laurent Lecocq (my partner in most of my Concord books). Each set is accompanied by thumb-nails of the photos upon which they are based, so the modeler is assured of their authenticity. 12 different gun-armed types are covered, as is a Munitionspanzer and the well-known vehicle armed with a 3cm auto-cannon. The last page features a pair of color cut-aways of a gun-armed type as well as full-color renditions of a typical projectile. While the quality of everything is first-rate, it is let down a bit by misplaced, or completely missing, captions.


Coverage now continues with photographs of preserved examples of the Ausf.M at Aberdeen Proving Grounds and the Munitionspanzer held at Fort Knox. These cover every conceivable visible detail and will be a boon to modelers who wish to add detail to their replicas. Photos are clear, well-reproduced and in a usable size. Captions are usually extensive and always informative.


The final segment is contained towards the end of the book and inside the front covers. It depicts two 1/35th-scale models created by the well-known and highly-regarded modeler, Tony Greenland. One is a scratch-built/kit-bash (based on the Tamiya Marder III Ausf.M) of the Grille and the other is a build-up of the recent Cyberhobby Munitionspanzer kit. These are covered in brief captions and 18 high-quality color images. No doubt, they will serve to inspire modelers, which is as it should be.


Taken together, the various aspects of this book provide coverage that is about as complete as one could want.


This extremely timely release comes hot on the heels of the DML/Cyberhobby kits of the Grille Ausf.M and Munitionspanzer kits recently released. Therefore, it should prove to be quite popular among modelers. That it is (as usual) a high-quality product is indeed “icing on the cake”.


Highly recommended.


Frank V. Curly Stooge De Sisto


Nuts & Bolts books are available at retail and mail order shops and from the publisher Heiner F. Duske at: Nikolaus-Otto-Strasse 10, 24536 Neumünster, Germany. E-mail: hfd.duske@t-online.de.


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