/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/NB026.jpgThis is the second book on the Grille published by Nuts and Bolts. Volume 22 covered the Ausf. M variant.
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Detlev Terlisten is still the author as is the artist for the color profiles; Carlos deDiego. A new contributor in the color art section is Laurent Lecocq. Another benefit is that there are color photos included (of the museum items). The scale plans have been drawn by John L. Rue and include three quarter perspective views. The book has 144 pages. This does not count the inner covers which are also used for content.
It is broken down into sections. The inner front cover has three photos of a model by Jari Lievonen. This is followed by bilingual text covering an introduction, development, six tables (covering technical data, production statistics, vehicle deployment, inventory on March 15th, 1945, model kits & accessories, and supporters), technical description, production, organization of a schwere Geschützkompanie (Sf.) (6 s.I.G.), K.St.N 1120a, delivery to units (with the units described in detail), tactical use, camouflage and markings, and ending with acknowledgments and a bibliography. It should be noted that several of the tables correct previously published tables in Volume 22.
There are 119 archival photos with superb captions plus another 149 postwar photos showing the museum examples. These photos are mostly clear, definitely rare, and quite useful in seeing these vehicles in use and repair. Of particular interest are the training unit with modified hulls to allow trainees to install fina drives, and an image of German Civil Servants in uniform.
Scale plans are on 10 pages and they cover all of the subject vehicle variants and include three quarter views. These are drawn by John L. Rue. The plans are excellent. I will trust those in the Panzer Tracts series first but, as photographs in the book show, dimensions were taken of the actual vehicle.
Pages 81 through 86 show twelve vehicles are shown in color profiles. Every vehicle which includes an inset photo of the actual prototype. Carlos de Diego has done a wonderful job rendering the likenesses to the photographs. I truly appreciate the effort to show an inset with the photograph on which the profile is based. Most show the page number (S.#) where one can find a larger sized image. Included in this section is a sampling of the ammunition drawn by Laurent Lecocq.
The next part covers the surviving vehicle. Here, there are 149 museum color photos included of the Grille pulled out of the river. They show the vehicle before and during restoration. All the detail photographs are excellent references for a modeler.
The last section, from page 131 to the inner cover (the front inner cover also has model images) cover three models. These are the previously mentioned “Grille” Ausf. H production vehicle built by Jari Lievonen, another “Grille” Ausf. H production vehicle based on the Kirin kit built by Carlos deDiego Vaquerizo, “Grille” Ausf. H prototype base don the CyberHobby kit built by Tony Greenland, and a “Grille” Ausf. H production vehicle also built by Tony Greenland. As usual, the techniques and finishes are described along with the camouflage and markings used.
This book is highly recommended. It has all you would need to detail and correctly model the Grille Ausf. H.
You can order the book directly from Nuts & Bolts and pay using PayPal, recipient = hfd.duske@t-online.de.