PMMS

bookM18 Hellcat Tank Destroyer 1943-1997
Osprey New Vanguard 97
By Steven J Zaloga
Published by Osprey Publishing.

Soft cover, 48 pages
ISBN 1841766879

Review by Peter Brown


Often called the "Hellcat", the M18 was purpose-designed for the US Army's Tank Destroyer Force unlike the earlier TDs which were based on existing vehicles. It had several innovative features for its day, such as torsion bar suspension and good access to the engine for maintenance, but the emphasis on producing a fast vehicle meant it was poorly armoured and its 76mm gun was already outclassed by the time it entered service and in terms of firepower it was no better than the upgunned Sherman.

However, units using the M18 were able to achieve good results as the accounts of their actions included in the book relate. As the whole concept of the Tank Destroyer was dropped by the US Army at the end of WW2, these vehicles were soon taken out of service and the only variant to see production and use was M39 Armored Utility Vehicle which was basically a turretless M18. Several vehicles were planned which used the same chassis, but these never reached the production stage.

A few countries received surplus M18's in the post-war period, though apart from the few remaining in Yugoslavia which were used in the fighting in the early 1990s they did not see action. Unlike some wartime designs they were not significantly updated post-war though some unusual attempts to keep them running are described.

This account by Steve Zaloga is what we have come to expect from him. He has done a lot of background research and has presented his findings in a very readable account. As well as covering design, development and production he relates the service use of the M18 including full production figures and listings of those units which used these vehicles. Well-chosen and presented photos add to the account, as do the excellent colour plates which show several vehicles in various colour schemes as well as the usual cutaway view.

If you are interest in the M18 as a model subject or as part of the history of American AFVs, this book comes highly recommended as a concise but detailed account.



Page created 12 April 2004

Click Browsers BACK button to return to list
Home / Book Reviews / Osprey Publishing