Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1478506 in Books
• Published on: 2006-02-19
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 144 pages

Customer Reviews

Greenhill's Infantry Support Weapons really need support itself
I decided to write this review of "Infantry Support Weapons" by Greenhill Books/Stackpole Books as some kind of a warning to would-be buyers.
In fact I had rarely the chance to lay my eyes on a more seriously faulty piece of work as this book.
First things first, I bought the book for it was written, compiled and edited by military guru Ian V. Hogg.
To fully understand the situation, keep in mind that I already own many books from this author and I'm especially fond of his "Military Small Arms of the 20th Century" by Krause Publishing, that I keep like a bible, if you know what I mean.
Well, it's about time to proceed with the actual reviewing of this book: all is normal with it for the first 17 pages, the pain begins at page 19; we're talking about the FN-MAG general purpose machinegun but the photo below right is of a Russian PK machinegun...oh, well, a simple error, it happens...but at page 25, we repeat the same error in reverse: the photo above right is of the aforementioned FN-MAG...now I understand, they exchanged photos. Maybe I'm a little too picky...let's go ahead.
Now we're talking mortars, you see but...what!? On page 35 we find a real masterpiece: instead of the specs about the L9A1 51mm mortar we find the specs of the FN Minimi light machinegun...the editor must have something against the Belgians `cause is the third error we find involving that country's weapons.
It's also a shame, to me, because one of the reasons why I bought this book was this mortar.
At this point I'm pretty discouraged but I keep on reading.
Let's give a look to my chosen field: anti-tank weapon systems.
That's the main reason I bought this book, after all, right? But, wait! What the hell! The main system(s) in use all over the world, the Milan and the TOW are described only in the most general of terms, these weapons are now in their 4th or 5th generation and what they give us are mixed-up and not updated data?
I go look immediately to the newest of systems highlighted, the Javelin AAWM...they say it's about to go to the frontlines? Its penetration is listed as >400mm? Are we kidding?
The weapon's been in service in more than a few countries right now and it's over 10 year since it was issued to the US forces...at this time I go look back at the credit's page.
This is - or should be - the 2002 edition...well, it's not really so. The book is "copyright 1995, 2002" but I really think this is still the 1995 edition, only with a new, color cover.
This explain the somewhat nebulous specs but not the too many typographic errors I've found in my first, cursory reading.
For a listed price of £ 13.32/$ 26.95 is really a rip-off, buy it only if you can find it at a very discounted price.