The latest title from the Nuts & Bolts team is on Büssing’s sWS for which not much information is found outside a few articles in hobby magazines and entries into some books. Although I have other great reference works such as the Panzer Tracts for scale plans and production information, this is a great addition to the library as it is a monograph. Since the title’s target group includes modelers, I will state that Bronco’s rendition of Great Wall Hobby’s sWS is the best in 1/35th scale followed by ADV Azimut (for accuracy) and Italeri in its various box releases.
As printed, the book has 188 pages not including the heavier covers which also are used and are bound in a glossy heavy paper. The author is Dr. Nicolaus Hettler but the editor is still Heiner F. Duske, color artwork by Laurent LeCocq, scale plans by Lieven E. De Coninck, and models built by Vinnie Brannigan and Tony Greenland.
The images are a mix of color and gray tones. A total of a whopping 283 are provided of which 96 archival photographs of the subjects in service with (not including the many insets showing details close up), 121 color images of museum items (since there aren’t any known surviving vehicles), and the last are 59 images, including 1 black and white photo, of superbly done models.
Text is included which provide a table of contents, bibliography, some background in the form of chapters. They cover the introduction, development, variations and self-propelled weapon systems, production and manufacturers, post-war developments, sWS in service Camouflage and markings, modelling the sWS series, acknowledgements, bibliography, contemporary photos, drawings, colour profiles, preserved vehicles & components, and modelling.
It is worth mentioning that the captions are most informative and all text is in dual English/German languages.
The scale plans include the Büssing prototype (5 views), Sd.Kfz. 234/2 prototype / Prototyp (3 views & 2 perspective drawings), sWS cargo without tarpaulin (5 views), 5 ton trailer without tarpaulin (3 views), sWS cargo without tarpaulin (4 perspective drawings), sWS cargo with tarpaulin (5 views), 5 ton trailer with tarpaulin (3 views), sWS cargo with tarpaulin (4 perspective drawings), sWS with 2 cm Flakvierling 38 (5 views), sWS with 3.7 cm Flak 43/1 (5 views), sWS armoured prototype (3 views and 3 perspective drawings), sWS armoured cargo (5 views), sWS armoured with 2 cm Flakvierling 38 (5 views and 4 perspective drawings), sWS armoured with 3.7 cm Flak 43/1 (5 views and 4 perspective drawings), sWS armoured with 15 cm Pz.W. 42 (5 views and 4 perspective drawings), sWS armoured for ammo of 15 cm Pz.W. 42 (4 views ), sWS armoured for infrared searchlight “Uhu” (5 views and 4 perspective drawings), and sWS roadwheel variants. These are followed by twenty two color profiles which include an inset with a photograph of the actual vehicle and others clarifying markings.
The next section covers vehicles found in museums and private collections with 121 color photographs and the book ends with a plastic modeling section. It should be noted that one will find radios, ammunition, and all necessary items to detail out the model parts.
The bottom line is simple, pick up this one as it will be invaluable when tackling either the many 1/35th scale mutations with the multiple detail sets available for each. Of course, many of these subjects have been released in other scales.
