The CVRT (Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance Tracked) family of reconnaissance vehicles has been highly successful since its introduction by the British Army in 1972 and it has seen extensive combat from the Falklands War to Afghanistan. Its variants include the lead vehicle, Scorpion, armed with a 76mm gun and the 30mm-armed Scimitar that were both employed in the reconnaissance role with Spartan as an armoured personnel carrier. The combat history of CVRT is one of the most powerful aspects of the Haynes CVRT Scorpion Manual and includes accounts of its first operational deployment during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974; the Falklands War in 1982; the Gulf War in 1991; Somalia in 1993 and the Fourth Anglo-Afghan War, including the testimony of the most highly decorated soldier in the British Army, Mick Flynn, who fought in CVRT from the Falklands to Afghanistan, as well as the recollections of Prince Harry during his service with the Blues and Royals in Afghanistan. Supported by more than 250 photographs and illustrations, Simon Dunstan tells the story of CVRT's development, its anatomy, combat record and how it is operated and maintained by the armies of 16 nations worldwide. The full range of Scorpion variants including Scimitar, Spartan, Striker, Sultan, Samaritan and Stormer are covered, as well several other specialised versions and export models to over a dozen nations.

This book, the last in a four-part series on British Battle Tanks covering the whole history of British armoured warfare, concentrates on those vehicles that have served following the end of World War II up to the present day. Starting with the Centurion, the title explores those types that equipped the armoured divisions lined up on the German plains to resist any potential Soviet offensive, as well as in Korea and Suez, including the Chieftain and Conqueror, and modern tanks such as the Challenger 2 which are still in service today. Covering the many variants of these and other tanks in British service as well as their deployments around the world, including in Afghanistan and Iraq, this illustrated volume is a comprehensive guide to the development of British tanks since the Second World War.

Israel’s victory in the 1967 ‘Six Day War’ sowed the seeds of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. At 1400hrs on 6 October 1973 the Egyptian army launched an assault crossing of the Suez Canal. The carefully co-ordinated attack achieved complete tactical surprise. The sand embankments of the Israeli Bar-Lev Line were breached and an Israeli counterattack thrown back with heavy losses. In the second of his two-volume analysis of the Yom Kippur War, Simon Dunstan details the fighting in the Sinai, culminating in Operation Gazelle, the Israeli counterattack across the Suez Canal. Although defeated militarily Egypt did ultimately succeed in forcing the Israelis back to the negotiating table.

French experience with armour in Indo-China dated back to 1919, when it sent FT-17s to the colony, followed by a variety of armoured cars. After World War II, French troops were equipped with a motley collection of American and cast-off British equipment until the outbreak of war in Korea saw an increase in military aid. This included large numbers of the M24 Chaffee light tank, along with amphibious vehicles such as the M29C Weasel and LVT4 Buffalo, to conduct operations in coastal and inland areas that the Viet Minh had previously thought immune to attack. France's armour was a key part of the battle against the Viet Minh right up until the last stand at Dien Bien Phu.

Conceived at the height of World War II, the British Centurion and the Soviet T-55 were initially expected to counter the formidable Panther and Tiger tanks of Germany. But as the Cold War unfolded, these machines prepared instead for the coming struggle between NATO and the Warsaw Pact. Though they never fought in Europe, these two tanks became the mainstay of the Cold War's proxy forces around the world. From Korea to the Middle East and on to Angola, these two armored combatants clashed repeatedly, reaching their crescendo on the Golan Heights during the Yom Kippur War where 177 Centurions of the IDF took on a vastly superior Arab force. This book compares the design, development and deployment of these classic tanks, and analyses their battlefield performance. Presented with highly detailed digital artwork, this is a tightly focused study of two of the Cold War's first main battle tanks.

The Centurion is significant in the history of British armoured fighting vehicles as well as being one of the most important post-war Western tanks. Introduced into British Army service in December 1946, versions of Centurion were still serving with British forces in the Iraq War of 2003, some 58 years later. Centurions have also seen combat in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, in the Middle East wars, and in the Indo-Pakistan War (1965) where it fought against US-supplied M47 and M48 Patton tanks. The Haynes Centurion Tank Manual is published in association with the Tank Museum and has been written with full access to the museum's Centurion collection.

Dramatisation of the novel by Simon Dunstan and Gerrard Williams. On 30th April 1945 the world was told that Adolf Hitler was dead... but was he? Eye witnesses and testimonials recorded over the years suggest that Hitler actually escaped his fate and fled to Argentina to start a new life. A wife, two children and a home in the country; could Hitler really have had a normal life?

The Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank is the current MBT of the British Army and represents the culmination of 80 years of tank design. Its development began in 1986. In 1987, the design was presented to the Ministry of Defence in response to a requirement to replace the Chieftain MBT that had been partially superseded by the Challenger 1 MBT. Production began in 1993, and the tank finally entered service in 2002. This tank recently appeared in Iraq, where it proved indispensable during the battle of Basra. This book covers the evolution of the Challenger 2, from its origins to its involement in the Middle East and Iraq.