"Osprey Vehicles of the Long Range Desert Group 1940-45" Topic

I got a copy of this Osprey book today and was severely disappointed with it as it had several mistakes which are listed below, which I sent to Osprey
1) the box marked A gives a description of the Chevrolet WB but the drawing on the page opposite is of a Willys Jeep page 9 & 10
2) the box marked E gives a description of the Willys Jeep as does the box on the page opposite but the cut away drawing is of the Chevrolet WB pages 34 and 35.
3) In the key on page 35 number 8 lists the camouflage as light brown and azure yet the drawing is sand and brown.

I strongly suggest that you do not buy this book or you will be disappointed.

It seems like there is a mixing up of captions, which would not be the authors fault.
Now, admittedly, azure is a bit different from brown, so I'm not sure what's up with that!

That being said, the author, Gavin Mortimer, is a renowned expert on this subject and I think you'd be hard-pressed to find someone more qualified to write this book.

So, with respect, I would strongly RECOMMEND this book. I can't wait to get it.

"I would strongly RECOMMEND this book. I can't wait to get it." So you're strongly recommending a book you don't have, and thus presumably haven't read?

Lol. On the face of it that might seem odd, but I did state that the author is a well-know expert on the subject. I didn't feel the need to mention, but obviously should have, that I have other books by the author.
So no, I'm not going to blindly recommend a book on nothing at all. I feel confident that this will live up, again, to the standards of the author.

I saw this on the list of upcoming titles, and while I wouldn't mind a book on the LRDG I'm not sure an Osprey book on the vehicles is the first step. Maybe I'll look at some of the author's other works on the topic when I get around to this. I'm still working through the books I got for Christmas…

A good book on the LRDG is "Bearded Brigands" from the diaries and photographs of Frank Jopling a member of the LRDG. Covers the period from September 1940 until September 1942 when he was captured.
ISBN 0 85052 955-7

While the series as a whole is a bit of a mixed bag, the new Images of War book "Long Range Desert Group at War" by Brendan O'Carroll (dare I say perhaps 'the' expert on all this) is very affordable and has a wealth of excellent photos, many unseen before.

Isn't Brendan O'Carroll better known for his comic acting ??

(OK, so it's probably a different Brendan O'Carroll)

I would buy anything from Brendan unseen. I wouldn't touch anything from another author out of that series with a barge pole. Baxter's "Images of War – Afrika Korps" is utterly shocking, and the publisher should be ashamed.

All the best

Andreas

I always liked this link … lrdg.hegewisch.net/camo.html

Before you paint anything bright pink. Bear in mind that desert paint jobs were quickly bleached by the sun and covered in dust. A fact pointed out in that single source mentioning bright colours.

Obviously … it does not take long for the sun and sand/dust to effect the vehicle's paint job.

There is an amazing documentary on Amazon about the SAS that has a lot of crossover with the LRDG in North Africa. Interviews with David Stirling and other SAS founding members.

link

I received a e-mail from Osprey yesterday.

We are extremely sorry about the mistake included in the print version of NVG 291: Vehicles of the Long Range Desert Group 1940–45 and have requested that the correction is made for any future reprint.

Once the re-print is on the market I will buy it, as the mistakes made up nearly 10% of the book. They also informed me that the E-book and PDF versions have already been corrected.