M42 Duster Book Review

By Michael Benolkin

First Look

In the early 1950s, the US Army was planning to update its armored air defense capabilities. The M42 Duster was the result of that effort which married a pair of 40mm Bofors cannons in an open turret atop an M41 Walker Bulldog chassis. The Bofors was the anti-aircraft gun of choice by the military services during World War Two and placing a twin mount on a common platform provided a versatile air defense system that would serve for decades. Entering service too late for Korea, the M42 was deployed in Europe as well as in Vietnam. Like previous air defense gun systems, the M42 was not only effective against air threats, it was also devastating against ground targets.

Author David Doyle as compiled another terrific photo reference that provides not only a detailed developmental history of the Duster, but also provides many excellent photos of the M42 in operation throughout its life as well as a full-color in-depth photo walk around of the vehicle. Whether you're a military historian, Oozlefinch follower, or scale modeler, this title is a great addition to any military library. Definitely recommended!

My sincere thanks to Ampersand Group for this review sample!