Description
ABOUT THIS PRODUCT
Entering service in 1931, the 9x19mm Suomi KP/-31 submachine gun saw
extensive combat with Finnish troops during their fight against Soviet
forces in 1939-44. It was also manufactured under licence in Switzerland,
Denmark and Sweden, and remained in Finnish service until the 1980s, an
indication of its durability.
Rugged and accurate, the Suomi was a favourite with Finnish ski troops who
would strike from ambush, cutting down Soviet troops, then skiing away into
the woods. Initially used by the Finns as a light machine gun at infantry
squad level, it eventually became a dedicated submachine gun, and since it
had been designed to be more accurate than the typical SMG, it was often
even used as a sniping weapon, or to supplement longer-ranged rifles such as
the Mosin-Nagant. Featuring first-hand accounts and specially commissioned
colour artwork, this is the story of one of World War II's most distinctive
and respected infantry weapons.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Leroy Thompson has trained and advised military and police special
operations units around the world, focusing especially on the tactical use
of firearms. He has previously had more than 45 books published, and has
appeared as a weapons expert on documentaries for Discovery, National
Geographic and the BBC.Adam Hook studied graphic design, and began his work
as an illustrator in 1983. He specializes in detailed historical
reconstructions, and has illustrated Osprey titles on subjects as diverse as
the Aztecs, the Ancient Greeks, Roman battle tactics, several 19th-century
American subjects, the modern Chinese Army, and a number of books in the
Fortress series.Born in Malaya in 1949, Alan Gilliland spent 18 years as the
graphics editor of The Daily Telegraph, winning 19 awards in that time. He
now writes, illustrates and publishes fiction (www.ravensquill.com), as well
as illustrating for a variety of publishers (www.alangilliland.com).
