Tiger Patterns: A Guide to the Vietnam War's Tigerstripe Combat Fatigue Patterns and Uniforms (Schiffer Military/Aviation History) [Hardcover]

Richard Denis Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Schiffer Military/Aviation History | Publication Date: February 1, 1999

To collectors of modern military uniforms, Vietnam era tigerstripe combat fatigues have always been a much sought after commodity. The pattern itself, in all of its classic forms, is both exotic and unique and carries with it an immediate, esthetic sense of the full drama of that not to distant Southeast Asian conflict. There exists however, surrounding this one camouflage pattern numerous misconceptions. Tiger Patterns analyzes to the most minute degree, the finite variances which defined the many original, Vietnam era tigerstripe patterns and uniform cuts and establishes dependable identification techniques and practices, whether your particular interests area as a historian, veteran, modeler, or collector and enthusiast.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. (February 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764307568
• ISBN-13: 978-0764307560
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #631,338 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So many details, September 9, 2005

By 

A. Cho (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tiger Patterns: A Guide to the Vietnam War's Tigerstripe Combat Fatigue Patterns and Uniforms (Schiffer Military/Aviation History) (Hardcover)

When I purchased this book, I didn't expect to see all the diagrams and charts that it included. The author not only has photos and descriptions of the numerous tiger patterns, but he studied the different buttons and zippers as well! He has hand drawn pictures of patterns and cuts, and there are even a few personal photos of his family wearing tigers from his personal collection.

I highly recommend this book for collectors and people who want to know more about Vietnam tigerstripes.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on tiger strips with some glaring oversights, June 11, 2002

By 

Xavier Basora - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tiger Patterns: A Guide to the Vietnam War's Tigerstripe Combat Fatigue Patterns and Uniforms (Schiffer Military/Aviation History) (Hardcover)

Sgt Johnson's book on the tiger stripe camouflague pattern and its variants is an excellent book. Indeed, it is the authoritative reference on the subject for some time. The authour's methodical sysmatization and meticulious research have certainly provided militaria collectors with highly rigourous technical standards.

Although this book is primarly for collectors, modelers and reenactors will find this book equally helpful in their research.

Nevertheless, there are a number of glaring oversights that detract from the book's overall value.
First, there's no index. Given the book's meticulous details and bewildering variety of tiger strip patterns, an index isn't merely useful; it's absolutely essential.
Second, there's no bibliography. Its absence is inexplicable; how is the collector, modeler, historian or reenactor supposed to learn more about this pattern and become more discerning without the primary and secondary sources? Especially since the book is primarily for them.
Third, I found the historical background of the tigerstrips rather too perfunctory.I would've appreciated to know how the French Indochinese lézard pattern evolved into the tiger strips
Fourth, spelling mistakes mar this book and it's unjustifiable considering that the book is sold by a professional publisher and its price tag
Finally, the authour makes cryptic referencs to the 1990 edition of the book. Yet when I looked at the inside page for the publication data, the book was published in 1999.
Despite these glaring oversights, which can be corrected in a subsequent reprint, this book is highly recommended

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Editorial quality, December 14, 2007

By 

Piet Bess (Berkeley) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tiger Patterns: A Guide to the Vietnam War's Tigerstripe Combat Fatigue Patterns and Uniforms (Schiffer Military/Aviation History) (Hardcover)

The information in this book is edifying, but for an educated reader it can be tough going. I find it painful to read a book where the publisher has not invested the energy to make sure that apostrophes are placed correctly. The text of this book is sadly about on the level or many greengrocers' signs, repeating in published print common errors that I distinctly recall having addressed in middle school.
In an apparent attempt to cover for his low state of literacy, the author has tried for an "educated" sound, replacing every instance of the word "in" with the word "within". He invents words like "asperse". Often, I can not tell what a given sentence means after several analytic readings.
I would stress, however, that this should not reflect poorly on the author, who is clearly not an academic. It should reflect brutally on the reputation of his publisher for not taking editorial responsibility.