M3A1 Half Track - well, not quite...

[cataphractarius]

In order to get some armoured mobility in one of our wargaming forces, I recently started to convert some Italeri 1/72 M3A1 Half Tracks into wheeled APCs - more or less following a conversion apparently done in the late 1940s, which is described in considerabe detail here:

http://www.warwheels.net/images/ACJfinal19.pdf

While it may sound rather whacky at first, such conversions have also been done in Colombia, when spare parts for the tracks became unavailable. The Colombians however used a single axle, which does not look quite the part I think.

So let's go and have some fun... 



As I said, it's based on the Italeri kit, a wargaming kit with a small number of parts, but more or less looking the part. Also we need the Heller GMC (or any other truck really, but I had a couple of these lying around).

[cataphractarius]

Ok, let's open the boxes... 



The brownish parts come from the Italeri Half-Track, the green parts from the Heller GMC.



This - unfortunately blurry - picture shows the Italeri chassis; some parts of that have to go so that we can fit the twin-wheel arrangement.



Another blurry picture showing the rear wheel assembly ready to be installed.

[cataphractarius]

The pictures get better and the project progresses quickly after a nice orgy of cutting away unneccessary bits and pieces from the Italeri chassis. Hmmm, cutting plastic...   



Quickly the armoured bodywork can be added, and this is the result:



And - for now - both of the vehicles:

[cataphractarius]

Now, the plan is to eventually field half a dozen or so of these vehicles, and in various configurations (APC, SPAA, SP-mortar). At least one of them however will serve in a very special function - for now, only a teaser:





I should add that this is only a mockup, the rear superstructure needs to be a little bit higher.

In all honesty, up to now the project was absurdly easy; now the tricky bits begin, particularly as I plan to have some vehicles with overhead armour. Well, we'll see.

[Glenn]

In the movie 'Night of the Generals' there is a Russian 6x6 APC used in one of the street scenes. It reminded me of a cross between a White scout car and an AEC 0856  6X6. Probably post war.
Glenn

[TallEng]

That's neat I like that a lot, it does however beg the question, what are you
Going to do with the Half Tracks? Can you put them on the GMC? To make a different Half Track?
Or maybe put both sets on one GMC to make a go anywhere GMC  

Regards
Keith (completely out of my depth when it comes to Armour)

[Glenn]

There were some field mods doing that, in ww2. Three I've found are all Australian modifications using a Ford, International and Chevrolet bodies and chassis'. The Chev is with the M3 halftrack, the other two using Universal carriers.
Glenn

[Weaver]

Nice one! 

I have a project to do something similar (and my spare tracks are going on a post-war Bedford truck and a VAB... )

In the movie 'Night of the Generals' there is a Russian 6x6 APC used in one of the street scenes. It reminded me of a cross between a White scout car and an AEC 0856  6X6. Probably post war.
Glenn

BTR-152?   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BTR-152

[Captain Canada]

Cool. I love the way those half-tracks look with the wheels. The turret looks a little too Panzer to me tho, but maybe that willchange once you finish your mods. Also like Keith's idea of a double go-anywhere half track.

[nighthunter]

Already threw something like this together in MS Paint, and used an M5 turret and an M24 turret as well.

Here is a sample of what I worked on. I have a lot of ideas when it comes to Wheeled "tanks"

https://dl-web.dropbox.com/get/Photos/Wheeled%20tanks.png?w=843ed2fc

[Rheged]

A  fascinating whiff.   Perhaps this  is yet  another use for all  of those   old SALADIN   turrets.  I  understand   that the Australians  have already been  creative with   such a  turret  and an M113.   Is it  just my imagination,  or does the turreted   vehicle  look  vaguely  1950's Soviet?

[NARSES2]

Well this is looking really good and without the turret is very Soviet. I can just imagine it with a BT-7 turret or something similar. With the Saladin turret it's something you might see in Southern Africa or South America ?

Looking forward to how this progresses

[Weaver]

I'll tell you what: it makes me wonder what a Saladin turret would look like on a BTR-152, given that it's more "faceted" than the slab-sided M3.....

[cataphractarius]

Thanks for all the replies!

Just as a quick explanation for the Saladin turret - these vehicles are for our wargaming project:

http://www.dumb-geese.webs.com/ (the site needs another update...)

Basically it's about the neverending conflict in the fictitious, war-torn, failed-stateish country of Soeliland; a brief overview over its history can be found here:

http://dumb-geese.webs.com/backgroundstuff.htm

Anyway, one of the warring factions is the Irish-catholic-settler-militia run by SWMBO (don't ask...), operating almost exclusively British hardware. Their military has some sort of a two-tier system, with all the goodies (Centurions, Canberras etc.) going to the regulars, while the real militia has to make do with WW2 leftovers (though some of them have been considerably upgraded). Usually they don't use captured vehicles, but in the case of these half-trucks it's different, as the M3 - as a true halftrack - is already employed, so spare parts are not an issue.

Now, as the regulars have all these nifty Saladins with their mighty whallops, some enterprising militia engineers thought that having old Humber armoured cars may not be, well, really ally, so they cobbled together a small number of these M3s with Saladin turrets to give militia recce units a bigger punch. They also have come up with a cool name for it, but I haven't made that up as yet... 

[Martin H]

now that Jimmy is screaming for the half track components to be fitted. It would be a waste of a half decent kit other wise;D