History of the M3 Halftrack

The U.S. military effort in World War II would not be complete without the M3 Halftrack. Mass-produced, the M3 was an Allied counterpart to the German SdKfz 251 halftrack in scope and capabilities. The M3 is primarily used as a troop carrier, transporting infantry to and from the front lines, but can also easily fill other roles required on the battlefield, such as B. Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC), equipment carriers, weapons platforms, and general light reconnaissance.

The M3 became the ultimate Allied half-track and served throughout the war with a hybrid truck-tank design capable of traversing the harshest terrains. The front axle is two-wheeled and the rear is supported by a chain and wheel assembly.

This particular line of half-tracks was used by all major Allied forces (including the Soviet Union through Lend-Lease agreements) and continued into the postwar years as the State of Israel grew and France was rebuilt.

The basic half-track concept was first introduced by the British in the First World War. Until then, however, when all-track or six-wheel-drive vehicles were favored, the automotive-style combination of tracks and wheels seemed impractical.

During the interwar period, especially in the 1930s, when development on both sides of the ocean was at its peak, half-tracks made a comeback to some extent. German troops used this vehicle extensively on their enemy lines through the "blitzkrieg", and the Americans paid particular attention to the French-made design called the Citroen Kegresse P17.

Due to Americans' interest in the French system, several French forms were purchased for additional practical testing and evaluation.

The P17 was soon introduced into the 1931 "T14" Army half-track prototype. The T14 - mostly produced by the Army Armory and others - is nothing more than a white scout M2 series chassis fused to a Kegresse half-track suspension system.

The resulting design proved good enough to be the newly cast "M2 Half Track." Production of the M2 half-track began as early as 1941, and Europe was already involved in the so-called "World War II" from September 1939.

The half-tracked M3 appeared soon in 1941 and began to complement the M2 in front-line service. The M3 is a bit different from the previous design, with an elongated body. The original form had a .50 caliber base-mounted machine gun in the center for self-defense, but was later replaced by a more traditional "pulpit"-style arrangement in future production models.

After the M3 came the "M5" which did not differ much from the manufacturing process used. The "M9" is a related half-track armored vehicle design.

M3 subsequently transitioned from a base personnel carrier to various roles. The most intimidating of these was the Quad-50 anti-aircraft platform, which mounted a battery of 4 x .50 caliber (12.7 mm) Browning heavy machine guns on a swivel base. This powerful formation excels in low-level air defense roles, and can also be used against hapless enemy infantry in a pinch. Other variants of the M3 series became specialized weapon mounts, with mounted weapons ranging from 57mm to 105mm SPG.

Mortar transporters, armoured ambulances and engineering vehicles were also built.

The M3 series is by no means a perfect machine. While sturdy, it was never considered as reliable as other wheel systems available at the time.

The thin underbody armor made the occupants extremely vulnerable to mines, and the fabric covering them provided little protection against the elements, artillery shells, or air strikes. Despite these limitations, there were no major complaints about the M3's performance, as it had withstood the harshest wartime elements and conditions to such an extent that the system would achieve legendary status by the end of the war.

By 1944, approximately 41,000 American half-tracks were produced and continued to be used for the next few years. The M3 was also used in combat service with the emerging Israeli military, and continues to play a complementary role in some form around the world today (2013) - albeit to a lesser extent than in previous decades.

The U.S. involvement in the Korean War (1950-1953) after World War II ensured that the M3 vehicle and all of its ilk were back in service. After the conflict, however, the theory of using half-tracks was abandoned around the world, as armoured personnel carriers (APCs) and infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) - wheeled and tracked - began to take centre stage.

Half-Track Personnel Carrier M3 Specification

BASICS

Year:
1941
Crew:
3
Manufacturing:
White Motor Company / International Harvester / Autocar / Diamond T / Army Ordnance Depot - USA
Production:
41,169 Units

ROLES

- Anti-Aircraft / Airspace Denial

- Fire Support / Assault / Breaching

- Reconnaissance (RECCE)

- Troop-Carrying

- Utility

- Support / Special Purpose

STRUCTURAL

Length:

20. 28 ft (6. 18 m)

Width/Span:

7. 28 ft (2. 22 m)

Height:

7. 41 ft (2. 26 m)

Weight:

10 tons (9,299 kg; 20,501 lb)

POWER

1 x White 160AX 6-cylinder gasoline-fueled engine developing 147 horsepower.

PERFORMANCE

Maximum Speed:

45 mph (72 kph)

Maximum Range:

175 miles (282 km)

ARMAMENT

OPTIONAL:

1 x 0. 50 caliber heavy machine gun OR 1 x 0. 30 caliber M1919A4 medium machine gun. Also any personal passenger weapons could come into play.

Other mission specific variants included:

1 x 81mm mortar

1 x 57mm anti-tank gun

1 x 75mm field gun

1 x 105mm howitzer

2 or 4 x 0. 50 caliber heavy machine guns (AA)

2 or 4 x 20mm Bofors cannons

2 or 4 x 40mm Bofors cannons

Ammunition:

700 x 12. 7mm ammunition OR 7,750 x 7. 62mm ammunition

VARIANTS

T14 - Prototype Army designation, 1931; white scout M2 hull with Kegresse half-track suspension.

M2 Halftrack - Base production model based on the T14 prototype; production from 1941 and running into service until May of this year.

Half-tracked M3 - Extended hull; dedicated manned vehicle variant developed from M2; white 160AX engine.

M3A1 half-tracked personnel carrier - introduction of circular cannon mounts

Half-track M3A2 - designed as a mortar carrier, APC or air defense system.

Half Track M3 - Communication Variant

M3 Half Track - Ambulance Variant

Halftrack M3 - Artillery Tractor

M3 Half Track - Mortar Carrier

Kanonenmotorwagen M3 - Self-propelled artillery platform; equipped with 75mm main gun (M1897A4).

M16 MGMC - Quad-50 AA variant; 4x. 50 caliber heavy machine gun.

M5 Half-Tracked Personnel Carrier - Alternative Production Method; Lend-Lease Production Mode.

Half-tracked M5A1 - M5 with M49 machine gun mount

M5A2 Half-tracked personnel carrier - M5 and M5A1 combined production

Half-track M9

T-12/M3 GMC - 75mm Gun Motor Vehicle Mount

T12 HMC - 75mm or 105mm howitzer

T48 GMC - 57mm gun motor mount

T30 HMC - M1A1 75mm gun motor mount

T38 HMC - T7 105mm howitzer

T19 HMC - M2A1 105mm Howitzer

M21 MMC - 81mm Motor Mortar Carriage

T21 - 4. 2 inch mortar carrier (never produced)

M13 MGMC - 2 x 12. 7mm machine gun AA variant.

M16 MGMC - Shielded 2 x 12,7mm gun AA variant.

M16A2 MGMC - Addition of rear door to hull.

M17 - Loaned to the USSR based on the M5 chassis.

T58 - Quad-50 carriage with electric turret (prototype)

M15 CGMC - 2 x 12.7mm heavy machine guns mounted above a 37mm automatic cannon with additional crew protection.

M15A1 CGMC - 2 x 12.7mm machine guns mounted under the 37mm autocannon.

M15 Special - Equipped with 40mm Bofors L/50 gun.

There are various other smaller prototype versions.

M3 Mk. A - Israeli variant based on M5; RED-450 engine; various machine guns on M49 mounts.

M3 Mk. B - Israeli variant based on the M5; employed as commander.

M3 Mk. C - Based on the Israeli variant of the M3; equipped with the M1 81mm mortar.

M3 Mk. D - Israeli variant based on the M3 mortar mothership; equipped with the 120mm Soltam mortar system; first published in 1960.

M3 TCM-20 - Israeli variant based on the M3 and M5 half-track series; equipped with an Israeli-made TCM-20 turret with two 20mm Hispano-Suiza HS404 cannons mounted on a Maxson turret system.

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