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In developing strategy for the battlefield, commanders first must overcome the moving personnel and equipment successfully across varying terrain. To this end, the Half-Track was designed to improve cross-country performance over wheeled scout cars and supplement other essential operational considerations. The Half-Track was used as a personnel carrier, prime mover and carriage for various howitzer configurations. A central use of the Half-Track was a platform from which armored columns could develop 'eyes and ears' while also conducting a reconnaissance in force in advance of the main column.

Quad 50 Half-Track for Air Defense and Chewing up the Landscape!

The rear compartment of each model was enclosed with face-hardened quarter inch armor plate. While this posed a menacing appearance, it afforded little protection above the level of infantry rifle fire.  The armor was made up of individual plates assembled with armor screws which were countersunk into the plate.   Another notable feature is the distinctive 'Roller' assembly on the front of non-winch equipped Half-Tracks. The purpose of the roller was to prevent the vehicle from 'digging in' when traversing ditches or other similar obstacles.

A Handy Rig To Have Around

Of these by far the largest manufacturer was White Motor Company with a total of 15,414 accepted by War Department. The other manufactures, Auto Car made 12,168 and Diamond T with 12,421. Over half of the Half-Tracks produced were the basic M2 &M3 series.

M2 w/ M49 ring mounted 50 cal

Departing from the standardization of production by White Autocar and Diamond T, were two models from the sole vendor of International Harvester.  Essentially they represent a substantially different item altogether.  The armor was thicker and of a one piece design.  Another significant difference was the power plant.  In the International Harvester model the engine was of the overhead valve design while the standardized American models utilized the 'flathead' engine.  The front and rear differential were both of the Banjo type and manufactured by International Harvester.   The vast majority of these vehicles were given to allied forces with a few remaining in the United States as training units.  In all, IHC produced 2026 model M-9, and 1407 model M9A1.

Half-track Personnel Carrier M3

It should be noted that in the vehicle rebuild program, W.W.II produced items were often converted into specialized carriers.  The Half-Track served the Allied cause honorably and well.  Many foreign countries continue to utilize Half-Tracks for transportation of personnel and equipment, most notable of the countries is Isreal.    Within the US force structure, the Half-Track gave way to full-tracked APC's with increased armored personnel protection and increased cross country speeds.

Half-track Personnel Carrier M3A1

This is an armored vehicle with seating accommodations for 13 men. The 3 seats in the driver's compartment are like those in M2 Track, The other 10 are arranged in 2 rows of 5 each, backed up against the fuel tanks and body compartment.

The M3 is slightly longer than the M2 Track. It is further distinguished from it in that it has a pedestal gun mount, instead of a skate rail, and that it has a rear door for troop access and egress.

Armament consists of a machine gun. This, with its tripod, may be used independently or from the pedestal mount which is secured to the floor of the personnel compartment.

The vehicle picture above is powered by a White 160AX 6-cylinder gasoline engine.  The original "pilot" vehicle was manufactured by the White Motor Co.   The Half-track versions built by International were powered with a Red Diamond 450-B inline 6 gas engine.

M3 Specifications

Physical Characteristics	Crew	13
	Weight (gross)	17,500 lb.
	Length	19 ft., 9½ ins.
	Width	6 ft., 5 ¼ ins.
	Height	6 ft., 9 ins.
	Center of gravity above ground	28 ½ ins.
	Wt. on front axle	5,410 lb.
	Wt. on rear axle	12,090 lb.
	Ground clearance	17 1/8 ins.
	Wheel-base	135 ½ ins.
	Tread, front	64 ½ ins.
	Tread, rear	63 13/16 ins.
	Ground contact	575.5 sq. ins.
	Ground pressure per sq. in.	29.4 lb.
Performance	Sustained speed on level	45 M.P.H.
	Sustained speed on 4% grade	25 M.P.H.
	Max. grade	60%
	Vertical obstacle	12 ins.
	Fording depth	32 ins.
	Fuel capacity	60 gals.
	Cruising range	220 miles
	Max. draw-bar pull, 1st gear	13,000 lb.
	Pay load (inc. in gross)	3,500 lb.
	Turning radius	30 ft.
	Track resistance	65 lb. per ton
Engine Comparison IHC / White	Type	450B  / 160AX
	Head	OHV / L-Head
	CID	450 / 450
	Bore & Stroke	4-3/8 x 5 / 4 x 5-1/8
	Compression	6.3:1 / 6.3:1
	HP	130 @ 2600RPM / 128 @ 2800RPM
Some US Army Half-Track Variants	M2 & M2A1	Scout & Personnel Carrier
	M3 & M3A1	Personnel Carrier
	M3 & M3A	175 mm Gun Motor Carriage
	M4 & M4A1	81 mm Mortar Carrier
	M13	Multiple Gun Carriage
	M15 & M15A1	Multiple Gun Carriage
	M16	Multiple Gun Carriage (Quad 50)
	M21	81 mm Mortar Carrier
	T-19	105 mm Howitzer Mortar Carriage
	T-30	75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage

 

   Proceeding info courtesy of the following sources  

Roberts Armory, A Traveling WWII Historical Museum:     http://www.roberts.ezpublishing.com/rarmory/m16.htm

Military Museum of Texas:   http://www.texasmuseum.org/HALFTRACK.html

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