Today first started with my model for the Medic campaign.
Rebuilding the old Academy M3A2 to a M3 Ambulance like this one:



Need to remove the ladders on the side and make a door in the back.






Please if you know something about M3's, are there any essential differences between the M3A2 and the Ambulance version (based on M1?) I have to change?

Thankx!

Paul

Neat project. Looks like braile scale, yes?

The caption with the color picture says : Deutsches Afrika Korps... Is this supposed to be a captured vehicle that is put in use by the Germans as an ambulance? They must have captured it fresh of the boat then? :-)

Nice projekt, good luck and keep us in the picture Paul

Groeten
Henk

Thanks for the comments guys!
LOL No it's not braille, but a very rough 1:35 mold :-)
I noticed that the doors are different too (underside) Need a few nights on Google to find out what all the differences are between the halftracks, I'm afraid...

Oh boy you got alot of work ahead of you!

Ola Paul

This is the kind of subject I like very much.
But I don`t think the Academy Halftrack is a good base for the Ambulance conversion.
You`d better try this one:
Tamiya M3A2 US Perssonel Carrier
It is an old kit already but it has all the correct stuff for the ambulance version. Like the doors You mentioned ( drivers door is correct and it has a door in the back.) Further it also brings you the pleasure of removing the ladder from the side. Filling numerous holes and it comes with a terrific crew of figures. which can be transported immediately to the lowest regions of the scrapbox.
I`d say the Tammy Halftrack is the way to go.

I've got a book at home that should have the two versions and I can look at it and re-post.

Check out the image you posted - the fender is very different -- are you going to try to convert that?

The Tammy one offers also the correct fender

I really wonder, is that a M3 or a M2? I ask for a couple reasons. One that box looks small to me. The M2 had a shorter rear box than the M3. The M2 also didn't have the rear door. I just wonder if both the Academy kit, that I didn't even know existed, and the drawing are both of a M2.

Its definatly an M3, with a mirrored image M16 back end. The M2 used the same frame and running gear, but with a large step at the back to make up the difference in the body length.

I built this kit as a captured vehicle some time back.

After removing the ladders, and sanding the sides smooth I had to replace every rivet and tie down with stretched sprue and copper wire. It was not very much fun, but turned out to look really good. I'd second Faust's opion, go with the Tamiya kit.

Patrick

Indeed, the fenders are wrong also...
I'm starting to get a huge 'cold-water-fear' of the project this moment

The boxart of the Academy kit sucks: it shows different doors and fenders as you can see on the picture below. Didn't notice it at first...
Can anyone tell me what it really is? A M3 or M2 or just some 'toy' model???

So, now that Tamiya kit is becoming interesting indeed!
Thanks guys!

Paul

The cab is an International Harvester Model, ie the flat fenders, notched doors. The sides are from either White, Autocar or Diamond T manufacture. The rear plate is pure fancy.

IH manufactured M5, M5A1, M14, M17 and T48's - all for lend lease.

M2 M2A1, M3 M3A1, M4, M4A1, M21, M13, M15, M16 were for US forces.

The box art is from the tamiya M3A2 kit.

HTH

The M2 also had a good size cargo door on the side just behind the driver. and the back didn't go back as far as the triangler rear fender peice.

[quote]Indeed, the fenders are wrong also...
I'm starting to get a huge 'cold-water-fear' of the project this moment

The boxart of the Academy kit sucks: it shows different doors and fenders as you can see on the picture below. Didn't notice it at first...
Can anyone tell me what it really is? A M3 or M2 or just some 'toy' model???

So, now that Tamiya kit is becoming interesting indeed!
Thanks guys!

Paul

Greetings, Paul!
I must agree with the other guys Paul, and personally, I would hang with the Tamiya kit, Bro...in the long run I do believe that you will be so much more happy with the finished product, sir...think it over, and whatever your choice, have fun with it!
Gunny

That was my first thought when I saw the Boxart Paul showed Then I saw the logo down right. Looking at the pics of the sprues that Paul showed Man can be certain that If they took the molds from tamiya they certainly did a poor Job as the complete doorpart is really different from the Tamiya offering. I took the Tammy Halftrack I built Years ago to compare it with the Academy offering and I still say the Tammy version is the way to go.
Also the Jerrycans shown in the academy pictures are really crappy and they should need replacement.... Same exctally goes for the Tamiya ones.
Oh and you don`t need the .50 Ring and gun for your conversion.

So, Tammy wins!
Indeed, it's the same picture on the Academy boxart as on the Tamiya one! Even the text looks the same!!!
Didn't notice it although it looks familiar to me...
Poor thing they only copied the boxart and not the molds :-)

Thanks all!