I am currently building DML's M3 75mm GMC and I have a couple of questions. I am going to finish it as a British vehicle from the 1st Kings Dragoon Guards. My reference is a photo and artwork from Concord's British Armor in Sicily and Italy, pgs 32 and 34. Both of these pages clearly show it with the roller front end, as opposed to the winch front. It's not clear from the photo but the art work shows the smaller, combination headlights that are mounted on the side of the radiator cover, as opposed to on top the fenders. DML shows using either parts H3 or H4 for the radiator cover that has the headlight mountings on the side. These parts though hasve a hole in the lower corner that I think is to run a shaft for the power take off to the winch. Since I'm not using the winch am I right in filling this hole in?

My other question concerns the interior color. My thought is that it would probably have been U.S. olive drab, since I doubt the Brits would have repainted the interior. Anybody have any definite info on this?

Thanks in advance.

I have been checking my references and all of the photos of M3 75mm GMC showed the earlier type fender mounted head lights. The last of these GMCs was accepted in April 1943 with the majority being accepted in 1942, which suggests that many were built with the earlier headlights.

The GMCs used by the British Army were transferred from surviving US Army equipment used in the North African Campaigns, again, suggesting an early built example, also these vehicles would have lacked the idler return spring assembly that Dragon insists on applying to all the halftracks, although the good news is that they do include the earlier parts in the M3 derived kits,( I wish they did the same for the tires). Sarson's illustrations in the Osprey book on the M3 halftrack shows the idler spring assembly on every version which is clearly wrong. Tank Workshop does a nice upgrade set for the M2/M3 which includes the track tensioner assembly that was retro fitted at field depots, which looks quite different.

As for interior color, your guess is as good as mine. the one shot in Hunnicutt's book shows a British GMC which looks to be freshly re-painted into British Army colors, the rear door is open and does look to be a different shade to the body , so it could be OD.

Now the question that I have regarding the British units in Italy is what markings are used on the hood ? Would it be the 5 pointed star in yellow circle or would it be the RAF Style roundel used in Africa.

Ian

Thanks for your info Ian.

The picture in the book is IWM NA14653 and it has the front fenders covered with a camo net. Later in the book are other pictures of British "75mm Self Propelled autocars" and these do show the fender mounted lights. I guess I will go with the fender mount.




The color artwork from the Concord book shows the British roundel, which accurate or not, is what I'm going to use. Call is "artistic license."