Recently in another blog I was participating in John Berwick posted a very interesting photo from North Africa. As shown below this is a one-off combination of a battle damaged M3 half-track and a similarly damaged standard GMC Deuce and a Half. This real life field conversion created the only WWII Armored Deuce and a Half.

Here is the current status of my build on this great looking one-of-a-kind US vehicle.

Hers is the direct link to the thread "Waiting for Another Deuce and a Half" where the conversation began

http://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/203281&ord=&page=8

From Mike Koenig

Excellent post John (and excellent turn of a phrase on the headline.) I have seen photos of this armored Deuce several times but this is the best by far!

From John Berwick

Thanks Michael,
This whole thread is great. We rode in Deuces when I was in the artillery with towed M2A1s (we called then C1s), so I've always had a soft spot for them.
I'm going to have to do a kit bash of this one, though!

John

From Mike Koenig

Thanks John and thank you for your service!

I already have a spare scout car in the stash. Anybody see any reason why I couldn't use it for this conversion?

They were both M3 vehicles by White Motors and appear to use identical body parts from the doors forward.

From Dennis Struk

Hi, All! Does anyone know whether this interesting mutant Deuce 2.5 was just some kind of a single field-expedient vehicle or what? Just when I'm thinking that the Germans were the only ones building "one-off"-weirdos, this thing comes up!!!

In any case, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD ONE OF THESE THINGS!!! Good chance that I'll use a couple of spare TAMIYA M16 & CCKW353 kits to do this weird-but-wonderful vehicle!!! I may even build one of those 6-wheeled Jeeps that come up in the books every so often as a companion piece! Was this Jeep an actual 6 x 6, or was one of the rear axles a "dead" one

From steph2102

WOW, a conversion very interesting thank you John and Frenchy for sharing
steph

From Mike Koenig

In the case of the 1944 Half-track/GMC Deuce combo found in North Africa: It is reasonable to consider that if so many GMC parts were available, due to war damaged scrap, this vehicle would also have installed the GMC transfer case which would have allowed it to maintain the original wheeled truck's 6x6 abilities.

From Mike Koenig

HALF A DEUCE AND MORE

OK, - IF - we can trust measurements taken off a model to be correct. (not) Then frame rail spacing on the half-track is wider and slightly taller than that of the GMC Deuce.

If these measurements hold true for the real vehicles that would mean: Cut the GMC frame just ahead of the driver's seat and cut the half-track frame just behind the driver's seat. You would now have two sectioned frames that would slip (telescope) one into the other to overlap, splice and weld together.

All engine, tranny, brake, clutch, steering, front wheel drive components AND the armored front body would remain mounted to their original half-track frame. At the same time the transfer case, rear driveshafts, suspension, axles and rear load box would still retain their original GMC frame mountings.

Assuming two battle damaged vehicles, you could cut both of them while still fully assembled, slide them together until the correct cab to load box distance was achieved. Then true everything up one final time, throw in some scrap frame parts as space fillers and splice plates and a good welder could have a complete new vehicle back together in no time at all.

All that remains then is to have that same pro welder create a custom short driveshaft to go between the transmission and the transfer case. While he's busy doing that, the rest of the work crew could be reconnecting the fuel line, rear hydraulic brake lines and the rear wiring.

In about 18 hours of steady labor a GOOD five man heavy maintenance shop could have a brand new vehicle for the General, ready to run.

Easy-Piezy Sheldon! Ba-zinga


I'm trying to get the shop crew to work overtime right now!

From Mike Koenig

Not try'n to be a show off but I just wanted to prove a concept (and clean a couple of model boxes out of the stash.)

I chopped and then spliced/telescoped the two frames together. All mechanical and body components will mount using their original mounting points and the only special built item will be a short custom driveshaft running between the White Motors transmission and the GMC transfer case.

Sorry I did not get more done, I had a busy evening tonight with the grand kids. Considered pulling an all nighter but just could not get the shop guys to do it and still work a full shift tomorrow. (We all were wipped by about 3 am and that is as far as I got.

Ba-Zinga

I should say early on that I used the White Motors M3 Scout Car from Revell of Germany rather than the White M3 Half-track for my conversion. (Because that is what I had on hand in the stash.) The two actual vehicles were near identical and using the Scout Car allowed me to use up "What's on Hand" without resorting to any sort of special ordering at the hobby shop.

Shown here is the shortie custom made driveshaft I spoke of plus I also needed a spare Deuce rear driveshaft to connect the transfer case to the front axle.

You can see the standard Deuce spare tire and I chose to include the standard Deuce fuel tank even though the M3 Halftrack already had two armored fuel tanks under the front seats.

The back wall of the cab was giving me some trouble. I used the armor plate from the rear wall of the scout car but things just were not coming together in this photo. And yes, this vehicle needs TWO spare tires b/c it has two different sized tires front to back.

NOTE: I suspect the driver was under strict orders never to put this vehicle into front wheel drive unless he or she were stuck in sand/snow/mud. I get the feeling the gear ratios between the White and the GMC drivetrains were NEVER matched and remained different between the front and rear drives.

From Mike Koenig

John, Frenchy, Anybody, HELP!

Would anyone have any more photos of this great little converted Half-track from North Africa? I have done a fairly extensive internet search and cannot even find the one photo John has already posted here.

Maybe it is just that rare!

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Mike

From Frenchy

I'm afraid this one is a one-of-a-kind beast, so other views may not be thick on the ground...

H.P.

Agreed

From John Berwick

Michael,
The picture I found was scanned from Tankograd's excellent Technical Manual Series # 6015. Definitely a good investment!
Maybe Squadron Signal will have something in their new book on the Deuce?

John

From Mike Koenig

HALF a DEUCE vs. a DEUCE and a HALF

Just a few updates on my build log for the Half a Deuce truck conversion:

Everything went according to plan meaning that I DID have to build a custom driveshaft to run between the White transmission and the GM transfer case. One thing I did not count on was that I would also need a special length driveshaft to run from the transfer case to the front axle drive. I lucked out however, in that a spare rear axle GM driveshaft worked just fine so my spare parts box once again paid off!

I took a few small liberties with the build however; First, I had a spare front bumper from a WC-51. It fit so perfectly - all the mounting brackets on the bumper matched with the frame spacing of the Scout Car so when I first dry fit the bumper it stayed in place just by mere friction, AND it looked good, so I went with that. Second, the individual pioneer tools on the Revell kit are so poorly done and oversized that I substituted the Tamiya tool rack from the Dragon Wagon. (I happen to think the Tamiya offering is one of the best plastic tool sets you can find in 1/35th!)

And of course I substituted the new Fuel and Water “Jerry” Cans from Tasca for the horrible ones that come with the Scout Car.

Finally I added a scratch built rack with two more Tasca water cans installed under the load box, between the GM gas tank and the back of the cab. a.k.a. British practice. I figured what the heck, this is a maintenance shop conversion so the shop foreman can do whatever he wants. Besides this vehicle was employed in North Africa so the extra water capacity would probably be welcome. I did not add any fuel cans to the external stowage because this vehicle already has THREE gas tanks: the GMC tank mounted to the frame and two installed inside the armored body by White Motors.

I will be posting more finished photos tonight!

Sorry still rounding up the appropriate decals so nothing yet on proper markings but the truck is running and more than drivable!

Trying to finish out the interior of the Half Deuce now. I added gas, clutch and brake peddles to the driver's station and a driver figure IS under construction. The Instrument panel decals are currently being shipped from Archer.

F.Y.I. - The passenger side door will be posed in the open position to show a bit of the interion even when the cloth top is installed.


I don't know why but I just like to paint gas caps red. I have seen the Army do it before but probably not in wartime. Between the M3 and the Deuce this vehicle could have had a total of THREE gas tanks, one being the standard Deuce tank and two more from the half-track mounted inside the armored body. I figure the plan would be to use up the gas in the Deuce tank getting to where you are going and then switch over to the internal armored tanks if you get into a combat area.

All extra "Jerry" cans on this vehicle are for water (after all this is North Africa.) These particular cans come from the fine folks at Tasca.

I made the cloth top by splicing two Tamiya Deuce tops together. The top still needs more work AND the addition of all those many belts with buckles
to hold it to the top of the windshield. And yes they REALLY HAD that many belts holding on the front edge of the cloth top. (See opening original photo.)
I know b/c I have had the dubious pleasure of having to put back on a FULL canvas top on a WWII M5 half-track!

One mistake I now regret making: I have always liked the "saddle bag" style placement of the two water cans mounted on the cowl of the Half-track on each side of the windshield. I knew the original in North Africa did not have them but I liked the cans so much I installed them anyway.

However, what I failed to notice was that the Allied stars are placed on the vehicle exactly where the gas cans have now been installed.

I intend now to center the stars on the side doors but if I had it to do over again I would have passed on the "Jerry" can mounts to give a more correct representation of this great one-of-a-kind vehicle! My bad

Current status of the build:


Rather sporty looking from this angle if I do say so . . . .

Awesome! Two of my favorite Trucks!

Brilliant Mike.
You're a quick builder, and your attention to detail is phenomenal!

John

Thank you guys.