The main plastic armour manufacturers have produced many interesting models recently of a range of AFVs. Even some that were never actually produced or actually produced but in very small numbers eg M113 with Saladin turret (15 produced), most recently IDF Puma (not sure how many actually produced but certainly less than 500 for sure). The choice of which model to produce is a difficult question because of the investment that the companies have to make and choices have to be made, but some of the choices they make are absolutely remarkable.

There were about 1937 Tiger tanks produced during WW2 – this includes all marks. I know that it was a German tank and confess to building a few over the last 50 years but there are almost as many boxings of Tiger 1 and II as there were produced. They sell – model production is a business after all.

It is almost the same for Shermans – 1690 M4A3 75mm tanks produced but every major model manufacturer produced at least one boxing.

The International Harvester half tracks were used by the British, Russians, French, Israelis and even Brazilians in significant numbers during World War 2 and after.
M5- 4625 produced
M5A1- 3959 produced
M9A1 - 3433 produced
M14 SPAA - 1605 produced
M17 SPAA - produced. So a total of something like 14,500 vehicles were actually manufactured.

They were armed with a 50 calibre pedestal mounted machine gun or a pulpit mounted machine on the A1 versions and the anti aircraft versions with twin or quad 50s.
To date Mouse House produced a conversion set for the M5 (no longer available) and currently a 3D printed version is also available from Shapeways.

A friend told me that for a major plastic model manufacturer to recover the cost of steel moulds they needed to produce and sell 10,000 units before they start to head in the profit direction.

If you could see yourself buying a land lease half track model make yourself known here. We could be astounded and a major model manufacturer might actually take notice.

JM

For sure id be interested in m5s etc,Bring them on Meng etc!!!.
Richard

You both are a little behind AFV CLUB makes both a early and late vewrsions of the M5 Stuart light tank

The thread is about the M5 halftrack not the light tank. I'm be surprised if one of the Russian companies doesn't jump on this and do M5/M9 in Soviet service. They did do the Studebaker trucks.


But the same can be said for so many other vehicles produced in the thousands that were overshadowed by the handful of sexy German felines. Look how long it took to get an M2 halftrack and another M3 halftrack and they are notoriously flawed kits.


And of course the M3 Stuart light tank.

Great looking kits they are to ,would like to add the M5 Stuart to my collection one day, maybe the turret less recon version.

However what is being addressed is the lack of a very common vehicle the M5 halftrack.

Does make me wonder how the military designation system ever worked and how often it didn't?

Anyway would be nice to have more halftracks than just what dragon offers

Clearly (IMHO), Dragon is the logical choice to produce an M5/M9 series. Although many parts between the White/Autocar/Diamond T half tracks and the International Harvester (IHC) M5s and M9s were different, there are SIGNIFICANT numbers of similar ones.

I imagine if I were a DML competitor, as soon as I announced an M5 or M9 or M14 or M17, Dragon would immediately release a counter announcement of their "impending" release of the same subject. And that would sink my announcement almost immediately.

What would it take for a company to venture past this obvious market risk? I dunno. This is speculation on my part only. My fingers are crossed in that DML will finally break out and invest in the IHC half track series.

I converted the DML M16 MGMC into an IHC M17 MGMC a few years back -- I studied and tried to fix every visible difference between the two so I have an extensive list of conversion instructions, if anyone is interested.

DML, you too. Call me, eh? My consultation fees are very low! hahaha

I seem to remember a newly made kit to convert Dragons Halftrack to a M5 - or is this just my wishes entering perception?

Anyway it's a kit that really is a must-have

keo: you're thinking of the recent 3D printed M5 and M5A1 conversions by Shapeways.

http://www.shapeways.com/marketplace/?tag=m5a1

I would never want a M5 half track kit. Panzer IIIs that were deployed and fought around 2pm ot the 5th day of the Kursk are where it's at

I'm in for the m5

A British half-track has long been on my wish list, so yes bring on an M5/9!

G'day gents

I couldn't agree more about the M5/M9 question - I would certainly buy one.

As for the military designation, look at the M3 - it was two tanks (Lee/Grant and Stuart), a half track, a sub machine gun, and a trench knife. There are probably others, but that's all I can recall at the moment!

One would have to be a very careful supply officer or you could find yourself ordering tanks and ending up with trench knives!



Regards

Rob

I've never thought of that before, but it does make you wonder how the allied logistical system worked with numbers often duplicated. It could almost be a plot from MASH

You do realize that the numbers made, the importance to history, the length of service or number of operators means absolutely nothing as far as model subject selection goes, don't you? I always shake my head when I see these carefully crafted posts explaining why it is perfectly logical and reasonable for a kit of XYZ to be produced. It's sad, because it is all so meaningless. Model companies feel no obligation to correctly and proportionately reproduce the history of armored vehicles.

KL

My own interest at this time is M5 half tracks used during 1948-50.

Most of the IDF improvised half tracks were built on M5/M14 half tracks from France or the UK.

Mind you I would like to get a model of the turretyed AA gun with 37mm and twn 50s. Always had a liking for that one.

What is the finish like on the Shapeways M5A1 half track?? I have had a few things printed as fine as possible by shapeways but there is still some layering as the plastic is laid down. A coast of varnish seems to solve that problem so I am told.

And yes I know that a carefull constructed argument is worth very littele when it comes to the model companies producing new kits like miniart and mirror models bulldozers and mirror models and someone else (Bronco?) all of a sudden doing Morris FATs.

When are they going to do a Scammel tank transporter???


JM

Well if enough people make these carefully crafted posts about how it is logical and reasonable for a kit of XYZ produced then some possibly manufacturer will decide that XYZ is a very wanted subject and tool a kit of it....

But I agree that the subject the average model will buy a kit of = The subject that appears the most cool and interesting looking to the modeller and little else.

Hi, this seems like a significant oversight by Dragon.Much of what they need is already tooled.They have proven over the years that British/Commonwealth stuff sells, maybe not like a Tiger-but enough.

If the price were right i would be tempted to have 3, British WW2, BAOR REME and an IDF one.Nothing in their catalogue is tempting me.

Trumpeter would do a decent version as well, but they are obsessed with Russian stuff.

Regards Jason

And for that matter, when will somebody produce a decent Bergepanther Ausf A or G!!!!!!!?

I would have thought that producing a model that has many options (countries using them) would have a greater return on investment than something that had limited production and use.

Hunnicutts book and the new half track book from Ampersand (just released) both have very nice scale drawings of M5 / M5A1 and M9A1 half tracks.

I apologise for not including Canadian usage in my original post.
So..........most british armoured units used these half tracks.
FRench armoured divisions
Canadian armoured divisions
the russions received 100 M15s plus 1000 M17s
the IDF 1948-mid 1950s used several 100 over time including 20mm turreted, 6pdr, and just various machine gun armed half tracks, mainly armed with re manufacturered MG34s, and besas.

JM

Getting back on topic you can add me to the list of people who would buy a M5 kit.

It has been a while but I did write to Bronco and made contact with someone there. I did send them all the necessary drawings and images as well as pointing our good reference books.

In february 2016 they said they had the project on their books and said
Sorry for this,we don't do this project at present.
If any news,will inform you.
Thanks!

Well that is a pity, my modeling choices have
Changed from ww2 to modern, but I would still buy one or two if produced.
Mike

You can put me down for an IHC halftrack as well.

John

This would be great if we could get a M5 halftrack.It would fill a big void.

Count me in