Hi folks,

If I was to build the Dragon M3 Halftrack but wanted to depict it as a British Army vehicle in Normandy, are there any modifications that would be required?

Thank you in advance.

Des

You would need to change it to an M5/M9 as I don't think the british used the M3. The International Harvester versions had different fenders (straight, not rounded) and rounded corners on the body.

Chris

Chris is right. I don't recall any pics of British operated M3s in NWE. And to modify a DML M3 into an accurate M5/M9 is quite the undertaking. If you're serious about this, PM me. I converted the DML M16 into the International Harvester M17 a few years back. I've started converting an M3 into an IDF M5, but that's been stalled.

Would you settle for the Hobby Boss M3A1 Scout car instead? Many of those in use by Commonwealth forces in NWE.

Hi Chris, Roy.

Thank you for your replies. It was just an idea that had been floating around my grey matter for a while. I'd thought of a small Villers Bocage scene. If it is the undertaking that you both advise I might settle for a Universal Carrier. The main vehicle on the scene would be a Tiger.

Des

The RB half-tracks at Villers Bocage were definitely IHC types - look at the curved rather than square rear corners.

I think the 75mm half-tracks used by a couple of the corps armoured car regts were M3s but that's a conversion in itself.

Definitely on safer ground with a Universal or a Loyd - Mike Roof is building one of the Loyds on Tracklink.

Could it be done using the Monogram halftrack and swopping parts from DML. Granted an ancient offering.

I think Shapeways also produces a conversion for the M5 using 3D printed parts for the Dragon M3 kit.

If you want an IHC half track there is a 3D printed conversion kit available on Shapeways: http://www.shapeways.com/product/SEZ774PJ8/m5-ihc-halftrack-conversion-1-35?li=search-results-1&optionId=55128224 .

He has 3 different M5 kits one basic, one IDF with a flame thrower and a M5A1 with a MG Pulpit. They look nice on the computer but I haven't seen one in the flesh. If you buy one how about a review here on Armorama?

Monogram (now Revell) gives you the correct fenders, but the body is still wrong. International Harvester used curved panels at the rear corners, and the construction was mostly welded, rather than bolted, as with the White Motor Company M3. At one time, AEF Designs offered a resin M5/M9 conversion kit, but their quality control was pretty dismal. I wouldn't recommend it unless you can examine the parts first.

Thanks for the wealth of information guys.

For the level of modelling I am at and the limited time I get to invest in modelling on the whole I think I would be better off going for the Universal Carrier.

I was hoping it might have been a case of one or two slight differences.

The Dragon late Tiger 1 with zimmerit is already underway.

Des