TAM-35070 1/35 US M3A2 Armored Personnel Carrier Halftrack
Although half-tracks had been looked at with interest in U.S. military circles since the late 1920s, it took the outbreak of WWII to provide real impetus for their uptake, as the original M2 was followed quickly by vehicles such as the M3 and the M3A1 as part of the mechanization of U.S. forces; all told, over 40,000 were produced during the conflict. The M3A2 was perhaps the most accomplished, having benefitted from experience gained in the design and deployment of its predecessors: Its open top turret was fitted with reinforced armor plate, and it could carry up to 12 soldiers. Its 143 hp inline-six gasoline engine could provide speeds of up to 72 km/h. Finely tuned suspension and driven front wheels ensured that the M3A2 was at home on tricky surfaces, earning it a reputation as a trustworthy way of transporting personnel and materiel. It was deployed between late 1943 and the end of the conflict, and was seen in various theaters, even receiving personnel carrier and SPG variants. After the war it was employed by militaries including the Japan Ground Self Defense Forces, in some places not being retired until the 1970s.
