M3 Halftrack Platoon (plastic)

Includes four plastic M3 Halftracks, four plastic Halftrack Crew sprues, one Decal Sheet and one Unit card.

Even though the ‘blitz doughs’ have nicknamed it the ‘purple heart box’, the M3 Half-track is a versatile and resilient machine. However its body offers all-around protection, including an armoured shutter over the radiator and a bulletproof windscreen.

The Allies have the fascists on the run in North Africa, but the fight is not over yet. The United States is the newest army to enter the war. They boast some of the best tanks in the world, backed up by well-equipped infantry, either marching to battle on foot or riding in half-tracks, and the latest deadly tank destroyers. Their troops are inexperienced, but they have trained hard and are eager to prove themselves. They will need to learn quickly, as they face a cunning and battle-hardened enemy.

Between the world wars, the U.S. Army sought to improve the tactical mobility of its forces. With the goal of finding a high-mobility infantry vehicle, the Ordnance Department had evaluated the half-track design by testing French Citroën-Kégresse vehicles. The White Motor Company produced a prototype halftrack using their own chassis and the body of the M3 Scout Car.

The design, using as many commercial components as possible to improve reliability and the rate of production, was standardized in 1940 and built by the Autocar Company, Diamond T Motor Company, and the White Motor Company.