Book Review of
M2/M3 American Half-tracks of the Second World War
Edited by: Robert Jackson
Pen & Sword Ltd.
ISBN: 9781526746559
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $22.95
ISBN: 9781526746559
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $22.95
THE BOOK:
Pen & Sword Ltd. is based in Yorkshire, UK.
This book is paperback of 64 pages in 11 1/2" x 8" page format.
The cover arts shows the DML Dragon 1/35th scale M2A1 kit made up.
In the center on the left is a M2 during a desert fighting exercise in April 1942.
In the center, the U.S. Army modified some half-track Personnel Carrier M3's to serve as armored field ambulances. In the center on the right is a 75 mm Gun Motor Carriage. M3's were only a stop-gap vehicle.
At the bottom is a color profile of a M2 as it looked in Tunisia during Operation Torch, November 1942.
The back cover shows 3 black and white photos and another color profile.
The top black and white photo is of a M5 Personnel Carrier that looked remarkably similar to the half-track Personnel Carrier M3, except that it did not have the hundreds of slotted oval-shaped screws that held together the face-hardened armor (FHA) of the M2/M3 series.
The second color photo shows the interior of the Tacom 1/35th scale M3 GMC.
The third illustration is a black and white wartime photo of a M15 Combination Gun Motor Carriage.
At the bottom is a color profile of of a half-track with the 8th Army.
HISTORY:
Among the most successful armored vehicles produced by American industry - known as the Arsenal of Democracy -during WWII were the M2 and M3 half-tracks.
They served on every battle-field and were as recognizable as other famous American wartime vehicles, like the Sherman's and the Jeep, and around 40,000 were produced between 1941 and 1945.
They were easy to assemble, operate and maintain, and their versatility allowed them to fulfill a variety of purposes.
This volume in Pen & Sword's Land Craft series traces the design, development and manufacturing history of the M2/M3 and describes its operational role within the Allied armies.
A selection of black and white photos showing the M2/M3 in action gives a graphic impression of how adaptable these vehicles were and records the range of equipment they could carry.
There are 46 of these photos. 19 of them are the walk-around type.
Shown are: 3 of the M4A1, 7 of the T12, 3 of the M13, 4 of the M16, 3 of the M15, 1 of the M3A1, 8 of the M2A1, 3 of the M3 and 1 of the M3A1.
This book is an excellent source for the modeler, providing details of available kits, together with specially commissioned color profiles demonstrating the M2/M3 used by different units and armies.
Showing models made up are:
The DML Dragon 1/35th scale M2/M2A1 with 31 color photos and their 1/35th scale M4 81 mm with 13 color photos.
An unknown brand 1/16th scale M-16 MGMC in 12 color photos.
The box art for Academy's 1/72nd scale M3 in 2 color photos.
The box art for Italeri's 1/72nd scale M3 in 2 color photos.
Hasegawa's 1/72nd scale M3A1 in 5 color photos.
Milicast Model's 1/76th scale M2 in 13 color photos.
Airfix's 1/76th scale M3 in 2 color photos.
Rubicon Models's 1/56th scale M3/M3A1 in 4 color photos.
Tamiya's 1/35th scale M3A2 in 2 color photos, their M-16 in 2 color photos and their M-21 in 2 color photos.
Trumpeter's 1/16th scale M-16 in 11 color photos.
Inside the back cover of the book there are 15 black and white cover arts of other AFV books that Pen & Sword Ltd. publishes:
Tiger I & II Tanks, Sherman Tanks (2 volumes), Panther Tanks, Churchill Tanks, Panzer IV, Jagdpanther Tank Destroyer, Centurion Tanks, T-34/55 Tanks, Tank Destroyer Achilles and M10, Panzer I & II Tanks and M2/M3 Half-track Gun Carriers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Robert Jackson is the author of over eighty books on military aviation and scientific subjects. He was defense and science correspondent for a major British newspaper publishing group.
Among the other books he has compiled for Pen & Sword are Bf-109 in the Flight Craft series and for Tank Craft he has written extensively on the T-34, the Panzer I and II, the Centurion and Chieftain Main Battle Tanks as well as the Russian T54/55.
I want to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample they sent me and the folks at Pen & Sword also.
Casemate is the N. American distributor of Pen & Sword Ltd. books.
All Pen & Sword titles can be seen on Casemate's site at:
Pen & Sword Ltd. is based in Yorkshire, UK.
This book is paperback of 64 pages in 11 1/2" x 8" page format.
The cover arts shows the DML Dragon 1/35th scale M2A1 kit made up.
In the center on the left is a M2 during a desert fighting exercise in April 1942.
In the center, the U.S. Army modified some half-track Personnel Carrier M3's to serve as armored field ambulances. In the center on the right is a 75 mm Gun Motor Carriage. M3's were only a stop-gap vehicle.
At the bottom is a color profile of a M2 as it looked in Tunisia during Operation Torch, November 1942.
The back cover shows 3 black and white photos and another color profile.
The top black and white photo is of a M5 Personnel Carrier that looked remarkably similar to the half-track Personnel Carrier M3, except that it did not have the hundreds of slotted oval-shaped screws that held together the face-hardened armor (FHA) of the M2/M3 series.
The second color photo shows the interior of the Tacom 1/35th scale M3 GMC.
The third illustration is a black and white wartime photo of a M15 Combination Gun Motor Carriage.
At the bottom is a color profile of of a half-track with the 8th Army.
HISTORY:
Among the most successful armored vehicles produced by American industry - known as the Arsenal of Democracy -during WWII were the M2 and M3 half-tracks.
They served on every battle-field and were as recognizable as other famous American wartime vehicles, like the Sherman's and the Jeep, and around 40,000 were produced between 1941 and 1945.
They were easy to assemble, operate and maintain, and their versatility allowed them to fulfill a variety of purposes.
This volume in Pen & Sword's Land Craft series traces the design, development and manufacturing history of the M2/M3 and describes its operational role within the Allied armies.
A selection of black and white photos showing the M2/M3 in action gives a graphic impression of how adaptable these vehicles were and records the range of equipment they could carry.
There are 46 of these photos. 19 of them are the walk-around type.
Shown are: 3 of the M4A1, 7 of the T12, 3 of the M13, 4 of the M16, 3 of the M15, 1 of the M3A1, 8 of the M2A1, 3 of the M3 and 1 of the M3A1.
This book is an excellent source for the modeler, providing details of available kits, together with specially commissioned color profiles demonstrating the M2/M3 used by different units and armies.
Showing models made up are:
The DML Dragon 1/35th scale M2/M2A1 with 31 color photos and their 1/35th scale M4 81 mm with 13 color photos.
An unknown brand 1/16th scale M-16 MGMC in 12 color photos.
The box art for Academy's 1/72nd scale M3 in 2 color photos.
The box art for Italeri's 1/72nd scale M3 in 2 color photos.
Hasegawa's 1/72nd scale M3A1 in 5 color photos.
Milicast Model's 1/76th scale M2 in 13 color photos.
Airfix's 1/76th scale M3 in 2 color photos.
Rubicon Models's 1/56th scale M3/M3A1 in 4 color photos.
Tamiya's 1/35th scale M3A2 in 2 color photos, their M-16 in 2 color photos and their M-21 in 2 color photos.
Trumpeter's 1/16th scale M-16 in 11 color photos.
Inside the back cover of the book there are 15 black and white cover arts of other AFV books that Pen & Sword Ltd. publishes:
Tiger I & II Tanks, Sherman Tanks (2 volumes), Panther Tanks, Churchill Tanks, Panzer IV, Jagdpanther Tank Destroyer, Centurion Tanks, T-34/55 Tanks, Tank Destroyer Achilles and M10, Panzer I & II Tanks and M2/M3 Half-track Gun Carriers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Robert Jackson is the author of over eighty books on military aviation and scientific subjects. He was defense and science correspondent for a major British newspaper publishing group.
Among the other books he has compiled for Pen & Sword are Bf-109 in the Flight Craft series and for Tank Craft he has written extensively on the T-34, the Panzer I and II, the Centurion and Chieftain Main Battle Tanks as well as the Russian T54/55.
I want to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample they sent me and the folks at Pen & Sword also.
Casemate is the N. American distributor of Pen & Sword Ltd. books.
All Pen & Sword titles can be seen on Casemate's site at: