M3 (half-track)

Half-track vehicle M3
M3A1 APC (Armored Personnel Carrier)
General properties
crew	3 + 10 men
length	6.18 m
width	2.22 m
height	2.26 m
Dimensions	9.3 tons
Armor and armament
Armor	6-12 mm
Main armament	varies depending on the version, mostly MG, M1919A4 or Browning M2
Secondary armament	varies by version
agility
drive	Six-cylinder white gasoline engine 160 AX 147 hp (110 kW)
Top speed	64.4 km / h
Power / weight	approx. 16 hp / ton
Range	282 km

The half-track M3 (Engl. Personnel Carrier, Half-track M3 ) is an armored troop carrier, which by the armed forces of the United States during the Second World War was used in large numbers and in many variants.

In contrast to the shorter M2 half-track vehicle, which was primarily intended as a tractor for the artillery, the main purpose of the M3 was to transport personnel. Compared to the comparable German vehicles of the armored personnel carrier Sd.Kfz. 251 series, the M3 half-track was much simpler and cheaper to produce.

Development history of the M2 / M3 half-track

Captured M3 of the German Africa Corps, North Africa 1942. Behind it is an armored personnel carrier Sd.Kfz. 251

Civilian M3 half-track from Renosteel Construction Ltd. on the beach at Cromer, Norfolk (England), 1993

The US Army's interest in the military use of half-tracks began in 1925 when reports on French half-tracks were being evaluated. The Ordnance Department therefore bought two vehicles from Citroën -Kegresse, and another in 1931. The first US development was presented by the company Cunningham & Sons in Rochester, New York, in 1932. The vehicle was called T1 and already had the drive characteristics of the later M2 / M3 series. The development path led to the T9, a truck with a half-track drive, similar to the German SdKfz 3, which was mainly used as a tractor for 75 mm cannons. In 1938 they took a Scout Car M3 and simply exchanged the rear axle for the half-track drive of the T9. The terrain characteristics were satisfactory and the “hybrid” called T7 was further developed into the T14 half-track car . Whether German developments such as the Sd.Kfz. 251 from 1938 were the inspiration for the US development cannot be proven, but the time correlation is striking.

In September 1940 the T14 was standardized as an M2 half-track car and was intended as a tractor for various guns. In the interior there were seven seats and two ammunition boxes on the sides. Since the vehicle did not have rear doors, the crew had to get out through the driver and passenger door or jump over the drop side. The M2 was officially introduced in May 1941. The mechanized infantry was in formation and a modified version of the M3 was being planned. The fighting compartment was lengthened somewhat, the two ammunition containers were removed and eleven seats were installed. The new vehicle was called the M3 Half-track Carrier .

First use

The first unit to be equipped with M2 and M3 was the Provisional Tank Group , which fought against the Japanese invading army in the Philippines in 1941. The 46 M2 and M3 as well as 15 M3-75mm GMC half-track vehicles were all lost in the fight, but after many small problems were reported, these could be parked in the following lots. The Provisional Tank Group had a special feature: It used 70 British Bren carriers destined for Malaya and diverted to Manila. After the experiences with the Bren Carrier, the construction and use of the Carrier was refrained from.

The next deployment was in North Africa in 1942/1943. The 1st Armored Division (1st US Armored Division) had 733 half-tracks. The vehicles suffered heavy losses, especially in the battles around Kasserine and Sidi-bou-Zid in early 1943, after which the half-track vehicles were colloquially called "Purple Heart Box", after the American wounded badge. The 10th Panzer Division captured 95 M3 half-tracks during the fighting at the Kasserin Pass alone. However, one has to realize that the vehicles were often used as combat vehicles, which they were not intended for. They were an armored transport vehicle that was not originally intended to be used in a mounted battle.

Technical

The engine and cab area came directly from the M3 armored car (White Scout Car M3). The first vehicles used the White 160 AX petrol engine with the Timken F35-HX-1 driven front axle with 8: 25-20 tires. The chain drive sprocket used the Timken 56410-BX-67 and Spicer-3641 gears as the axle. Thus, commercial truck components were processed, which made the supply of spare parts and maintenance cheaper. When the White Motor Company could no longer meet the demand, the Autocar Company and Diamond T manufactured the M2 and M3 under license and used their components. The price of an M3 in 1943 was $ 10,310. It was about twice as expensive as a 2.5-ton truck.

The maximum speed is around 64 km / h and the maximum range is 282 km. The fording ability is 0.81 m and the climbing ability is 31 °.

In addition to the basic versions, the vehicle served as a self-propelled gun for cannons , howitzers and mortars as well as a flak tank . The flak tank version M16A1 was used in the early days of the Bundeswehr , see M16 (half-track vehicle) . In addition, the M3 was used as a medical vehicle, telecommunications vehicle or as an artillery tug.

Further developments were the M2A1 and the M3A1, in which a ring mount with light armor was attached.

Comparison of SdKfz 251 and M3

In 1943, the US Army compared the two types SdKfz 251 and M3, the information is analogous to SdKfz 250 and M2. Both vehicles are similar in size, engine power, weight and speed. The main advantage of the German SPW was the far better cross-country mobility and the better shape. The M3 had a vertical armor from 6 to 13 mm thick, which resulted in a bulletproof up to MG and splinter protection. The SPW was safer with a similar armor thickness (front 12 mm, sides and rear 8 mm) thanks to the armor inclined at 35 degrees. The German cooling was also rated as better, because on the US vehicle the lamellar armor in front of the radiator had to be closed in the event of fire, or the radiator was damaged, which led to the failure of the vehicle.

Advantages of the M3 were, among other things, the 20 percent larger interior, the powered front axle, the better road running, the lower noise when driving and the easier maintenance.

Lend lease versions

A large number of the halftracks were given to allied armies under the lend lease agreement. As the three manufacturers were soon unable to meet the demand, the International Harvester (IHC) company was commissioned in 1942 to produce a simplified version of the M2 and M3 for export. The vehicles used IHC components and could be recognized from the outside by the simple fenders and the rounded corners of the fighting area. Unlike the M3, the armor was not made of surface-hardened steel, but of simple armor steel. In order to achieve approximately the same protection, the armor had to be made thicker.

The M2 was called the IHC version M9 and the M3 was now called M5. No IHC vehicles were used by the US Army.

Exports in World War II

Half-track vehicles of all types were given to many allied countries by the USA. The following numbers are known:

Recipient country	Type	number
Free France	M2 / M2A1	176
Free France	M3 / M3A1	245
Free France	M5 / M5A1	1196
Free France	M9 / M9A1	603
USSR	M2	342
USSR	M3	2
USSR	M5	401
USSR	M9	413
1st Brazilian Infantry Division	M2 / M2A1	8th
1st Brazilian Infantry Division	M3 / M3A1	3
1st Brazilian Infantry Division	M5 / M5A1	20th
National China	M2 / M3	20th
Chile	M5	10
Mexico	M2	3
Mexico	M5	2

The largest customer was Great Britain with Canada, which received several thousand M5 and M9 and from these stocks also equipped the Free Polish and Free Czechoslovak troops, while the Free French were supplied directly by the USA.

Versions and numbers

Designation type	Manufacturing period	Vehicle base	Armament	manufactured FZ
M2 half-track car	1941-1943	M2	.30 or .50 MG	11,415
M2A1	1943-1944	M2	.30 or .50 MG	1643
M3 half-track carrier	1941-1943	M3	.30 or .50 MG	12,499
M3A1	1943-1944	M3	.30 or .50 MG	2862
M5	1942-1943	M5	.30 or .50 MG	4625
M5A1	1943-1944	M5	.30 or .50 MG	2959
M9	1943	M9	.30 or .50 MG	2026
M9A1	1943	M9	.30 or .50 MG	1407
T48 57 mm GMC (SU-57)	1942-1943	M3	57mm M1 Gun	962
M3 75 mm GMC	1941-1943	M3	75mm M1897 Gun (Schneider)	2202
T30 75 mm HMC	1942	M3	75mm M1A1 howitzer	500
T19 105 mm HMC	1942	M3	105mm M2A1 howitzer	324
M13 MGMC	1943	M3	2x .50 M2	1103
M14 MGMC	1943-1944	M5	2x .50 M2	1605
M16 MGMC	1943-1944	M3	4x .50 M2	2877
M17 MGMC	1943-1944	M5	4x .50 M2	1000
T10 MGMC	1944	M3	2x 20 mm Oerlikon MG	110
T28E1	1942	M3	1x 37 mm M1A1 AA gun and 2x .50 water-cooled	80
M15 CGMC	1943	M3	1x 37 mm M1A1 AA gun and 2x .50 M2	680
M15A1 CGMC	1943-1944	M3	1x 37 mm M1A1 AA gun and 2x .50 M2	1652
M4 81 mm MMC	1942	M2	81mm mortar	572
M4A1 MMC	1943	M2	81 mm mortar	600
M21 81 mm MMC	1944	M3	81mm mortar	110
T21 / T21E1 4.2 inch MMC	1943	M3	4.2 inch mortar	25th

literature

• Jim Mesko: M3 Half-Track in Action . Squadron Signal Publ No. 34, 1996
• Steve Zaloga : M3 Infantry Halftrack 1940–1973 , Osprey New Vanguard 11, 1994
• Peter Chamberlain / Chris Ellis: British and American tanks of the Second World War , Lehmanns Verlag Munich, 1972

Web links

Commons : M3 (half-track)  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Details on the different types of the half-track vehicle M3 (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Alexander Lüdeke: Typenkompass - Beutepanzer der Wehrmacht, Motorbuch-Verlag, p. 113