Durham Tees Valley Area M.V.T.

Malcolm's M3 Half-Track ongoing restoration (Return to Contents page) (Return to Members Vehicles)

 


Arriving on restoration site loaded on the back of Malcolm's truck


M3 Half Track Airbourne!!!

Half Track arrival at the dock side ready to be transferred to Malcolm's truck

 

Some background information on the M2 & M3 Half Tracks

In developing a strategy for the battlefield, commanders first must overcome the moving of personnel and equipment successfully across varying terrain. To this end, the Half-Track was designed to improve cross-country performance over wheeled scout cars and supplement other essential operational considerations. The Half-Track was used as a personnel carrier, prime mover and carriage for various howitzer configurations. A central use of the Half-Track was a platform from which armoured columns could develop 'eyes and ears' while also conducting reconnaissance in force and in advance of the main column.

43,000 Half-Tracks were initially produced by four primary manufacturers:

Autocar Company, Diamond T Motor Car Co., International Harvester, White Motor Company.

Of these by far the largest manufacturer was White Motor Company with a total of 15,414 accepted by War Department. Of the other manufactures, Auto Car made 12,168 and Diamond T with 12,421.

Over half of the Half-Tracks produced were the basic M2 & M3 series. After the war many foreign countries continue to utilize Half-Tracks for transportation of personnel and equipment, most notable of these countries is Israel, from which this particular example is believed to have served, evidence of Israeli military markings are still visable.

 
 

Half-Track sporting Israeli military markings and paintwork


Loading process for final homeward journey

 
September 2009

September 2009 updates on the progressive stripdown of this vehicle, difficult at to see at this stage how it will be ready for elvington? certainly wont get there on these fuel tanks eh Malcolm!

 
 



 

stripdown continues and a significant amount of the front bodywork has now been removed.

 
 


 
October 2009

October 2009 and the stripdiwn continues, as more and more is removed from the chassis the pile of scrap gets bigger, there will be a fair bit of reconstruction to do, fortunatly all of the heavier bits look good and will shot blast to before refitting. Still a long way to go but progression is swift there is a big change from last month, you are working well Malcolm.

 
 


 

There isn't much doubt about the origins of this power plant and it don't look to be in bad nick either.

 
 


 

looking forward to the next update.

 
 


 

  
 

next update.