ARMOUR WALK-AROUND No 5704 M2/M3 HALF-TRACK

The US Army first experimented with half-track troop-carrying vehicles in the mid-1920s. These vehicles carried infantry that accompanied tanks. By 1940, these tests and advances in motor vehicles led to the M2 Halftrack Car and the longer M3 Halftrack Personnel Carrier. Production of both vehicles began in 1941 and wartime combat experience resulted in refinements to both the M2 and M3. Other variants included the M5 car and M9 personnel carrier - both produced by International Harvester - the M4 Mortar Carrier with an 81mm mortar, and the M16 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage with four.50 calibre machine guns. These half-tracks saw extensive use with United States and Allied armies during World War II. They also saw action with the United States in the Korean War, the French in Indo-China, and the Israelis in the Middle East. Armoured vehicle expert Jim Mesko's new book takes a detailed look at the M2 and M3 half-tracks. Extensive colour and black and white coverage of interior and exterior details, twelve colour profiles, two full-colour cover paintings, forty pages of colour.