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Half-track Personnel Carrier M3A1

The Half-track Personnel Carrier M3A1 is an armored half-track transporter that, like the Jeep and M4 Sherman tank, is considered a symbol of the U.S. Army's liberation of Europe from 1943 to 1945. The development of the Half-track M3 was the result of a long process that began with the testing of the French half-track vehicle Citroën-Kégresse in 1925 and 1931. The French design was continuously improved until 1940 when the combination of the half-track chassis and armored body from the Scout Car M3 resulted in the Half-track Car M2. From May 1941 to March 1944, 13,058 M2 and M2A1 Half-tracks were produced primarily as artillery tractors.

Within armored divisions, mechanized infantry required an armored transporter capable of traversing terrain better than wheeled vehicles. Therefore, an extended version of the Half-track M2, known as the M3, was developed. It featured a longer body, rear doors, and increased capacity to carry 13 soldiers instead of 10. The Half-track Personnel Carrier M3 was capable of transporting an entire twelve-member infantry squad. Production of the M3 was carried out by Autocar Motor Co., Diamond T Motor Co., and White Motor Co. From May 1941 to September 1943, a total of 12,499 M3 vehicles were produced. The M3 served as the basis for various specialized versions, including tank destroyers, self-propelled guns, anti-aircraft vehicles, and mortar carriers.

The improved M3A1 version followed, equipped with a ring mount for the heavy M2HB Cal. .50 machine gun. A total of 2,862 M3A1 vehicles were newly manufactured, and an additional 3,942 vehicles were converted to M3A1 from older M3 and other versions. For example, out of 2,202 75 mm Gun Motor Carriage M3 tank destroyers, 1,360 were converted into M3A1 transporters.

The Half-tracks saw their baptism of fire during the defense of the Philippines in December 1941. Their first major deployment occurred during the landing in North Africa in November 1942. Due to the inexperience of the soldiers, the Half-tracks were initially often misused, which led to a poor reputation. However, their deployment in Sicily and Italy changed the soldiers' opinion, and the Half-track earned a good reputation for the rest of the war in Europe. Under the lend-lease program, several thousand Half-tracks were delivered to countries such as the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union. Most of these vehicles were produced by the International Harvester Co. Overall, more than 54,000 Half-tracks, including M2, M3, and all their variants, were produced, serving in many armies worldwide long after the end of World War II.

Technical specifications of the vehicle:

Type: Half-track Personnel Carrier M3A1
Manufacturer: Autocar Motor Company, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Year of Production: March 1943

Dimensions:
Length: 242 5/8 in (616 cm)
Width: 87 ½ in (222.2 cm)
Height: 95 1/8 in (241.6 cm)
Ground Clearance: 11 3/16 in (28.4 cm)

Approach Angle: 37° (front), 35° (rear)

Armor: 6.4 mm to 12.7 mm

Armament: M2HB Cal. .50 machine gun (700 rounds) on ring mount and M1919A4 Cal. .30 machine gun (7,750 rounds)

Engine: White 160AX (147 hp [109.6 kW] at 3000 rpm), six-cylinder gasoline engine
Transmission: 4+1
Maximum Speed: 45 mph (72 km/h)
Fuel Capacity: 60 gal (227 l)

If you are interested in renting the vehicle for a military-historical demonstration or a static exhibition, you can contact us via email: info@americanliberator.cz.

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wasp

31. 5. 2023

Luxusní přednáška o zbraních, děkujeme moc. Moc si toho vážíme že jste dojeli až k nám<3

Ernesto Salaz

12. 4. 2024

Velký výběr zbraní, včetně raritních kousků z druhé světové války. Přátelští a erudovaní instruktoři, kteří se postarají o vaší bezpečnost a odpoví i na všechny vaše dotazy. Byl sem velice spokojen.

Robin Krčmář

10. 11. 2023

skvělí profesinonální přístup, zůčastnil jsem se teambuildingu, veliký výběr zbraní, vše nám bylo hezky vysvětleno . Krásně strávený den

David Lahoda

27. 1. 2024

Velmi příjemné dopoledne, děkuji!! :) moc milé slečny u zápisu, svaly hlavně aby bylo vše v pořádku a zápis bezpečnosti i poučení. Děkuji! ❤️🥰

Martin Hegr

10. 9. 2024

Skvělý zážitek, velice příjemní lidé, velký výběr zbraní, od druhoválečných až po ty novodobé, s radostí odpoví na všechny otázky, doporučuji!

Houba II

24. 4. 2023

Velmi příjemný a akční zážitek, byli jsme překvapeni výběrem zbraní. Perfektí akce pro team building nebo adrenalinový dárek. Instruktoři příjemní a trpěliví. Neviděli jsme se naposled :o)

Filip Vaculík

27. 1. 2024

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Roman Sip

7. 1. 2024

Střelba ze zbraní vlastního výběru - velice působivý a netradiční zážitek. Školení bezpečnosti prováděno vtipnou formou. Sympatičtí instruktoři dávají ke každé zbrani drobný výklad. Jistě budeme opakovat :) Děkujeme týmu a paní Kamile.