Osprey New Vanguard 11 : M3 Infantry Half-Track 1940-1973

Early experience with armoured warfare in World War 1 made it clear that tanks could not fight in isolation. As armoured warfare tactics matured, mechanised infantry became a key ingredient in what is now called 'combined arms' doctrine. For the US Army of World War 2, the most important technical aspect of infantry mechanisation was the development of the M3 half-track personnel carrier. This vehicle, and its relatives, became the centrepiece for armoured infantry units throughout the entire war. Steven Zaloga guides the reader through the early 1930s development of the half-track, the first deployment in action in November 1941 in the Philippines, its varied and vital role in the Western theatre, the Lend-Lease applications post 1943, the various international deployments since World War 2, and the numerous vehicular variants of the half-track model itself. Operation of the half-track by foreign powers such as Britain, Russia, Israel and even Brazil is looked at. Comparison is also made between the M3 and other armoured infantry carrying vehicles, in particular the fully-tracked British Universal carrier and the German Hanomag SdKfz 251 half-track. The operators of half-tracks and the troops that they carried (known as blitz doughs) are also examined. Steven Zaloga's text is accompanied by Peter Sarson's detailed illustrations.

Contents

• Design and Development
• Early Combat
• The MsA1/M3A1 Half-tracks
• Tactical Improvements
• Half-tracks in Combat - 1944
• International Half-Tracks
• Half-Track Variants