HISTORY
The M3A1 Halftrack was a WW2 armored personnel carrier that was built by the White Motor Car Company and was first accepted into service in May of 1941, with over 5,000 of this halftrack variant being produced. The M3A1 was armed with a 12.7mm M2HB on an M49 ring mount directly above the passenger seat (or the right side). In addition to that, it was also able to mount two 7.62 M1919A4 machine guns on the sides
The M3A1 first saw action in combat during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in 1941 and saw use in every theater of WW2 until 1943, when its drawbacks led to it being mostly replaced by more armored vehicles. It was used in many roles, including troop transport, recon, screening, logistics, medical transport, anti-aircraft, and even as a command vehicle. The M3 series of half-tracks is one of the most important vehicles of WW2, with its importance only being overshadowed by its more armored and famous siblings, such as the M4.
The M3A1 Halftrack saw continued service with the U.S. Army during the Korean War (1950-1953), despite its vulnerabilities to artillery and machine gun fire. Primarily used for troop transport, it was also adapted for other roles. A notable conversion was its use as the M16A1 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage, addressing a shortage of dedicated anti-aircraft vehicles by mounting a quad .50 caliber M2HB machine gun higher to clear the rigid side armor.
The M3A1 in Korea typically featured a 12.7mm M2HB on an M49 ring mount and could also mount two 7.62mm M1919A4 machine guns on its sides. Its mobility was similar to the M13 MGMC due to their shared chassis. While eventually replaced by more heavily armored, fully tracked APCs like the M75 and M59, the M3A1’s versatility kept it in use throughout the conflict.
In-game, the M3A1 would likely function as an extremely Early SPAA, and would have similar, if not identical, mobility performance to the M13 MGMC seen in the US tech tree due to it being basically (with minor differences) the same vehicle, just lighter and with one less machine gun and an additional crew member.
Technical data:
Dimensions
Weight: 5.67 Tons
Length: 18 ft 5 in
Width: 6 ft 8 in
Height: 6 ft 5 in
Mobility
Engine: White 160AX; 6 cylinder, 4 cycle, in-line gasoline (147 hp at 3000 rpm)
Top Speed: 45mph
Survivability
Crew: 5 (driver, gunner/commander, loader, radio operator)
Front: 6.4mm Case Hardened steel
Sides: 6.4mm Case Hardened steel
Rear: 6.4mm Case Hardened steel
Windshield: Unknown- Shatterproof/bullet-resistant glass
Windshield cover: 12.7mm Case Hardened steel
Armarment
1x .50 M2HB with 7x100 per magazine (700 rounds total)
1x human smoke dispenser, ammo: 22x AN-M8 smoke grenades (Would only be tossed directly out in front of the tank and would only offer a very limited smoke screen for a short duration)
- Yes
- No
Sources
https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/ref/TM/pdfs/TM9-710.pdf
Half-track Personnel Carrier M3
M2A1 Half Track - National Museum of World War II Aviation
Carrier, Personnel, Half-Track, M3A1 | TM 9-2800: Standard Military Motor Vehicles, Technical Manual, U.S. War Department, September 1, 1943 (Lone Sentry)
World War II US Armored Infantry Tactics
Halftrack, A History of American Semi Tracked Vehicals. By R.P. Hunnicutt