The development of the M5 half-track came about as a result of the demands for the M3 half-track exceeded the manufacturing output for the M3. International Harvester (IH) was selected to produce a half-track based on the M3. Due to different production equipment at the IH facilities, IH could not replicate the M3. Thus, the half-track they produced was designated the M5 half-track. From December 1942 to October 1943, IH built 7,484 M5 and M5 variants. The majority of the M5 half-tracks produced were exported to the United Kingdoms, where they either served in the British military or were redistributed to the Commonwealth.
The Plastic Soldier Company produces a 1/72 scale (20 mm) hard plastic Allied M5 half-track set, which includes the components for three M5 half-tracks. This kit includes options for building the standard M5 half-track or the M5A1 half-track variant.
I built one of the models as the standard M5 half-track and the other two as the M5A1 half-track variant. I painted the half-tracks with the colours/markings of The Lake Superior Regiment (Motor) of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division. The Lake Superior Regiment (Motor) was one of two motor battalions in the Canadian Army during the Second World War (the other was The Westminster Regiment of the 5th Canadian Armoured Division). A motor battalion was essentially an infantry battalion with enough vehicles to transport the entire battalion into combat. The decals applied to these models are Italeri 1/72 scale decals.
The images below are found in the Canadian Armour section of Citizen Soldiers: A 1/72 scale World War 2 Model Site.
Citizen Soldiers: A 1/72 scale World War 2 Model Site is devoted to the hobby of painting and collecting World War 2 models/miniatures. It is my hope, through creating this website, to honour the men and women who served in the Second World War, whose sacrifices and courage have given us the freedom and quality of life we have today.
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