Does anyone know if any of the dragon kits of the Israeli M3 half tracks can be backdated to WW2 vehicles?
Also I’ve seen that a fair bit of work needs to be done to bring the tamiya M3A2 back to an M3A1, does anyone know of a full list of what would need to be changed?
Thanks
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It’s complex, as late in the war, the Halftrack still fighting in the Pacific were retrofitted with M3A2 parts like the stowage ladder on the side, this also acted as a tie down for the new style canvas cover. The rear stowage racks and extra .30 mounts around the hull. The added stub of armour around the top gun pulpit, was also added to M3A1 halftracks to protect the new antenna base, so the M3A1 halftrack in Pelelu, Iwo Jima and Okinawa looked just like the Tamiya M3A2.
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There’s the forward firing .30 MG position in the front passenger position to begin with… far easier to buy a Tamiya M3A2 and “super” it up.
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some nice pe sets and resin update stuff out there, they were the only 1/35th M3 In town for a long time before DML came along.
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Looking good 
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drivers door left half open in the rush to abandon the vehicle under fire.
give the cab a rest and let the glue harden, starting on the rear body.
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assembling the rear body out of sequence with the instructions. Great joints.
I’m also joining the front and rear body sub assemblies early to get the two lined up correctly.
starting to take on that classic shape.
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Chassis to body test fit. I’ll leave these dry fitted for the time being as painting the two apart will be a lot easier.
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Progress looking good. One thing though – your windshield piece is glued too high. Its upper edge should meet the top of the side posts. See my pic below
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Outstanding build. You’re really dodging all the bullets on this kit and doing it right. That’s the way to get it perfect - gluing the body together off the frame. This is going to finish up into a fantastic model.
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There are issues, and I’m sure the windscreen piece part E1 are the same for this and the M16,
However, these small bulges at the foot of the piece suggest wiper arm swivels that rest on the bonnet edge preventing E1 from being mounted lower down, unless these bulges are superfluous, and I can trim them away.
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Took E1 out again and it has a bevel on the bottom edge, when I reversed it it fits far better, so I had it in back to front.
to make this area even more contentious, I’m considering fitting this Black Dog Aftermarket canvas cover.
not sure yet if the kit structure fits under this, time will tell.
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the kit “turret” lets call it that for want of a better term (or Turm) I know its static and doesn’t rotate, but neither do the Turrets on my local Castle at Arundel. So the turret in the kit doesn’t fit inside the black dog part.
It came as free gratis with a second hand M3A2 I bought. The rest of it doesn’t seem to match up either.
These personal kit modules look right for a section of eight men, blankets packs ect, but it would block the rear door.
with the slope it does mirror the rear racks on an M3A1, But I wonder if this would better suit an M4A3E8 rear hull stowage area.
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Black Dog products as a rule are poor quality and don’t fit. You’re not losing much by not using it.
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They are I find, produced for the M2, that had no rear door, light bulb moment. But I’m using it as inspiration for crew personal kit stowage, blankets, wash and shaving kit, spare socks, nothing large. just 8 sets of it for the Squad.
so far the winch cable and chain, both provided in the kit. Nice touch by DML.
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Painted in white primer, I can’t fit the supports for the front visor as the windscreen masks are still to be peeled off.
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Looking good.
One observation: The headlight and guard positions should look more like this. HTH.
Image for reference only.
—mike 
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Thanks Mike.
the turret fit isn’t that great, it wants to mount too high on the windscreen so that it slopes to the rear, the Bonnet decals are a wait and see, I may still use a mask and spray one.
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The decal next morning, as that hasn’t done it’s job, I’ll be scraping that off and preparing a mask to spray a big white star on there.
a spray painted one will look superior in every respect, Later, for now this Halftrack and the five Germans are going into the to do box, as there is a 25 pounder Field Gun calling me from the stash.
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Nice build. I like the halftrack.
Cheers.
Ralph
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