Early M2 half-track car
![Album image #1 Album image #1](/albums/img/3/6/7/1696367-66321-61-720.jpg)
I bought this kit second-hand. This is how far the previous owner got building it.
![Album image #2 Album image #2](/albums/img/3/7/0/1696370-66321-35-720.jpg)
Suspension parts built so they can be installed without glue, for easier painting later on.
![Album image #3 Album image #3](/albums/img/3/6/8/1696368-66321-98-720.jpg)
Because the early halftracks didn’t have the spring for the idler wheel, I filed off its mountings and filled the holes for it. However, that makes it hard to fit the idler wheel mount itself. What I did was to first fit the sprocket and bogie into the track, without glue (and with the wheel-pairs loose in the bogie), then fit all that to the model, again without glue.
![Album image #4 Album image #4](/albums/img/3/6/9/1696369-66321-38-720.jpg)
A piece of Blu-Tack at the top …
![Album image #5 Album image #5](/albums/img/3/7/1/1696371-66321-86-720.jpg)
… and one at the bottom keep the bogie firmly in place on the chassis.
![Album image #6 Album image #6](/albums/img/3/7/2/1696372-66321-12-720.jpg)
Then put the idler wheel mount into the idler wheel, also without glue, and put them in place in the track, so the mount fits in the chassis as it should.
![Album image #7 Album image #7](/albums/img/3/7/3/1696373-66321-68-720.jpg)
All you then need to do is put a drop of glue onto the idler wheel mount to glue it to the chassis, and leave everything in place until this glue sets. Once that’s done, you can remove all of the rear suspension bits and paint them separately from the rest of the model.
BTW, all of this is not necessary if you fit the idler springs, A21 and A22, because those will positively locate the idler mounts. However, those springs were only fitted from mid-1943, and my model will represent a vehicle as in early 1942 or so.
BTW, all of this is not necessary if you fit the idler springs, A21 and A22, because those will positively locate the idler mounts. However, those springs were only fitted from mid-1943, and my model will represent a vehicle as in early 1942 or so.
![Album image #8 Album image #8](/albums/img/6/2/8/1696628-66321-89-720.jpg)
Some plastic rod added to the idler arms, to which the screws behind the arms connect on halftracks without idler springs. The bracket from the top of the arm to the rear of the chassis was also only present on halftracks with springs, so I filled the holes for them in the back of the chassis.
![Album image #9 Album image #9](/albums/img/6/2/9/1696629-66321-58-720.jpg)
Cab sides, with the jerrycan holder mounting removed from the right-hand side. The other still needs to be done.
![Album image #10 Album image #10](/albums/img/3/0/1/1698301-66321-42-720.jpg)
Front bumper with roller, where I replaced the moulded-on springs by new ones made from copper wire wound around plastic rod.
![Album image #11 Album image #11](/albums/img/3/0/2/1698302-66321-40-720.jpg)
Basic parts for the rear compartment. I’ll wait with adding details until I’ve also built the basic shape of the cab, to ensure everything lines up correctly.
![Album image #12 Album image #12](/albums/img/9/1/4/1698914-66321-38-720.jpg)
Replacement pedals in the cab, should be good enough for how little of them will actually be visible on the finished model.
![Album image #13 Album image #13](/albums/img/9/1/5/1698915-66321-51-720.jpg)
Cab and load bed dry-fitted to the chassis to ensure they line up correctly.
![Album image #14 Album image #14](/albums/img/7/4/1/1702741-66321-85-720.jpg)
Front of the cab with the radiator shutters in place.
![Album image #15 Album image #15](/albums/img/7/4/3/1702743-66321-53-720.jpg)
Inside of the cab. I replaced the gearshift lever with copper wire because Dragon’s part has only two bends instead of three like the real thing. The paint is because those areas will be hard to reach when spraying the model later on.
![Album image #16 Album image #16](/albums/img/7/4/2/1702742-66321-62-720.jpg)
Rear area, also with painted areas to prevent them being visible as bare plastic later.
![Album image #17 Album image #17](/albums/img/7/4/4/1702744-66321-66-720.jpg)
Machine-gun skate rail, with one of the two lips around the edges added — a second one needs to go along the top. The strip I used was 4 mm too short, and I of course filled the gap after taking the photo.
![Album image #18 Album image #18](/albums/img/4/8/7/1788487-66321-59-720.jpg)
Added the lid for the open stowage bin, made from plastic card and a few bits of strip.
![Album image #19 Album image #19](/albums/img/4/8/8/1788488-66321-60-720.jpg)
Panzer Art M3 scout car wheels, both with a disc glued to them because the early M2 half-track had different hubs (these still need to be finished). The one on the right has the locking ring cut away to make it a simple, spoked wheel. The other wheel still needs this done.
Yorumlar
7 31 March, 15:22
![](/profiles/img/60714-348-s.jpg)
Watch the Cab to Chassis interface on this kit. My GMGC had some difficulty with that!
1 April, 03:46
![](/profiles/img/66321-723-s.png)
Thanks for the heads-up. I've been dry-fitting the floor and the rear body (main parts already built) and they seem to fit well enough to the chassis, but I won't know for sure until I get the cab built, of course.
1 April, 08:42
![](/profiles/img/60714-348-s.jpg)
I was the same for mine! I still think I messed something up. But they look great when finished!
1 April, 18:20
![](/profiles/img/66321-723-s.png)
I have seen somebody build a Dragon M3 halftrack, and he had some trouble lining up the cab and the back half, so I think it will pay to keep a close eye on fit straight from the start.
1 April, 20:21
Album info
Backdating Dragon's M2 half-track kit to an early version.