Just posted a full build of the new Dragon M2A1 U.S. Halftrack.

Building the DML M2A1 Halftrack



If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Terrific review as always Vinne. Glad to see the engine included. Perhaps showing it lifted out with an M26 would be nice?
Thanks

Tony

Now that's a great feature, Vinnie, Bravo Zulu, mate!
What a truly fantastic looking build this looks to be, thanks for such wonderful coverage, as always.

Nice build Vinnie. Do you have any idea on why Dragon lists the wench as being for the M2A1 and roller for the M2? I mean, they could be used on both. Also, do the instructions mention anything about not using the double coil idler spring for these two decal options: The 1st Armoured Division in Tunisia, 1942. A generic US Army vehicle of an unidentified unit in 1941-’42(from your review)?


Chris "toadman" Hughes
Toadman's Tank Pictures

Looks good Vinnie, nice article.

I just read the entire article, very informative. You are a talented model maker. There sure was a lot to learn. Beautful finish on this model.

Thanks for the article.

A few years ago I purchased an origonal shovel from a half track vendor at a military vehicle show. He bought a box of shovels at the auction selling off a large group of WWII NOS parts. The shovels were for scout cars and half tracks. The flared sides of the hand grip are wood, the round hand grip has a thick metal plate in the center and there are cups on both sides.

The wood is best described as pale oak weathered brown, the metal parts are aged black paint. Most of the scout car and half track owners paint the metal OD and leave the wood bare (out here in Arizona).

I left mine unpainted on my Jeep. If any one wants pictures I'll clean off the dust. I keep getting complaints for having the "wrong" shovel on my jeep! At the time an NOS Jeep shovel was over $80, this one was $40!

Excellent work as usual, Vinnie!
I do like the front lights protections! I wanted a Tiger 1, but after seeing this article I want to build an M2 too!

Simply gorgeous!

Nice review!

Awesome! Can't wait to get mine and start building.

Another Great build article.. Thats one good looking Half Track... can't wait to get mine.......

Excellent article and build Vinnie - superb paint job!!

Brian

Thanks for the review Vinnie. Looks like and outstanding kit. I hope Dragon keeps making new allied armor for a change.

Great Post Vinnie! I printed off so that when I get mine I can follow along.

One question though. Terry Ashley posted his review on PMMS and stated that the bulged/flattened tires were not accurate. Anybody have any input on that?

Scott

Thanks for all the comments guys! Chris, yes they could be used for both, that's why I've said in the feature that you can mix and match according to the references you have.
Scott, there's nothing wrong with the tyres, yes, there were other patterns fitted, but so were the ones in the kit, and I have photographs showing them.

Vinnie

Terry's referring to the "flattened" look. The tread pattern is fine but the bulge is overdone. They look like they have sidewall defects. Better return them to Firestone!

Chris "toadman" Hughes
Toadman's Tank Pictures

Does anyone have the length and width [ in inches ] of this vehicle?

Naw! There's nothing wrong with the flattening......it's extremely well done and just what you'd expect if the vehicle had just come of the beach! Somebody's really trying hard to find something wrong with this kit!
Mr.Gooch! The overall length (with roller) would be 19.56 feet and width 6.44 feet. Or do you actually mean the model?

Vinnie

http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/dragon/dr6329.htm

Heres the article from Terry.

Yeah, with a slow leak! Or like this:


(added after a response)Maybe the above pic is a bit extreme. However, the following pic seems like the inspiration for the tires Dragon has included.




Nope, just voicing another opinion.

Chris "toadman" Hughes
Toadman's Tank Pictures

You know what? I've edited this post, because Life's too short to bother with some things or let them make me angry. I posted a review of this kit. Now I've posted a build feature, and there's certain people who want to argue about how much air is in the tyres.......let them. The first picture you posted says it all Chris. It has absolutely no significance whatsoever, since it shows a flat tyre. Big deal. The kit doesn't have flat tyres as anybody can see.
It's a beautiful kit, engineered beautifully, and the tyres look great as most people will agree. Have a nice day.

Vinnie

Maybe the next kit will come with scale walled tires, an inner tube, and a scale hand pump, and then I could inflate them to 1/35 the psi of the full size tire. I'd use a photo to correct this terrible flaw, but I'm not sure if the photos I'm using show a correctly to the specs tire inflation, or an under or over inflated one. I'm sure everyone ran around with a tire gauge, after all the book says.......

Cheers for the review, Vinnie; you must have worked hard to get the thing built, painted, and written up online so quickly - it's always appreciated.

Back in 1978, as a 10 year old, it was a picture of the M3A2 Tamiya halftrack in that years Tamiya catalogue painted by Verlinden, on a shelf in Hannants (pre-warehouse) that opened my eyes to what this hobby is and could be about. Needless to say I made the kit back then, and have subsequently sought out the other Tamiya halftracks and bits of brass and resin for when I was brave enough to tackle them

Then, Dragon announce this!!!!! Yes....I have 2 winging (or maybe floating) their way over from HLJ as I type. It looks superb....BUT....(and I am not trying to wind anyone up or have a go at anyone, I am just passing comment).....I am disappointed in the tyres - looking through Hunnicut and the other references I have, they simply do not show this much bulging....in fact its very hard to see any bulging whatsoever. I believe this is worth bringing up principally because tyres are not hidden away, but quite prominent on this vehicle. And some of us have been waiting a mighty long time.....................

Vinnie, I respect your skills and talent as a modeller, and do thank you for producing the review and build up, very helpfull. And I'm really excited about the series to come too.

Rob

Vinnie,
I've gone back and added a couple of comments to the post in question. The point of the first pic was to show a bulged and flattened tire :-) :-)

However, my real point about the tires is that photographs of M2/M3 half-track do not show the tires to have the sidewall bulge that is depicted in the kit. And I'm talking about photos of combat loaded vehicles, not photos of pilot models at APG or Ft. Knox. In Jim Rae's review of Zaloga's half-track book, the third sample photo shows a combat loaded M2A1 and the tires do not bulge out like they do in the kit.. Yes, his picture is not a real clear scan but this same pic is at the bottom of pg. 192 of Hunnicutt's Half-Track book and shows very clearly. It is shown in others as well.

There is no doubt in my mind that Dragon has produced a very nice kit that has been long overdue. However, there are a few minor mistakes like the tires, the idler springs, and three of the decal options. They need to be brought to Dragon's attention publicly through reviews/build-ups or privately through emails to Dragon and pm's to the MDFC. Since Dragon seems to pay attention to forums like this, hopefully, we'll get an even better M3/M3A1 half-track.

Let's face it, if it weren't for criticisms such as this, Dragon probably wouldn't have corrected the bogies on the 1/72 Firefly, made corrections on the early PzKpfw IV's or fixed the box art on the 1/72 M4A3(76).

Chris "toadman" Hughes
Toadman's Tank Pictures

Now that would be cool!! :-)

Chris "toadman" Hughes