M3A1 HALFTRACK - 1/16 - from Andy's Hobby HR

[Edbert]

Pulled mine outta the closet this morning.

 

[GCB]

Assembly completed. Only missing guns, front wheels and tracks.
Ready for weathering

 

[GCB]

The models includes some mines that they store in the racks outside. Does not make sense to me, as those mines have explosives and if a bullet hits them, they will blow.. Or I am missing something??

 

[Ron2]

Assembly completed. Only missing guns, front wheels and tracks.
Ready for weathering

View attachment 178818View attachment 178819View attachment 178820View attachment 178821

Looks really good! Is that thing massive?

 

[Ron2]

The models includes some mines that they store in the racks outside. Does not make sense to me, as those mines have explosives and if a bullet hits them, they will blow.. Or I am missing something??


View attachment 178826

I believe they are transported without their fuses or detonators in place. I highly doubt they ever transport them on the outside of a vehicle though! Maybe you should pile them up on the passengers seat- that would be far safer!

 

[Edbert]

The models includes some mines that they store in the racks outside. Does not make sense to me, as those mines have explosives and if a bullet hits them, they will blow.. Or I am missing something??

TOTALLY outside of my expertise, but if they are not fused are they inert?

 

[BarleyBop]

Ready for weathering

Wow! Are you sure?
It's so clean, like sitting in the driveway on a Saturday afternoon!
Look forward to next steps.

 

[Edbert]

Is the insignia on the front, the moveable armor protecting the radiator painted on?

I'm afraid of slicing the decal, but even more so of trying to mask and paint it.

 

[Jakko]

The models includes some mines that they store in the racks outside. Does not make sense to me, as those mines have explosives and if a bullet hits them, they will blow..

They are M1 anti-tank mines, and those are filled with TNT, which doesn't detonate when it's hit by a bullet. As Ron says, without the fuse in, they're safe. (Well, safe enough for 1940s wartime, anyway )

highly doubt they ever transport them on the outside of a vehicle though!

They most certainly did — the whole purpose of those racks on American halftracks was to store M1 anti-tank mines in:

Of course, the troops used them for all kinds of other stuff as well, or instead, but officially they are mine racks.

 

[WtShark]

Wow, that is beautiful!! Amazing work!
I'm inclined to think I'd like to build one of those.
Thanks for sharing, again, nice work!

 

[Ron2]

They are M1 anti-tank mines, and those are filled with TNT, which doesn't detonate when it's hit by a bullet. As Ron says, without the fuse in, they're safe. (Well, safe enough for 1940s wartime, anyway )


They most certainly did — the whole purpose of those racks on American halftracks was to store M1 anti-tank mines in:

View attachment 178841

Of course, the troops used them for all kinds of other stuff as well, or instead, but officially they are mine racks.

Where do you ge this kind of information?

 

[BarleyBop]

this kind of information

... if it exists, either @Jakko knows it, or, where to find it.

 

[Ron2]

... if it exists, either @Jakko knows it, or, where to find it.

I think I have a new best friend!

 

[GCB]

Looks really good! Is that thing massive?

Thanks Ron, and yes , 35 cm (1.1 ft) long

 

[GCB]

Is the insignia on the front, the moveable armor protecting the radiator painted on?

I'm afraid of slicing the decal, but even more so of trying to mask and paint it.

Yes, I painted all insignias. To paint the front one, I assembled it flat and kept it flat with masking tape below during painting.

 

[GCB]

They are M1 anti-tank mines, and those are filled with TNT, which doesn't detonate when it's hit by a bullet. As Ron says, without the fuse in, they're safe. (Well, safe enough for 1940s wartime, anyway )


They most certainly did — the whole purpose of those racks on American halftracks was to store M1 anti-tank mines in:

View attachment 178841

Of course, the troops used them for all kinds of other stuff as well, or instead, but officially they are mine racks.

TNT is inert? Humm, would not feel so comfortable but ok.

 

[GCB]

Wow, that is beautiful!! Amazing work!
I'm inclined to think I'd like to build one of those.
Thanks for sharing, again, nice work!

Quite fun to build (except the issues I had with the rear).. Will see how it ends up after my weathrring attempt.

 

[GCB]

Wow! Are you sure?
It's so clean, like sitting in the driveway on a Saturday afternoon!
Look forward to next steps.

I should drop it in a mud puddle!

 

[GCB]

Tracks done... Those rubber ones have defects but should not be obvious when installed.

 

[Jakko]

Where do you ge this kind of information?

The image I posted is part of a page from TM 9-710 Basic Half-Track Vehicles (White, Autocar, and Diamond T) of 23 February 1944, which can be found online as a PDF. You can find a lot of scans of American manuals, but a big part of the trick in doing so is that knowing the number (here: TM 9-710) makes the search a lot easier.

The information about the mines themselves comes mainly from Wikipedia

... if it exists, either @Jakko knows it, or, where to find it.

It only seems that way, I assure you This is very much a case of the fact that someone who knows more than you do about a subject, will quickly look like an expert even when they know only a little more than you do.

What I do have is a fairly extensive library on military vehicles, especially armoured ones, and a good memory for finding things in it again.

TNT is inert? Humm, would not feel so comfortable but ok.

TNT is largely insensitivity to shock, meaning it can't be set off by striking it hard under normal circumstances. It pretty much needs another explosive for it to be detonated, which is where the fuse comes in: that has a small amount of much more sensitive explosive in it, and when that is activated, its blast wave causes the TNT to detonate as well.

What TNT is, though, is poisonous and yellow It was originally developed as a dye, and only a few decades later was it realised that it made a very good explosive as well.

 

[GCB]

Learning everyday...

 

[Edbert]

TNT is inert? Humm, would not feel so comfortable but ok.

Take a stick of dynamite into your backyard and hit it with a hammer all you want.

 

[Edbert]

I should drop it in a mud puddle!

Or strap it to the grill of your truck and drive around in winter weather for a week or two. Just mask off the windshield wiper part and you're good to go!

 

[GCB]

Funny!! From an internet thread. Copying as found!

" i have spoken with some halftrack veterans even though these mines where issued, these veterans choose to discard them from the halftrack for the same reason, combat conditions changed the thinking process of storing them on the side, some even refered to putting them in a tow behind trailer packed in boxs."

 

[BarleyBop]

a stick of dynamite

...and I thought Wile E. taught me everything I needed to know!

 

[GCB]

Should we make a test?

 

[Edbert]

I thought Wile E. taught me everything I needed to know!

He's using a match, highly recommend NOT doing that!

 

[Jakko]

Take a stick of dynamite into your backyard and hit it with a hammer

If you do, please first of all write out a will that makes me heir to your entire stash of models

(True dynamite is nitroglycerine that has been soaked into an absorbent material, such as sawdust or certain types of clay, which makes it a lot more stable. The higher the percentage of nitroglycerine, though, the more sensitive to shocks it will be. Modern dynamite usually consists of different explosives that's merely moulded into the traditional dynamite "stick" shape.)

Also: you write that as if owning, or even obtaining, a stick of dynamite is a normal thing to do … Must be an America vs. Europe thing

 

[Ron2]

Funny!! From an internet thread. Copying as found!

" i have spoken with some halftrack veterans even though these mines where issued, these veterans choose to discard them from the halftrack for the same reason, combat conditions changed the thinking process of storing them on the side, some even refered to putting them in a tow behind trailer packed in boxs."

In the medical field we call that "risks vs benefits."

 

[Jantk14]

Also: you write that as if owning, or even obtaining, a stick of dynamite is a normal thing to do … Must be an America vs. Europe thing

Lol no. I'm American and I can safely say I don't know anyone who plays with or has ever owned dynamite.