US Artillery

American artillery had not been given much attention by toy soldier manufacturers until recently. Most if what I had seen before was unpainted plastic and not really accurate representations of real artillery pieces. This post describes a few options that have been made available to us by Forces of Valor and 21st Century Toys in the past few years.

21st Century Toys M59 155mm Long Tom

Also known as the 155 mm Gun M1 or M2, this field gun was designed and developed during the inter-war period and by 1938 it was officially adopted. It had a barrel length just shy of 7 m, and could fire a round up to 23km. Its size and weight (almost 14 tons) required a carriage with 8 tires in the back and two in the front. The barrel could be elevated from -2 degrees all the way up to 65 degrees, which means that if necessary the Long Tom was also able to engage targets such as tanks in direct fire mode. The Long Tom was operated by a crew of 14 and saw action in North Africa, Europe and the Pacific. This gun comes to us from 21C Toys. Even though it is all plastic, it is still a really nice model with lots of moving parts. The carriage is detachable -and a bit hard to assemble-, and the gun can be deployed into firing position. The paint job shows a small amount of wear for added realism. 21C did a good job filling this previously ignored model niche.

21st Century Toys M59 155mm Long Tom

Here is the gun in its deployed position. Unfortunately, 21C did not provide any crew figures to go with it. Classic Toy Soldiers recently released some artillery crew figures which I have pressed to service the Long Tom, but with a crew of 14, it looks like I am still 11 men short...

21st Century Toys M115 8 Inch Howitzer

Also known as 8 inch Howitzer M1 or M115 203 mm howitzer, it was designed and developed prior to WW II as a replacement for the 8-inch British howitzer that the US Army had been using since WW I. Even though it was developed independently of the Long Tom, it was mounted on the same M1 Carriage. That's probably why it was an obvious choice for 21C Toys to produce this variant. It really looks like all they did was shorten the barrel of the Long Tom. Curiously, this gun was about 700 kg heavier than the Long Tom, even though the barrel was 2 meters shorter. The firing range was also 7km shorter, or about 17km in total. It was also operated by a crew of 14. 

21C Toys US Artillery Crew

This set is actually sold by Four Star Military. I have a feeling it was one of the last sets made by 21C before they went out of business, but you can clearly see that the style and sculpting is the same. This is a five man crew to operate a big gun, like the Long Tom in this picture. It comes with a few extras, such as shells and casings. The one odd pose is the guy who has his foot high up. I had a hard time finding a place to put him where he would look like he was doing something that made sense. Overall a pretty nice set, that will help man quite a few guns.

Forces of Valor M101 105mm Howitzer

Also known as the 105 mm M2A1 (M101A1) howitzer, this gun was the standard light howitzer used by the US military during WWII. It weighed only 5000 lbs, yet it had a range of 7 miles (11 km), making it an effective infantry support weapon. It was widely used in all theaters. It's been so successful that it is still in service in some countries today. Forces of Valor has delivered this nice model to us. It is partly made of metal, and it comes with a crew of 3. The barrel can be elevated and the trails can be separated so that the spades can dig into the ground when firing. Another nice piece of equipment from FOV.

Forces of Valor M101 105mm Howitzer

Another view of the crew and the gun from behind. Note that the figures come without a base, which makes them a bit wobbly at times, but still remarkably stable for not having a base.

Dinky M101 105mm Howitzer - Part I

Here is another version of the 105mm howitzer, made by Dinky Toys. In this picture I have set it up with a crew from 21C toys. I believe it originally came with its own crew, but unfortunately, this one came without them. The howitzer has several moving parts, allowing the firing angle to be adjusted and the trails can also be spread apart when deployed.

Dinky M101 105mm Howitzer - Part II

So here it is with the original crew. I was happy to get the figures because they are not so easy to find, but I must say that they are not the greatest. The plastic feels hard and light. The kind that might break easily. And the detail is a bit rough in some parts, lke the face of the main pointing. Anyhow, all in all, I am still happy to have checked this set off the list. 

Dinky M101 105mm Howitzer - Part III

On this pic you can see that the trails can also be collapsed and hooked to the back of a Jeep, also made by Dinky. Interestingly enough, I bought a second Dinky howitzer and it turned out that it has a different set of rubber wheels, with finer thread design on them, similar to the tires on the jeep. 

21st Century Toys US M7 Priest

The Priest, also known as the 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 was a self-propelled gun carrying the 105 mm howitzer. This Priest was made by 21st Century Toys, and even though the box was branded as 'die cast', it is pretty much made out of plastic. Even so, it is a nice vehicle. I've actually seen it in a different paint scheme with slightly smaller stars that have a circle around them, and the name Annamae written on the side. This vehicle comes with two figures: a driver and a gunner.

Click here to see a more detailed post about the US M7 Priest

Atlantic US Artillery

This is a set that includes the gun and 3 figures. I don't know if it represents an actual artillery piece that existed in reality or not. It could be an anti-aircraft gun as there is something that looks like a sight for the operator to aim through, but the barrel does not offer much elevation. The gun comes in multiple parts and needs to be assembled together. Everything snaps into place but you need to be careful when putting the barrel into its mount. I pressed a little too hard and snapped the mount in two. In terms of the figures, the gunner who gets to sit at the gun could have been given a more realistic pose. He really looks like he is just sitting there doing nothing. All in all it's one of those sets from Atlantic that are appealing to have for sake of having a 'complete' collection, and not so much for its poses or realism.

New Ray Howitzer

This howitzer came with some New Ray set. I don't even remember which one. I don't know if it represents an actual gun or some fictional model. And if it represents a real model, whether it is from the WWII period. In any case, given the limited availability of artillery pieces I have chosen to keep it and even feature it here. If you are not picky, they might come in handy as extra fire power, plus they are cheaper than those from 21C or FOV. As you can see, it blends well with the FOV crew figures.

Click here to see a post about American Tanks

Click here to see a post about an American unit in action

Click here to read a post about mortars

American Half-tracks

This post is about US halftracks based on the M3 model, aka as 'Carrier, Personnel Half-track M3'. This vehicle was designed prior to WWII as an infantry transport. It was capable of carrying 13 men, 10 in the back and 3 in front. The ten men in the back sat in two rows against the sides of the vehicle with a door in the back. The top of the vehicle was open which was a cause of concern for those riding in them. It was armed with a .50 cal Browning machine gun behind the passenger seat and two smaller .30 cal MGs mounted on the back. It was only lightly armored, with enemy machine gun fire able to penetrate it. The radiator also had an armored shutter for protection. Literature says that the windshield was bullet proof, but the models in this post show them armored with vision slots. The fact that it carried 13 men meant that storage space was often an issue and future models tried to add extra storage compartment or racks on the outside for this purpose. The top speed was 45 mph, and with a 60 gallon fule tank it was able to travel 175 miles. Somewhere between 41,000 and 43,000 of them were produced, across their multiple variations, and it was used by all the allied armies.

21st Century Toys M3 Halftrack

This is the basic M3 Halftrack. It comes to us courtesy of 21C Toys. It is nicely detailed, but a bit too clean for my taste. The troop compartment is also well detailed with the seats and rifle racks. The crewman on the front is a tank man from one of the FOV sets. As far as I remember it came only with the driver and the man standing at the .50 cal.

Forces of Valor US M3A1 Halftrack

This is the M3A1 model. Besides some mechanical improvements, the main fighting upgrade was that the .50 cal machine gun came mounted on a ring, which made it easier to traverse it to wherever the fire was needed. This model was released by Forces of Valor. It is a  metal, die-cast model, with even more detail and accessories than the 21C halftrack. It comes with backpacks that can be hung on the sides and more crew figures ready to go into action.

InAir / New Ray EZ Build M3 Halftrack

This is an all-plastic kit that required a bit of assembly -about 6 or 8 small screws to hold it all together. The sides of the halftrack are a bit low in my opinion, and it has a light feel to it when you hold it, but the appearance overall is acceptable.

CTS M3 Halftrack

Here's a halftrack from CTS, painted by a prior owner for the North African campaign. I don't know if the crew came with it, or if they were part of a model kit and were added later. I have to say that when I saw the picture, I had higher expectations, but when I got it, I was a bit disappointed by its size. Even though it's supposed to be 1/32, it is smaller than 1/35. Hard to combine with any other vehicles or troops. So it's only purpose will be to check a box in the list of items to collect. 

Forces of Valor US M16 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage - Normandy

This vehicle was built on top of the M3 chassis, but instead of being a troop transport it hosted a quadruple machine gun, called the Maxson M45 Quadmount. This was a set of 4 .50 cal M2 Browning machine guns which could be used against air and ground targets. The round ammo boxes, nicknamed 'tombstones' held 200 rounds each. Forces of Valor released this vehicle in two models: The one pictured and another one labeled as the Ardennes model, with a slightly whiter paint coat. This one, the Normandy model,  is well covered in mud, and it comes with a crew of two: a driver and an observer.  

InAir / New Ray EZ Build US M16 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage

Another plastic kit requiring some assembly. The quad machine gun is definitely under-scale. As far as the manufacturer goes I have seen the kits marketed as New Ray and InAir. The kits I just bought came labeled as InAir, so perhaps the brand got purchased?

Click here to check out other US Vehicles

Click here to see a post about the M4 Sherman Tank

Click here to see a post about other American Tanks

British Tanks

The British went into the war reasonably well equipped in terms of tanks. Their Mark II tank was better armored than its German counterparts, and for the first few years it held its ground even though it was slow and did not carry a big gun. The faster Crusader with a bigger gun was an even better match for the Panzer IIIs and IVs. Eventually the need for more and better tanks led the British to use a combination of British and American vehicles as we shall see in this post. Not all British tanks have been produced as scale models, but we do have a few representative ones. It would be great if in the future we could see other British models such as Valentines, or Crusaders produced. But for now we will have to be content with the following:

Forces of Valor UK Infantry Tank MK II Matilda - El-Alamein 1942

Also known as the Infantry Tank Mark II, or A12, it was designed and prototyped starting in 1936 and it was ready for manufacturing by the time hostilities broke out. It was equipped with a 2 pounder / 40mm gun and was thickly armored for its time, with up to 78mm of frontal armor. None of the early German tanks was capable of penetrating such armor, and only the heavier German PAKs or the 88s pressed into service as anti-tank weapons could deal with it. But its armor also made it twice as heavy as its predecessor, the Mark I, and also made it slow with a speed of 6 mph. This was by design however as British doctrine at the time envisioned using tanks to support infantry. The Matilda first saw -limited- action in the 1940 campaign in France where all 23 tanks were lost. It was later, during the early phase of the North African campaign that it became famous, dominating the battlefield against an Italian army equipped with inferior weapons. However this changed with the arrival of the Afrika Korps and their superior anti-tank guns and faster tanks, better suited for the great open expanses of North Africa. Unable to upgrade the gun of the Matilda due to the limited turret space, production stopped by mid-1943. Up to that point, just under 3000 had been built, and the remaining Matildas continued to fight on until the end of the war in places like the Pacific with Australian units where they could still outmatch the Japanese weapons. About 1000 Matildas were also delivered to the Soviet Army through Lend-Lease beginning in late '41, but it was considered too slow and under-gunned compared to other tanks in the Soviet arsenal. Eventually the Matilda was replaced in the British army by the Infantry Tank MK III Valentine. In terms of model tanks, Forces of Valor has brought us several options. The one pictured is the El Alamein version, but it was also released it in two additional color schemes. One all in tan, and the other in a tan, green, brown mix with white and red vertical stripes on the turret and front side.

Forces of Valor British UK M3 Grant Tank, El Alamein, 1942

The Grant tank was a special version of the American Medium Tank M3 (aka Lee) built and used by the British. The M3 began to be produced towards the end of 1940, becoming operational one year later. It was designed in response to the German panzers encountered in France. It was armed with two guns: a 37 mm high velocity gun mounted on the turret to be used against armored vehicles, and a hull-mounted 75mm low velocity gun to be used against infantry and soft targets. The fact that the 75mm gun was mounted in the hull gave it limited traversal capabilities. The Grant was essentially a British order of custom-built Lees with the radio set in the turret and thicker armor. Placing the radio in th turret also allowed the crew to be reduced from 7 to 6 men. The M3 saw action first in North Africa, where it proved to be a reliable tank, but it did expose a few problems. The armor was installed with rivets instead of being welded, which resulted in the rivets popping when hit by enemy shells, sometimes causing injury to the crew inside. The high profile made it easier to hit, and this was not helped by the fact that the hull-mounted 75mm gun prevented it from fighting from a dug-in position or behind cover. The M3 saw little action in the Pacific, but it did see more combat in China and Burma, primarily in support of infantry and fighting Japan's light tanks. Of the approximately 6,250 M3s that were built about 2/3 went to Britain and the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program. The M3 was replaced in the US forces by the M4 Sherman as soon as the M4 became available, with the existing M3s being transferred to other allied units. In terms of models we have one Grant version courtesy of Forces of Valor. Painted in a good desert color and well detailed as usual. Note how the rivets are visible on the armor. Forces of Valor also released the Grant in a tan/green cammo color scheme labeled as the North Africa model.

Frontline Figures Cromwell Tank

The Cromwell was a cruiser-type tank. Cruiser tanks were meant to exploit the gaps in the enemy front created by the infantry and their heavier tanks. Early cruiser tanks were fast but lightly armored and did not have a strong enough gun, so in practice their exploits were not so hard to stop, even by infantry with anti-tank weapons. The Cromwell, which was introduced in time for the Normandy invasion, addressed these shortcomings. It was equipped with a 75mm gun and had 3 inches of frontal armor -one more than the Sherman. Another advantage over the Sherman was its lower profile. All this, along with its speed allowed the Cromwell to perform reasonably well in combat. The Cromwell eventually evolved into the Comet tank. A related tank, the Centaur was basically a Cromwell with a different engine. This model from Frontline Figures is a nice reproduction of the original. It looks quite good, but I have to say though that for its price I expected more. This model has only one moving part, the turret and that is because it comes as a separate piece that simply sits on top of the hull. The tracks and wheels for instance, do not move at all. The material seems to be some kind of thick paste, which makes it heavy, but it's not a die cast vehicle. The figures are metal, and complement the tank well. But still, I won't be rushing to buy any more Frontline tanks.

Airfix Cromwell Tank

Here is another Cromwell model courtesy of Airfix. It is made entirely out of plastic. The turret rotates and the main gun can  move up and down a bit. The tracks do not turn. Instead, it comes with some small wheels underneath that allow it to roll forward like a car. For its time it was a very realistic model and for a long while it was the only Cromwell available. Even today it is a very highly sought-after collectible. The model here is missing the hull MG, and I believe it also used to have two antennas. That's the only reason why I could get it at an affordable price. 

Airfix Churchill 'Crocodile' Tank

The Churchill was a heavy 'Infantry' tank. Initially designed to move slowly in support of infantry advances similar to those of WWI, it was heavily armored and did not carry much firepower. It was designed prior to WWII, but after the fall of France it was realized that tanks would need greater mobility and higher caliber weapons so adjustments were made. Over 11 models of the Churchill were produced plus some minor variations. Eventually the Churchill carried a 75 mm gun and was able to face on equal terms German heavy tanks. In terms of operational history, the Churchill first saw action during the failed Dieppe raid, followed by North Africa where it proved its value. It then saw most of its action in Italy and Western Europe, although some also saw combat on the Eastern Front through Lend-Lease. The Crocodile model depicted here was a variation of the Churchill VII which replaced the hull machine gun for a flamethrower. The fuel was towed behind the tank and it could shoot fire up to 150 meters. This model was initially released by Airfix, and today it can be purchased through Classic Toy Soldiers as a reissue. It comes in plain unpainted plastic. The turret comes as a separate piece that has to be 'mounted'. The fuel tank also comes as a detachable part. It is definitely not on the same level as a FOV or 21C vehicle, but one has to keep in mind that this was originally released by Airfix probably in the 70s or 80s, so for its time it was a very nice model. Hey, it still looks quite good and it you paint it I am sure it will look much better as it does have a good amount of detail and it is well proportioned.

21st Century Toys Sherman Firefly VC

The Sherman Firefly was a British variation of the American Medium Tank M4 which carried a more powerful 17 pounder main gun than the usual 75 mm or 76 mm gun of the American Shermans. Fitting the 17 pounder gun, with its greater recoil, into the Sherman's turret required some creative thinking and several adjustments had to be made, like placing the radio in a bump out behind the turret, placing the gun breech on the left side, adding a second hatch for loader to exit. It was produced in time for the Normandy campaign in which it proved to be only allied tank capable of dealing with the heavier German tanks. The Germans reacted by trying to knock out the Fireflies first when the battle was joined, and the British reacted by adopting some unusual paint schemes to make the gun appear shorter, as in a normal Sherman. The M4 tank in general offered a good balance of speed, armor and gun power, while at the same time, being reliable and easy to service in the field. With the gun upgrade and a slightly thicker armor on the gun mantlet, the Firefly was even better. The only downside was its high profile which made it an easy target particularly when it was silhouetted against the sky. About 2200 of them were produced. This model from 21C Toys is made of plastic, did not feature any figures with it and has a very light feeling to it, but its appearance is still fairly decent. If they had made the paint scheme a bit dirtier it would have been better. The long gun does give it a more impressive look than that of the normal Shermans. Given that it is a British variant, I suppose I should have used British guys for this picture.

Forces of Valor U.K. Sherman Firefly - 7th Armoured Division

FOV must be in cost cutting mode because this is the first vehicle that I come across which is pretty much made out of plastic entirely. The level of detail is still very high. For instance, the armor surface is all nicely pockmarked, but for the prices that they command these days, it was a bit disappointing that it was all plastic. Good thing that I found it on sale...

Click here to check out more British Vehicles
Click here to see a post about the British 8th Army
Click here to see a post about the Afrika Korps
Click here to see a post about the Italian Light Artillery
Click here to see a post about other Sherman Tanks

Soviet Tanks

The Soviet Army had technically superior tanks at the beginning of the war. However they were not very good at using them which led them to some serious setbacks when Germany attacked them. Once they learned to use them and once they were producing them at top capacity, they were enough to offset the technological tank advances on the German side, which was prompted by the Soviet tanks they encountered during Barbarossa. This resulted in the Soviets having to introduce fewer models. Let's take a look at a couple of them. 

Forces of Valor Russian Heavy Tank KV-1 - Part I

The KV-1 was a Soviet heavy tank designed in the late 30's, tested during the Winter War with Finland and found in decent quantities (about 500) in the Soviet Army by the beginning of the war. It weighed about 45 tons, but it was armed with the same 76mm gun as the T34 medium tank. So while it was definitely hard to destroy -it is said that in one engagement KV-1 #864 took about 135 hits-, the KV-1 was slow and prone to breakdowns due to its weight. Its weight also meant that it had problems crossing bridges, which limited its operational mobility. Therefore the KV-1 earned mixed reviews. With the advent of better guns on the German side, its thick armor was no longer enough to justify its drawbacks and it was phased out in favor of the T34 medium tank and new models of heavy tanks such as the KV-85 and IS-2. BTW, the KV-1 was named after Kliment Voroshilov, the Soviet Defense Minister. Forces of Valor has treated us to this model. As usual they have done a nice job. The paint detail includes plenty of mud and dust, and as you can see in the picture it comes with two bundles of logs which were there for extra protection.

Forces of Valor Russian Heavy Tank KV-1 - Part II

Here is another release of the FOV KV-1 tank in a slightly different paint scheme. The painting on the turret seems aa bit more interesting than in the earlier version, however, the weathering on the vehicles was better on the earlier release. This newer model is too clean for my taste. Not how you would expect to see a tank that has gone through some campaigns. 

Forces of Valor Russian T34/85

The T-34 was a medium tank fielded by the Soviet Army. It went into production in 1940, and remained in production throughout the war with some improvements along the way. It was the most produced tank of the war. Close to 65,000 of them were built by war's end, and it continued to be produced for several years after that. Initially it was built with a 76 mm gun and a two-man turret. At the beginning of 1944, the T34/85 appeared, with a bigger 85mm gun and a three-man turret, which then allowed the commander to focus his entire attention towards directing the battle instead of having to help operate the gun. The T-34 is considered by many the best balanced tank of the war in terms of armor, speed and firepower. In addition to that, the sloping armor gave it additional protection and its reliability made it quite effective in the field. While the T-34 was still vulnerable to German heavier tanks, the huge difference in numbers, continued improvements in tactical doctrine, and their own heavy tanks, allowed the Soviets to overcome this. In terms of scale vehicles, FOV has given us a couple of versions of this vehicle. The one depicted here and another one in winter colors. Even as a scale model, the T34 offers a nice streamlined silhouette. The paint job on this tank is also quite nice, with some marks and writing on the turret which would have been added by the crew, and also bent and mud splattered fenders for added realism. 

Ogonek ISU-152 Soviet Self Propelled Gun

This was a motorized assault gun introduced by the Soviets in late 1943. It was the result of merging the SU-152 model with the  more mobile IS (Iosef Stalin) chassis used by the tanks. It carried a 152mm gun, with a 4.2 meter barrel, and could fire at a range of almost 4 miles. Using a crew of 5, it's firing rate was only about 2-3 shots per minute, but it could penetrate armor as thick as 125mm. To compensate for the lower firing rates, they used to fight in groups. Later models increased the barrel length to 4.9 meters and the range doubled. Given its weight, it's cross-country speed was about 10-12 miles per hour. It's heavy frontal armor (120mm) made it quite effective advancing against fortified positions or urban warfare, even in the face of direct artillery fire. The same qualities also enabled it to play the role of ant-tank gun/tank destroyer, able to knock out even the toughest German vehicles, including other heavy tank destroyers. Lastly, because it's gun was a howitzer, it could also be used as long range mobile artillery. As far as the model goes, this is a kit requiring assembly. I got it as a present from a good friend, and I only discovered recently that it was made by Ogonek. 

 

Click here to check out more Soviet Vehicles
Click here to see a post about German self-propelled guns
Click here to see a post about the German 88s

American Tanks

American Tank development during WWII can be probably be analyzed into two parts, with the M4 Sherman tank acting as the turning point. The beginning of the war caught the US under-armored. Initial tank designs were quick, reactive attempts to catch up and focused on light tanks which were almost outdated in the battlefield as soon as they reached production. It was not until the M4 Sherman Medium Tank with its 76mm gun was deployed that they were able to comfortably stand their ground. From that point forward however, a sense of complacency seems to have set in. Or perhaps it was the belief that greater numbers, simpler manufacturing & shipping logistics, and increased air superiority would prevail against the heavier German tanks. The formula did work in the end, but from the perspective of the US tank soldier this could not have been a comfortable feeling. Against the Japanese the Shermans were definitely good enough, so that campaign did not justify further investments in tank development. It is however an interesting question to ponder whether it would have still made sense for the US to invest in heavier tanks earlier than it did. From a collector's stand point, this has also limited the number of vehicles available to us. Let's take a look.

Forces of Valor US M5A1 Stuart - Normandy

Also known as the M5 Light Tank, it was introduced in 1942, as an improved version of the M3 Light Tank (or M3 Stuart). It was still equipped with a 37mm gun and three .30 caliber Browning machine guns, but the main difference was that the engine used less vertical space, allowing the crew to have more room. It was fast and generally reliable. Initially it was used in North Africa by the British, but the small two-man turret put it at a disadvantage, requiring the commander to help operate the gun. When the Americans landed in North Africa, the Stuart tank made up the bulk of their armored forces, but after the initial setbacks against the Afrika Korps they began to phase them out in favor of the Shermans and the Stuart was relegated to perform the role of a fast scouting tank or mobile artillery/infantry support. In Europe it fought in a similar capacity. In the Pacific and China theaters, the Stuart performed better as the Japanese had mostly light tanks and the jungle terrain favored smaller vehicles. Eventually though, towards the end of '43 they also began to be replaced by Shermans. The Stuart tank was in production until 1944 when the M24 Light Tank aka Chaffee took its place. Nonetheless, the existing Stuarts continued to fight on until the end of the war. In all about 25,000 Stuarts were produced, 6,800 of them being M5A1s. The model in this picture was released by FOV. It is a nice sturdy fellow. They labeled it as the Normandy edition, and it actually comes with a hedge-cutting attachment in the front that would have helped it fight in the Norman countryside. 

21st Century Toys US M5 Stuart

Here is another version of the Stuart tank, courtesy of 21C. This one seems to be equipped to fight in hedgerow country. It did not come with any figures, and the tank is relatively small in size. Not the most impressive vehicle from 21C, specially after comparing it to the one from FOV. One interesting touch that 21C came up with are the front fenders. I've actually seen real pictures of Stuarts with them.

Forces of Valor US M3 Lee - Tunisia

Also known as the Medium Tank M3, the Lee began to be produced towards the end of 1940, becoming operational one year later. It was designed in response to the German panzers encountered in France. It was armed with two guns: a 37 mm high velocity gun mounted on the turret to be used against armored vehicles, and a hull-mounted 75mm low velocity gun to be used against infantry and soft targets. The fact that the 75mm gun was mounted in the hull gave it limited traversal capabilities. The M3 Medium Tank also served as the basis for the Grant Tank. The Grant was essentially a British order of custom-built Lees with the radio set in the turret and thicker armor. The Lee saw action first in North Africa, where it proved to be a reliable tank, but it did expose a few problems. The armor was installed with rivets instead of being welded, which resulted in the rivets popping when hit by enemy shells, sometimes causing injury to the crew inside. The high profile made it easier to hit, and this was not helped by the fact that the hull-mounted 75mm gun prevented it from fighting from a dug-in position or behind cover. The M3 saw little action in the Pacific, but it did see more combat in China and Burma, primarily in support of infantry and fighting Japan's light tanks. Of the approximately 6,250 Lees that were built about 2/3 went to Britain and the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program. The Lee was replaced in the US forces by the M4 Sherman as soon as the M4 became available, with the existing M3s being transferred to other allied units. In terms of models we have one Lee version courtesy of Forces of Valor. It is an accurate and well detailed vehicle, although they could have probably done a better job with the paint work as it looks a bit too clean.

InAir / New Ray EZ Build US M3 Lee

This is an all-plastic kit requiring some assembly. It looks fine, but it definitely feels a bit wimpy compared to the FOV model. Still considering the scarcity of armor models, its a good addition to the collection.

21st Century Toys M24 Chaffee

This is 21C's version of the Chaffee. This is the light Tank which replaced the Stuart in 1944. 21C has released it in several paint schemes. The first version was released in solid army green color. This is the more recent one with the cammo strips added to it. I have also seen it with a yellow decorative design on the front, similar to the nose art found on fighter planes. Unfortunately, I got this second hand and it is missing the mounted machine gun from the turret and the figures, a tank commander that stands in the turret, and a driver or bow gunner to sit inside one of the two front hatches. I should also point out that this model feels a bit on the smaller side of 1:32, even for 21C standards.

Forces of Valor US M26 Pershing Allemagne

Also known as the Heavy Tank M26 Pershing, was the only heavy tank fielded by the US armed forces during WWII. It's design and development began in mid 1942, but disagreement among the US generals substantially delayed its development, with many believing that the M4 Sherman tank was good enough to carry the US through the end of the war. By early 1944, the final prototype of the Pershing had been built with a 90 mm gun inside a bigger turret with 4-inch frontal armor. Unfortunately, this final design did not make any engine adjustments to compensate for the added weight, so the M26 Pershing was underpowered and had a tendency to break down. Another year would go by before the Pershing tank was deployed to the field. It was the Ardennes offensive that provided the necessary shock for it, as the Shermans encountered Panthers and King Tigers in enough numbers to cause concern. In January of '45 that the first Pershings landed in Europe. Of the 310 Pershings that were sent over, only 20 saw combat, so their impact on the war was negligible, or as they say, too little, too late. The model in this picture comes to us from Force of Valor. A well detailed, realistic model, made of metal and with a heavy, solid feel to it. Just what you would want if war-gaming against a King Tiger.

Forces of Valor US M26 Pershing Allemagne

Here is another view of the Pershing. This is in fact a second Pershing I just bought without realizing that I already had it. This is what happens when you don't double check your inventory before you head out on a shopping trip! And the worst thing is that I did not even pick it up on the other color scheme that it was released on, which is a patchwork of green and brown. One thing that I did capture on this picture is the crew man operating the 50 cal. machine gun. Somehow I must have not found it when I took the previous picture. 

21st Century Toys M18 Hellcat Anti-Tank Self Propelled Gun

Also known as the 76 mm Gun Motor Carriage (GMC) M18, the Hellcat was the fastest armored vehicle of all WWII. Its top speed was 60 mph, which allowed it to out-maneuver other enemy tanks who were slow to turn or traverse the turret. Its design began when the US entered the War, production began by mid '43 and it went into action by the summer of '44, both in Italy and Northern France. It mounted a 76mm gun -the same as the Sherman, which meant that it had the same punch, particularly when using high velocity armor piercing ammo, but it was much faster than the Sherman. Its weaker point was also what gave it its main advantage: its light weight/light armor. This meant that to be operated as it was meant to be used, it required a well-trained crew. While its speed was an asset that gave it a tactical advantage during combat, it was also meant to be used to shift Tank Destroyer units to sectors of the front that were threatened by enemy tanks. In practice however the Hellcats remained close to the units to which they were attached, with the notable exception of an action during the Battle of the Bulge in which their high speed allowed them to reach a key objective ahead of the Germans and thwart their attack. Notice also that in contrast to German tank destroyers, the Hellcat had a traversable turret, which gave it greater firing possibilities, even on the move. The fact that it had an open turret however made the crew vulnerable not only to fire from above, but also to the cold European winter weather. The Hellcat was produced until the end of 1944 with close to 2,500 being manufactured. The Hellcat saw action in Europe, the Pacific and even China. This model from 21C Toys is a good reproduction of the original. It is made out of plastic and the paint job is a bit too clean for my taste, but it is still a good vehicle to have, simply because it is the only Tank Destroyer model that I am aware of from 21C or FOV.

Click here to check out other US Vehicles
Click here to see a post about the M4 Sherman Tank
Click here to see a post about German Self-Propelled Guns