"...what a fantastic kit this is..."

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- Vinnie Branigan

"...a correct service mortar vehicle kit; based on great M2/M2A1 kit with all basic parts carried over, including radios and machine guns..."

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- Cookie Sewell

"...just as well-done as the original kit, which was quite nice."

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- Frank V. De Sisto

One of the earliest versions of the US half-tracks in WWII was the M4 mortar carrier, which was fitted with the M1 81mm mortar. The mortar was mounted in the rear and was fired over the back of the half-track, although it was intended that it would normally be removed from the half-track and fired from the ground. The M4 was used in armored regiments and in armored infantry regiments. Based on the M2 half-tracks the M4 had solid cross-country performance due to having power to both the tracks and the front axle.

CONTENTS
This is Dragon’s second release in their new series of US half-tracks and as expected is in the new Smart Kit format. New parts are provided for the fighting compartment, ammunition bins, rear panel, side armour, mortar tube, and driver This kit features extensive use of refined molding techniques, such as slide molding, to produce crisp detailed parts and hence has reduced the use of photo etch. As such an impressive kit can be built out of the box by most modelers, while it also provides a solid basis for super detailing. The open fighting compartment with the mortar offers considerable opportunities for adding all the stowage US crews carried.

The Dragon kit has been designed such that it should be rewarding to build for a broad range of modelers and like the M2 before it offers a significant improvement over previous offerings of the US half-track series.

The driver is assembled from seven parts (traditional injection plastic design) and wears a M1 helmet and a field jacket with slit/hand warmer pockets and exposed buttons.

The gatefold instructions have 16 steps of line drawings that are clearly laid out. Photo etch is provided for the front hook mount, armoured front grills, rear mud flaps, cab visors and the windscreen wipers. Turned metal is used for the mortar tube and with the end drilled out should look really impressive. The few injection marks have been hidden in spots, such as underneath the fenders. Clean up of this kit’s part should be very quick.

LAYOUT

The kit is built has three main modules, each of which is based around one large piece. These are the running chassis, which is based around a single part for the chassis frame (ladder); the forward cabin and front panels; and the rear fighting-compartment with the mortar. These three modules come together in the last step. This modular approach is helpful for painting the interior and suspension detail and suits building the kit over a couple of modeling sessions.

The fighting compartment is where most of this kit’s new parts are found and is based around a large tub. This tub, which is new tooling, has the unique layout of the M4. One of the three seat squabs is integrated onto the tub, along with the mounting recess for the mortar, the rear foot well, sponsons and the internal fuel tanks. The new side armour plates have the layout specific to the M4 and have plenty of details for bolt heads and panel gaps and hinges. The doors for the lockers are molded shut. The new rear panel has a door that can be modeled either open or closed.

Separate parts are provided for the pre-filled mortar ammunition racks, two of the seat bases, the seat backrests, and the SCR radio, which is located towards the front of the compartment. The Browning machine gun, which is fitted to the skate rail, is finely slide-molded and has an open muzzle.

The mortar tube is assembled from two pieces of turned metal and has separate crisply molded support arms and center connector. There is a choice of bases enabling the mortar to be fitted either inside the M4 or externally.

The chassis has considerable detail including a one-piece exhaust pipe and muffler, transmission shaft, differential housing, and the basic engine block with radiator, sump, fan and gasket heads. The front tires have the bulge indicative of bearing the engine’s weight and the suspension springs, brakes and axle ends behind them are replicated. For the rear tracks the sprocket is slide-molded and the bogies have plenty of small detail. What is particularly innovative about this kit is that the tracks are injection molded and built from two halves, which join down the center and thus no join marks visible when looking side on, while replicating the inner detail such as the guide chain. Given the tracks were single lengths of rubber over steel bands that sat tightly on the bogies, this approach should work well for displaying the kit on a flat base and will simplify assembly and painting. A roller is fitted in front of the forward bumper.

The forward module is based around a large piece, which has the cabin floor, forward mudguards, running board and divide with the engine bay. The cab and running board have the anti-skid nicely detailed and the separate driving controls are crisp. The brackets for the jerry cans are integrated into the can halves. Several tools such as a spade and axe are fitted to the front and are crisply molded with integrated brackets.

The engine bay hood is molded closed, but it would be possible to cut along the panel recesses to open it up and reveal the engine. The cab doors can modeled open or closed and the PE visors can be left up or down, and the upper half of the doors can be assembled folded down. The front grill can be built open (with options of a PE or plastic) or closed. The front window armor can be assembled open or closed and the windscreen is clear plastic, as are the lens for the headlamps.

DECALS
The Cartograf decal sheet is crisply registered and has markings for three olive drab M4s. Two are from unidentified units within the USA and the third with yellow side marking ‘1-32’ is from the 2nd Armored Division in Belgium 1945. The markings include unique registration plates, white US stars with and without white circles and the name “prowler”. The instruction sheet has 4 view profiles for each M4 and there is a colour side profile on the box.

RECOMMENDATION
Dragon’s new M4 Mortar Carrier provides another impressive choice for fans of WWII US armor and the turned metal mortar tube is a great bonus. Like with the M2 this kit is crisply tooled and has broad appeal. Not only does it provide an excellent basis for super detailing, it is also ideal for someone wishing a rewarding out of the box project. Well recommended.

- Neville Lord