M5 High Speed Tractor
Modeling the U.S. Army in WWII

This neglected M5 High Speed Tractor was seen outside a private military museum in Gettysburg, PA in July 2004. In its day, the M5 was the prime mover for the 105mm and 155mm howitzers and the 4.5 inch gun carriage. It used the M3 light tank track and modified suspension similar to the Stuart series. The tractor carried a gun crew of nine and was armed with a .50 M2 machine gun.

Ammunition stowage consisted of:

  • 105mm howitzer: 56 rounds
  • 155mm howitzer: 24 rounds
  • 4.5 inch gun: 38 rounds
  • .50 machine gun: 400 rounds

There are two resin kits available for this vehicle, one by Cromwell Models and the other by Hobby Fan. They are both rather pricey.

 

Modeling the U.S. Army in WWII © 2002—2007 Timothy S. Streeter