822 Half-track M3 (1960-71)

The Half-track M3 has been issued in September 1960 and made in Bobigny until the factory closed in 1971. 1960 - 63 Base plate and tow hook painted black, no machine gun. 1963 - 71 Bruno finish base plate, army green tow hook, cal. 50 machine gun, stregnthened rear mud guards. As above. 1970 Dichromated base plate, army green tow hook, cal. 50 machine gun, plastic rollers, stregnthened rear mud guards.Shown on page 13 of the 1960 French Dinky Toys catalogue with ridged hubs, this model has only been made with concave hubs. There has been as discussion about the washers / spacers fitted to the /comment/11895#comment-11895]27d Land Rover and the 153a Jeep. The late issue half-tracks have also been fitted with such spacers. There are two types of tracks, one with 60 ridges and the other with 70.I do not know any other Dinky Toys with a golden base plate.

Jacques, Here are my two Dinky 822 Half-Tracks, both slightly different from the ones you have listed. First is an early version without the machine-gun and the strengthened rear mudguards. The tow hook is painted the same colour as the rest of the model and it has a black tinplate base. The second one has the strengthened rear mudguards and again the tow-hook is the same colour as the rest of the model. It has a dark grey tinplate base and metal rollers but it doesn't have the washers on the front axle. I haven't counted the ridges on the rubber tracks. Chris.

Dear Jacques, Thank you for your concern about the bushfires. I live in Tasmania and fortunately we have not had any bushfires so far this summer, but there have been bad ones in the past. I haven't made a code 3 of the half-track yet but maybe a future project. Best wishes, Chris.

Just received today, another late version French Dinky 822 M3 Half-track. It still has the Machine-gun ring and machine-gun in their original paper packet. However what I would like to point out, referring back to Jacques post about the washers/spacers, is that this particular model has not one, but 2 brass washers beside each of the rear track wheels. Each pair has 2 different sizes as well with the larger one on the outside. Is this unusual? Regards, Chris

Dear Chris, I an very sorry about what hapens in your country and I hope that your lovely models will not burn.Thank you for the information about the variations on the M3. Then here is the updated list : Base plate and tow hook painted black, no machine gun As above but with kahki tow hook Bruno finish base plate, army green tow hook, machine gun, stregnthened rear mud guards Bruno finish base plate, army green tow hook, machine gun, diecast rollers, stregnthened rear mud guards Dichromated base plate, army green tow hook, machine gun, plastic rollers, spacers between the two large pulleys and the body,stregnthened rear mud guardsHas anyvbody found more variations ?Have you made some code 3 of the half-track ? The M 16 should not be too difficult for you.All the best.

Dear Chris, Unusual or not who knows ? I have a picture of a Half-track on which all the washers have the same size. I do not know why these expansive washers were added as they seem to be useless. Without the washers the rubber track aligns the driving and tension wheels with the small plastic rollers automatically.