Recently Warlord released a all metal model of the M5 3 in anti tank gun for Bolt Action. When the news about it came out, it was accompanied by the photo above, of African American soldiers in action with this big cannon. The photo sparked my interest since I am modeling a group of soldiers from the 92 Inf Div, the African American division.
After doing a bit of research I found out that the image that Warlord used was actually a training session in England in the mid forties. The M5 3 inch was already becoming less popular, because it was so heavy and thus not very maneuverable. During active duty in 1944, casualties in the M5 battalions was high and they were no match against the light and mid size tanks that they were facing. At the end of the war, the army preferred the self propelled anti tank options like the M10 and the M5 was phased out.
Of course the siuation below would seem like a good position: cover the road through the village and wait for a target to show up, but imagine the enemy bypassing the village and the soldiers having to turn the gun on the double. This image was taken in Belgium, you can also spot the winter clothing on the men.
Once dug in and camouflaged, the gun seems powerful, like an 88 mm, but you can see how big and heavy it is:
Here's my painted version:
I playing with history here, knowing full well that the 92nd in Italy didn't have M5'3in guns, but for gaming purposes it is nice to have a Heavy anti tank gun.
The gun is slightly underscaled compared to the real thing, but that seems like all the other Bolt Action vehicles and guns.
The actual African American battalion that did fight with these guns was the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion, that worked it's way up from Normandy. I would love to get ahold of some decals that have this logo on it:
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that would look cool on the models. And I will finish with this action shot somewhere in France, looks like a coastal region:
SC Mike
Well done on that gun, and I really like your choice of unit to model.
ReplyDeletethanks soldatetain, it's a nice, big model to put on a base and create a little scene. I did play it in the last game though without success, since you can't move it without a tow and I had limited vision..
ReplyDeleteMy father was a gunner and, later, gun commander of a 3" gun during WWII. The 630th originally trained in M10s at Camp Hood, but were transitioned to 3" towed guns because someone got the idea that they were better than self-propelled guns after the fighting in North Africa. By early 1945 they had transitioned to the M36. I often wonder the fate of his original 3" gun!
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