M3 HALFTRACK_VEHICLE HARDSURFACE

M3 HALFTRACK_VEHICLE HARDSURFACE

This was the second project in my path, but the first big one, a tank. While I do not have a huge passion for war vehicles, I found in it an excellent opportunity to develop my expertise in hard surface modeling of mechanical engineering pieces. In this project, 3D modeling became more comfortable as I got used to it and it helped develop my knowledge of shading and lighting.

I used Autodesk Maya for modeling, Substance Painter for shading, Adobe Photoshop for post-production and composition and Adobe Premiere for the video production. Solidagne Arnold was used for rendering.

M3 HALFTRACK

The M3 half-track was an American armored personnel carrier half-track widely used by the Allies during World War II and in the Cold War. Derived from the M2 half-track car, the M3 was extensively produced, with about 15,000 standard M3s and more than 38,000 variant units manufactured.

The M3 was extensively modified with several dozen variant designs produced for different purposes. During World War II, the M3 and its variants were supplied to the U.S.Army and Marines, as well as British Commonwealth and Soviet Red Army forces, serving on all major fronts throughout the war. The M3 and its variants were produced by many manufacturers including Diamont T, White Motor Company and Autocar and were designed for a wide variety of uses, such as a selfpropelled anti-aircraft weapon or self-propelled artillery. Although initially unpopular due to its lack of significant armor or a roof to protect the crew from shrapnel, it was used by most of the Allies during the war.

In the Cold War era, the vehicle was used by a variety of state and non-state operators in conflicts in South America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, remaining in service until as late as the mid-1990s. In Mexico they are still in use as of 2019.

The M3 half-track was 20 ft 3 in (6.17 m) long, 7 ft 3.5 in (2.223 m) wide, 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m) high and weighed 9.07 tonnes (20,000 lb).