1:72 M4 High Speed Tractor

The M4 High Speed Tractor in 1:72 scale

A plastic kit of the American tracked artillery tractor in 1:72 scale. The finished model has dimensions that fit onto a smaller shelf, and it adds to artillery equipment in the same scale the means of moving it.

The real subject

The M4 High Speed Tractor was a tracked tractor introduced by the American army so that heavy guns would not have to crawl along a road at walking pace. It combined a tracked chassis with the power to pull a heavy load at a decent speed, and its name follows from that. At the front it had an enclosed cab with seats for the crew of the towed gun, and behind it a load bed for ammunition and tools. It served from the second half of the Second World War and remained in use for a number of years afterwards.

Building and painting tips

• The parts are polystyrene and are glued with liquid cement for plastic.
• Paint the cab and the load bed before you close them up; later you will no longer get into them.
• Fit the small handles and hatches with tweezers, as in this scale they really are tiny.
• A dusty underside and wear on the tracks will make a working machine of the model rather than a display case exhibit.

Who the kit is for

For modelers of military equipment in 1:72 scale who are building a diorama or a collection and want support equipment in it, not only combat vehicles. The build itself is manageable for the less experienced too, but the small parts call for patience and a sharp tool.

Paints, glue and surface finishing materials are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.