Alan Wing's fascination with WWII vehicles led him to do a frame-up restoration of this 1942 Army half-track, built with pieces from three different vehicles. The project took him nearly six years to complete, but produced a near-perfect example of the tracked fighting machine.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
What sets the 1942 M2A1 White half-track apart from a conventional military truck is the set of caterpillar-style treads in the rear, giving the machine the capability of maneuvering through muddy, rough terrain. The round devices in the rack above the treads are anti-tank mines, used by GI's to blow the tracks off enemy vehicles.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The bumper designation of Wing's half-track identifies it as belonging to the 3rd Army, 807th Tank Destroyers unit. It is a tribute to Junior Dover, Wing's great-uncle, who was a half-track driver in that unit during WWII.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Power for the heavy half-track is supplied by a White 386 cubic inch flathead 6-cylinder engine, which is remarkably quiet and smooth in operation.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Troops were loaded in the rear by means of drop-down ladders. The mission of the half-track was to transport soldiers close to the front in greater safety than an unarmored cargo truck could provide. Equipped with a pair of machine guns, this one could also have supplied plenty of protective cover fire.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
A .50 caliber machine gun attached to a ring mount above the driver's compartment supplied heavy firepower during armored assaults. This weapon is a replica, complete in every detail but incapable of firing live ammunition.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
At the rear of the half-track, a .30 caliber water-cooled machine gun provided an extra measure of protection. Again, this is a detail, non-firing replica.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Up front, the half-track uses basic deuce-and-a-half technology, employing a set of heavy 8.25x20 wheels and tires.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Not exactly luxurious accomodations, but the rear of the half-track could accommodate 6-10 soldiers, depending on how tightly they were packed in.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Wing rebuilt the entire front suspension and driveline as part of his restoration. Everything is heavy-duty; note the protective shield over the front hubs.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
A more-or-less standard heavy truck differential is mounted below the cargo area of the half-track and drives the sprockets that engage the heavy rubber tracked treads.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The view from the driver's seat lays out the basic controls needed to operate a vintage Army half-track. Lots of levers to deal with, but the rear treads can't be operated independently; steering is via conventional front wheels.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The armor-plated radiator shroud can be cranked open or shut, depending on how much enemy fire is being directed at the half-track.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The dash-mounted official military ID plate lays out the specifications of the 15,000-pound White M2A1 half-track.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Carl Wing approached the restoration of his 1942 half-track as if it was a full-time job, knowing that if he got distracted by another project, he would probably never complete it. His one regret: his great-uncle did not live to see it completed.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
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