White M3 Half-Track

1944 White M3

Offered by H&H Classics | Duxford, U.K. | March 21, 2018

Photo – H&H Classics

We. Love. Half-tracks. And based on the historical page visits on this website, so do you. This is an M3, produced by White, and it was developed from the M2 Half Track, which was based in principle on the Citroen Kegresse.

M3s were built by White, Autocar, and Diamond T between 1940 and 1945. It’s powered by a 3.7-liter straight-six making 147 horsepower. Even with the tracks, these were capable of 45 mph on the road and were very popular among the Allied forces.

About 41,000 of these were built between the three different manufacturers. It’s very similar to the M5 half-track built by International Harvester, which was built because the three manufacturers of the M3 couldn’t keep pace with demand. This one has been decently restored and should bring between $55,000-$83,500. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Citroen Kégresse

1929 Citroen P19 Kégresse

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 6, 2016

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

Everything we’ve ever written about half-tracks on this site has become quite popular, so here you go: a 1929 non-military Citroen half-track. Or Snowcat. Citroen actually built half-tracks (or Kégresse, for the name of the man who patented the tracks) throughout the 1920s and 30s. The French Army used them, but they were also sold to anyone who wanted one. Andre Citroen used one to cross the Sahara.

This model is a P19 – it uses a 2.5-liter straight-six, making it more powerful than most other half-tracks built by Citroen. And rarer too. The rear end is a flatbed, which isn’t that exciting – but at least it’s functional.

In fact, this whole thing is very functional and could be a lot of fun. It’s certainly different. Strangely, Kégresse production ceased in 1940 (when Germany took over), but there are a number of these out there. Here’s your chance to get one for between $43,000-$65,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Artcurial’s auction lineup.

Update: Sold $40,068.

M5 Half-Track

1943 International M5 Half-Track

Offered by Auctions America | Portola Valley, California | July 11-12, 2014

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Apparently, it’s the day of “vehicles that begin with “M” and are followed by a number”. The M5 Half-Track is very similar to the M3 Half-Track (of which we’ve featured an example). The M5 was built by the International Harvester Corporation and had heavier armor than the M3 and a different engine – in this case, a 7.4-liter engine. But this particular vehicle was used by Israel after the war and they replaced the engine with the current six-cylinder GM diesel making 212 horsepower.

Only 4,625 M5s were built between 1942 and 1943. Israel used them into the mid-1980s. You can buy this driving example for $35,000-$45,000. Read more here.

Update: Sold $31,625.

Another Five Military Vehicles

The Littlefield Collection

Offered by Auctions America | Portola Valley, California | July 11-12, 2014


 1944 Nibelungenwerke Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. H

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The Panzer IV was one of the most popular German tanks during the Second World War. It was the most produced as well. They were manufactured by Krupp, Vomag, and Nibelungenwerke – which would become Steyr-Daimler-Puch after the war. So this one was built in Austria. About 8,553 were built between 1936 and 1945.

The engine is a 296 horsepower Maybach V-12 that can push this thing to 26 mph. Used by Czechoslovakia after the war, they sold it to Syria. It was captured by Israel in 1967 and the museum got it in 2003. It is all-original and needs to be restored. But that doesn’t mean it’s cheap: the estimate is between $2,000,000-$2,400,000. Click here for more.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $1,750,000.


ca.1939 Krauss-Maffei Sd.Kfz. 7

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

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German Half-Track

ca.1939 Krauss-Maffei Sd.Kfz. 7

Offered by Auctions America | Portola Valley, California | July 11-12, 2014

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

German half-tracks are some of the most sought-after military vehicles from WWII. The Sd.Kfz. 7 is one of the highlights. These were built between 1938 and 1944, with a total production of 12,187 between Krauss-Maffei, Borgward, and Sauserwerke. Breda also built 250 of them in Italy. The engine is a 140 horsepower Maybach straight-six. It seats 11 and can do 31 mph. This was used in Czechoslovakia after the war and was restored in the late-1990s. The price shows how sought-after they are: between $900,000-$1,200,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $1,207,500.

White M16 Half-Track

1944 White M16

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | December 8, 2012

Here’s another good-lookin’ White half-track, this one an M16. The M16 was essentially an M3 (like the Autocar above) but it has a powered, armored turret with up to four .50 caliber machine guns. As with all of the items offered in this sale, the guns have been demilitarized – meaning, they no longer work as guns. But this is what makes something like this legal to own… and drive down the street. Engine-wise, this is powered by a 148 horsepower 6.3-liter straight-six. More here.

Update: Sold $95,000.

Update II: Sold, Auctions America Auburn Spring 2017, $82,500.

Unic Half-Track

1939 Unic Kegresse P107/U304(f)

All offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | December 8, 2012

Photo – Auctions America

Unic, the French automobile manufacturer that turned to trucks in 1938 – which was highly convenient when war broke out the following year. Military vehicles are usually an extension of the heavy-truck business. Unic was bought by Fiat in 1966 and was merged into Iveco in 1975.

This Kegresse tracked tractor uses a 60 horsepower 3.4-liter straight-four. Kegresse means that the tracks are made out of rubber or canvas and not metal like most tanks and other half-tracks. I guess it’s gentler on the roads… or enemy soldiers. Strangely, all of these vehicles were built before the Germans took over France – but Germany used them anyway. More here.

Update: Sold $20,000.

Borgward Half-Track

1942 Borgward H kl 6

All offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | December 8, 2012

Photo – Auctions America

Carl Borgward’s little (okay, it wasn’t that little) automobile company was drafted into producing vehicles for the Reich. This truck has a 3-ton payload capacity and entered production in 1937. This particular vehicle does not have an engine – it’s more of a static display piece – but back during the war it likely had a 100 horsepower 4.2-liter Maybach straight-six. More here.

Update: Sold $145,000.

Opel Rocket Launcher

1943 Opel Maultier Panzer-Werfer 42 Rocket Launcher

All offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | December 8, 2012

Photo – Auctions America

This Opel Panzer-Werfer is a tracked rocket launcher. It’s pretty mean looking, isn’t it? It has one 10-barreled rocket launcher mounted in the back – of course it no longer works, so you won’t be able to blast traffic jams out of your way. This piggish brute is powered by a 75 horsepower 3.6-liter eight-cylinder engine. It weighs about 7-tons, so that is probably no where near enough horsepower. Only 300 of these were built. More here and the rest of the auction lineup here.

Update: Sold $60,000.

Update II: Sold, Auctions America Auburn Spring 2017, $45,100.

Autocar M3 Halftrack

1941 Autocar M3

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | December 8, 2012

Photo – Auctions America

This is, by far, one of my favorites of this sale. It has that classic look – as did most of the vehicles produced by White, Autocar and Diamond T. That slanted front where a radiator would usually be. And whatever that thing is hanging off the front. Classic.

About 12,000 of these were built for the U.S. war effort (about 41,000 half-tracks were built in total of all kinds for the U.S.). This one has a 148 horsepower 6.3-liter straight-six. It’s quick too, capable of 40 mph. More here.

Update: Sold $38,000.