Ace Military Models 1/72 US M5 3 inch Anti-Tank Gun w/M1 Carriage Kit

In 1940 the Ordnance Corps started an anti-tank gun project - based on the 3 inch anti-aircraft gun T9. The barrel of the T9 was combined with breech, recoil system and carriage, all adapted from the 105 mm howitzer M2. The pilot of the weapon was ready by September 1941. The gun, eventually standardized as M5 on carriage M1, presen-ted major performance improvement over existing designs. Production began in December 1942. In November 1943 a slightly modified carriage was standardized as M6. In this carriage a flat shield borrowed from the 105mm howitzer was replaced by a new sloped one. In 1944-5 the guns built with the early carriage M1 were upgraded to carriage M6.