Tamiya 35312 - 1:35 U.S. Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 w/3 Figures

1:35 scale plastic model kit of the U.S. Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 with 3 figures

Tamiya 35312 reproduces the Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 – the first fully tracked U.S. self-propelled gun of WWII. The vehicle was built on the M5 light tank chassis, carrying a 75 mm howitzer and a heavy machine gun in an open-top turret. The “Awaiting Orders” set, with three crew figures, allows a simple genre scene to be built straight from the box.

The model captures the characteristic open-top turret with its detailed interior, including the loading mechanism, gun sight and crew seats. The vehicle's suspension is also carefully reproduced. The three figures are shown in natural poses, as if awaiting orders.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues with the hull and open-top turret
• 75 mm howitzer and a 12.7 mm M2 heavy machine gun
• Detailed turret interior: loading mechanism, gun sight, seats
• Detailed suspension
• Vinyl belt tracks
• Three figures: commander, gunner and loader
• Decal sheet for three marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:35
• Item number: 35312
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Assembled length: 125 mm
• Skill level: beginner/intermediate (open interior, figures)

Note: This kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. The model is intended for self-assembly.

Building the model:

Thanks to the excellent part fit typical of Tamiya, the model is approachable even for less experienced builders. The open-top turret invites painting the interior before it is built up. The figures are best painted separately before being placed on the vehicle and in the scene.

For painting, the typical U.S. Olive Drab is recommended, matching the chosen marking option. Military vehicles are usually finished with a matt varnish, and the detail and recesses benefit from a wash and dry-brushing.

Tools you'll need:

• Modelling side cutters for removing parts from the sprues
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sandpaper for cleaning up sprue-gate marks
• Polystyrene cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Brushes of various sizes
• Model paints (acrylic or enamel)
• A wash to emphasise detail and recesses
• Optionally: pigments for dust and mud effects

About the vehicle – Howitzer Motor Carriage M8:

The M8 was the first fully tracked self-propelled gun to enter U.S. Army service during WWII. It used the chassis of the M5 light tank, carrying an open-top turret with a 75 mm howitzer and a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. The howitzer could fire high-explosive, anti-tank and smoke rounds out to a range of about 8,800 m.

The vehicle entered service in 1942, with production running until early 1944 and around 1,800 examples built. The M8 saw combat from mid-1943 and was used for fire support on the Italian front, in Western Europe and in the Pacific. After the war, these vehicles also served, among others, with the French army during the fighting in Indochina.

Original specifications (Howitzer Motor Carriage M8):

• Length: approx. 4.41 m
• Width: approx. 2.24 m
• Height: approx. 2.32 m
• Combat weight: approx. 15.7 t
• Crew: 4
• Main armament: 75 mm howitzer
• Secondary armament: 12.7 mm M2 heavy machine gun
• Powerplant: two Cadillac V8 engines, approx. 220 hp combined
• Maximum speed: approx. 58 km/h
• Production: 1942–1944, approx. 1800 examples

About the manufacturer – Tamiya:

Tamiya Corporation is a Japanese model company founded in 1946 by Yoshio Tamiya in Shizuoka, regarded as the heart of the Japanese model industry. The company initially traded in timber, but from the late 1940s it produced wooden models, and in 1960 it launched its first plastic assembly kit. Two years later it introduced its iconic 1:35 scale tank, which set the worldwide standard scale for military modelling. The brand is renowned for exceptionally precise injection moulds and excellent part fit, which is why its kits are favoured by beginners and experienced modellers alike. The Military Miniature Series, to which this model belongs, comprises hundreds of items and is considered one of the most comprehensive 1:35 catalogues of military vehicles in the world. Alongside plastic kits, Tamiya offers a full range of modelling supplies: paints, glues, tools and brushes.