Academy 13409 1/72 M26 Dragon Wagon

The M26 Dragon Wagon is an American military armored heavy truck from the Second World War. The first cars of this type entered service in 1941/1942 and remained in service until the 1950s. The vehicle was powered by a single engine Hall-Scott 440 with a power of 240 hp. The maximum speed was up to 45 km / h. The armament of the car consisted of a single 12.7 mm machine gun. The M26 Dragon Wagon was developed for the needs of the US Army, which, along with the development of its own armored component, realized that it needed new trucks to transport damaged tanks or to transport them faster by road. Moreover, the new tractor unit was also to have a slightly armored driver's cab. The new car was to complement the M19 line, which entered service in 1940. The M26, compared to the M19, had a clearly more powerful engine, an armored driver's cabin, and was also able to carry much heavier loads. The M26 Dragon Wagon vehicles were used primarily in North-Western Europe in 1944-1945. They were replaced in line by the M123 cars, starting in 1955.

During WWII, when the allies needed to haul something big and heavy, like tanks and other armored vehicles, they used the mighty Dragon Wagon to do the job. Rated to haul vehicles up to 40 tons, the M26 could carry almost any vehicle on its trailer.

Academy's kit of the M26 Dragon Wagon with M25 tractor and M15 trailer is packed with fine detail and features superb molding throughout. The cab interior and complex suspension systems are fully detailed, and the cab's doors and armored visors can be positioned opened or closed. Includes accessories and decals for three versions. Curiously, all three versions (all US Army vehicles) are identified as operating in 1994...a bit of a typo, perhaps? Or did these stalwart beasts of burden actually soldier on in US Army service for more than 50 years?

This is an injection-plastic military vehicle model kit.