anybody know where I can get Photos of a m12 as I am sadly lacking them in my reference library and have just stared to build the academy kit

Hi there sasman!

There are a number of sources for pics of the M12. I've seen a few photos repeated across a number of books.

D-Day to Berlin: Armour Camouflage and Markings by Wise has some pics as I recall.
There are a trio of books by Green and others on Patton and his exploits in WW2 that have pictures of M12 in action. I don't have the titles here, but they have names like:
Patton: D-Day to the Battle of the Bulge
Patton and the Battle of the Bulge
and some other title I REALLY can't remember.

I have a pair of books by Greenhill publishers, part of the GI series. One is on the 3rd Army and the other is called Fortress Europe. There are a couple of photos of M12s in the latter title. Lots of US infantry and armor photos in each of those books.

I'll add more titles to the list once I get home and look at my refs.

thanks andy that was a great help

I too am getting ready or at least closer to building it. Just waiting for the Verlinden detail sets to arrive. Are you scratchbuilding any of it?

Here's some sites with further info on the M12:

155 GMC M12

M12 Picture

http://www.rellitechnology.com/armygroundforcesequipmentartillery/" TARGET="_blank">M12 Color

The fundamental reference for SP Artillery is the Squadron Book,

http://www.greatmodels.com/cgi/display.cgi?item_num=sq2038

Sid Arnold of Armoured Brigade Models put out a short booklet around 25 pages on the M12... I have a copy somewhere in my workshop. It was mostly data gathered from the Tech Manual with some other research thrown in for good measure.

As far as modeling articles, I'd recommend Steve Zaloga's article in Military Modeling or perhaps the review that was in Military MIniatures in Review. Both are very good sources of info about the model.

There was also a set of photos published in the recent past that showed the Aberdeen vehicle. Give me a day or so and I can scan some pics for you and send them out.
Later,
Tim

The books by Green are:
Patton: Operation Cobra and Beyond
Patton and the Battle of the Bulge

The Third Army book by Greenhill has the M12 photos not the Fortress Europe book!
I haven't seen the photos in that Third Army book elsewhere.

Steve Zaloga had a nice article in Military Modelling a while ago, as TankShack mentioned. There's also an article in Military Armor International.

Cheers

Also grab a copy of Hunnicutt's massive work on the Sherman. Lots of good stuff there, too. I just picked up an M12 myself in Victoria BC for $33 Canadian. I think I got a real bargain.
Greg