Nicknamed the 'Priest' by British crews because of its pulpit-shaped machine-gun turret at the front, the M7 grew from US experience with howitzers mounted on half-tracked vehicles. The War Department soon realized that a fully tracked carriage was required, and the M3 tank was modified to fill the role. The British received many M7s under the provisions of the Lend-Lease arrangement and first deployed them at the second battle of El Alamein in the summer of 1942. Some measure of their popularity is suggested by the British order for 5,500 to be delivered within one year of their first use. The drawback, at least for Commonwealth forces, was that the howitzer was not standard British issue, and thus required separate supplies of ammunition. Mobile and reliable, the M7 fought to the end of the war and remained in service with several armies as an armored personnel carrier.

This particular 1:72 scale replica of a M7 'Priest' served with the French 2nd Armored Division, during their advance through France in July 1944. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Length: 3-1/4-inches
Width: 1-1/2-inches

Release Date: May 2011

Historical Account: "Liberation" - General Leclerc's French 2nd Armored Division left Southampton England bound for Normandy on July 29th, 1944. Among their accomplishments in 1944 was the liberation of Paris in August, the tank battles in Lorraine and the defeat of the German 112th Panzer brigade at Dompaire on September 13th, 1944. Next, they quickly moved through the Saverne gap and took part in the liberation of Strasbourg in November. General Leclerc's 2nd Division ended WWII in the Nazi town of Berchtesgaden near Hitler's mountain resort, the Berghof.