During World War II, the US Army doctrine for tank warfare dictated that the role of tanks on the battlefield would be similar to cavalry of generations before: They would use their speed and firepower to exploit breaches in the enemy lines and cause havoc in rear areas. The task of fighting other tanks was given to special anti-tank units, who would fight oncoming enemy tank attacks with towed anti-tank guns or rush to the endangered sector in special armored vehicles called tank destroyers. Early tank destroyers were no more than open-top M3 half track trucks with WW1 vintage 75mm guns fitted on top in a forward-facing mount. These proved to be extremely unsuited for the task and many were destroyed in early encounters with Axis armor in North Africa. A highly mobile, tracked vehicle, with a powerful gun mounted in a fully traversable turret, was called for.

The auto manufacturer Buick was tasked with creating such a vehicle and it’s result was the legendary M18 Hellcat. It’s official designation was the M18 76mm Gun Motor Carriage and was the US Army’s only purposely designed vehicle whose primary function was killing enemy tanks. Priority was given to mobility and firepower at the expense of armor protection, traits for which the Tank Destroyer units developed special tactics. During the Battle of the Bulge, M18s used their speed to secure key crossroads in advance of enemy units, helping to turn the tide of battle. While the tank destroyer doctrine would be abandoned after World War II, the M18 could still boast of the highest kill-to-loss ratio of any US armored vehicle during the war.

M18 Hellcat Vital Statistics:

• Weight: 19.5 tons (17.7 metric)
• Armament: 76mm Gun M1A2, 1x Browning .50 cal M2HB
• Armor: .2-1 in
• Speed: 57 mph (92km/h)
• Range 105 miles (168 km)
• Years Produced: 1943-44

Additional information about this Brickmania custom Lego® kit:

The M18 Hellcat has the following features

• Fully articulated 1.5 wide Brickmania Track Links™
• Complete vinyl sticker sheet including US Star insignias and Tank Destroyer Corps. logos
• Four custom printed crewmen with Tank Destroyer Corps. sleeve patch 
• Fully rotating turret with posable main gun
• Sturdy construction for active play
• 1/35 scale to match other Brickmania models.
• Includes 490 genuine new-condition LEGO and BrickArms elements
• Comes with a signed and numbered certificate of authenticity
• Intermediate Skill Level (4-6 years experience with LEGO is recommended)
• Production of this kit is limited to just 100 copies due to the extreme difficulty in locating rare pieces found in this model.

All Brickmania model kits are made of new-condition elements from LEGO and BrickArms. This model comes disassembled, includes printed building instructions, and comes packaged in a sealed box. Assembly required.