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The tracks on the 250 & 251 were 3/4 of the vehicle length not 1/2. The term half track was a slang term and not a technically accurate description.

I see. Though it had to do with number of (driven) wheels/tracks,
like 2x4,4x4 o 4x6 drive. 3/4 just didn't make sense

True about the German SdKfz 250 and 251 series being 3/4-tracks (although to be really anal, the 250 looks like more of a 2/3-track), but the US M3 was an actual half-track, with the tracked portion taking up half of the vehicle length. The term half-track is however used to describe any vehicle with a mix of wheels and tracks, so it's not really wrong (IMO) to call the German ones half-tracks as well.

Originally posted by Toontje
Isn't the BAR the thingy that jams every other round? Haven't noticed that tendency so far btw. in WaW

Naw, that's the Chauchat; even the French had given up on that lump by WWII...

Originally posted by Steve Wilcox
The term half-track is however used to describe any vehicle with a mix of wheels and tracks, so it's not really wrong (IMO) to call the German ones half-tracks as well.

To get a bit more anal

It 's "Halbkettenfahrzeug Sd.Kfz 250/1"

.. "Halftrack", not "3/4 -Track"

A.

My guess is that the length of the track is not the defining feature of the term. The track is half the transportation mode, while the other half is wheeled. You could call it half-wheeled if you want as well. As well, if the vehicle had wheels, tracks, and could hover, you could classify either of the traits as 1/3 one of the three, which given the hover is the most advanced, and if you had entirely hoverable military vehicles, then to say they were 'third-hover" would be predictable.

Similarily, the track, though not too terribly advanced, was likely considered not the norm for vehicles and also was the most advanced mode, therefore the term half-track.

Not scientific mind you, but I thought some of you were just being cute anyway.