Difference between revisions of "M5A1 TD"

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{{About
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| about = light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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|other
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|usage-1 = other versions
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|link-1 = M5 Stuart (Family)
 +
|usage-2 = other uses
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|link-2 = M5 (Disambiguation)
 +
}}
 
{{Specs-Card
 
{{Specs-Card
 
|code=us_m5a1_stuart_td
 
|code=us_m5a1_stuart_td
−
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
+
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Hot Tracks"]] as reward for [[wt:en/news/7077-twitch-drops-rewards-for-war-thunder-and-enlisted-this-weekend-en|watching Enlisted streams on Twitch.TV]].
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Hot Tracks"]] as reward for [[wt:en/news/7077-twitch-drops-rewards-for-war-thunder-and-enlisted-this-weekend-en|watching Enlisted streams on Twitch.TV]]. It represents a tank named "Carol" that served in C Company, 3rd Battalion, 33rd Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Division, U.S. Army.
−
 
 
−
It represents a tank named "Carol" that served in C Company, 3rd Battalion, 33rd Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Division, U.S. Army.
 
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
Line 48: Line 54:
 
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 
<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
−
{{main|M6 (37 mm)}}The M5A1 Stuart is armed with a 37 mm cannon as its main armament, the same gun as the preceding M3A3. While being at 2.3, the gun still packs a fierce punch if aiming at the correct area and firing at the correct distance. It is a small calibre fast-firing gun with a maximum penetration of 84 mm at 100 m (M51B1/B2 shell), being able to penetrate most of the opponents it will face. The penetration power and gun accuracy drop a lot beyond 500 m and become unreliable past 700 m. The gun is equipped with a vertical stabiliser, giving the M5A1 Stuart a huge advantage in some cases as you can fire precisely while moving, but keep in mind that it activates only when the tank is driving under 10 km/h.
+
{{main|M6 (37 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
The M5A1 Stuart is armed with a 37 mm cannon as its main armament, the same gun as the preceding M3A3. While being at 2.3, the gun still packs a fierce punch if aiming at the correct area and firing at the correct distance. It is a small calibre fast-firing gun with a maximum penetration of 84 mm at 100 m (M51B1 shell), being able to penetrate most of the opponents it will face. The penetration power and gun accuracy drop a lot beyond 500 m and become unreliable past 700 m. The gun is equipped with a vertical stabiliser, giving the M5A1 Stuart a huge advantage in some cases as you can fire precisely while moving, but keep in mind that it activates only when the tank is driving under 10 km/h.
  
 
While it lacks the post-penetration damage to disable most enemies in one shot, it can quickly finish them off with its fast reload. Knowledge of enemy vehicle layouts is essential with ammunition lacking post-penetration explosive damage. Make sure to target modules and crew positions to maximise the damage. Disabling the enemy gunner on your first shot will be critical to win engagements as you'll most likely need several shots to destroy an enemy vehicle.
 
While it lacks the post-penetration damage to disable most enemies in one shot, it can quickly finish them off with its fast reload. Knowledge of enemy vehicle layouts is essential with ammunition lacking post-penetration explosive damage. Make sure to target modules and crew positions to maximise the damage. Disabling the enemy gunner on your first shot will be critical to win engagements as you'll most likely need several shots to destroy an enemy vehicle.
 +
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
|-
 
|-
Line 60: Line 69:
 
|-
 
|-
 
! ''Arcade''
 
! ''Arcade''
−
| rowspan="2" | 147 || rowspan="2" | -12°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 16km/h || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 3.77 || rowspan="2" | 3.33 || rowspan="2" | 3.07 || rowspan="2" | 2.90
+
| rowspan="2" | 147 || rowspan="2" | -12°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Vertical|up to 16 km/h}} || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 3.77 || rowspan="2" | 3.33 || rowspan="2" | 3.07 || rowspan="2" | 2.90
 
|-
 
|-
 
! ''Realistic''
 
! ''Realistic''
Line 68: Line 77:
  
 
==== Ammunition ====
 
==== Ammunition ====
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+
{{:M6 (37 mm)/Ammunition|M74B1, M63 shell, M51B1}}
−
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
−
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
 
−
|-
 
−
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 
−
|-
 
−
| M74B1 || AP || 79 || 76 || 65 || 54 || 45 || 37
 
−
|-
 
−
| M63 shell || HE || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3
 
−
|-
 
−
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 87 || 84 || 73 || 60 || 50 || 41
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
−
! colspan="10" | Shell details
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(m)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
−
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 
−
|-
 
−
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
−
|-
 
−
| M74B1 || AP || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
 
−
|-
 
−
| M63 shell || HE || 807 || 0.73 || 0 || 0.1 || 38 || 79° || 80° || 81°
 
−
|-
 
−
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
Line 118: Line 91:
 
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
|-
 
|-
−
| '''147''' || 135&nbsp;''(+12)'' || 111&nbsp;''(+36)'' || 56&nbsp;''(+91)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+146)'' || No
+
| '''147''' || 135&nbsp;''(+12)'' || 111&nbsp;''(+36)'' || 56&nbsp;''(+91)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+146)'' || No
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
−
Notes:
+
'''Note''':
  
 
* Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
 
* Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
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| Pintle || 3,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
 
| Pintle || 3,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
+
| Coaxial || 3,500 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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With the fast reloading 37 mm cannon, the M5A1 Stuart can deliver some good-hitting rounds if shooting at the flank at the enemies. A frontal engagement is possible but detrimental as Stuart's thin armour makes any incoming shot lethal. If coming up to heavily armoured vehicles like the [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]], load the M74B1 AP round for maximum penetration. In the case the M5A1 does come across a KV-1, the recommended course of action to take it out is to get in a point-blank range and fire at the turret ring or engine rear, otherwise, there is no way for the Stuart's 37 mm to penetrate the armour.
 
With the fast reloading 37 mm cannon, the M5A1 Stuart can deliver some good-hitting rounds if shooting at the flank at the enemies. A frontal engagement is possible but detrimental as Stuart's thin armour makes any incoming shot lethal. If coming up to heavily armoured vehicles like the [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]], load the M74B1 AP round for maximum penetration. In the case the M5A1 does come across a KV-1, the recommended course of action to take it out is to get in a point-blank range and fire at the turret ring or engine rear, otherwise, there is no way for the Stuart's 37 mm to penetrate the armour.
  
−
With its weak overall armour, most enemies are able to penetrate the M5A1 Stuart. A specific concern should be to vehicles with a high rate of fire weaponry such as the SPAA, which might be able to penetrate through weak points around the Stuart with enough effort. Enemies with strong shells like the [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IV]] with it's short 75 mm and its HEAT rounds could also destroy the Stuart with ease.
+
With its weak overall armour, most enemies are able to penetrate the M5A1 Stuart. A specific concern should be to vehicles with a high rate of fire weaponry such as the SPAA, which might be able to penetrate through weak points around the Stuart with enough effort. Enemies with strong shells like the [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IV]] with its short 75 mm and its HEAT rounds could also destroy the Stuart with ease.
  
 
With its speed and relatively small size, as well as the ability to scout, the Stuart can be used as a reconnaissance vehicle. Even if you cannot penetrate heavily armoured opponents, you can help your allies by scouting the opposing tanks. This, combined with its decent firepower, makes the Stuart an amazing scout vehicle.
 
With its speed and relatively small size, as well as the ability to scout, the Stuart can be used as a reconnaissance vehicle. Even if you cannot penetrate heavily armoured opponents, you can help your allies by scouting the opposing tanks. This, combined with its decent firepower, makes the Stuart an amazing scout vehicle.
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=== Enemies worth noting ===
 
=== Enemies worth noting ===
  
−
* '''Sd.Kfz.234 family''': When your opposite team has Germany, you might want to reconsider the option of capping a point straight away, since the German Sd.Kfz.234 series are very likely to be there first. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]] (also known as the Puma) is a turreted 8-wheel vehicle with a small profile, extremely high on-road speed and a powerful 50 mm gun. But it cannot turn in place, has a very slow turret traverse and only 8 mm of side hull armour, so a good tactic is to circle with it and utilise your rather quick turret traverse and fast reload. In an intense tank "dogfight", you want to aim with the greatest care, as your 37 mm shells won't do much damage, so even a slight miss will result in the failure of knocking out the enemies' crew. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/3]] and [[Sd.Kfz.234/4]], although being equally deadly, are turretless. You can use some quick turns to avoid their guns or tear through the thin armour plate protecting their gunners with your 7.62 mm MG. Note that the penetration of the MG isn't great, so aim for their side armour.
+
* [[Sd.Kfz.234 (Family)]] - When your opposite team has Germany, you might want to reconsider the option of capturing a point straight away, since the German Sd.Kfz.234 series are very likely to be there first. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]] (also known as the Puma) is a turreted 8-wheel vehicle with a small profile, extremely high on-road speed and a powerful 50 mm gun. But it cannot turn in place, has a very slow turret traverse and only 8 mm of side hull armour, so a good tactic is to circle with it and utilise your rather quick turret traverse and fast reload. In an intense tank "dogfight", you want to aim with the greatest care, as your 37 mm shells won't do much damage, so even a slight miss will result in the failure of knocking out the enemies' crew. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/3]] and [[Sd.Kfz.234/4]], although being equally deadly, are turretless. You can use some quick turns to avoid their guns or tear through the thin armour plate protecting their gunners with your 7.62 mm MG. Note that the penetration of the MG isn't great, so aim for their side armour.
−
* [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]] (all variants). The M5 can sometimes face the T-34 tank. They possess 76 mm cannons that fire APHE rounds with massive amounts of explosive filler - disabling the Stuart in one shot most of the time. The T-34s are also very mobile and will often be the first medium tanks to get to the battlefield. To boot they have very strong frontal armour, the UFP is immune to the 37 mm M6 carried by the M5A1. Against those foes, try to shoot at their weaker sides. If a head-on encounter is inevitable, the driver's hatch can be exploited, knocking out the driver, gunner, and often the engine, leaving the enemy completely debilitated, easy to finish off. The turret cheeks can also be exploited on the 1940 and '41 models. The turret ring should be targeted on the '42 and '43 models.
+
* [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]] (all variants) - The M5 can sometimes face the T-34 tank. They possess 76 mm cannons that fire APHE rounds with massive amounts of explosive filler - disabling the Stuart in one shot most of the time. The T-34s are also very mobile and will often be the first medium tanks to get to the battlefield. To boot they have very strong frontal armour, the UFP is immune to the 37 mm M6 carried by the M5A1. Against those foes, try to shoot at their weaker sides. If a head-on encounter is inevitable, the driver's hatch can be exploited, knocking out the driver, gunner, and often the engine, leaving the enemy completely debilitated, easy to finish off. The turret cheeks can also be exploited on the 1940 and '41 models. The turret ring should be targeted on the '42 and '43 models.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
Line 182: Line 155:
 
* 37 mm cannon has low penetration which makes it difficult to fight enemy tanks at its BR
 
* 37 mm cannon has low penetration which makes it difficult to fight enemy tanks at its BR
 
* Little armour; can easily be penetrated by enemy tanks
 
* Little armour; can easily be penetrated by enemy tanks
−
* Although armour is better than the the previous Stuarts, its at an higher battle rating meaning plenty more vehicles can penetrate it
+
* Although armour is better than the previous Stuarts, its at an higher battle rating meaning plenty more vehicles can penetrate it
 
* Weighs three more tons than its predecessor, noticeably slower acceleration
 
* Weighs three more tons than its predecessor, noticeably slower acceleration
  
Line 189: Line 162:
 
{{main|M5A1#History|l1=History of the M5A1}}
 
{{main|M5A1#History|l1=History of the M5A1}}
  
−
The M5A1 TD represents an early production M5A1 Stuart, designated 3051254-S. It was used by C Company, 3rd Battalion, 33rd Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Division, U.S. Army in Normandy, France, November 1944. It's designation in the unit was C-34 and it was given the name "Carol".
+
The M5A1 TD represents an early production M5A1 Stuart, designated 3051254-S. It was used by C Company, 3rd Battalion, 33rd Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Division, U.S. Army in Normandy, France, November 1944. Its designation in the unit was C-34 and it was given the name "Carol".
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->[[File:M5A1 TD WTWallpaper 01.jpg|none|thumb|267x267px|Devblog image]]
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m5a1_stuart_td Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
* Skins and camouflages for the [[M5A1]] can also be used for the {{PAGENAME}}.
 +
 
 +
;Images
 
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="150px">
 
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="150px">
−
M5A1_TDa.png|
+
File:M5A1 TD WTWallpaper 01.jpg
−
M5A1_TDb.png|
+
M5A1_TDa.png
−
M5A1_TDc.png|
+
M5A1_TDb.png
 +
M5A1_TDc.png
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
Line 203: Line 183:
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
  
−
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
+
;Related development
−
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
* [[M5 Stuart (Family)]]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
Line 213: Line 192:
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
−
 
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''other literature.''
 
* ''other literature.''
  
 +
{{Twitch Drops}}
 
{{USA light tanks}}
 
{{USA light tanks}}

Latest revision as of 10:05, 24 January 2023

Rank VI USA | Premium | Golden Eagles
A-10A Thunderbolt (Early)
This page is about the light tank M5A1 TD. For other versions, see M5 Stuart (Family). For other uses, see M5 (Disambiguation).
M5A1 TD
us_m5a1_stuart_td.png
GarageImage M5A1 TD.jpg
ArtImage M5A1 TD.png
M5A1 TD
USA flag.png USA
II Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
2.3 2.7 2.7
Class:
Purchase:Bundle or Gift
Show in game

Description

The Light Tank M5A1 TD Stuart is a gift rank II American light tank with a battle rating of 2.3 (AB) and 2.7 (RB/SB). It was introduced during Update "Hot Tracks" as reward for watching Enlisted streams on Twitch.TV. It represents a tank named "Carol" that served in C Company, 3rd Battalion, 33rd Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Division, U.S. Army.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull28 / 28 / 25
Turret50 / 32 / 32
Crew4 people
Visibility79 %

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Lower glacis)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 28.5 mm (49°) Front glacis
63.5 mm (33-37°) Lower glacis 		28.5 mm 28.5 mm (46°) Top
25.4 mm (1°) Middle
25.4 mm (20°) Bottom 		12.7 mm
Turret 44.4 mm (11-13°) Turret front
50.8 mm (2-43°) Gun mantlet 		31.75 mm (1°) 31.75 mm (1°) 12.7 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels, bogies, and tracks are 15 mm thick.
  • Tracks are placed on the turret side and rear that can provide about 10 mm of extra armour.
  • An extra 12.7 mm RHA metal plate is present on the right side of the turret near the pintle 7.62 mm machine gun.
  • A 5 mm Structural steel box is present, mounted on the vehicle rear.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB65 / 17 km/h
RB and SB58 / 15 km/h
Number of gears8 forward
2 back
Weight15.7 t
Engine power
AB565 hp
RB and SB296 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB36.0 hp/t
RB and SB18.9 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 65 17 15.7 459 565 29.24 35.99
Realistic 58 15 262 296 16.69 18.85

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB340 → 463 Sl icon.png
RB380 → 518 Sl icon.png
SB477 → 650 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications6 930 Rp icon.png
6 740 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost530 Ge icon.png
Crew training3 000 Sl icon.png
Experts10 000 Sl icon.png
Aces115 Ge icon.png
Research Aces160 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
30 / 30 / 30 % Sl icon.png
112 / 112 / 112 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
350 Rp icon.png
Cost:
340 Sl icon.png
70 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
310 Rp icon.png
Cost:
300 Sl icon.png
60 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
310 Rp icon.png
Cost:
300 Sl icon.png
60 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
580 Rp icon.png
Cost:
560 Sl icon.png
115 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
560 Rp icon.png
Cost:
550 Sl icon.png
110 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
560 Rp icon.png
Cost:
550 Sl icon.png
110 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
350 Rp icon.png
Cost:
340 Sl icon.png
70 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
310 Rp icon.png
Cost:
300 Sl icon.png
60 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement us.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
580 Rp icon.png
Cost:
560 Sl icon.png
115 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
350 Rp icon.png
Cost:
340 Sl icon.png
70 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
37mm_usa_m3_APC_ammo_pack
Research:
350 Rp icon.png
Cost:
340 Sl icon.png
70 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
310 Rp icon.png
Cost:
300 Sl icon.png
60 Ge icon.png
Mods airstrike.png
Airstrike
Research:
310 Rp icon.png
Cost:
300 Sl icon.png
60 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
580 Rp icon.png
Cost:
560 Sl icon.png
115 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
560 Rp icon.png
Cost:
550 Sl icon.png
110 Ge icon.png
Mods scouting.png
Improved optics
Research:
560 Rp icon.png
Cost:
550 Sl icon.png
110 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

37 mm M6 cannon
Vertical stabilizer
Reduces the swing of the gun in one plane while moving
Ammunition147 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
3.7 → 2.9 s
Vertical guidance-12° / 20°
Main article: M6 (37 mm)

The M5A1 Stuart is armed with a 37 mm cannon as its main armament, the same gun as the preceding M3A3. While being at 2.3, the gun still packs a fierce punch if aiming at the correct area and firing at the correct distance. It is a small calibre fast-firing gun with a maximum penetration of 84 mm at 100 m (M51B1 shell), being able to penetrate most of the opponents it will face. The penetration power and gun accuracy drop a lot beyond 500 m and become unreliable past 700 m. The gun is equipped with a vertical stabiliser, giving the M5A1 Stuart a huge advantage in some cases as you can fire precisely while moving, but keep in mind that it activates only when the tank is driving under 10 km/h.

While it lacks the post-penetration damage to disable most enemies in one shot, it can quickly finish them off with its fast reload. Knowledge of enemy vehicle layouts is essential with ammunition lacking post-penetration explosive damage. Make sure to target modules and crew positions to maximise the damage. Disabling the enemy gunner on your first shot will be critical to win engagements as you'll most likely need several shots to destroy an enemy vehicle.

37 mm M6 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 147 -12°/+20° ±180° Vertical 22.8 31.6 38.4 42.5 45.2 3.77 3.33 3.07 2.90
Realistic 14.3 16.8 20.4 22.6 24.0

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
M74B1 AP 79 76 65 54 45 37
M63 shell SAPHEI 32 31 26 21 16 13
M51B1 APCBC 87 84 73 60 50 41
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
M74B1 AP 883 0.87 - - - 47° 60° 65°
M63 shell SAPHEI 792 0.73 1.2 9 38 79° 80° 81°
M51B1 APCBC 883 0.87 - - - 48° 63° 71°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the M5A1 (identical)
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
147 135 (+12) 111 (+36) 56 (+91) 1 (+146) No

Note:

  • Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.

Machine guns

7.62 mm M1919A4 machine gun
Ammunition3 000 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate500 shots/min
7.62 mm M1919A4 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition3 500 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate500 shots/min
Main article: M1919A4 (7.62 mm)
The M5A1 Stuart has two 7.62 mm M1919A4 machine guns, one being coaxial to the main gun and the other roof mounted on the right side of the turret. The two machine guns can quickly incapacitate the exposed crews on some vehicles or do some serious damage to those low-passing planes. However it lacks the ability to effectively damage even lightly armoured vehicles due to its low penetration of only 10 mm.
7.62 mm M1919A4
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 3,000 (250) 500 -10°/+70° ±60°
Coaxial 3,500 (250) 500 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

The M5A1 Stuart preserves the Rank I style of fighting. With very good mobility and fast reload, the light tank can speed to an optimal position on the enemy's side and riddle them with the 37 mm cannon. It is recommended to attack from the flanks as the weak armour on the Stuart makes it vulnerable to the newer enemy guns that can penetrate the armour with ease.

With the fast reloading 37 mm cannon, the M5A1 Stuart can deliver some good-hitting rounds if shooting at the flank at the enemies. A frontal engagement is possible but detrimental as Stuart's thin armour makes any incoming shot lethal. If coming up to heavily armoured vehicles like the KV-1, load the M74B1 AP round for maximum penetration. In the case the M5A1 does come across a KV-1, the recommended course of action to take it out is to get in a point-blank range and fire at the turret ring or engine rear, otherwise, there is no way for the Stuart's 37 mm to penetrate the armour.

With its weak overall armour, most enemies are able to penetrate the M5A1 Stuart. A specific concern should be to vehicles with a high rate of fire weaponry such as the SPAA, which might be able to penetrate through weak points around the Stuart with enough effort. Enemies with strong shells like the Panzer IV with its short 75 mm and its HEAT rounds could also destroy the Stuart with ease.

With its speed and relatively small size, as well as the ability to scout, the Stuart can be used as a reconnaissance vehicle. Even if you cannot penetrate heavily armoured opponents, you can help your allies by scouting the opposing tanks. This, combined with its decent firepower, makes the Stuart an amazing scout vehicle.

Enemies worth noting

  • Sd.Kfz.234 (Family) - When your opposite team has Germany, you might want to reconsider the option of capturing a point straight away, since the German Sd.Kfz.234 series are very likely to be there first. The Sd.Kfz.234/2 (also known as the Puma) is a turreted 8-wheel vehicle with a small profile, extremely high on-road speed and a powerful 50 mm gun. But it cannot turn in place, has a very slow turret traverse and only 8 mm of side hull armour, so a good tactic is to circle with it and utilise your rather quick turret traverse and fast reload. In an intense tank "dogfight", you want to aim with the greatest care, as your 37 mm shells won't do much damage, so even a slight miss will result in the failure of knocking out the enemies' crew. The Sd.Kfz.234/3 and Sd.Kfz.234/4, although being equally deadly, are turretless. You can use some quick turns to avoid their guns or tear through the thin armour plate protecting their gunners with your 7.62 mm MG. Note that the penetration of the MG isn't great, so aim for their side armour.
  • T-34 (all variants) - The M5 can sometimes face the T-34 tank. They possess 76 mm cannons that fire APHE rounds with massive amounts of explosive filler - disabling the Stuart in one shot most of the time. The T-34s are also very mobile and will often be the first medium tanks to get to the battlefield. To boot they have very strong frontal armour, the UFP is immune to the 37 mm M6 carried by the M5A1. Against those foes, try to shoot at their weaker sides. If a head-on encounter is inevitable, the driver's hatch can be exploited, knocking out the driver, gunner, and often the engine, leaving the enemy completely debilitated, easy to finish off. The turret cheeks can also be exploited on the 1940 and '41 models. The turret ring should be targeted on the '42 and '43 models.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • High top speed, good acceleration especially on flat terrain
  • Better handling than its predecessors, quick turning speeds
  • Sloped armour can deflect some shots from small calibre projectiles
  • Good rate of fire
  • Gun can penetrate most tanks of this rank
  • Can quickly rotate in place while not in forward or reverse motion
  • Roof mounted .30 cal is useful for engaging aircraft
  • Has access to scouting ability

Cons:

  • Crew of four leaving one spare, vehicle efficiency decreases after the spare crew is used up
  • Exposed engine and fuel tank, prone to fires
  • As with the American 37 mm cannons, AP rounds does not contain HE filler
  • AP Shots often fail to fragment when penetrating other vehicles
  • Relatively tall for a light tank, a challenge to find adequate defensive positions
  • 37 mm cannon has low penetration which makes it difficult to fight enemy tanks at its BR
  • Little armour; can easily be penetrated by enemy tanks
  • Although armour is better than the previous Stuarts, its at an higher battle rating meaning plenty more vehicles can penetrate it
  • Weighs three more tons than its predecessor, noticeably slower acceleration

History

Main article: History of the M5A1

The M5A1 TD represents an early production M5A1 Stuart, designated 3051254-S. It was used by C Company, 3rd Battalion, 33rd Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Division, U.S. Army in Normandy, France, November 1944. Its designation in the unit was C-34 and it was given the name "Carol".

Media

Skins
Images
  • M5A1 TD WTWallpaper 01.jpg
  • M5A1 TDa.png
  • M5A1 TDb.png
  • M5A1 TDc.png

See also

Related development

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • other literature.


Twitch Drop vehicles
Ground vehicles  M5A1 TD · Pz.II C TD · Pz.III J1 TD · Sd.Kfz.234/2 TD · BT-7 TD · Chi-Ha Kai TD · Strv m/39 TD
Aviation  P-40E-1 TD
Fleet  Dark Aggressor TD

USA light tanks
LVT  LVT(A)(1) · ○LVT(A)(1) · LVT(A)(4)
M2  M2A2 · M2A4 · M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.)
M3/M5 Stuart  M3 Stuart · M3A1 Stuart · M3A1 (USMC) · M5A1 · M5A1 TD · ▃Stuart VI (5th CAD)
M22 Locust  M22
M24 Chaffee  M24 · M24 (TL)
M18 Hellcat  M18 GMC · M18 "Black Cat" · Super Hellcat
M41 Walker Bulldog  M41A1
M551 Sheridan  M551 · M551(76)
M3 Bradley  M3 Bradley · M3A3 Bradley
Wheeled  M8 LAC · T18E2 · M1128 · M1128 Wolfpack
Other  M8A1 GMC · T92 · T114 · HSTV-L · CCVL · XM8 · XM800T · AGS

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