M3 Stuart

M3 Stuart

M2A4

M3A1 Stuart

M3 Stuart

M2A4

M3A1 Stuart

USA

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.7	2.0	2.0

Class:

Light tank

Research:2 900

Purchase:700

Show in game

Description

The Light Tank M3 Stuart is a Rank I American light tank with a battle rating of 1.3. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in Update 1.45 "Steel Generals". With a better engine and transmission system than the M2 light tanks, the M3 Stuart is more able to maneuver the battlefield as a dependable light tank.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour

Armour	Front	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	38.1 mm (18°) Driver Port 15.8 mm (69°) Front Glacis	25.4 mm	25.4 mm	12.7 mm
Turret	38.1 mm	25.4 mm	25.4 mm	12.7 mm

Notes:

• Suspension wheels and bogies are 15 mm thick, tracks are 10 mm thick.

Mobility

Mobility characteristic
Weight (tons)	Add-on Armor weight (tons)	Max speed (km/h)
12.6	N/A	56 (AB)
		50 (RB/SB)
Engine power (horsepower)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	406	500
Realistic/Simulator	232	262
Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	32.22	39.68
Realistic/Simulator	18.41	20.79

Armaments

Main armament

37 mm M5
Capacity				Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
103				-6°/+19°	±180°
Turret rotation speed (°/s)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded	Prior + Full crew	Prior + Expert qualif.	Prior + Ace qualif.
Arcade	11.90	16.50	20.00	22.10	23.50
Realistic	11.90	14.00	17.00	18.80	20.00
Reloading rate (seconds)
Stock	Prior + Full crew	Prior + Expert qualif.	Prior + Ace qualif.
3.77	3.33	3.07	2.90

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration in mm @ 90°
		10m	100m	500m	1000m	1500m	2000m
M74 shot	AP	78	76	59	43	31	22
M51 shot	APC	67	66	58	50	43	37

Shell details
Ammunition	Velocity in m/s	Projectile Mass in kg	Fuse delay in m:	Fuse sensitivity in mm:	Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):	Normalization At 30° from horizontal:	Ricochet:
							0%	50%	100%
M74 shot	792	0.87	N/A	N/A	N/A	-1°	47°	60°	65°
M51 shot	792	0.87	N/A	N/A	N/A	+4°	48°	63°	71°

Ammo racks

Ammo rack of M2A4

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	Visual discrepancy
103	69 (+34)	35 (+68)	1 (+102)	No

Machine guns

7.62 mm M1919A4
Coaxial mount
Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
3,200 (250)				500	N/A	N/A
Pintle mount
Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
3,000 (250)				500	-10°/+70°	±60°
Hull mount (#1)							Hull mount (#2)
Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance	Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance	Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
3,200 (250)				500	N/A	N/A	3,200 (250)				500	N/A	N/A

Usage in the battles

The M3 Stuart works best from a distance where its armour can shine and its gun can provide fast covering fire. However, this tank also works well in tight spaces if the armour is angled correctly, thanks to its ability to bounce shots and kill enemy crew with its AP ammunition.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Good front armour.
• Fast and agile.
• Reliable gun with good rate of fire.

Cons:

• Tank is cramped, one shot can knock out most crew members.
• Braking System unresponsive.
• Backwards Traverse is slow.
• Turning can be hit or miss.
• No ammunition with HE filler.

History

Development

The American light tank design prior to World War II, the M2 light tank, was seen as obsolete after observing Germany's Panzer forces tear through Europe. The design was to be upgraded with more armour, a better suspension, and a new gun recoil system. The revised version was designated the Light Tank M3, which the British named the Stuart. At its basis, the light tank had a 37 mm cannon with a similar layout as the M2 light tank, with the radial engine at the rear and the transmission on the front, though the radial engine was in high demand so the Guiberson diesel T-1210 were fitted in some models to substitute the engine. The design used the VVSS bogie system seen on previous American tank designs. The tank had a crew of four: driver, assistant driver, gunner, and commander, who doubled as the loader.

The first variant of the M3 Stuart light tank was very similar to the M2 light tanks. It had five machine gun armaments scattered around like the M2, but featured better armour and a better cannon with the 37 mm M6 cannon. The design did not have a turret basket for the crew and it was constructed out of rivets, which increased the chance of spalling in the tank. Nevertheless, the first variant M3 saw about 5,811 units produced. The second variant, the Light Tank M3A1 Stuart, featured a new turret with no cupola on it, plus an added gun stabilizer. The machine guns on the hull sides were removed, so now the total machine guns was reduced from five to three. The design also featured a welded armour design to remove the weakness of riveted armour. 4,621 of this variant was produced from May 1942 to February 1943. The most used variant, the Light Tank M5A1 Stuart, had a completely redesigned hull and turret, with the hull most notably having a full sloping frontal armour than the previous designs. This variant had about 6,810 units produced. All in all, the M3 light tank design and its variants were produced in massive quantities from March 1941 to October 1943 with a total of 25,000 units produced.

Combat usage

The British were the first to use the M3 Stuart in Africa in 1941, using it in Operation Crusader. However, the result ended with heavy losses, due to the better training the German Afrika Korps had compared to the British tank doctrine. The encounter also pointed out many flaws in the M3, mainly the cramped interior and limited operational range, but was praised for its high mobility and reliability when compared to the British contemporary designs. In 1942, the Stuarts were generally kept as recon units rather than combat units, and some were even modified to improve speed and range by removing the turret, and others were converted to armoured personnel carriers and command vehicles. Though the British used it extensively, it was still in small proportion compared to the American usage. The Soviet Union was also another user of the M3, but found it unfavorable due to their own logistics, plus it was not made to withstand the Russian Rasputitsa or even the winter. The Soviet eventually turned down any more offers for the Stuart by 1943. The M3s also supported the British and Chinese forces in Asia against the Japanese Army, and also France and Yugoslavia in Europe against the German Wehrmacht.

The Americans used it widely in both operational theaters. In the Pacific, the M3s were the first tanks America used in a tank vs. tank operation against the Imperial Japanese Army, where five M3s fought Type 95 Ha-Gos in the Phillippines. Though the Stuarts were newer than the Japanese tank designs by about five years, they were seen as equal in performance and firepower, but the M3 benefited by the support of the American industry arm. The Stuarts served in the Pacific slightly better than its heavier counterparts such as the M4 Shermans due to its lighter weight and maneuverability in the poor jungle terrain, but the M3 Stuarts in the Pacific were gradually replaced by M4 Shermans due to heavy losses from its thinner armour. The M3 were also some of the first US tanks to be converted into flamethrower tanks, named as the "Satan". The Satan tanks provided favorable results to the concept of a flamethrower tank, and were replaced by flamethrower-equipped M4 Shermans in 1945.

In Europe, the M3 formed a large part of the American tank battalions, though following the British path by sidelining the Stuarts from combat duties after heavy losses and to serve alongside Shermans as scouting units. A typical tank battalion for the US Army consisted of three companies of Shermans and one of Stuarts. Other than scouting, the M3s were also used in cavalry roles and infantry support since their cannon are unable to compete with the German tank designs. Despite their dwindling capabilities in battle, the M3 was kept in service up until the end of the war due to the large production numbers.

After World War II, the Stuarts were given out as cheap surplus, countries such as China, India, and Pakistan picked up a few and used them in their conflicts. Portuguese also picked up a few M3s for the war in Angola, and the South African Corps continued using the Stuarts until 1955, where some were still kept in service until 1968 due to available parts. Today, Paraguay is still a user of the M3 light tanks, though as the only tracked armour used in the country.

The Stuart light tank design was also quite versatile that it was made into different variants for different roles on the battlefield. It served as an infantry support vehicle as the 75mm GMC M8 and experiments were also taken to see if it could be adapted to an anti-aircraft gun and a flamethrower as well. However, the M3 was becoming an aging design with inferior armour, cramped interior layout, and a small 37 mm gun, so a program to replace the light tank began in 1943 and became the M24 Chaffee, which would eventually replace the M3 Light Tank mostly after World War II.

Media

Skins and camouflages for the M3 Stuart from live.warthunder.com.

Read also

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;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

ETC.

Sources

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