M3 Lee
| This page is about the American medium tank M3 Lee. For other uses, see M3 (Disambiguation). |
Contents
Description
The Medium Tank M3 Lee is a rank II American medium tank with a battle rating of 2.3 (AB) and 2.7 (RB/SB). This tank was one of the first tanks to be released with the American ground tree in Update 1.45 "Steel Generals". The M3 Lee is most well recognized for its tall profile and two cannons, giving the player a substantial upgrade in firepower and armour compared to the M2 Medium and M2 Light tanks with a combination of 37 mm and 75 mm cannons on the tank. Its two-gun layout makes this tank awkward and hard to control for a new player but will give an edge when its handling and operation are mastered properly.
General info
Survivability and armour
Armour type:
- Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, turret roof)
- Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, MG cupola, transmission area, view ports)
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 38.1 mm (54°) Front Glacis 50.8 mm (15-55°) Transmission area 50.8 mm (29°) Driver port 38.1 mm (0-57°) Hull gun mount |
38.1 mm (0-22°) Top 38.1 mm Bottom |
38.1 mm (1-14°) Top 38.1 mm (15-53°) Bottom |
12.7 mm |
| Turret | 50.8 mm (11-65°) Turret front 38.1 mm (1-82°) Gun mantlet |
50.8 mm (0-66°) | 50.8 mm (1-54°) | 22.2 mm |
| Cupola | 50.8 mm (25°) | 50.8 mm (cylindrical) | 50.8 mm | |
Notes:
- Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 17 mm thick.
- Hull doors and vision ports are 38.1 mm thick.
The front glacis is separated in two plates with different angles and thicknesses, increasing the chance to bounce a shell off. The crew sits tightly in a limited compartment so any penetrating shot will likely knock out several crew members. The high crew count (6) compensates this aspect.
Mobility
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 43 | 6 | 27.7 | 620 | 763 | 22.38 | 27.55 |
| Realistic | 39 | 6 | 354 | 400 | 12.78 | 14.44 | |
The suspension inherited from the M2 gives it the Lee good all-terrain performance. It has a good acceleration, a reasonable top speed and the reverse speed is enough to back out of a dangerous situation.
Modifications and economy
| Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
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Armaments
Main armament
The 37 mm gun is located in the rotating turret, mounted with a leftward offset, and has a small MG cupola on top which can rotate independently.
| 37 mm M5 | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 179 | -7°/+60° | ±180° | Single-plane, Vertical | 10.70 | 14.80 | 18.00 | 19.90 | 21.20 | 3.77 | 3.33 | 3.07 | 2.90 |
| Realistic | 10.70 | 12.60 | 15.30 | 16.92 | 18.0 | ||||||||
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 |
| M51B1/B2 | 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 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 47° | 60° | 65° |
| M51B1/B2 | APCBC | 883 | 0.87 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 48° | 63° | 71° |
Ammo racks
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
5th rack empty |
6th rack empty |
7th rack empty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 179 | 176 (+3) | 172 (+7) | 168 (+11) | 160 (+19) | 153 (+26) | 148 (+31) | 140 (+39) |
| 8th rack empty |
9th rack empty |
10th rack empty |
11th rack empty |
12th rack empty |
13th rack empty |
14th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
| 133 (+46) | 129 (+50) | 116 (+63) | 105 (+50) | 63 (+116) | 21 (+158) | 1 (+178) | Yes |
Additional armament
The large sponson on the starboard side of the tank carries the 75 mm gun. While it is the secondary armament, take note that with only 2 crew members left, it will be the operational gun. The 75 is fired through the "secondary armament" setting: Controls > Ground Vehicles > Weaponry > Fire from secondary guns. When you aim with the 37 mm gun sight, remember that the gun is offset almost a meter to the right and 50 cm closer to the ground. It also drops faster than the 37 mm shell. If you want to aim precisely, you can use the secondary sight: Controls > Ground Vehicles > Weaponry > Select secondary weapon. You'll also need to configure the "Reset weapon selection" setting for it to work properly.
| 75 mm M2 | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 50 | -9°/+20° | ±15° | Single-plane, Vertical | 6.50 | 5.75 | 5.30 | 5.00 |
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 | ||
| M48 shell | HE | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| M72 shot | AP | 84 | 82 | 73 | 62 | 53 | 46 |
| M62 shot | APCBC | 97 | 94 | 84 | 73 | 63 | 55 |
| 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% | |||||||
| M48 shell | HE | 448 | 6.3 | 0 | 0.1 | 666 | 79° | 80° | 81° |
| M72 shot | AP | 588 | 6.3 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 47° | 60° | 65° |
| M62 shot | APCBC | 588 | 6.79 | 1.2 | 14 | 63.7 | 48° | 63° | 71° |
| Smoke shell characteristics | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile Mass (kg) |
Screen radius (m) |
Screen deploy time (s) |
Screen hold time (s) |
Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
| M89 | 259 | 3 | 13 | 5 | 20 | 50 |
Ammo racks
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 10 (+40) | 1 (+49) | No |
Machine guns
| 7.62 mm M1919A4 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Commander cupola | 3,000 (250) | 500 | -10°/+60° | ±180° |
| Coaxial 37 mm | 3,000 (250) | 500 | N/A | N/A |
The small caliber of the M1919A4 machine gun makes them largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. They still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help.
Usage in battles
The multiple cannons allow for different combinations of attack. The 37 mm gun on the full 360° traverse turret allows for a diverse role on the M3, with its high-velocity and effective round for long-range fighting, but with a fast reload for close-quarter encounters. The 75 mm on the sponson mount has the same penetration level as the 37 mm, but with a very high post-penetration damage with the right ammo at the cost of lower velocity, and thus a shorter battle range. The limited traverse on the 75 mm mount also means it is not as flexible as the turreted 37 mm. With these two cannon, the M3 Lee can focus on close-range combat with the two cannons fighting a single tank or engage two separate tanks at a longer range. Closer range combat is supported by the M3's adequate sloped frontal armour, able to withstand most enemy fire at its battle rating. It is recommended to set the keys to allow separate firing of the cannons for maximum effectiveness.
Still, different guns mean different styles of play. The M3 can also play as a tank destroyer, using its sponson gun to take shots at medium range and it's 37 mm to cover the flanks and make longer range snipe shots. The M3 Lee can also be used as an assault tank, quickly advancing on points while switching between the powerful 75 mm gun and the faster-firing 37 mm. It is also possible to completely ignore the 37 mm and focus solely on the 75 mm as it is a far more effective gun with its HE filler in its APCBC, as well as being easier to manage for newer players. In all game modes, the weapons should be assigned to different keys, this will allow the tank to aim using the sights of the three guns separately, allowing more accurate targeting at ranges, especially for the 75 mm gun. Since the 75 mm is in a side sponson, it is also possible to approach cover to where only the 37 mm is showing, allowing the tank to fire with most of the tank's profile hidden.
At its BR, the M3 Lee has a possibility of facing long-barrelled Pz.Kpfw. III, and Pz.Kpfw. IV, as well as T-34s and Sd.Kfz.234/2. The ZiS-30 is also very deadly, with its long gun that can penetrate even a Tiger 1. The 75 mm gun can reliable penetrate all of these tanks at short range (save the T-34), whereas the 37 mm will require some particular shot placement. Another particular enemy worth noting is the Sd.Kfz.234/2 "Puma". This light tank mounts a 50mm KwK.39/1 cannon which can easily penetrate your armor all around. You should try to angle the tank in a way that the shells will just slide harmlessly off. Another tactic is to only expose your turret, that way, you can minimize the amount of damage dealt to you.
When combating the M3 Lee, avoid its 75 mm gun by flanking the vehicle, then get in close and hug the sides or rear of the vehicle to prevent them from turning and going under the 37 mm's depression range. Aim for the large superstructure, a solid penetration will knock out all 6 crew members or make the ammunition combust. Note that firing through the side hatch will usually destroy the tank in a single shot, owing to the lack of sloping and ammunition storage.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Ability to use two guns: a 37 mm and a 75 mm - which is unique as well as useful at this rank.
- Acceptable frontal armour.
- Side mounted 75mm gives the ability for some unique tactics.
- 75mm gun is comparable to the ones mounted on the later Sherman tanks.
- Despite the tall profile, the "wedding cake" design of the turret has thick sloped armour, providing extra protection to make up for its height
- 6 crew members, harder to fully knock-out.
- Has three different turrets. The 75 mm sponson, the 37 mm, and the .30 cal mounted above the 37 mm turret, and all of them can be controlled differently through key mapping.
- Very effective when using weapon selection as one turret can cover the other when it's reloading.
Cons:
- Tall profile, big target.
- Losing crew members means losing functionality of one of the turrets.
- 75 mm sponson weapon does not allow for hull-down combat.
- 75 mm is good only for stationary, no shooting while moving.
- Tall position of turret restricts gun depression.
- Slow traverse speeds make it easy for a light or a particularly speedy medium tank to sneak around the sides.
- Weak side armour.
- Very awkward to use for new players, especially if the controls are not properly set.
- Driver's vision port is a weak spot.
History
Development
The current main tank in US inventory in 1940 was the M2 medium tank, but the Battle of France showed that such a tank was not going to be capable to go up against the German Panzer IIIs and Panzer IVs and their Panzer Divisions. With the Western Allies now embroiled in the North African campaign against the Germans and Italians, the Allies needed a good tank capable of going against the Panzer tanks, and they needed it quickly.[1]
The new tank design took elements from the M2 Medium, using the chassis and its VVSS suspension system. Part of the requirement for the new tank was to mount the more powerful 75 mm cannon. However, it was discovered that the United States does not have a turret design that could mount the 75 mm gun. Turret development would take time, and a new tank capable of fighting the Germans was needed by the British, which the Americans were building tanks for even though the United States was not yet at war. Taking elements from French designs such as the Char B1, with its two cannon mounts, the American designers decided that the 75 mm, if it couldn't yet be mounted on a turret, should be mounted on a sponson design on the hull. This design was tested on the M2 medium tank as the T5E2. It was always considered a stopgap, using the same chassis as the future M4 Sherman to minimize issues with transition when the new design was ready. Ordnance approved it as combat-capable and the design was approved as the M3 Medium. The M3 Medium design had two cannons, the 75 mm on the hull sponson mount, and a 37 mm with a coaxial machine gun on a turret, a cupola on the turret had its own machine gun. The M3 Lee's 75 mm gun, however, presented a huge advantage over contemporary tank armaments as the 75 mm could fire high-explosive rounds for fortifications and artillery pieces, yet could fire a shell with a high enough velocity for anti-tank purposes.
The M3 design's faults were the high profile and the sponson mount for its armament. The M3 was 10 ft. 3 in. tall, a foot taller than the M2 medium tank. The 75 mm on a sponson mount meant that the main armament of the tank had a limited traverse compared to a rotatable turret and forced the tank to reveal much of its body in order to aim the gun at the enemy. The M3 Medium was also constructed out of rivets (which increased spalling) and had a smooth track design which reduced ground traction. Despite these disadvantages, the Allies happily accepted them as they were critically low on tanks, and German Colonel Hans von Luck considered them superior to the Panzer IVs from his experience in Africa.
The initial batch of M3s were given to the British for their campaign for North Africa. The original British M3s had a radio in the turret, a new cast turret with room for radio, and the turret cupola and cupola machine gun was replaced with a simple hatch. The modified M3 also required one less crew member due to the radio now being in the turret for the commander rather than for a radio operator. The British ordered 1,250 of these modified M3 medium tanks, which they called the Grant. Additional tanks built and sent to the UK later with the original US model turret were called the Lee.
On August 1941, production officially started on the M3 Mediums, though the armour was thicker than initials batches of the tank due to its combat experiences. A majority of these were completed at Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Of the total 6,258 M3s built between startup to the end of production in December 1942, 2,855 units went to the British and 1,386 went to the Soviet Union. Other users of the M3 were the Australians and Indians in the India-Burma Theater. The M3 Mediums arriving in British arsenal caused confusion as the same "M3" designation was given to the M3 Light Tank, plus there were two different design types of the M3 Mediums. This set off the tradition of naming American tanks after generals, where the M3 medium tank earned the Lee for the initial Americans design, Grant for the British redesign, and the M3 light tank and its successors earned the Stuart.
Only 1,400 M3s were kept by the US. Three US crews, sent to help the British with training on the new tanks, had fought in British M3s at the battle of Gazala in June, 1942, with the 1st Royal Tank Regiment. In the US North Africa landings and Tunisia campaign later that year, two battalions of the US 13th Armored Regiment (1st Armored Division) also used M3s, until replaced with Shermans. By the end of the Tunisia campaign in May 1943, all M3s had been taken out of US service in Europe.
Combat usage
Combat experience with the M3 Lee was complicated but favourable. In Africa, the Lees and Grants in British and American service surprised the German forces when they could withstand the 50 mm KwK 38 L/42 gun and 75 mm KwK 37 L/24 howitzer armament on the Panzer IIIs and Panzer IVs. The M3 proved reliable and adequate in armour protection in British and American service. The Soviet's experience with the M3 was less favourable, as their T-34 tanks were much better in combat performance. The Soviets euphemistically called it a "grave for six men" and their Lee tanks were relegated to the secondary fronts or repurposed as armoured personnel carriers. In the Pacific, the M3s were lent to the Australians and Indians, which proved vastly superior to the Japanese tanks in service. The high gun elevation on its 37 mm turret and machine guns proved effective in knocking Japanese snipers off from trees. The only American use of the M3 Lee at the Pacific Theater was during the Battle of Makin Island by the 193rd Tank Battalion in November, 1943.
The M3 served fine as a stop-gap solution for the American tank development. They performed very well on the combat field and proved very reliable. However, once a 75 mm turret was finally designed, the M3 was redesigned to use it, and the resulting tank was the M4 Sherman, which will go on to replace the M3 tanks in the Allies as they are withdrawn from service. Even if it wasn't, the M3 was becoming obsolete due to newer German tanks being deployed, such as the Panther, Tiger I, or improvement of old chassis like the Panzer IV Ausf. G and StuG III Ausf. F. Its obsolescence was a consequence of its own rather unique development and anachronistic design, limiting this medium tank's service life to a mere two years in Allied hands. However, it lived on until the end of World War II in some modifications such as tractor and recovery vehicle. The chassis and running gear were adapted by the Canadians to develop their Ram medium tank.[1]
An anecdote
- "The 75 (mm gun) is firing. The 37 (mm gun) is firing, but it is traversed around the wrong way. The Browning (machine gun) is jammed. I am saying ‘Driver advance’ on the A set and the driver, who can’t hear me, is reversing. And as I look over the top of the turret and see twelve enemy tanks fifty yards away, someone hands me a cheese sandwich.” —British Lieutenant Ken Giles, tank commander of a M3 Grant[2]
In-game description
"The M3 was created based on the M2 medium tank, using almost all its components and powertrain assemblies in addition to its transmission and running gear. The tank offered a multi-tiered armament configuration and, as the first American tank armed with a 75 mm cannon, represented an important step forward in the development of tank design in the US.
In 1940 the Ordnance Department brought up requirements for a new medium tank, primary among them being a 75 mm weapon. The 2,134 mm long T7 75 mm cannon met the requirement as a modified version of the T6 cannon, which was designed for standard ammunition from 1897. The modernized weapon was designated the M2, and installing it had a positive impact on the tank's firepower. On the other hand, mounting it in a side sponson greatly limited its arc of fire. The gun could only be moved horizontally by hand and was limited to 15° in either direction.
The next weapon modification was the M3 cannon. Its barrel length was extended to 2,810 mm, which both boosted initial shell velocity from 564 m/s to 610 m/s and eliminated the need for a counterweight.
The M3 used a riveted hull, while its configuration featured a forward-sitting transmission, battle compartment in the middle, and engine bay in the back. The tank's outline was quite exotic as a result of trying to combine comfort for the crew and high firepower.
The first modification was under full-scale production from April 1941 to August 1942, with five companies building a total of 4,924 units. The M3 Lee launched its combat career in North Africa in 1942. Deliveries were also made to the USSR via Lend-Lease for use on the Eastern Front from 1942 to 1943."
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
- Other M3 Medium vehicles
- M3 Medium (USSR) - Premium version in the Soviet tech tree
- Grant I - Premium version with a new turret design
- Grant I (Great Britain) - Same as above, but in the British tech tree
External links
References
| USA medium tanks | |
|---|---|
| M2 | M2 |
| M3 | M3 Lee · ▃Grant I |
| M4 | M4 · Calliope · M4A1 · M4A1 (76) W · M4A2 · M4A2 (76) W · M4A3 (105) · M4A3 (76) W · M4/T26 |
| M26 Pershing | T20 · T25 · M26 · M26 T99 · M26E1 |
| M46/47/48 Patton | M46 · M46 "Tiger" · M47 · M48A1 · T54E1 · T54E2 |
| M60 | M60 · M60A1 (AOS) · M60A1 RISE (P) · M60A2 · M60A3 TTS · M728 CEV · 120S |
| MBT-70 | MBT-70 · XM803 |
| M1 Abrams | XM1 (Chrysler) · XM1 (GM) |
| M1 Abrams · M1 KVT · IPM1 | |
| M1A1 · M1A1 HC · M1A1 Click-Bait | |
| M1A2 Abrams · M1A2 SEP · M1A2 SEP V2 | |
| Other | T95E1 |
| Australia | M1A1 AIM |
| Canada | M4A5 |
| Israel | ▃Magach 3 (ERA) · ▃Merkava Mk.1 · ▃Merkava Mk.2B · ▃Merkava Mk.3D |
| Turkey | M60 AMBT |
