M3 Stuart (Family)
Contents
Description
The Light Tank, M3 was an American light tank which was nicknamed in British service under Stuart, after American Civil War Confederate general J. E. B. Stuart.
Vehicles
Rank I
Rank II
Development and Design
Design
The M3 Stuart was a comprehensive upgrade of the earlier M2 light tank. It featured a new Continental petrol engine - more powerful than on the preceding M2, a new vertical volute suspension system (VVSS), an M5 37 mm main gun (later replaced by the M6 37 mm gun) with a new recoil system. The secondary armament consisted of up to 5 .30 cal (7.62 mm) M1919 machine guns. One was coaxial to the main gun, one was ball-mounted in the hull front, two were mounted in sponsons in the hull, and one was located on an anti-aircraft mounting on the turret. Often, the two sponson-mounted machine guns would be removed by the crew to save space and reduce weight. The M3 was manned by a crew of four: driver, co-driver, commander, and gunner.
The main armor composition was of face-hardened rolled homogeneous armor. The sides and rear of the hull and turret were 1 inch (25.4 mm) thick. The turret front was 38.1 mm thick, and so was the gun mantlet. The hull lower glacis was 44.4 mm thick, and the angled upper glacis was 15.8 mm thick and angled at 70 degrees. The upper front plate was 38.1 mm thick and angled at 18 degrees. The turret and hull roofs were 12.7 mm thick.
M3 Stuart (Stuart Mk I/II)
The M3 was the first production model of the series, and it was introduced in March of 1941. 5811 M3 Stuarts were built and they were called the Stuart Mk I in British service. 1285 of those were built with Guiberson diesel engines and were designated as Stuart Mk II by the British. The diesel engine Stuarts were built to British specification, not for American service. The British often referred to the Stuarts as the Honey tank, because of how smooth the ride was. A turret basket was added for the commander and gunner to sit in. Many of the original M3 Stuarts were sent to Britain under the Lend-Lease Act.
M3A1 Stuart (Stuart Mk III/IV)
Introduced in 1942, the M3A1 featured an improved turret. The new turret featured a turret basket and a different AA machine gun mount. Additionally, all of the sponson-mounted machine guns were removed on the M3A1 version. This left only three .30 cal (7.62 mm) machine guns; one hull-mounted, one AA mounted, and one coaxial. Additionally, the vertical stabilizer for the gun was improved. 4621 M3A1 Stuarts were produced, and production ended in February 1943. The M3A1 was exported to the British as the Stuart Mk III, and the diesel version was called the Stuart Mk IV in British service.
M3A3 Stuart (Stuart Mk V)
The M3A3 variant featured sloped frontal armor very similar to that of the M5 Stuart. The new armor arrangement was easier to produce and it also offered better protection. As a side effect, the M3A3 hull was heavier than the earlier version; the hull also had increased volume, which allowed for more fuel and ammunition storage. The M3A3 also introduced an improved turret with a larger bustle on the rear for the storage of a SCR 508 radio. Because of the increased space inside the hull, the ammunition storage was increased to 174 37 mm rounds and 7500 7.62 mm rounds. 3427 M3A3s were produced, with production ending in October 1943. In British service they were called Stuart Mk V.
Service
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union received 1000 M3 Stuarts along with M3 Lees and M3 Half-tracks through the Lend-Lease Act. The M3 Stuarts delivered to the USSR were of differing variants. The USSR did not like the M3 Stuart. They believed the armor and firepower was inadequate, the tracks were not suited to Russian winters, and the fuel was too flammable. As such, the USSR turned down American proposals for the delivery of M5 Stuarts, and sent their M3s to the Manchurian front where they would face less armored opposition.
Variants
Direct M3 Variants
M3 Stuart (Stuart Mk I/II)
M3A1 Stuart (Stuart Mk III/IV)
M3A2
M3A3 Stuart (Stuart Mk V)
75mm T18 HMC
T82 HMC
T56 3in GMC
T57 3in GMC
M3 COM
M3 (T2 Light Mine Exploder)
M3 (Satan Flame-Gun)
M3A1 (Satan Flame-Gun)
M3A1 (E5R2-M3)
M5 and Variants
M5 Stuart
M5A1 Stuart
HMC M8 Scott
GMC M8A1
81mm MMC T27
81mm MMC T27E1
T29 4.2in MMC
CMC T81
40mm GMC T65
20mm MGMC T85
M5 COM
Reconnaissance Vehicle T8
Reconnaissance Vehicle T8E1
M5A1 (E5R1-M3) "Zippo"
M5A1 (E7-7) "Zippo"
M5A1 (E9-9) "Zippo"
M5 (T39)
M5 Dozer
Media
- Videos
