The M3 Stuart/Light Tank M3, was an American
light tank of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. An improved version of the tank entered service as the M5 in 1942 to be supplied to British and other
Commonwealth forces under
lend-lease prior to the entry of the U.S. into the war. Afterwards, it was used by U.S. and
Allied
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
forces until the end of the war.
The British service name "Stuart" came from the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
general
J. E. B. Stuart and was used for both the M3 and the derivative M5 Light Tank. Unofficially, were also often called "Honeys" by the British, because of their smooth ride. In U.S. use, the tanks were officially known as "Light Tank M3" and "Light Tank M5".
Stuarts were first used in combat in the
North African campaign; about 170 were used by the British forces in
Operation Crusader (18 November – 30 December 1941). Stuarts were the first American-crewed tanks in World War II to engage the enemy in tank versus tank combat when used in the Philippines in December 1941 against the Japanese. Outside of the Pacific War, in later years of WWII the M3 was used for reconnaissance and screening.
Development
Observing events in Europe and Asia during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, American tank designers realized that the
Light Tank M2 was becoming obsolete and set about improving it. The upgraded design, with thicker
armor
Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or f ...
, modified suspension and new gun
recoil
Recoil (often called knockback, kickback or simply kick) is the rearward thrust generated when a gun is being discharged. In technical terms, the recoil is a result of conservation of momentum, as according to Newton's third law the force r ...
system was called "Light Tank M3". Production of the vehicle started in March 1941 and continued until October 1943.
By the standards of the era for light tanks, the Stuart was fairly heavily armored. It had 38 mm of armor on the upper front hull, 44 mm on the lower front hull, 51 mm on the gun mantlet, 38 mm on the turret sides, 25 mm on the hull sides, and 25 mm on the hull rear.
[Zaloga 1999, p. 31] Like its direct predecessor, the M2A4, the M3 was initially armed with a
37 mm M5 gun and five
.30-06 Browning M1919A4 machine guns: one coaxial with the main gun, one on top of the
turret
Turret may refer to:
* Turret (architecture), a small tower that projects above the wall of a building
* Gun turret, a mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon
* Objective turret, an indexable holder of multiple lenses in an optical microscope
* Mi ...
in an M20 anti-aircraft mount, another in a ball mount in right bow, and two more in the right and left hull
sponson
Sponsons are projections extending from the sides of land vehicles, aircraft or watercraft to provide protection, stability, storage locations, mounting points for weapons or other devices, or equipment housing.
Watercraft
On watercraft, a spon ...
s. Later, the main gun was replaced with the slightly longer M6, and the sponson machine guns were removed.
The M3 and M3A1 variants were powered by an
air-cooled
Air-cooled engines rely on the circulation of air directly over heat dissipation fins or hot areas of the engine to cool them in order to keep the engine within operating temperatures. In all combustion engines, a great percentage of the heat ge ...
radial engine
The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders "radiate" outward from a central crankcase like the spokes of a wheel. It resembles a stylized star when viewed from the front, and is ...
, either a
gasoline-fueled 7-
cylinder
A cylinder (from ) has traditionally been a three-dimensional solid, one of the most basic of curvilinear geometric shapes. In elementary geometry, it is considered a prism with a circle as its base.
A cylinder may also be defined as an infin ...
Continental W-670
The Continental R-670 (factory designation W670) was a seven-cylinder four-cycle radial aircraft engine produced by Continental displacing 668 cubic inches (11 litres) and a dry weight of . Horsepower varied from 210 to 240 at 2,200 rpm. The eng ...
(8,936 built) or a 9-cylinder
Guiberson T-1020 diesel
Diesel may refer to:
* Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression
* Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines
* Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
(1,496 built). Both of these powerplants were originally developed as
aircraft engine
An aircraft engine, often referred to as an aero engine, is the power component of an aircraft propulsion system. Most aircraft engines are either piston engines or gas turbines, although a few have been rocket powered and in recent years many ...
s. Internally, the radial engine was at the rear and the
transmission at the front of the tank's hull. The propeller shaft connecting the engine and transmission ran through the middle of the fighting compartment. The radial engine's crankshaft was positioned high off the hull bottom and contributed to the tank's relatively tall profile. When a revolving turret floor was introduced in the M3 hybrid and M3A1, the crew had less room. A further 3,427 M3A3 variants were built with modified hull (similar to the M5), new turret and the Continental W-670 gasoline engine. In contrast to the M2A4, all M3/M5 series tanks had a trailing rear idler wheel for increased ground contact, whereas on the M2 the idler wheel was off the ground and did not aid in suspension.
M5 Stuart
To relieve wartime demand for the radial aero-engines used in the M3, a new version was developed using twin
Cadillac V8 automobile engines and twin
Hydra-Matic
Hydramatic (also known as Hydra-Matic) is an automatic transmission developed by both General Motors' Cadillac and Oldsmobile divisions. Introduced in 1939 for the 1940 model year vehicles, the ''Hydramatic'' was the first mass-produced fully ...
transmissions operating through a
transfer case
A transfer case is a part of the drivetrain of four-wheel-drive, all-wheel-drive, and other multiple powered axle vehicles. The transfer case transfers power from the transmission to the front and rear axles by means of drive shafts. It also syn ...
. This version of the tank was quieter, cooler and roomier; the
automatic transmission
An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving c ...
also simplified crew training. The new model (initially called M4 but redesignated M5 to avoid confusion with the
M4 Sherman
}
The M4 Sherman, officially Medium Tank, M4, was the most widely used medium tank by the United States and Western Allies in World War II. The M4 Sherman proved to be reliable, relatively cheap to produce, and available in great numbers. It ...
) featured a redesigned hull with a raised rear deck over the engine compartment, sloped
glacis plate and driver's hatches moved to the top. Although the main criticism from units using the Stuarts was that it lacked firepower, the improved M5 series kept the same 37 mm gun. The M5 gradually replaced the M3 in production from 1942 and, after the
M7 project proved unsatisfactory, was succeeded by the
Light Tank M24 in 1944. Total M5 and M5A1 tank production was 8,884; an additional 1,778
M8 75 mm howitzer motor carriages based on the M5 chassis with an open-top turret were produced.
Light Tank Doctrine
Light Tanks were issued to Tank Battalions (one of the four companies was a light tank company), Light Tank Battalions and Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadrons. The original role of the light tank in these formations was similar to medium tanks and they were expected to engage enemy armor with AP rounds and enemy positions with HE rounds. As a result, tank gunnery training for Light and Medium tankers was common.
US Army Field Manuals written before 1944 clearly show that light tanks were to be part of an armored assault on enemy positions, and examples of fire on enemy armor were in these manuals. When pursuing an enemy, Light Tank Battalions were expected to move parallel with enemy columns and, together with accompanying infantry and engineer units, seize "critical terrain that will block hostile retreat". Despite the fact that light tank platoons were not expected to function as a reconnaissance unit, they could be used for reconnaissance purposes. In this role, they were expected to remain behind the main reconnaissance force as the support element and augment the firepower whenever enemy contact was made.
Combat history
War in North Africa and Europe
British and other Commonwealth armies were the first to use the Light Tank M3, as the "Stuart", in combat. From mid-November 1941 to the end of the year, about 170 Stuarts (in a total force of over 700 tanks) took part in
Operation Crusader during the
North Africa Campaign, with poor results. This is despite the fact that the M3 was superior or comparable in most regards to most of the tanks used by the Axis forces. The most numerous German tank, the
Panzer III
The ''Panzerkampfwagen III'', commonly known as the Panzer III, was a medium tank developed in the 1930s by Germany, and was used extensively in World War II. The official German ordnance designation was Sd.Kfz. 141. It was intended to fight ot ...
Ausf G, had nearly identical armor and speed to the M3,
[the M3 actually had thicker front and turret armor, while the Panzer III had slightly thicker side armor.] and both tanks' guns could penetrate the other tank's front armor from beyond . The most numerous Italian tank (and second most numerous Axis tank overall), the
Fiat M13/40
The Carro Armato M13/40 was an Italian World War II tank designed to replace the M11/39 in the Italian Army at the start of World War II. It was the primary tank used by the Italians throughout the war. The design was influenced by the British Vi ...
, was much slower than the Stuart, had slightly weaker armor all around, and could not penetrate the Stuart's front hull or turret armor at 1,000 meters, whereas the Stuart's gun could penetrate any spot on the M13/40. Although the high losses suffered by Stuart-equipped units during the operation had more to do with the better tactics and training of the ''
Afrika Korps
The Afrika Korps or German Africa Corps (, }; DAK) was the German expeditionary force in Africa during the North African Campaign of World War II. First sent as a holding force to shore up the Italian defense of its African colonies, the ...
'' than the apparent superiority of
German armored fighting vehicles used in the North African campaign, the operation revealed that the M3 had several technical faults. Mentioned in the British complaints were the 37 mm M5 gun and poor internal layout. The two-man turret crew was a significant weakness, and some British units tried to fight with three-man turret crews. The Stuart also had a limited range, which was a severe problem in the highly mobile
desert warfare
In desert warfare, the heat and lack of water can sometimes be more dangerous than the enemy. The desert terrain is the second most inhospitable to troops following a cold environment. The lack of water, extremes of heat/cold, and lack of cover m ...
as units often outpaced their supplies and were stranded when they ran out of fuel.
On the positive side, crews liked its relatively high speed and mechanical reliability, especially compared to the
Crusader tank
Crusader, in full "Tank, Cruiser Mk VI, Crusader", also known by its General Staff number A.15, was one of the primary British cruiser tanks during the early part of the Second World War. Over 5,000 tanks were manufactured and they made imp ...
, which comprised a large portion of the British tank force in Africa up until 1942. The Crusader had similar armament and armor to the Stuart while being slower, less reliable, and several tons heavier. The Stuart also had the advantage of a gun that could deliver high-explosive shells; HE shells were not available for the 40 mm
QF 2-pdr gun mounted by most Crusaders, severely limiting their use against emplaced anti-tank guns or infantry;.
[Ian Hogg (1996), ''Tank Killing'', page 138-139, Sidgwick & Jackson ][however, by late 1942, the Crusader received the 57 mm QF 6-pdr gun, significantly improving its anti-tank characteristics and giving it HE capability] The main drawback of the Stuart was its low fuel capacity and range; its operational range was only cross country, roughly half that of the Crusader.
In the summer of 1942, the British usually kept Stuarts out of tank-to-tank combat, using them primarily for reconnaissance. The turret was removed from some examples to save weight and improve speed and range. These became known as "Stuart Recce". Some others were converted to
armored personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier (APC) is a broad type of armoured military vehicle designed to transport personnel and equipment in combat zones. Since World War I, APCs have become a very common piece of military equipment around the world.
Ac ...
s known as the "Stuart
Kangaroo
Kangaroos are four marsupials from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern ...
", and some were converted into command vehicles and known as "Stuart Command". M3s, M3A3s, and M5s continued in British service until the end of the war, but British units had a smaller proportion of these light tanks than U.S. units.
Eastern Front
The other major
Lend-Lease recipient of the M3, the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
, was less happy with the tank, considering it under-gunned, under-armored, likely to catch fire, and too sensitive to fuel quality. The M3's radial aircraft engine required high-octane fuel, which complicated Soviet logistics as most of their tanks used
diesel
Diesel may refer to:
* Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression
* Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines
* Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
or low-octane fuel. High fuel consumption led to a poor range characteristic, especially sensitive for use as a reconnaissance vehicle. Also, compared to Soviet tanks, the M3's narrower tracks resulted in a higher ground pressure, getting them more easily stuck in the ''
Rasputitsa'' muddy conditions of spring and autumn and
winter snow conditions on the Eastern Front. In 1943, the
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...
tried out the M5 and decided that the upgraded design was not much better than the M3. Being less desperate than in 1941, the Soviets turned down an American offer to supply the M5. M3s continued in Red Army service at least until 1944.
Italy
One of the more successful uses of the M5 in combat came during the
Battle of Anzio when breaking through German forces surrounding the beachhead. The tactics called for an initial breakthrough by a medium tank company to destroy the heavier defenses, followed by an infantry battalion who would attack the German troops who were being left behind the medium tanks. Since many hidden fortifications and positions would have survived the initial medium tank assault, the infantry would then be confronted by any remaining fortified German troops. Behind the infantry came the M5s of a light tank company, who would attack these positions when directed to by the Infantry, usually by the use of green
smoke grenades
Smoke grenades used at demonstrations in Paris, 2008
upBritish L83A1 Smoke Grenade manufactured in May 2008. This grenade has already been used.
A smoke grenade is a canister-type grenade used as a signaling device, target or landing zone mark ...
.
Pacific and Asia
The
U.S. Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
initially deployed 108 Stuart light tanks to the Philippines in September 1941, equipping the U.S. Army's
194th and
192nd Tank Battalions. The first U.S. tank versus tank combat to occur in World War II, began on 22 December 1941, when a platoon of five M3s led by Lieutenant Ben R. Morin engaged the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) 4th Tank Regiment's
Type 95 Ha-Go
The was a light tank used by the Empire of Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese War, at Nomonhan against the Soviet Union, and in the Second World War. It proved sufficient against infantry but, like the American M3 Stuart light tank, was not d ...
light tanks north of Damortis. Lt. Morin, with his 37mm cannon locked in recoil maneuvered his M3 off the road, but took a direct hit while doing so, and his tank began to burn. The other four M3s were also hit, but managed to leave the field under their own power. Lt. Morin was wounded, and he and his crew were captured by the enemy. M3s of the 194th and 192nd Tank Battalions continued to
skirmish
Skirmishers are light infantry or light cavalry soldiers deployed as a vanguard, flank guard or rearguard to screen a tactical position or a larger body of friendly troops from enemy advances. They are usually deployed in a skirmish line, an i ...
with the 4th Tank Regiment's tanks as they continued their retreat down the Bataan Peninsula, with the last tank versus tank combat occurring on 7 April 1942.
As the Japanese 15th Army was threatening southern Burma toward the end of February 1942,
7th Armoured Brigade
7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. It is the only prime number preceding a cube.
As an early prime number in the series of positive integers, the number seven has greatly symbolic associations in religion, mythology, s ...
of the British Army landed at Rangoon with 114 M-3 Stuarts bearing the green rodent of the "Desert Rats". They supported 17th Indian Division and 1st Burma Division on the retreat until they managed to escape to India in April.
Due to the naval nature of the Pacific campaign, steel for warship production took precedence over tanks for the IJA, creating by default an IJA light tank that performed admirably in the jungle terrain of the South Pacific. By the same measure, although the US was not hampered by industrial restrictions, the U.S. M3 light tank proved to be an effective armored vehicle for fighting in jungle environments. At least one was captured in the Philippines.
With the IJA's drive toward India within the
South-East Asian theatre of World War II, the United Kingdom hastily withdrew their
2nd Royal Tank Regiment and
7th Hussars Stuart tank units (which also contained some
M2A4 light tanks) from North Africa, and deployed them against the Japanese 14th Tank Regiment. By the time the Japanese had been stopped at
Imphal
Imphal ( Meitei pronunciation: /im.pʰal/; English pronunciation: ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace (also known as Kangla Fort), the royal seat of the f ...
, only one British Stuart remained operational. When the U.S. entered the war in 1941, it began to supply China with AFVs, including M3 Stuarts, and later M4 Sherman
medium tanks and
M18 Hellcat
The M18 Hellcat (officially designated the 76 mm Gun Motor Carriage M18 or M18 GMC) is a tank destroyer that was used by the United States Army in World War II and the Korean War. A top speed of up to was attained by keeping armor to a minim ...
tank destroyers, which trickled in through Burma.
Although the U.S. light tanks had proven effective in jungle warfare, by late 1943, U.S. Marine Corps tank battalions were transitioning from their M3/M5 light tanks to M4 medium tanks, mostly for the much greater high-explosive blast effect of the M4's 75mm gun, which fired a much larger shell with a heavier explosive payload.
Obsolescence and replacement
When the U.S. Army joined the North African Campaign in late 1942, Stuart units still formed a large part of its armor strength. After the disastrous
Battle of Kasserine Pass
The Battle of Kasserine Pass was a series of battles of the Tunisian campaign of World War II that took place in February 1943 at Kasserine Pass, a gap in the Grand Dorsal chain of the Atlas Mountains in west central Tunisia.
The Axis forces, ...
, the U.S. quickly followed the British in disbanding most of their light tank
battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...
s and reorganizing medium tank battalions to include one company of light tanks, where the Stuarts mostly performed the traditional cavalry missions of scouting and screening; for the rest of the war, most U.S. tank battalions had three
companies
A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared go ...
of M4 Shermans and one company of M3s or M5/M5A1s.
In Europe, Allied light tanks were given cavalry and infantry fire support roles since their light main armament was not competitive against heavier enemy armored fighting vehicles. However, the Stuart was still effective in combat in the
Pacific Theater, as
Japanese tanks were both relatively rare and were lighter in armor than even Allied light tanks.
Japanese infantrymen were not well equipped with
anti-tank weapons, and as such had to use close assault tactics. In this environment, the Stuart was only moderately more vulnerable than medium tanks.
Though the Stuart was to be completely replaced by the newer M24 Chaffee, the number of M3s/M5s produced was so great (over 25,000 including the 75mm HMC M8) that the tank remained in service until the end of the war, and well after. In addition to the U.S, UK and Soviet Union, who were the primary users, it was also used by France (M3A3 and M5A1),
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
(M3A3s and, immediately post-war, M5A1s) and
Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz ( sh-Cyrl, Јосип Броз, ; 7 May 1892 – 4 May 1980), commonly known as Tito (; sh-Cyrl, Тито, links=no, ), was a Yugoslav communist revolutionary and statesman, serving in various positions from 1943 until his deat ...
's
Partisans in Yugoslavia (M3A3s and few M3A1).
With the limitations of both the main gun (see below) and armor, the Stuart's intended combat role in Western Europe was changed significantly. Light tank companies were often paired with cavalry reconnaissance units, or else used for guarding or screening, and even used in supply or messenger roles for medium tank units.
["At approximately 1720 hours on June 1st (the light tank) company... was called upon to move to the vicinity of 032465 (Velletri) to form an armored guard for the 85th Division C.P.. Three other light tanks of the company were used as liaison between the medium tanks companies of the regimental command post. This use of light tanks proved to be the most effective way of maintaining communication between the tanks and infantry regimental headquarters."]
Limitations of the 37mm gun
On 9 December 1944, the
759th Tank Battalion advanced on a hill near
Bogheim but was subjected to a counter-attack by German forces, including a heavy self-propelled
assault gun, which took "over 100 direct hits" at ranges as low as with "no appreciable damage".
In January 1945, a report to General Eisenhower concluded that the Stuart was "obsolete in every respect as a fighting tank" and that it would not "turn the German fire
r
ould Ould is an English surname and an Arabic name ( ar, ولد). In some Arabic dialects, particularly Hassaniya Arabic, ولد (the patronymic, meaning "son of") is transliterated as Ould. Most Mauritanians have patronymic surnames.
Notable p ...
the 37mm gun damage the German tanks or SP guns".
Post World War II use
After the war, some countries chose to equip their armies with cheap and reliable
war surplus
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular ...
Stuarts. The Chinese Nationalist Army having suffered great attrition as a result of the ensuing civil war, rebuilt their armored forces by acquiring surplus vehicles left behind in the Philippines by the U.S. forces, including 21 M5A1s to equip two tank companies.
The M5
played a significant role in the First Kashmir War (1947) between India and Pakistan, including the battle of
Zoji-la pass fought at an elevation of nearly .
M3A1 and M3A3s were used by British forces in Indonesia during the
Indonesian National Revolution
The Indonesian National Revolution, or the Indonesian War of Independence, was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between the Republic of Indonesia and the Dutch Empire and an internal social revolution during Aftermath of WWII, postw ...
, where they suffered heavy losses due to the Stuart's thin armour plating. They were used until 1946, when the British left. The M3A1 and M3A3s were then passed on to the
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army ( nl, Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger; KNIL, ) was the military force maintained by the Kingdom of the Netherlands in its colony of the Dutch East Indies, in areas that are now part of Indonesia. Th ...
, which used them until the end of the fighting before passing on the tanks to the
Indonesian Army
The Indonesian Army ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD), ) is the land branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It has an estimated strength of 300,000 active personnel. The history of the Indonesian Army has its ...
. The tank saw action during the
Darul Islam rebellions in Aceh and Java,
RMS rebellions in South Maluku,
PRRI rebellions in Sumatra,
Permesta
Permesta was a rebel movement in Indonesia, its name based on the Universal Struggle Charter (or ''Piagam Perjuangan Semesta'') that was declared on 2 March 1957 by civil and military leaders in East Indonesia. Initially the center of the movem ...
rebellions in Northern Sulawesi and the fighting against the
30 September Movement.
During the 1960s and 1970s, the
Portuguese Army also used tanks received as military aid from Canada in the
war in Angola, where its all terrain capability (compared to wheeled vehicles) was greatly appreciated. In 1967, the Portuguese Army deployed three M5A1 Light Tanks – nicknamed "Milocas", "Licas", and "Gina" by their crews – in northern
Angola
, national_anthem = " Angola Avante"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capital = Luanda
, religion =
, religion_year = 2020
, religion_ref =
, coordina ...
, which served with the 1927th Cavalry Battalion commanded by Cavalry Major João Mendes Paulo, stationed at
Nambuangongo
Nambuangongo is a town and municipality in Bengo Province in Angola
, national_anthem = "Angola Avante"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capital = Luanda
, religion =
, r ...
. The vehicles were mostly employed for convoy escort and recovery duties, and limited
counterinsurgency
Counterinsurgency (COIN) is "the totality of actions aimed at defeating irregular forces". The Oxford English Dictionary defines counterinsurgency as any "military or political action taken against the activities of guerrillas or revolutionari ...
operations against
National Liberation Front of Angola
The National Front for the Liberation of Angola ( pt, Frente Nacional de Libertação de Angola; abbreviated FNLA) is a political party and former militant organisation that fought for Angolan independence from Portugal in the war of independen ...
(FNLA) guerrillas, who dubbed them "Elefante Dundum”. "Milocas" was destroyed by an accidental fire in 1969, while "Gina" and "Licas" were withdrawn from active service in 1972, the former being sent to
Luanda
Luanda () is the capital and largest city in Angola. It is Angola's primary port, and its major industrial, cultural and urban centre. Located on Angola's northern Atlantic coast, Luanda is Angola's administrative centre, its chief seaport ...
and the latter ended up in 1973 as an airfield security pillbox in the
Portuguese Air Force's
Zala airfield. Period photographs show some modifications to the basic design, namely the omission of the bow machine gun, re-installed on a pintle mount in the roof of the turret, and a small searchlight fitted in front of the commander's cupola.
During the four-day long
Football War
The Football War ( es, La guerra del fútbol; colloquial: Soccer War), also known as the Hundred Hours' War or 100 Hour War, was a brief military conflict fought between El Salvador and Honduras in 1969. Existing tensions between the two countr ...
of 1969, El Salvador invaded Honduras in an all-out-war strike using the M3 Stuart as the main battle tank. El Salvador captured eight major cities before the
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States (OAS; es, Organización de los Estados Americanos, pt, Organização dos Estados Americanos, french: Organisation des États américains; ''OEA'') is an international organization that was founded on 30 April ...
arranged a ceasefire.
The
South African Armoured Corps
The South African Army Armour Formation provides an Armour capability to the South African Army. The Formation came into being as part of a restructure. South African Armour Corps units previously under the command of various different brigades a ...
continued to use M3A1s in a reserve role until 1955. Some were refurbished locally in 1962 and remained in service as late as 1964. The fleet was withdrawn in 1968, owing to parts shortage.
The M3 Stuart is still on the active list in the Armed Forces of
Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...
, with ten of the tanks being overhauled in 2014 to provide a training capability.
Variants
US variants
*M3 (British designation "Stuart I")
:5,811 vehicles were produced.
:1,285 M3s had
Guiberson diesel
Diesel may refer to:
* Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression
* Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines
* Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
installed and were called "Stuart II" by British.
:Late production M3s were fitted with turret developed for M3A1, though without turret basket. These tanks were dubbed "Stuart Hybrid".
*M3A1 (Stuart III)
:4,621 were produced from May 1942 to February 1943.
:New turret with turret basket and no cupola. Gun vertical stabilizer installed. Sponson machine guns were removed.
:211 M3A1s with Guiberson diesel were called "Stuart IV" by British.
*M3A3 (Stuart V)
:3,427 produced.
:Put into production to integrate hull improvements brought by the M5 into the M3 series. Turret with rear overhang to house
SCR-508
The SCR-508 radio was a mobile Signal Corps Radio used by the U.S. Army during World War II, for short range ground communications. The SCR-508 series radio represented the Army's commitment to both FM and crystal tuning, and was used extensively b ...
radio. Welded hull with sloped armor, 20° in from the vertical, on front and sides.
*M5 (no British designation)
:2,074 produced.
:Twin Cadillac engines. Redesigned hull similar to M3A3, but with vertical sides and raised engine deck. Turret as for M3A1.
*M5A1 (Stuart VI)
:6,810 produced.
:M5 with the turret of the M3A3; this was the major variant in US units by 1943.
*
75mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8
:1,778 units produced between September 1942 and January 1944.
:Based on M5 chassis. The gun was replaced with the
75 mm M2/M3 howitzer in open turret and a trailer hook was fitted so an ammunition trailer could be towed. Provided fire support to cavalry reconnaissance squadrons.
*T6 Armored Recovery Vehicle
:
Armoured recovery vehicle
An armoured recovery vehicle (ARV) is typically a powerful tank or armoured personnel carrier (APC) chassis modified for use during combat for military vehicle recovery (towing) or repair of battle-damaged, stuck, and/or inoperable armoured f ...
based on the chassis of an M5A1. Project was discontinued in 1943 in favor of the
M24 Chaffee-based T6E1.
[Hunnicutt, p 368.]
*T16 4.5-inch Gun Motor Carriage
:Self-propelled 4.5-inch gun based on the chassis of an M5. Project was discontinued in 1943.
[Hunnicutt, p 337-338.]
*
T18 Howitzer Motor Carriage
The T18 Howitzer Motor Carriage, abbreviated as HMC. was an American self-propelled gun. Its development started in September 1941 as a close-support vehicle using the M3 Stuart's chassis. A 75 mm howitzer was mounted on the right front of ...
:
Self-propelled gun based on M3 chassis.
75 mm M1A1 pack howitzer was mounted in a boxy superstructure. The project started in September 1941 and was abandoned in April 1942. Only two were produced, ''75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8'' was chosen to be produced instead.
*T27 / T27E1 Mortar Motor Carriage
:M5A1 with turret replaced by superstructure in which an 81 mm mortar was installed. Also carried
.50 (12.7 mm) cal Browning M2HB machine gun
The M2 machine gun or Browning .50 caliber machine gun (informally, "Ma Deuce") is a heavy machine gun that was designed towards the end of World War I by John Browning. Its design is similar to Browning's earlier M1919 Browning machine gun, wh ...
. The project was abandoned in April 1944 because of inadequate crew and storage space.
*T29 Mortar Motor Carriage
:Design similar to T27, with 4.2 inch (107 mm) mortar. Was abandoned for the same reason.
*T56 Gun Motor Carriage
:Self-propelled gun based on M3A3 chassis. The engine was moved to the middle of the hull and a
3-inch (76 mm) gun was mounted in a superstructure in the rear. The project started in September 1942 and was abandoned in February 1943.
*T57 Gun Motor Carriage
:Variant of T56 with Continental engine of the
Medium Tank M3
The M3 Lee, officially Medium Tank, M3, was an American medium tank used during World War II. The turret was produced in two forms, one for US needs and one modified to British requirements to place the radio next to the commander. In British Co ...
. Also dropped in February 1943.
*T81 Chemical Mortar Motor Carriage
:M5A1-based
4.2 inch (107 mm) chemical mortar carrier.
*T82 Howitzer Motor Carriage
:Self-propelled
105 mm howitzer based on M5A1 chassis. Development began in 1943. Two prototypes built and tested in August 1944 at Aberdeen Proving Grounds. Project was discontinued on June 21, 1945.
*M3 with Maxson Turret
:Anti-aircraft variant developed in 1942. Was armed with four .50 (12.7 mm) cal. machine guns in a turret developed by Maxson Corp. The project was rejected because of the availability of the
M16 MGMC.
*155 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage T64
:Self-propelled howitzer based on lengthened M5 with
155 mm howitzer M1. One built, but replaced by the
M41 Howitzer Motor Carriage
The 155 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M41 (also known as the M41 Gorilla) was an American self-propelled artillery vehicle built on a lengthened M24 Chaffee tank chassis that was introduced at the end of the Second World War. Out of a planned ...
based on the Light Tank M24 chassis.
[Hunnicutt, p 337–339, 502.]
*40 mm Gun Motor Carriage T65
:Anti-aircraft vehicle based on lengthened M5A1 with
Bofors 40 mm gun Bofors 40 mm gun is a name or designation given to two models of 40 mm calibre anti-aircraft guns designed and developed by the Swedish company Bofors:
*Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun - developed in the 1930s, widely used in World War II and into the 1990s
...
. Not proceeded with but ideas used in developing
M19 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage
The M19 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage (MGMC) was a World War II United States Army self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon on the M24 light tank chassis. It was equipped with two Bofors 40 mm guns. It was produced by Cadillac and Massey Ferguson ...
using the
Light Tank M24 chassis.
*20 mm Multiple Gun Motor Carriage T85
:Anti-aircraft vehicle based on same chassis as T65 (M5A1). Armed with quad
Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
The Oerlikon 20 mm cannon is a series of autocannons, based on an original German Becker Type M2 20 mm cannon design that appeared very early in World War I. It was widely produced by Oerlikon Contraves and others, with various models em ...
s.
*M3/M5 Command Tank
:M3/M5 with turret replaced by small superstructure with a .50 (12.7 mm) cal. machine gun.
*T8 Reconnaissance Vehicle
:M5 with turret removed and mounting for .50 (12.7 mm) cal machine gun
*M3 with T2 Light Mine Exploder
:Developed in 1942, was rejected.
*M3/M3A1 with
Ronson flamethrower replacing the main gun. 24 tanks were converted by
Seabees for the
US Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
in 1943.
*M5A1 with E5R1-M3 Flame Gun
:Flame thrower installed instead of the hull machine gun.
*M3A1 with E5R2-M3 Flame-gun
:Flame thrower installed in place of hull machine gun.
*M5 Dozer
:M5 with dozer blade. Turret was usually removed.
*M5 with T39 Rocket Launcher
:T39 launcher with 20 rockets mounted on the top of the turret. Never reached production.
*M5A1 with E7-7 Flame Gun
:Flame thrower installed instead of the main gun.
*M5A1 with E9-9 Flame-throwing equipment
:Prototype only.
*M5A1 with E8 Flame-gun
:Turret replaced by boxy superstructure with flame thrower in a smaller turret. Prototype only.
UK variants
*Stuart Recce
:Reconnaissance vehicle based on turretless Stuart.
*Stuart Command
:Stuart
Kangaroo
Kangaroos are four marsupials from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern ...
with extra radios.
*Stuart artillery tractor
:Another turretless variant similar in appearance to the Recce and Kangaroo. Used to tow the
Ordnance QF 17 pounder
The Ordnance Quick-Firing 17-pounder (or just 17-pdr)Under the British standard ordnance weights and measurements the gun's approximate projectile weight is used to denote different guns of the same calibre. Hence this was a 3-inch gun, of which ...
. Not to be confused with the US
M5 Tractor
The M5 13 ton High Speed Tractor was a World War II era artillery tractor that was used by the US Army from 1942 to tow medium field artillery pieces.
Design
The M5 High Speed Tractor was a fully-tracked artillery tractor designed to tow artill ...
.
Brazilian variants
In the 1970s, the Brazilian company
Bernardini Bernadini can mean:
* Bernardini (horse), thoroughbred race horse, at Darley Stable in Kentucky
* Bernardini (company), safe manufacturer which operated from 1912 to 1992
* Bernardini (surname), family name of Italian origin
See also
* Bern ...
developed a series of radical Stuart upgrades for the
Brazilian Army.
*X1A
:Based on M3A1, this design had new engine (
Saab-Scania
Saab-Scania AB was a Swedish vehicle manufacturer that was formed from the 1969 merger of Saab AB and Scania-Vabis. The company was split in 1995.
History
Truck and bus manufacturer Scania AB of Södertälje merged with car and aeroplane manu ...
diesel
Diesel may refer to:
* Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression
* Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines
* Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
), improved suspension, new upper hull armor, fire controls and DEFA 90 mm gun in a new turret. 80 vehicles were produced.
*X1A1
:An X1A with improved suspension with three bogies (instead of two) each side and raised idler.
*X1A2
:Based on the X1A1, this version retained almost nothing of the original Stuart as even its hull was redesigned. The vehicle weighed , had crew of 3, was armed with 90 mm gun and powered by Saab-Scania diesel. 30 vehicles were produced in 1979–1983.
Yugoslav partisans variants
Yugoslav partisans
The Yugoslav Partisans,Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian, Slovene: , or the National Liberation Army, sh-Latn-Cyrl, Narodnooslobodilačka vojska (NOV), Народноослободилачка војска (НОВ); mk, Народноослобод ...
received Stuarts from the British Army. In 1945, obsolete as tanks, many were modified to carry specialized armament:
* M3A1 with
81 mm mortar
An 81 mm mortar is a medium-weight mortar. It is a smooth-bore, muzzle-loading, high-angle-of-fire weapon used for long-range indirect fire support to light infantry, air assault, and airborne units across the entire front of a battalion zone of ...
: 2 built
* M3A1 and M3A3 with
7.5 cm Pak 40
The 7.5 cm Pak 40 (''7,5 cm Panzerabwehrkanone 40 -'' "7.5cm armour defence cannon 90") was a German 75 millimetre anti-tank gun of the Second World War.
The gun was developed in 1939–1941 and entered service in 1942. With 23,303 ex ...
designated SO-75
* M3A3 with four guns
Flakvierling 38: 1 built
* M3A3 with
7.5 cm Pak 50: 5 built
* M3A3 with
15 cm sIG 33: 1 built
designated SO-150
Operators
Current operators
* — 10 in service (5 M3 and 5 M3A1) and 4 in storage in 2014.
Former operators
* — Around 370.
*
* — 18 M3A1, last 4 donated by Venezuela for training.
* — 350 M3A2, M3A3/A5.
* — Stuart V (M3A3) tanks were widely used in the reconnaissance troop of armoured regiments. In the
2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade after the Normandy landings, the establishment for each regiment was 49 Sherman tanks, both 75 mm and 17-pounder, and up to 9 Stuart tanks.
*
* — Some captured from the Nationalist Chinese Army during the Chinese Civil War, but primary received from the Soviet Union.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* — imported from the United States; put into operation around the year 1945.
* — eight M3A1 and five M5A1.
* — captured at least three from the Soviets.
*
* — M3A1 and M3A3 from the Netherlands.
*
*
* — Operated captured vehicles, for example in the Philippines
and at the
Battle of Imphal
)
, partof = the Operation U-Go during the Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian theatre of World War II
, image = Imphalgurkhas.jpg
, image_size = 300
, caption = Gurkhas advancing with Grant tanks ...
.
*
*
* — The M3A1 was supplied in 1941–42 (89) and some were used in the Pacific. They were withdrawn in 1953–55.
* — four M3A1 were used by the
National Guard
National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards.
Nat ...
from the mid-1940s to 1979.
*
*
* — 70 vehicles in service with the
Portuguese Army and other 20 with the
Republican National Guard from 1956 to 1972.
* — captured at least five from the Soviets
*
*
* — 210 British M3s received from 1942 to 1944.
*
* 44 tanks were received in 1944 through the EDA (Excess Defense Article) program from 1942 – 1945, were in use for training until 1999.
*
* — 1,676 M3 series tanks received as part of Lend-Lease, and 5 M5 series tanks.
*
* — M3A1 and M3A3, used during and after the war.
Surviving examples
* The Ontario Regiment Museum has an operational M3 Stuart.
*
Indonesian Army
The Indonesian Army ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD), ) is the land branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It has an estimated strength of 300,000 active personnel. The history of the Indonesian Army has its ...
retains one M3A1 Stuart in operational condition used for historical theater show.
In the media
*The 1941 US military propaganda short film ''
The Tanks Are Coming''. features the M3 and its manufacturing process.
*The 1945 Mexican film comedy "Un día con el diablo" (A Day with the devil) uses several Mexican Army M3s.
*Modified Stuarts were used in the movie ''
Attack!'' as German tanks.
*An M3 was the center piece of ''
The Green Hornet
The Green Hornet is a superhero created in 1936 by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with input from radio director James Jewell. Since his 1930s radio debut, the character has appeared in numerous serialized dramas in a wide variety of med ...
'' episode "Seek, Stalk, & Destroy".
*A "24k gold" M3 was created from gold bullion in the ''
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
'' episode "Penguin's Disastrous End". It was stopped with the "Batzooka".
*Season 5 of the TV series ''
The Twilight Zone
''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, sup ...
'' had an episode "
The 7th Is Made Up of Phantoms
"The 7th Is Made Up of Phantoms" is episode 130 of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. It originally aired on December 6, 1963 on CBS. In this episode, a group of soldiers travel back in time to take part in the Battl ...
" featuring an M3 Stuart and its crew going back in time to the
Battle of Little Big Horn
The Battle of the Little Bighorn, known to the Lakota and other Plains Indians as the Battle of the Greasy Grass, and also commonly referred to as Custer's Last Stand, was an armed engagement between combined forces of the Lakota Sioux, Nor ...
.
*"
Haunted Tank
The Haunted Tank is a comic book feature that appeared in the DC Comics anthology war title ''G.I. Combat'' from 1961 through 1987.
Publication history
The Haunted Tank was created by writer and editor Robert Kanigher and artist Russ Heath i ...
" was a
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
feature that appeared in ''
G.I. Combat
''G.I. Combat'' was an American comics anthology featuring war stories. It was published from 1952 until 1956 by Quality Comics, followed by DC Comics until its final issue in 1987. In 2012 it was briefly revived.
Publication history
The focu ...
'' starring an M3 Stuart. It ran from 1961 to 1987. The tank was "haunted" by the ghost of J.E.B Stuart, who gave cryptic warnings to the crew.
*An M3 was featured in the movie ''
Under Fire'' as a
Nicaraguan National Guard tank.
*The M3 was added to the 2006 strategy game,
Company of Heroes
''Company of Heroes'' is a real-time strategy video game series developed by Relic Entertainment. The series is set during World War II.
Games
''Company of Heroes''
The first game in the series was released on September 12, 2006 in North ...
, by the
Opposing Fronts expansion as a buildable unit for the British.
*A heavily modified M5A1 Stuart was featured in the movie ''
Tank Girl
''Tank Girl'' is a British comic book character created by Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett, and first appeared in print in 1988 in the British comics magazine ''Deadline''. After a period of intense popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s, ...
'' as the eponymous heroine's tank.
*A M5A1 Stuart tank was featured in the James Bond movie ''
Licence to Kill
''Licence to Kill'' is a 1989 spy film, the sixteenth in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions, and the second and final film to star Timothy Dalton as the MI6 agent James Bond. It sees Bond suspended from MI6 as he pursues t ...
''. The tank opens fire on the Chinese hideout in the fictional country Isthmus, and saves Bond.
*The sole operational M3A1 Stuart of the Indonesian Army were featured in the movies ''
Darah Garuda'' and ''
Hati Merdeka'', part of the ''
Merah Putih'' trilogy, as Dutch tank.
See also
*
Rhino tank
"Rhino tank" (initially called "Rhinoceros") was the American nickname for Allied tanks fitted with "tusks", or bocage cutting devices, during World War II. The British designation for the modifications was Prongs.
In the summer of 1944, during t ...
*
SCR-245
The SCR-245 Radio was a mobile MF/ HF Signal Corps Radio used by the U.S. Army before and during World War II, for short range ground communications, It was one of the first crystal controlled sets used by the Army.
Use
The SCR-245 was standard ...
*
List of U.S. military vehicles by model number
The following is a (partial) listing of vehicle model numbers or M-numbers assigned by the United States Army. Some of these designations are also used by other agencies, services, and nationalities, although these various end users usually assig ...
*
G-numbers
This is the Group G series List of the United States military vehicles by (Ordnance) supply catalog designation, — ''one'' of the alpha-numeric "Standard Nomenclature Lists" (SNL) that were part of the overall List of the United States Army w ...
Notes
Notes
;Citations
References
*
*
*
*
*
External links
AFV Database
)
*OnWar
https://web.archive.org/web/20070927220233/http://www.onwar.com/tanks/usa/fltm5a1.htm M5A1 Stuart]
M5A1 Stuart Light Tank Photos and Walk Arounds on Prime Portal
*
* ttp://www.memorialmuseum.org/displays/tanks/item/m3-stuart M3 Stuart tank
M5A1 Stuart tank
at U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum
Description of Stuart tank, with video of surviving tanks rolling
{{Authority control
Light tanks of the United States
World War II tanks of the United States
World War II light tanks
Military vehicles introduced from 1940 to 1944
J. E. B. Stuart
Tanks introduced in 1941