In regards to the U.S. M3 Tank
The M3 light tank ended up being built with four VVSS bogies, two per side, a front side mounted sprocket and a backside, trailing idler wheel. The trailing increased ground stress, therefore allowing a modest armor increase. Frontal armor was 38mm, while part armor ended up being 25mm. It was certainly not sufficient, however it had been all the framework could handle. Armament contains a bow mounted .30, two sponson mounted .30 MGs, a 37mm M5 primary gun with a coaxial .30 MG, and a .30 MG on an anti-aircraft mounting within turret part.
Unfortuitously, the M3 had been an outdated design by European terms from the start. The lessons through the Spanish war had been interpreted differently in European countries. This triggered vehicles like the French Char B1, the German PzKpfw III and IV, and also the Russian T34. All of these had better protection and armament compared to the M3.
Stuart Versions
There were a few versions regarding the M3 light tanks. First, there have been four types of turrets. The original turret ended up being the D37182 turret. It was a slab-sided, hexagonal turret. It utilized riveted construction and had an octagonal cupola with eyesight slits. It was found that dedicated MG fire against the turret triggered the rivets to break and travel around into the turret. And so the same turret design was taken and welded together. This became the D38976 turret. This turret is for sale in the Academy M3 &39;Honey&39; kit.
a third turret type, referred to as D39273, had been introduced in November 1941, and had been effortlessly distinguished from the previous turrets by its curved, horseshoe shape and a commander cupola. The original design called for a rotating periscope but this is not fitted. Vision slits round the cupola supplied restricted vision. This turret is supplied in Tamiya M3 kit.
The 4th turret type, D58101, resembled the D39273 though without the cupola, and ended up being introduced in very early 1942. It had two roof hatches and a pericopic sight the commander. This turret is in the Academy &39;M3A1&39; kit.
The M3 was initially running on the Continental W-670 radial motor. But this engine had been additionally necessary for aircraft, so other power sources were wanted. In September 1940, making use of the Guiberson T-1020 diesel motor was authorized. This motor had a somewhat various motor deck design, with all the pipelines for the air filters operating into the motor grill, as opposed to going into the hull near the air filters. Tamiya offers the Guiberson design on their tank. The diesel engined cars were not popular within the military, because of dependability plus the logistic issues of operating gasoline and diesel powered automobiles together. The Marines had less problems, as diesel fuel had been employed for their landing craft.
