WWII Tanks: Light Tank M3 'Stuart'

The light tank, M3, was built in response to the events of 1940 in France, which the U.S. Army had been following closely. The M3 was designed to be more than just an infantry support tank, and could be used for scouting. Full-scale production began in 1941, with the M3A1 in mass production from 1942. Early versions using rivets and welded turrets, and later versions using welded hulls. The M3A1 had a 37-millimeter gun and three .30-caliber Browning machine guns. Its armor was a thickness of around 15 to 43 millimeters, or .59 to 1.69 inches. The crew consisted of four crew members, a driver, a co-driver, gunner, and commander. The M3 was also called the Stuart Mark I and II by the British and Commonwealth forces, who were provided many through lend-lease. Another unofficial nickname by the British was Honey. They would use the tank first in combat in North Africa, with mixed results against Axis tanks. One thing that was praised, however, was the speed and reliability of the tank. Its speed was 58 kilometers an hour, or 36 miles per hour on the road, and 29 kilometers an hour, or 18 miles per hour off-road. When the M3A1 variant, or Stuart III and Stuart IV, arrived, it featured a petrol or diesel engine, a gun stabilizer, and a power traverse turret. U.S. forces used many of them in their first major operation in the West, Operation Torch, in 1942, but were outmatched by German Panzers and 88s. By 1944, the tank was reduced to a role of reconnaissance. Crews became aware of the tank's weaknesses against German tanks and artillery, and even avoided combat against other tanks. However, the M3 was suited for the Pacific theater. Where the Japanese anti-tank weaponry was lacking, and conditions suited the tank's lightweight. Subscribe for more World War II videos. Get your copy of Simple History World War II today. Thank you for all your support on the Simple History YouTube channel. If you enjoy the channel, please consider supporting us at Patreon.