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United States' M3A1 light tank12, Stuart
M3A1 Light Tank with a diesel engine: Aberdeen Tank Museum |
M3A1 Light Tank drawing Aberdeen Tank Museum |
M3A1 light tank12: The American Arsenal |
M3A1 light tank's turret basket12: The American Arsenal |
Design
The M3A1 was standardized in August 1941.12 Started production in April 1942.7 The M3A1 was declared obsolete in July 1944.12
Had gyrostabilizer installed and a turret basket11 with seats for the commander and gunner.7 Cupola was removed from new turret design.1,7,11,12 A periscope with 360° traverse was installed in the turret roof.12
Riveted hulls in early production and then replaced by welded hulls.11
The US Marine Corps requested the tanks have diesel engines installed and approximately 500 had radial air-cooled engines installed.
An improved radio and interphone system was installed.
Armament
Sponson machine guns removed.1,7,11 This allowed for more ammunition storage.7
The Combination Gun Mount, M23, was installed and it had a periscopic sight.12
The muzzle velocity of the 37 mm gun AP ammunition was 2,600'/sec and weighed 1.9 lb.9
Variants
- M3A1 Diesel: The 37 mm gun fired a 1.91 lb round at a muzzle velocity of 2,600'/sec.9
| M3A1 (Stuart III), M3A1 light tank12 | M3A1 (Diesel) (Stuart IV) | |
|---|---|---|
| Crew | Commander, gunner, driver, co-driver.3 41,2,3,4,5,9,11,12 |
49 |
| Radio | SCR-50812 | |
| Physical Characteristics | ||
| Weight | 28,500 lb3,11,12 12.2 tons8, 12.7 tons1,4, 14.3 tons9 12,400 kg8, 12,927 kg1,5,11 |
14.3 tons9 |
| Length w/gun | 14.8'9, 14' 10"1,4, 14' 10 3/8"12, 14' 10.75"3,5,11 4.54 m1,5,11 |
14.6'9 |
| Length w/o gun | ||
| Height | 7.5'9, 7' 6"4, 7' 6.5"3,5,11,12, 7' 7"1 2.299 m11, 2.3 m1,5 |
7.7'9 |
| Width | 7.3'9, 7' 4"1,3,4,5,11,12 2.22 m1, 2.235 m11, 2.24 m5 |
7.3'9 |
| Width over tracks | ||
| Ground clearance | 15"9, 16.5"12 0.42 m2 |
16.5"9 |
| Ground contact length | 116"9, 117" | 116"9 |
| Ground pressure | 10.56 psi12, 10.6 psi9 | 10.6 psi9 |
| Turret ring diameter | 46.75"12 | |
| Armament | ||
| Main | 37 mm M5 or M6 L/561 37 mm L/562 37 mm M53,12 37 mm4,5,11 37 mm QF M6 L/53 9 |
37 mm9 |
| OR | 37 mm M63,12 | |
| Secondary | ||
| MG | 4: MG4,11 3: 7.62 mm MG1 3: .30 cal Browning MGs3 2: .30 cal MG9 |
.30 cal M1919A59 2: .30 cal M1919A49 |
| MG - coaxial | 1: .30 cal Browning M1919A4 1: .30 cal Browning MG12 1: 7.62 mm MG5 |
|
| MG - hull | 1: .30 cal Browning M1919A4 1: .30 cal Browning MG12 1: 7.62 mm MG5 |
|
| MG - sponson | 2: 7.62 mm MG5 | |
| MG - antiaircraft | 1: .30 cal Browning MG12 1: 7.62 mm MG5 |
|
| Side arms | 1: .30 cal M2 tripod mount12 1: .45 cal submachine gun12 Hand grenades12 |
.45 1928A1 Submachine gun9 |
| Quantity | ||
| Main | 1139, 1163,11,12 | 1069 |
| Secondary | ||
| MG | 5,1509, 6,40012, 6,400-8,2703, 8,27011 | 7,2209 |
| Side arms | .45: 500 - 540, 51012 Grenades: 12 (4: Fragmentation Mk II, 2: Offensive Mk IIIA2, 4: Smoke WP M15, 2: Thermite Incendiary)12 |
3509 |
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 15 - 435,
103, 513 Front: 1.5"9,11 Front: 3811 Side: 1"9,11 Side: 25.411 |
Front: 1.5"9 Side: 1"9 |
| Hull Front, Upper | 1.5"12,
1" - 1.5"4 38.12 |
|
| Hull Front, Lower | 5/8" - 1.75"12 | |
| Hull Sides, Upper | 1"12, 1"@0° 25.42 |
|
| Hull Sides, Lower | 1"12 | |
| Hull Rear | 1"12, 1"@0° 25.42 |
|
| Hull Top | 3/8"12 9.52 |
|
| Hull Bottom | 3/8" - 0.5"12 6.4 - 12.72 |
|
| Turret Front | 1.5"9,11,12 Mantlet: 1"9 3811, 38.12 |
1.5"9 Mantlet: 1"9 |
| Turret Sides | 1.25"@0°, 1.25"9,12 25.42 |
1.25"9 |
| Turret Rear | 1.25"12, 1.25"@0° 25.42 |
|
| Turret Top | 0.5"12, 0.5"@90° 9.52 |
|
| Engine (Make / Model) | Continental W-6701, Continental Wright2, Continental W-6703, Continental W-970-9A5, Continental4, Continental W670-9a9, Continental W670-9A12 | Guiberson Buda T-1020 Series 49 |
| OR | Guiberson T10203, Guiberson T1020-41,12 | |
| Bore / stroke | 4-cycle9 | |
| Cooling | Air2,4,9,12 | Air9 |
| Cylinders | Continental: 72, Radial4, Radial 75,9,12 Guiberson: Radial 912 |
R-99 |
| Capacity | ||
| Net HP | 250@2,400 rpm2,9 2504,5,11 Continental: 250@2,400 rpm12 Guiberson: 220@2,200 rpm12 |
22011 |
| Power to weight ratio | ||
| Compression ratio | ||
| Transmission (Type) | Synchromesh9 5 forward, 1 reverse2,9 |
Synchromesh9 5 forward, 1 reverse9 |
| Gear ratios - 1st gear | 5.37:112 | |
| - 2nd gear | 2.82:112 | |
| - 3rd gear | 1.72:112 | |
| - 4th gear | 1.09:112 | |
| - 5th gear | 0.738:112 | |
| - reverse | 6.19:112 | |
| Steering | Controlled differential9 | |
| Steering ratio | ||
| Starter | Electric9 | |
| Electrical system | 12 volt12 | 12-volt9 |
| Ignition | Injection9 | |
| Fuel (Type) | Gasoline2,5 Continental: Gasoline12 Guiberson: Diesel12 |
Diesel9 |
| Octane | ||
| Quantity | 54 gallons9, 56 gallons12, 50 gallons jettisonable tank12 151 liters2 |
50 gallons9 |
| Road consumption | 1.5 mpg9 | |
| Cross country consumption | ||
| Performance | ||
| Traverse | 360°3, hydraulic12, hand9,12 | Oilgear hydraulic9 |
| Max speed | 34 mph4,9, 36 mph1,3,5,11,12 58 kph1,5, 60 kph11 |
37 mph9 |
| Cross country | 15 - 20 mph4,9, 20 mph3,11 32 kph11 |
15-20 mph9 |
| Road radius | 70 miles1,3,5,12, 124 miles9 112.6 km5,11, 113 km1 |
84 miles9 |
| Cross country radius | 100 miles9 | |
| Turning radius | 21'12 13 m2 |
|
| Elevation limits | -10° to +20°3 | |
| Fording depth | 3'3,5,12, 42"9 0.9 m2, 0.91 m5 |
42"9 |
| Trench crossing | 6'3,5,12 1.83 m5 |
6'9 |
| Vertical obstacle | 2'3,5,12 0.61 m5 |
24"9 |
| Climbing ability | 26° (50%) slope9, 60%12 | 26° (50%) slope9 |
| Suspension (Type) | Vertical volute and trailing idler.3 Volute Springs2,12 Vertical volute spring, 2 double wheel bogies9 |
Bogies bolted to the hull, support the vehicle on vertical volute springs9 |
| Wheels each side | 42 | 49 |
| Wheel size | 20x612 | |
| Return rollers each side | 29, 3 | 39 |
| Tracks (Type) | Rubber block12 | |
| Length | ||
| Width | 11 5/8"11,12, 11.6"9 0.295 m2,11 |
11.5"9 |
| Diameter | ||
| Number of links | 132 or 13412 | 679 |
| Pitch | 5.5"12 | 5.5"9 |
| Tire tread | Rubber9 | |
| Track centers/tread | 6.1'9, 6' 1"11 1.854 m11 |
6.1'9 |
Sources:
- The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
- Panzer Truppen The Complete Guide to the Creation and Combat Employment of Germany's Tank Force 1933-1942, Thomas L. Jentz, 1996
- British and American Tanks of World War Two, The Complete Illustrated History of British, American, and Commonwealth Tanks 1933-1945, Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis, 1969
- Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
- The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
- -
- Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
- Battle Winning Tanks, Aircraft & Warships of World War II, David Miller, 2000
- Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?
- Tank Data 2, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, E. J. Hoffschmidt and W. H. Tantum IV, 1969
- Airfix Magazine Guide #26 American Tanks of World War 2, Terry Gander and Peter Chamberlain, 1977
- The American Arsenal, 1996
