Picture from tm 9750 medium tanks m3, m3a1, and m3a2. Tanks having us turret arrangement and a crew of 7 members was called lee. As furnished to the british under the lendlease program, this first model of the m3 medium tank was nicknamed the general lee by the british. Unfortunately for most players, this tank will be somewhat difficult to play with, particularly if youre less experienced with tank destroyers. American tanks are my fav so i want to do it as a us tank. Review us medium tank m3 lee early takom 2085 scalenews. The us armys primary main battle tank at the start of. In britain the tank was called by two names based on the turret configur. Its a simple, low part count kit that doesnt take too long to stick together. Use this to your advantage by hiding the vast majority of your tank behind something indestructible like a buildingrock and leave only your gun sticking out.
World of tanks m3 lee tier 4 medium tank just shoot me. Its a lee, although the americans never used the terms grant or lee. For decades, modelers have desired a better model of the m3 tank and now takom has taken up the challenge and produced a decent m3 lee. During world war ii, the m3 lee was an early american medium tank. Originally answered why was the m3 lee wwii tank so bad. American m3 grant and lee tanks at kursk byron hartshorn. This is largely because beginning tankers are used to having a turret, especially for a medium. The 75 mm gun was not only superior to the pz i, ii. In britain the tank was called by two names based on the turret configuration.
In the early years of world war ii, the western allies often had a very hard time keeping up with the germans in armored tactics and tank technology. The m3 lee and its variants were some of the first american tanks to enter world war ii. The medium m3 tank or m3 lee or grant was an american medium tank. This vehicle of the 2 nd army tank battalion is painted in two colour camouflage, and has no hull doors. The lightweight m6 and m5 variants were developed to equip the m24 chaffee light tank, and the g and h subtypes of the b25. The brits modified the design and called their version the grant. The names were dependent on the turret configuration of the tanks and the crew size. The m3 medium was bloodied at the kasserine pass but with lessons learned, helped save the day in n. According to wikipedia 6,258 m3 lee were manufactured in the united states. Russia salvage a wwii american m3 lee tank from barents. The british fought with this tank in north africa as early as 1941. Although the m3 was fast becoming obsolete, it still proved an effective weapon against the germans in north africa. When the british purchased the general lee from the united states, under the lendlease program, the british army service modified the design of the general lee and called their modified version of the tank the general grant.
The highly successful stopgap m3 medium tank was designed in 1941, and as adequate turret casting facilities were not yet ready, the m3 used an unusual armament configuration patterned after a french tank. The m3 lee is hilariously op after hearing what a pos the m3 lee is supposed to be i had shied away from playing the american medium line. M3 lee chassis fort gordon, augusta, ga usa m3 grant yanks air museum, chino, ca usa any m3 lee or grant that i forgot. Surviving m2 medium, m3 lee and m3 grant tanks qattara yumpu. The end of the barrel features a compensating weight not a muzzle brake, added because the stabilizer was designed for the longer barreled m3. In britain, the tank was called by two names based on the turret configuration and crew size. Against poorly equipped, in at weapon, infantry, the m3 lee was a monster of a tank. Bookshelf and storage organizer 4 children stool 0 children tent 2. The one tank all most american mediumheavy tank drivers love. Take care fitting the undersides, i had a little difficulty and had to enlarge a few thankfully invisible locator holes to get them to fit. Detroit tank arsenal tacom, warren, macomb county, michigan, usa primary manufacturer baldwin locomotive works, eddystone, delaware county, pennsylvania, usa additional manufacturer american locomotive company, schenectady, schenectady county, new york, usa additional manufacturer from april 1941. American medium tank m3 lee and grant of world war ii. The m2 medium tank, officially medium tank, m2, was a united states army medium tank that was first produced in 1939 by the rock island arsenal, just prior to the commencement of the second world war in europe. A field fix for this was welding the rivets in place on the interior of the tank.
The asymmetric design of the tank is highlighted in this top view. Variants using british pattern turrets were known as general grant, named after u. History, development, service, specifications, statistics, pictures and 3d model. Although it had the original lee turret, it was referred by the british as grant ii. A towing cable and tools are stowed on the rear deck, and the filler covers for the four fuel tanks can be seen on each side of the engine air intake grille. M3 was created in 1940 on the basis of the m2 tank, and saw mass production from june 1941 through december 1942. Why everyone hated americas m3 medium tank during world.
It outgunned and outran anything the brits had at the time, and they needed a new tank. Standard m3 in british service where it was designated lee i. The standard version of the m3 medium tank was known as the general lee by the british. No tank in history ever went from design to production faster than the m3. This variant of the m3 lee was manufactured in the united states specifically to be supplied to the u. The m3 lee, a medium tank, came with one 75 mm gun m2 m3, mounted in the hull as well as a 37 mm gun m5m6 in the turret. Henglong 3818 116 rc tank upgrade parts metal driving wheels and metal track. Jan 22, 2018 although the m3 was fast becoming obsolete, it still proved an effective weapon against the germans in north africa. The us 75 mm gun tank gun m2 and the later m3 were the standard american tank guns of world war ii, used primarily on the two main american medium tanks of the war, the m3 lee m2 or m3 gun and the m4 sherman m3 gun. Tanks employing us pattern turrets were called the general lee, named after confederate general robert e. The tank s first actions during the war was during the north african campaign in 1942. A towing cable and tools are stowed on the rear deck, and the filler covers for the four fuel tanks can be seen on each side of the engine air intake. The kit of this famous us medium tank features link and length tracks with a jig to he. It was successfully used in campaigns in north africa.
In britain, the tank was called by two names based on the. Oct 17, 2018 the m3 was no speedster and the engines allotted to the design was vastly underpowered for what was to be expected of this medium tank. The m3 was the result of crisis management that was prevalent immediately following the fall of france. Sand shields were added by british to m3 series vehicles in middle east. Photo gallery of a m3 lee, the medium tank m3 was an american tank used during world war ii. Production was 18 m2 tanks, and 94 slightly improved m2a1 tanks, for a total of 112. You can read the history of the battle here, but the bluf is that lendlease m3 grant tanks equipped several russian units by mid1943. The m3 general lee tank was the construction developed in a hurry after the battle of france. The m3 lee s gun is not mounted on a turret and as such, it plays similarly to a tank. M3 lee was a medium tank built by the us and used in wwii by the usa, australia, brazil, canada, new zealand, united kingdom and the soviet union the first american main battle tank employed in combat in world war ii was the m3. This page details the development and operational history of the m3 lee m3 grant medium tank, m3 medium tank including technical.
Jan 23, 2016 released in 1991, this revell kit still holds up. Set will work on most early war period us armored vehicles including the m3 lee series, m3 grant, m3 stuart series, and m6 heavy tank. The markings are a white 10 on red square, with the formation sign of an mailed horses head indicating the regiments parent formation, the 3 rd army tank brigade. The american m3 grant or lee mediumtank was hopelessly obsolete by 1943 but that didnt stop it from participating in the largest tankontank engagement in history, the battle of kursk in russia. Also notice the top bolt band is a molded piece, not separate as in the kit. I love the look of the lee grant, its big and bulky and just interesting. Army m3 lee tank crew undergoing small arms training with m1917 pistols and thompson submachine guns at fort knox, kentucky, 1942. Still, lee tanks served in the th armored regiment of the 1 st armored division. A second batch of 1,334 vehicles soon followed and made up a variety of marks based on configuration. It had a 75mm gun that shot he and at, and the design was ready for production. The installation combined two off the shelf gm 671 diesel truck engines that. Lee, and the modified version built with a new turret was called the general grant, named after u. Official website of the awardwinning freetoplay online game world of tanks. Exhaust went from mufflers under rear overhang, to fishtail exhausts in rear plate with external air cleaners, to fishtail exhausts under overhang with external air cleaners.
Like far too many wwii allied military vehicles, there hasnt been a state of the art m3 lee medium tank until now, with academys kit. The m3 general lee tank was the construction developed. Tanks employing us pattern turrets were called the lee, named after confederate general robert e. But before to start, i have to finish an m3a1 scout car in the lybian desert. The m3 lee, officially medium tank, m3, was an american medium tank used during world war ii. Nonetheless, the m3 was a muchneeded medium tank addition and the dwindling supply of british tanks in north africa sped up production. Takom announces a new variant of the m3 lee, the mid production one. Cast m3a1 lee, note the curved cast upper hull m3a1 lee. The british version of the m3 was dubbed cruiser tank grant i, and differed in some details. I even catched a burma m3 lee tank detail set from harper castings, but i am not sure to use the turret included in the set, maybe i switch to the legend m3 lee turret. The american m3 lee grant by jim werbaneth june 2018. World of tanks blitz m3 lee tier iv medium tank duration. Gun went from plain m2, to m2 with counterweight, to m3.
I would like to thank especially rafal bialecki, who deserved the most of the job on this document, and. Osprey vanguard 6 leegrant tanks in british service and jim meskos m3 leegrant in action have great interior references though the former features the grant turret. In my opinion, the most beautifull of the all lees. You are making the same mistake that most hindsighters do. Named after the wellknown civil war general robert e. I for one always prioritize to kill those squishy tanks whenever i encounter them in battles. M3 lee transmission cover look closely, there are weld joints on the flange sections.
I have been thinking of getting a t29 which is one of my favorite tanks, but i am scared to play the m3 lee. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. The stuart was also the light tank counterpart of the m3 lee, which was a medium tank. See more ideas about m3 lee, ww2 tanks and lee grant. The vehicle was named after the confederate general of the u. British lendlease demands led to the design of a second turret type with the us version called the lee and the british version the grant. Africa, offering superior fire power, protection and mobility to anything else at the time. The 75mm had a great he round, it was packed with machine guns, and had a 37mm that could sling canister. Sharp eyed visitor marc luzietti points out the following about these photos which i had initially identified as an m3 grant tank. Listed here are the m2 medium, m3 lee and m3 grant tanks that still exist today.
Army needed a good tank and coupled with great britains demand for a medium tank immediately, the lee began production by late 1940. Ive read other sources that said the lee and grant tanks did not shed rivets and this was a myth. You have to judge history, or a tank, in the context of its times. M3 lee was an american medium tank used during world war ii. In fact, i am a bit surprised that their is not too much info about this campaign. The m3a5 lee also saw service with c squadron, of the 3rd carabiniers regiment under the 254th indian tank brigade, british 14th army during the battle.
The m3 lee grant i also had a 340 bhp petrol wright r975 engine capable of propelling it at. May 08, 2014 last time i was on we were waiting for dragon to release its 5 m3 lee, did it come out if so, is it any good my basic question is who makes the bestaccurate m3 lee in 5 out there. The first combat ready american medium this was the first version of the tank and used a riveted hull with the r975 radial engine powering it, the suspension and tracks were very similar to the m2 medium. This document is a compilation of photos published on the web. Interestingly, it appears that burma was the one theatre where the m3 lee was effective. Posted by mortarmagnet on wednesday, june 14, 2006 8. It has been suggested a few times that i try a takom kit, usually after complaining about poor fits and such on. Nov 12, 2014 how to use the infamous m3 lee posted in player guides and information. East coast armory 16th scale m3 lee grant detail upgrades. Of those 2,855 or 45% were officially handed over to the british government.
A total of 6,258 m3 tanks of various modifications were produced. Surfacer 500 stippled on the transmission cover and final drive assemblies. M31 tank recovery vehicle grant arv i based on m3 chassis, with dummy turret and dummy 75 gun. Aug 07, 2017 the m3 lee medium tank was a stopgap design while the sherman was being developed. M3 general leegeneral grant medium tank army tanks.
Side doors went to welded without pistol ports and floor escape hatch, to omitted altogether. Posted on 2 december 2011 modified on 25 november 2019 by sdkfz. The shorter m2 gun was mounted due to a lack of m3 guns. Entering world war ii, the united states fielded only m2a4 and m3 stuart light tanks and a few dozen m2 medium tank suitable only for training. The medium m3 tank was a tank whose design began in 1940. The m3 lee is one of those funky turret is off to one side hull locked tanks like some of the british tds are. I built the tamiya back in the early 80s and i loved it but i do know it was not accurate.
The medium tank m3 was an american tank used during world war ii. Thus m3 grant will be what the british referred to as the grant i. In britain the tank was called general lee, named after confederate general robert e. An m3 lee driving onto an diamond t tank transporter. These became the m3a1 lee ii, m3a2 lee 3, m3a3 lee iv lee v. Designed as a replacement for the m3 lee medium tank, the plans for the m4 were submitted to the us. Some later releases of the first two versions supposedly include the retooled suspension, but i do not know for sure nor do i know how to. M3 lee jack sharkey of the first company, th armored regiment, 1st armored division tunisia, august 1943. Stuarts were the first americancrewed tanks in world war ii to engage the enemy in tank versus tank combat. The medium tank m3 was based on the medium tank m2, utilizing its suspension, power train, and other mechanical parts. The hull is molded so the sponsons seal up but theres an oval cutout in the bottom that even though the floor has a.