Build Review of Academy 1/35th Scale
British M3 Grant Tank
El Alamein 1942
Kit no. 13228
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2010
Out of production
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2010
Out of production
HISTORY:
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 service, the tank was called by two names: tanks employing US pattern turrets were called "Lee", named after Confederate general Robert E. Lee while those with British pattern turrets were known as "Grant", named after Union general Ulysses S. Grant.
Design commenced in July 1940, and the first M3s were operational in late 1941. The U.S. Army needed a medium tank armed with a 75mm gun and, coupled with the United Kingdom's immediate demand for 3,650 medium tanks, the Lee began production by late 1940. The design was a compromise meant to produce a tank as soon as possible. The M3 had considerable firepower and good armor, but had serious drawbacks in its general design and shape, including a high silhouette, an archaic sponson mounting of the main gun preventing the tank from taking a hull-down position, riveted construction, and poor off-road performance.
Its overall performance was not satisfactory and the tank was withdrawn from combat in most theaters as soon as the M4 Sherman tank became available in larger numbers. In spite of this, it was considered by Hans von Luck (an Oberst (Colonel) in the Wehrmacht Heer and the author of Panzer Commander) to be superior to the best German tank at the time of its introduction, the Panzer IV (at least until the F2 variant).
Despite being replaced elsewhere, the British continued to use M3s in combat against the Japanese in southeast Asia until 1945. Nearly a thousand M3s were supplied to the Soviet military under Lend-Lease between 1941–1943.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Medium tank
Place of origin: United States
Wars: World War II
Manufacturer: Detroit Tank Arsenal of Chrysler (M3 Lee, M3A4), American Locomotive Company (ALCo) (M3 Lee, M3A1), Pullman Standard (M3 Grant), Pressed Steel Car Company (M3 Grant), Baldwin Locomotive Works (M3 Grant, M3A2, M3A3 (both Lee and Grant), M3A5 (both Lee and Grant))
Produced: August 1941 – December 1942
No. built: 6,258
Mass: 30 short tons (27 long tons; 27 t)
Length: 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m)
Width: 8 ft 11 in (2.72 m)
Height: 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) – Lee
Crew: 7 (Lee) or 6 (Grant)
Armor: 51 mm (2.0 in) (hull front, turret front, sides, and rear), 38 mm (1.5 in) (hull sides and rear)[1]
Main armament: 1 × 75 mm Gun M2/M3 in hull with 46 rounds, 1 × 37mm Gun M5/M6 in turret with 178 rounds
Secondary armament: 2–3–4 × .30-06 Browning M1919A4 machine guns with 9,200 rounds
Engine: Wright (Continental) R975 EC2 of 400 hp (300 kW)/340 hp (250 kW)
Transmission: Mack Synchromesh, 5 speeds forward, 1 reverse
Suspension: vertical volute spring
Ground clearance: 18 in (0.46 m)
Fuel capacity: 662 l (175 US gal)
Operational range: 193 km (120 mi)
Maximum speed: 26 mph (42 km/h) (road), 16 mph (26 km/h) (off-road)
Steering system: Controlled differential
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 service, the tank was called by two names: tanks employing US pattern turrets were called "Lee", named after Confederate general Robert E. Lee while those with British pattern turrets were known as "Grant", named after Union general Ulysses S. Grant.
Design commenced in July 1940, and the first M3s were operational in late 1941. The U.S. Army needed a medium tank armed with a 75mm gun and, coupled with the United Kingdom's immediate demand for 3,650 medium tanks, the Lee began production by late 1940. The design was a compromise meant to produce a tank as soon as possible. The M3 had considerable firepower and good armor, but had serious drawbacks in its general design and shape, including a high silhouette, an archaic sponson mounting of the main gun preventing the tank from taking a hull-down position, riveted construction, and poor off-road performance.
Its overall performance was not satisfactory and the tank was withdrawn from combat in most theaters as soon as the M4 Sherman tank became available in larger numbers. In spite of this, it was considered by Hans von Luck (an Oberst (Colonel) in the Wehrmacht Heer and the author of Panzer Commander) to be superior to the best German tank at the time of its introduction, the Panzer IV (at least until the F2 variant).
Despite being replaced elsewhere, the British continued to use M3s in combat against the Japanese in southeast Asia until 1945. Nearly a thousand M3s were supplied to the Soviet military under Lend-Lease between 1941–1943.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Medium tank
Place of origin: United States
Wars: World War II
Manufacturer: Detroit Tank Arsenal of Chrysler (M3 Lee, M3A4), American Locomotive Company (ALCo) (M3 Lee, M3A1), Pullman Standard (M3 Grant), Pressed Steel Car Company (M3 Grant), Baldwin Locomotive Works (M3 Grant, M3A2, M3A3 (both Lee and Grant), M3A5 (both Lee and Grant))
Produced: August 1941 – December 1942
No. built: 6,258
Mass: 30 short tons (27 long tons; 27 t)
Length: 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m)
Width: 8 ft 11 in (2.72 m)
Height: 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) – Lee
Crew: 7 (Lee) or 6 (Grant)
Armor: 51 mm (2.0 in) (hull front, turret front, sides, and rear), 38 mm (1.5 in) (hull sides and rear)[1]
Main armament: 1 × 75 mm Gun M2/M3 in hull with 46 rounds, 1 × 37mm Gun M5/M6 in turret with 178 rounds
Secondary armament: 2–3–4 × .30-06 Browning M1919A4 machine guns with 9,200 rounds
Engine: Wright (Continental) R975 EC2 of 400 hp (300 kW)/340 hp (250 kW)
Transmission: Mack Synchromesh, 5 speeds forward, 1 reverse
Suspension: vertical volute spring
Ground clearance: 18 in (0.46 m)
Fuel capacity: 662 l (175 US gal)
Operational range: 193 km (120 mi)
Maximum speed: 26 mph (42 km/h) (road), 16 mph (26 km/h) (off-road)
Steering system: Controlled differential
THE KIT:
Academy is an old model company based in Korea. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a M3 Grant parked in a grassy field at night.
It is in a wave pattern of tan and green. Three crewmen are shown. One man is seated in the upper turret hatch opening. A second man is also seated in another roof hatch opening. A third man is climbing up the bow. Two men are standing in front of the tank and studying a map.
All the men wear khaki uniforms. The two seated men and one of the men studying the map wear olive-green leather tanker’s helmets and goggles. The two remaining men wear black berets and goggles.
One corner of the box art says: Fully reproduced rivets innumerably covered in the hull. Reproduced early- version of VVSS/Vertical- Valute Spring Suspension. Accurately reconstructed 75mm main gun mounted on the upper hull and Roya Army type 37mm turret. “MiniArt” British tank crew included.
Another corner of the box art says: Glue and paint not included. The look of the actual product may vary from the pictures shown on this box.
A sticker on another corner of the box art says: SPECIAL EDITION with limited availability “British tank Crew” enclosed.
One side panel of the box repeats the features listed on the box art. Followed by 11 color walk-around type photos of the tank and crew figures made up.
Academy is an old model company based in Korea. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a M3 Grant parked in a grassy field at night.
It is in a wave pattern of tan and green. Three crewmen are shown. One man is seated in the upper turret hatch opening. A second man is also seated in another roof hatch opening. A third man is climbing up the bow. Two men are standing in front of the tank and studying a map.
All the men wear khaki uniforms. The two seated men and one of the men studying the map wear olive-green leather tanker’s helmets and goggles. The two remaining men wear black berets and goggles.
One corner of the box art says: Fully reproduced rivets innumerably covered in the hull. Reproduced early- version of VVSS/Vertical- Valute Spring Suspension. Accurately reconstructed 75mm main gun mounted on the upper hull and Roya Army type 37mm turret. “MiniArt” British tank crew included.
Another corner of the box art says: Glue and paint not included. The look of the actual product may vary from the pictures shown on this box.
A sticker on another corner of the box art says: SPECIAL EDITION with limited availability “British tank Crew” enclosed.
One side panel of the box repeats the features listed on the box art. Followed by 11 color walk-around type photos of the tank and crew figures made up.
The other side panel again repeats the feature. Followed by 2 more color walk-around type photos of the model made up and 10 paragraphs in 10 languages that says: Contains one unassembled model kit and easy to follow pictorial instructions.. Paint and cement are required to complete the model as shown on the box. Kit suitable for ages 14 to adult. 1/35th scale.
The languages are labeled with color illustrations of the flags of the countries that speak the languages.
Copyright of the kit is 2010. Academy’s web address is provided. Kit made in Korea.
The languages are labeled with color illustrations of the flags of the countries that speak the languages.
Copyright of the kit is 2010. Academy’s web address is provided. Kit made in Korea.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 10 medium-grey parts trees, black vinyl track and the decal sheet in sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions are a staple-bound booklet of 12 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, over a black and white photo of the model made up, a suggested paint color listing of Gunze Sangyo, Mr. Color, Life Color, Humbrol and Testor brands of hobby paints, an international assembly symbol explanation and WARNINGS about the kit in multiple languages, including English.
Page 2 begins with READ THIS BEFORE YOU BEGIN instructions in 4 languages, including English.
The bottom of page 2, through to page 14 gives a grand total of 20 assembly steps.
Step 20 is for assembly and painting the 5 figures.
Page 15 is a marking and painting guide for the M3 Grant.
It shows a side view of the Grant that is overall sandy-grown. It has black “ATLANTA II” on the sides of its turret and black serial no. T24344 stenciled on its hull sides.
A 3-view shows a Grant in the cover art scheme. On its front and rear there is a red square with a white circle and a black desert rat on it on the left fenders and a red square with a white no. 40 on it on the right fenders.
Page 16 is the parts-trees illustrations. There is a listing of part numbers that are excess and not needed to complete the model.
Trees are alphabetized, except for the 2 trees of the figures parts.
There are 2 identical medium-grey letter A trees. They hold: road wheels, return rollers, drive wheels, bogies etc. (55 parts per tree) 18 parts are excess.
The kit contains 10 medium-grey parts trees, black vinyl track and the decal sheet in sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions are a staple-bound booklet of 12 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, over a black and white photo of the model made up, a suggested paint color listing of Gunze Sangyo, Mr. Color, Life Color, Humbrol and Testor brands of hobby paints, an international assembly symbol explanation and WARNINGS about the kit in multiple languages, including English.
Page 2 begins with READ THIS BEFORE YOU BEGIN instructions in 4 languages, including English.
The bottom of page 2, through to page 14 gives a grand total of 20 assembly steps.
Step 20 is for assembly and painting the 5 figures.
Page 15 is a marking and painting guide for the M3 Grant.
It shows a side view of the Grant that is overall sandy-grown. It has black “ATLANTA II” on the sides of its turret and black serial no. T24344 stenciled on its hull sides.
A 3-view shows a Grant in the cover art scheme. On its front and rear there is a red square with a white circle and a black desert rat on it on the left fenders and a red square with a white no. 40 on it on the right fenders.
Page 16 is the parts-trees illustrations. There is a listing of part numbers that are excess and not needed to complete the model.
Trees are alphabetized, except for the 2 trees of the figures parts.
There are 2 identical medium-grey letter A trees. They hold: road wheels, return rollers, drive wheels, bogies etc. (55 parts per tree) 18 parts are excess.
Medium-grey letter B tree holds: hull walls and doors etc. (65 parts) 11 parts are excess,
Medium-grey letter C tree holds: floor, inner wall etc. (45 parts) 1 part is excess.
Medium-grey letter D tree holds: gun barrels, ammo, tools, hatches etc. (152 parts) 20 parts are excess.
Medium-grey letter E tree holds: drive sprockets, more bogies etc. (76 pars) 1 part is excess.
Medium-grey letter E tree holds: drive sprockets, more bogies etc. (76 pars) 1 part is excess.
Medium-grey letter F tree holds: hull roof and sides etc. (8 parts). Also in the photo are the set of vinyl tracks.
Close-up of the tracks.
Medium-grey letter G tree holds: side skirts, turret parts etc. (59 parts) 3 parts are excess.
The first un-alphabetized medium-grey tree holds figure parts (27 parts)
The second un-alphabetized medium-grey tree holds more figure parts (29 parts).
I have started to assemble this model by putting the hull top, the side-sponson inner breach, gun controls and gun barrel together.
I have assembled the hull tub, fenders, engine, transmission, mufflers and other details.
I added the suspension to the hull later in the assembly.
I have assembled the turret and the gun breech and barrel, the turret tub and the seats inside it.
The 5 figures are all assembled except for a seated guy who is still in upper and bottom halves.
There were several loose parts such as return rollers, hatches, weapons, ammo, etc. that need to be added to the model.
The decals complete the kit.
This is a neat kit with a lot of interior and exterior details.
There are no clear parts included.
Highly Recommended.
I got this kit as a gift back in January 2011.
There are no clear parts included.
Highly Recommended.
I got this kit as a gift back in January 2011.