In Box Review of Tamiya 1/35th Scale
Stuart U.S. Light Tank M3
Kit no. MM142
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1974
Available at 9 places on the web, ranging from $33.50 on up to a ridiculous $382.39.
I paid $5.29 for my kit back in the 70’s.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1974
Available at 9 places on the web, ranging from $33.50 on up to a ridiculous $382.39.
I paid $5.29 for my kit back in the 70’s.
HISTORY:
The M3 Stuart, officially Light Tank, M3, was an American light tank of World War II. An improved version entered service as M5. It was supplied to British and other Commonwealth forces under lend-lease prior to the entry of the U.S. into the war.
Thereafter, it was used by U.S. and Allied forces until the end of the war.
The British service name "Stuart" came from the American Civil War Confederate general J. E. B. Stuart and was used for both the M3 and the derivative M5 Light Tank. In U.S. use, the tanks were officially known as "Light Tank M3" and "Light Tank M5".
Stuarts were the first American-crewed tanks in World War II to engage the enemy in tank versus tank combat.
The Stuart was also the light tank counterpart of the M3 Lee, which was a medium tank.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Light tank
Place of origin: United States
In service: 1941–present
Wars: World War II, First Indochina War, Hukbalahap Rebellion, Indonesian National Revolution, Chinese Civil War, Korean War, First Kashmir War, Portuguese Colonial War, 1959 Cuban Revolution, Football War, Nicaraguan Revolution
Designer: U.S. Army Ordnance Department
Manufacturer: American Car and Foundry Company, Cadillac division of General Motors, General Motors, Massey-Harris
Produced: 1941–1944
No. built: 22,744 M3 and M5
Specifications (M5A1, late production)
Mass: 33,500 lb (15.20 metric tons)
Length: 15 ft 10.5 in (4.84 m) with sand shields and rear stowage box
Width: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) with sand shields
Height: 8 ft 5 in (2.57 m) over anti-aircraft machine gun
Crew: 4 (commander, gunner, driver, assistant driver
Armor: 0.375 to 2.0 in (9.5 to 50.8 mm)
Main armament: 37 mm Gun M6 in Mount M44 with 147 rounds
Secondary armament: 3 × .30 caliber (7.62 mm) Browning M1919A4 machine guns with 6,750 rounds
Engine: Twin Cadillac Series 42 of 220 hp (160 kW) at 3,400 rpm
Power/weight: 14.48 hp/metric ton
Transmission: Hydramatic of 4 speeds forward, 1 reverse
Suspension: Vertical volute spring suspension (VVSS)
Fuel capacity: 89 U.S. gallons (340 liters; 74 imperial gallons)
Operational range: 100 mi (160 km)
Maximum speed: 36 mph (58 km/h
The M3 Stuart, officially Light Tank, M3, was an American light tank of World War II. An improved version entered service as M5. It was supplied to British and other Commonwealth forces under lend-lease prior to the entry of the U.S. into the war.
Thereafter, it was used by U.S. and Allied forces until the end of the war.
The British service name "Stuart" came from the American Civil War Confederate general J. E. B. Stuart and was used for both the M3 and the derivative M5 Light Tank. In U.S. use, the tanks were officially known as "Light Tank M3" and "Light Tank M5".
Stuarts were the first American-crewed tanks in World War II to engage the enemy in tank versus tank combat.
The Stuart was also the light tank counterpart of the M3 Lee, which was a medium tank.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Light tank
Place of origin: United States
In service: 1941–present
Wars: World War II, First Indochina War, Hukbalahap Rebellion, Indonesian National Revolution, Chinese Civil War, Korean War, First Kashmir War, Portuguese Colonial War, 1959 Cuban Revolution, Football War, Nicaraguan Revolution
Designer: U.S. Army Ordnance Department
Manufacturer: American Car and Foundry Company, Cadillac division of General Motors, General Motors, Massey-Harris
Produced: 1941–1944
No. built: 22,744 M3 and M5
Specifications (M5A1, late production)
Mass: 33,500 lb (15.20 metric tons)
Length: 15 ft 10.5 in (4.84 m) with sand shields and rear stowage box
Width: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) with sand shields
Height: 8 ft 5 in (2.57 m) over anti-aircraft machine gun
Crew: 4 (commander, gunner, driver, assistant driver
Armor: 0.375 to 2.0 in (9.5 to 50.8 mm)
Main armament: 37 mm Gun M6 in Mount M44 with 147 rounds
Secondary armament: 3 × .30 caliber (7.62 mm) Browning M1919A4 machine guns with 6,750 rounds
Engine: Twin Cadillac Series 42 of 220 hp (160 kW) at 3,400 rpm
Power/weight: 14.48 hp/metric ton
Transmission: Hydramatic of 4 speeds forward, 1 reverse
Suspension: Vertical volute spring suspension (VVSS)
Fuel capacity: 89 U.S. gallons (340 liters; 74 imperial gallons)
Operational range: 100 mi (160 km)
Maximum speed: 36 mph (58 km/h
THE KIT:
Tamiya is an old prolific model company based in Shizuoka City, Japan. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. It shows a color illustration of a Stuart posed against one of Tamiya’s generic all-white box arts, that they used for the majority of their box arts.
It shows a color illustration of a Stuart that is overall olive-drab, with a white star on the sides of the turret, a white backwards letter L with a 2 behind it over a white stripe around the front of the turret.
On the hull sides is white U.S.A. followed by W-300565. The tank commander is standing in the top turret hatch.
The kit is no. 42 in Tamiya Military Miniatures series. It contains fully detailed plastic track and realistic commander figure. Ready to assemble plastic model kit.
One side panel begins with a small color repeat of the box art. Followed by a small color repeat of the box art, a paragraph all in Japanese, a color illustration of the tank commander standing in the turret upper hatch and another paragraph in Japanese.
Tamiya is an old prolific model company based in Shizuoka City, Japan. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. It shows a color illustration of a Stuart posed against one of Tamiya’s generic all-white box arts, that they used for the majority of their box arts.
It shows a color illustration of a Stuart that is overall olive-drab, with a white star on the sides of the turret, a white backwards letter L with a 2 behind it over a white stripe around the front of the turret.
On the hull sides is white U.S.A. followed by W-300565. The tank commander is standing in the top turret hatch.
The kit is no. 42 in Tamiya Military Miniatures series. It contains fully detailed plastic track and realistic commander figure. Ready to assemble plastic model kit.
One side panel begins with a small color repeat of the box art. Followed by a small color repeat of the box art, a paragraph all in Japanese, a color illustration of the tank commander standing in the turret upper hatch and another paragraph in Japanese.
The other side panel shows 3 color box arts of other Tamiya 1/35th scale model kits: a 37mm anti-tank gun (Pak 35/36), a British 6 pdr. anti-tank gun crew and a German 88mm gun, Flak 36/37. No kit numbers for these kits is supplied.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit holds 2 very dark olive-drab trees, black vinyl tracks, loose very dark olive-drab hull tub and roof and the decal sheet in a stapled shut clear cello bags and the instructions.
The running gear parts are all molded in tan. Odd!
The instructions consists of a single sheet that is printed on both sides and folded 3 times to fit the box. It is 7 ½” x 20 ½” format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white photo of a Stuart on display outdoors at the Aberdeen Museum, showing a side and front view. It is overall olive-drab with white U.S. Army, over 303238 on the sides of the hull.
Below is the history of the Stuart and the painting and marking instructions all in Japanese.
Shown are four 3-views of the Stuart.
The first 3-view is the box art scheme (already described above). It does further show a white star on the back of the turret.
The second Stuart is overall olive drab, with a white star on the turret sides and rear and on top of the turret. It has a white number 12 on the sides of the turret, a white USA followed by w-304071 on the sides of the hull.
The third Stuart is also overall olive-drab, It is in British markings of 2 squares as red outlines, both with a white number 6 on them on the sides of its turret, a red rectangle with white serial no, T28105 on it on the sides of the hull. A red square with a white circle and a black grebel on the circle on the front of its left front fender and a red square with a yellow maple leaf on it on the front of the right front fender,
The fourth Stuart is also overall olive-drab. It is in British markings with a yellow circle on the sides of the turret and white serial no. T.27978 on the sides of the hull.
The reverse side of the instructions has track assembly and sprue stretching instructions down its left hand column.
On the right is 7 assembly steps. All in Japanese only.
Trees are alphabetized, but not illustrated in the instructions.
They do have part number tabs next to the parts however.
Very dark olive-drab letter A tree holds: the commander figure, divided into separate torso and arms. He wears a leather tanker helmet with a pair of goggles. Also on the tree is the turret parts, exhausts, headlight brackets, shovel, canvas pouch, lockers, main gun barrel, 50 cal machine gun etc. (42 parts)
This kit holds 2 very dark olive-drab trees, black vinyl tracks, loose very dark olive-drab hull tub and roof and the decal sheet in a stapled shut clear cello bags and the instructions.
The running gear parts are all molded in tan. Odd!
The instructions consists of a single sheet that is printed on both sides and folded 3 times to fit the box. It is 7 ½” x 20 ½” format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white photo of a Stuart on display outdoors at the Aberdeen Museum, showing a side and front view. It is overall olive-drab with white U.S. Army, over 303238 on the sides of the hull.
Below is the history of the Stuart and the painting and marking instructions all in Japanese.
Shown are four 3-views of the Stuart.
The first 3-view is the box art scheme (already described above). It does further show a white star on the back of the turret.
The second Stuart is overall olive drab, with a white star on the turret sides and rear and on top of the turret. It has a white number 12 on the sides of the turret, a white USA followed by w-304071 on the sides of the hull.
The third Stuart is also overall olive-drab, It is in British markings of 2 squares as red outlines, both with a white number 6 on them on the sides of its turret, a red rectangle with white serial no, T28105 on it on the sides of the hull. A red square with a white circle and a black grebel on the circle on the front of its left front fender and a red square with a yellow maple leaf on it on the front of the right front fender,
The fourth Stuart is also overall olive-drab. It is in British markings with a yellow circle on the sides of the turret and white serial no. T.27978 on the sides of the hull.
The reverse side of the instructions has track assembly and sprue stretching instructions down its left hand column.
On the right is 7 assembly steps. All in Japanese only.
Trees are alphabetized, but not illustrated in the instructions.
They do have part number tabs next to the parts however.
Very dark olive-drab letter A tree holds: the commander figure, divided into separate torso and arms. He wears a leather tanker helmet with a pair of goggles. Also on the tree is the turret parts, exhausts, headlight brackets, shovel, canvas pouch, lockers, main gun barrel, 50 cal machine gun etc. (42 parts)
The dark olive-drab letter B tree held the running gear, until it was removed from the tree and replaced with loose tan parts. What is left on the tree is the bogies and suspension parts, return rollers, front and rear hull walls etc. (38 parts)
The tan letter B parts are: the drive sprockets, idler wheels and road wheels. (19 parts)
Next is the single hull tub and roof parts.
There are 2 runs of black vinyl treads.
A single sheet, folded in the center to create 4 pages in 5” x 7 ¼” page format is a Tamiya kit catalogue. It shows box arts of 26 aircraft kits and lists many more kits, all in Japanese only.
The decal sheet completes the kit's contents.
Detail is excellent. However, there is not any interior details or clear parts.
Highly Recommended.
Highly Recommended.