Medium Tank M3
Grant I in desert finish
Type	medium tank
Place of origin	United States
Specifications
Weight	27.9 tonnes
Length	6.12/5.64 m
Width	2.72 m
Height	3.12 m
Crew	7 (Lee) or 6 (Grant)
Armor	51 mm
Primary armament	1 x 75mm Gun M2/M3 in hull 46 rounds 1 x 37mm Gun M5/M6 in turret 178 rounds Download high resolution version (1024x828, 113 KB)M3 Lee tank June 1942, Fort Knox Source: [1] Copyright: Library of Congress, Public Domain File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Military vehicles are commonly armoured to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets or shells, protecting the soldiers inside from enemy fire. ... The 75 mm (3 inch) was a popular size of gun in US service. ... The 75 mm (3 inch) was a popular size of gun in US service. ... The 37mm Gun M3 was the first dedicated anti-tank gun fielded by the US forces. ...
Secondary armament	3-4 x .30-06 Browning M1919A4 machine guns 9,200 rounds
Engine	Wright (Continental) R975 EC2 400/340 hp (298/254 kW)
Power/weight	hp/tonne
Suspension	vertical volute spring
Operational range	193 km
Speed	40 km/h (road) 26 km/h (off-road)

The Medium Tank M3 was an American tank used during World War II. In Britain the tank was called "General Lee" named after General Robert E. Lee, and its modified version built to British specification, with a new turret, was called "General Grant" named after General Ulysses S. Grant. .30-06 Springfield cartridge specifications. ... The Browning M1919 was a . ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Army shoulder insignia for a full General General is the most senior rank currently used in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps. ... // This article is about the Confederate general. ... Army shoulder insignia for a full General General is the most senior rank currently used in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps. ... Ulysses S. Grant[2] (born Hiram Ulysses Grant, April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was an American general and the 18th President of the United States (1869–1877). ...

As a rush job intended to be brought from design to production in a short period, the M3 was well armed and armored for the period, but due to various shortcomings (high silhouette, archaic sponson mounting of the main gun, below average off-road performance) it was not competitive and was withdrawn from frontline duty as soon as the M4 Sherman became available in large numbers. Sponsons are projections from the sides of a watercraft, for protection, stability, or the mounting of equipment such as armaments or lifeboats , etc. ... A frontline is a line of confrontation in an armed conflict, most often a war. ... WWII foreign variants and use: Lend-Lease Sherman tanks Post-WWII foreign variants and use: Postwar Sherman tanks The Medium Tank M4 was the primary tank produced by the United States for its own use and the use of its Allies during World War II. Production of the M4 Medium...

History

In 1939, the U.S. Army possessed few tanks or viable tank designs. The interwar years had been a time of small budgets for tank development. The U.S. had no infrastructure for tank production, little experience in tank design, and little doctrine to guide design efforts. 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full year calendar). ... The United States Army is one of the armed forces of the United States and has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Budget generally refers to a list of all planned expenses and revenues. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from...

In this context the M2 series medium tank was developed. Though typical of tanks of many nations when first produced in 1939, by the time the US entered the war the M2 design was obsolete with only a 37 mm gun, about 30 mm armor, and a very high silhouette. The success of tanks such as the Panzer III and Panzer IV in the French campaign, prompted the US Army to rethink their designs. The US Army immediately issued a requirement for a new medium tank armed with a 75 mm gun in a turret. This eventually became the M4 Sherman. However, until the Sherman could be ready for production, an interim design with a 75 mm gun was urgently needed. The M2 Medium Tank was a US tank that was produced in small numbers at the start of the Second World War by the Rock Island Arsenal. ... The Panzerkampfwagen III (PzKpfw III), more commonly referred to as the Panzer III, was a tank developed in the 1930s by Germany and used extensively in World War II. It was designed to fight other AFVs, serving alongside the infantry-support Pzkpfw IV. It soon became obsolete in this role... The Panzerkampfwagen IV (PzKpfw IV), more commonly referred to as the Panzer IV, was a tank developed by Germany and used extensively in World War II. It was designed initially as an infantry-support medium tank, to work in conjunction with the anti-tank Pzkpfw III. Later in the war... Combatants France United Kingdom Canada Czechoslovakia Poland Belgium Netherlands Luxembourg Germany Italy Commanders Maurice Gamelin, Maxime Weygand (French) Lord Gort (British Expeditionary Force) H.G. Winkelman (Dutch) Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group A) Fedor von Bock (Army Group B) Wilhelm von Leeb (Army Group C) H.R.H. Umberto di...

Medium Tank M3, Fort Knox, June 1942.

The M3 was the interim solution. The tank design was unusual in that the main weapon, a larger caliber, lower-velocity 75 mm gun was in an offset sponson mounting in the hull, with consequent limited traverse. A small turret with a lighter, higher-velocity 37 mm gun was on the top of the tall hull. A small cupola on top of the turret held a machine gun giving the effect of one turret on top of another. The use of two main guns was seen on tanks like the French Char B, the Soviet T-35, and the Mark I version of the British Churchill tank. In each case, two weapons were mounted to give the tanks adequate capability in firing both anti-personnel high explosive ammunition (which needed to contain large amount of explosives) and armor-piercing ammunition for anti-tank combat (with efficiency depending on a kinetic energy of the projectile). The M3 differed slightly from this pattern by using a main gun which could fire an armor-piercing projectile at a velocity high enough for efficiently piercing armor, as well as deliver a high-explosive shell that was large enough to be effective. By using the hull mount, the M3 design was brought to production quicker than if a proper turreted mount had been attempted. It was well understood that the M3 design was deeply flawed, but the need for tanks was urgent. Download high resolution version (1024x828, 113 KB)M3 Lee tank June 1942, Fort Knox Source: [1] Copyright: Library of Congress, Public Domain File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (1024x828, 113 KB)M3 Lee tank June 1942, Fort Knox Source: [1] Copyright: Library of Congress, Public Domain File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Sponsons are projections from the sides of a watercraft, for protection, stability, or the mounting of equipment such as armaments or lifeboats , etc. ... A machine gun is a fully-automatic firearm that is capable of firing bullets in rapid succession. ... The Char B1 was a French heavy tank manufactured before the Second World War. ... The T-35 was a Soviet multi-turreted heavy tank of the interwar period and early Second World War that saw limited production and service with the Red Army. ... The Infantry Tank IV Churchill was a heavy British infantry tank of the Second World War, best known for its heavy armour and its use as the basis of many specialist vehicles. ... A shell is a projectile, which, as opposed to a bullet, contains an explosive or other filling, though modern usage includes large solid projectiles previously termed shot (AP, APCR, APCNR, APDS, APFSDS and Proof shot). ... A shell is a projectile, which, as opposed to a bullet, contains an explosive or other filling, though modern usage includes large solid projectiles previously termed shot (AP, APCR, APCNR, APDS, APFSDS and Proof shot). ... The kinetic energy of an object is the extra energy which it possesses due to its motion. ...

Front view, M3

The British ordered the M3 when they were refused permission to have their tank designs made by American factories. They were unhappy with the tall profile and had their own turret fitted - lower in profile with a bustle at the back for the radio set. Tanks modified with the new turret received the name "(General) Grant" while unaltered M3's were called "General Lee", or more usually just Grant and Lee. These names were, however, only used by British and Commonwealth forces; the US Army never referred to the tanks as anything but M3 Mediums. The Grant required one fewer crew member than the Lee due to the movement of the radio to the turret. Nevertheless the M3 was successful as an interim solution and brought much needed firepower to British forces in the African desert. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 782 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3000 × 2301 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 782 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3000 × 2301 pixel, file size: 1. ...

The chassis and running gear of the M3 design was adapted by the Canadians to develop their Ram tank - a conventionally turreted tank. The hull was also used for self-propelled artillery and recovery vehicles. The Ram was a Cruiser tank designed and built by Canada in the Second World War, based on the U.S. M3 Medium tank. ... Artillery with Gabion fortification Cannons on display at Fort Point Continental Artillery crew from the American Revolution Firing of an 18-pound gun, Louis-Philippe Crepin, (1772 – 1851) A forge-welded Iron Cannon in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. ...

The M3 was withdrawn from frontline duty when the M4 Sherman became available in large numbers. A frontline is a line of confrontation in an armed conflict, most often a war. ... WWII foreign variants and use: Lend-Lease Sherman tanks Post-WWII foreign variants and use: Postwar Sherman tanks The Medium Tank M4 was the primary tank produced by the United States for its own use and the use of its Allies during World War II. Production of the M4 Medium...

Combat Performance

Crew of M3 tank at Souk el Arba, Tunisia, 23 November 1942.

The Medium Tank M3 first saw action in 1942 during the North African Campaign. British Lees and Grants were in action against Rommel's forces at the disastrous Battle of Gazala on May 27th that year. They continued to serve in North Africa until the end of that campaign. A regiment of M3 Lees was also used by the US 1st Armored Division in North Africa. In the North African campaign, the M3 was generally appreciated for its mechanical reliability, good armor, and heavy firepower. In all three areas it outclassed the available British tanks, and was able to fight German tanks and towed anti-tank guns. The tall silhouette and low, hull-mounted 75 mm were severe tactical drawbacks since they prevented the tank from fighting from hull-down firing positions. Riveted armour also gave limited problems, as upon impact the rivets could break off and become projectiles inside the tank. Later models were welded to eliminate this problem. The M3 was replaced by the M4 as soon as these were available, and none were used in the European theatre after May 1943. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... November 23 is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 38 days remaining. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... During World War II, the North African Campaign, also known as the Desert War, took place in the North African desert from September 13, 1940 to May 13, 1943. ... Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel ( ) (15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944) was one of the most distinguished German field marshals of World War II. He was the commander of the Deutsches Afrika Korps and also became known by the nickname “The Desert Fox” (Wüstenfuchs,  ) for the skillful military campaigns he... The Battle of Gazala was an important battle of the World War II Western Desert Campaign, fought around the port of Tobruk in Libya from May 26 to June 21, 1942. ...  Northern Africa (UN subregion)  geographic, including above North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, generally divided politically from Sub-Saharan Africa. ... The 1st Armored Division —nicknamed the Old Ironsides— is an armored division of the United States Army with base of operations in Wiesbaden, Germany. ... Anti-tank, or simply AT, refers to any method of combating military armored fighting vehicles, notably tanks. ... WWII foreign variants and use: Lend-Lease Sherman tanks Post-WWII foreign variants and use: Postwar Sherman tanks The Medium Tank M4 was the primary tank produced by the United States for its own use and the use of its Allies during World War II. Production of the M4 Medium... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ...

In the Pacific, a very small number were used by the US Army in the Makin Atoll in 1943. None were supplied to the U.S. Marine Corps. Australian forces received several hundred, but none saw combat. British M3s were used in the China-Burma-India theatre, mainly with Indian crews, until the end of the war; their flaws were less important compared to the Japanese tanks that were both poor and rarely encountered. In the far east the main role was one of infantry support. They played a pivotal role during the Battle of Imphal, and despite their lower-than-average off-road performance they served well on the steep hillsides around Imphal. For other meanings of Pacific, see Pacific (disambiguation). ... Combatants United States Japan Commanders Richmond K. Turner Ralph C. Smith Seizo Ishikawa Strength 6, 470 400 troops, 400 labourers Casualties 66 killed, 185 wounded 700 killed, 3 Japanese captured, 101 Korean labourers captured The Battle of Makin was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ... Combatants British Fourteenth Army Indian IV Corps Japanese 15th Division Japanese 33rd Division Japanese 31st Division Commanders Louis Mountbatten Geoffrey Scoones Renya Mutaguchi Masakasu Kawabe Strength 4 Infantry Divisions 1 Armoured Brigade 1 Parachute Brigade 3 Infamtry about 100,000 Japanese Army Casualties 17,500 53,879 The Battle of...

Over 1,300 diesel engined M3A3 and M3A5s were supplied to the USSR via lend-lease in 1942-43. All were the Lee variant although they are sometimes referred to as Grants. The M3 was very unpopular in the Red Army, where its faults were shown up in the most intense tank combat environment of the war. The M3 earned the nickname of the 'Coffin for seven brothers'. Few were seen in combat after about mid-1943. M3s were used on the arctic front in the Red Army's offensive on the Litsa-front towards Kirkenes in October 1944. The Germans had no tanks on this front so the M3s inferior tank-to-tank capabilities compared with the latest German models must have been of limited importance. The Lend-Lease program was a program of the United States during World War II that allowed the United States to provide the Allied Powers with war material without becoming directly involved in the war. ... Red Army flag The Workers and Peasants Red Army (Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия, Raboche-Krestyanskaya Krasnaya Armiya; RKKA or usually simply the Red Army) were the armed forces first organized by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War in 1918 and that in 1922 became the army of the Soviet Union. ...

Overall, the M3 was able to cope with the battlefield of 1942. Its armor and firepower were the equal or superior to most of the threats it faced. Long-range, high velocity guns were not yet common on German tanks. However, the rapid pace of tank development in WW2 meant that it was very quickly outclassed. By mid-1943, with the introduction of the German Panther, the up-gunning of the Panzer IV to a long 75 mm gun, and the availability of large numbers of Shermans, the M3 was rightly withdrawn from service in the European Theatre. The Panther ( ) was a tank fielded by Germany in World War II that served from mid-1943 to the end of the European war in 1945. ... The Panzerkampfwagen IV (PzKpfw IV), more commonly referred to as the Panzer IV, was a tank developed by Germany and used extensively in World War II. It was designed initially as an infantry-support medium tank, to work in conjunction with the anti-tank Pzkpfw III. Later in the war... WWII foreign variants and use: Lend-Lease Sherman tanks Post-WWII foreign variants and use: Postwar Sherman tanks The Medium Tank M4 was the primary tank produced by the United States for its own use and the use of its Allies during World War II. Production of the M4 Medium... This article is 150 kilobytes or more in size. ...

Variants

M3 and its contribution to other AFVs of the Second World war.

M31 TRV showing dummy hull gun

British designations in parentheses Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2120x1687, 92 KB) Summary created by myself with Illustrator then exported as 300 dpi greyscale Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2120x1687, 92 KB) Summary created by myself with Illustrator then exported as 300 dpi greyscale Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1259x862, 180 KB) Summary Description: M31 ARV (aka M31 TRV), an armored recovery vehicle (tank recovery vehicle) on M3 Lee tank chassis, in Batey ha-Osef Museum, Tel Aviv, Israel. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1259x862, 180 KB) Summary Description: M31 ARV (aka M31 TRV), an armored recovery vehicle (tank recovery vehicle) on M3 Lee tank chassis, in Batey ha-Osef Museum, Tel Aviv, Israel. ...

• M3 (Lee I/Grant I).
  • Riveted hull. 4724 built.
• M3A1 (Lee II).
  • Cast upper hull. 300 built.
• M3A2 (Lee III).
  • Welded hull. Only 12 vehicles produced.
• M3A3 (Lee IV/Lee V).
  • Welded hull, twin GM 6-71 diesel. Side doors welded shut or eliminated. 322 built.
• M3A4 (Lee VI).
  • Stretched riveted hull, 5 x Chrysler A-57 Multibank engines. Side doors eliminated. 109 built.
• M3A5 (Grant II) .
  • Riveted hull. Twin GM 6-71 diesel. Despite having the original Lee turret and not the Grant' one, was referred by the British as Grant II. 591 built.
• M31 Tank Recovery Vehicle (Grant ARV I).
  • Based on M3 chassis, with dummy turret and dummy 75 gun. 60,000 lb winch installed.
• M31B1 Tank Recovery Vehicle.
  • Based on M3A3.
• M31B2 Tank Recovery Vehicle.
  • Based on M3A5.
• 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 (Priest)
  • 105 mm M1/M2 howitzer installed in open superstructure.
  • Gunless version was the OP (observation post vehicle)
• 155 mm Gun Motor Carriage M12
  • Designed as the T-6. A 155 mm howitzer on M3 chassis.
• Yeramba Self Propelled Gun.
  • Australian SP 25 pounder. 13 vehicles built in 1949 on M3A5 chassis in a conversion very similar to the Canadian Sexton.

This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Chrysler (disambiguation). ... Look up Chassis in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 was an American self-propelled artillery vehicle produced during World War II. It was given the official nickname Priest in British service, due to the pulpit like machine gun ring and following on from the Bishop self propelled gun. ... 19th century 12 pounder (5 kg) mountain howitzer displayed by the National Park Service at Fort Laramie in Wyoming, USA A howitzer is a type of artillery piece that is characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small explosive charges to propel projectiles at trajectories with... // Sociological concept In social sciences, superstructure is the set of socio-psychological feedback loops that maintain a coherent and meaningful structure in a given society, or part thereof. ... The M12 Gun Motor Carriage was a US self propelled gun developed during the Second World War. ... The Yeramba was a self-propelled artillery vehicle built in Australia after the end of the Second World War. ...

British Variants

A Grant Command variant used by General Montgomery housed at the Imperial War Museum in London

• Grant ARV
  • Grant I's and Grant II's with guns removed and replaced with armoured recovery vehicle equipment.
• Grant Command
  • Grant fitted with radio equipment and having guns removed or replaced with dummies.
• Grant Scorpion III
  • Grant with 75 mm gun removed, and fitted with Scorpion III mine clearing flail, few made in early 1943 for use in North Africa.
• Grant Scorpion IV
  • Grant Scorpion III with additional motor to increase Scoprion flail power.
• Grant CDL
  • From "Canal Defence Light"; Grants with the 37 mm gun turret replaced by a new turret containing a powerful searchlight and a machine gun. 355 Produced by the Americans as well, it was designated Shop Tractor T10.

Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 620 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): M3 Lee User:Nick Dowling/photo... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 620 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): M3 Lee User:Nick Dowling/photo... Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC (17 November 1887 – 24 March 1976) was a British Army officer, often referred to as Monty. He successfully commanded Allied forces at the Battle of El Alamein, a major turning point in World War II, and... The Imperial War Museum is a museum in London featuring military vehicles, weapons, war memorabilia, a library, a photographic archive, and an art collection of 20th century and later conflicts, especially those involving Britain, and the British Empire. ... Canal Defence Light (CDL) was a British secret weapon of the Second World War. ...

Designs based on chassis

• Medium Tank M4 (Sherman)
• Tank Cruiser, Ram
• 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 (Priest)
• 155 mm Gun Motor Carriage M12

Australian Grant I's in 1942

WWII foreign variants and use: Lend-Lease Sherman tanks Post-WWII foreign variants and use: Postwar Sherman tanks The Medium Tank M4 was the primary tank produced by the United States for its own use and the use of its Allies during World War II. Production of the M4 Medium... The Ram was a Cruiser tank designed and built by Canada in the Second World War, based on the U.S. M3 Medium tank. ... The Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 was an American self-propelled artillery vehicle produced during World War II. It was given the official nickname Priest in British service, due to the pulpit like machine gun ring and following on from the Bishop self propelled gun. ... The M12 Gun Motor Carriage was a US self propelled gun developed during the Second World War. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ...

Operators

• Australia
• Brazil
• Canada
• New Zealand
• Soviet Union
• United Kingdom
• United States of America

Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Brazil. ... Image File history File links Canadian_Red_Ensign. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_New_Zealand. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

See also

• List of "M" series military vehicles

The following is a (partial) listing of M series military vehicles used by the US Army. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

M3 Lee

• AFV Database (Pictures)
• WWII Vehicles
• Manual for 75mm Gun as Installed in M3 Medium Tank
• LemaireSoft
• OnWar M3, M3A1, M3A3, M3A4
• M3 in the USSR

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...