M3 line. Searchlight tank CDL. MZ tank layout
The German Blitzkrieg in France allowed American generals to more or less soberly assess the depressing state of their tank forces. It could be stated that at that time there were practically no tank forces in America, the tactics of using a few outdated tanks were archaic, tank building languished at a primitive level, and design thought could not offer a single worthy project for a medium tank. The long economy of the American Congress on its army and the policy of isolationism were bearing their dismal fruits. To urgently correct the dangerous situation, the American National Armaments Program was adopted on June 30, 1940, which, in particular, spoke of the need to produce 2,000 medium tanks in the next 18 months. By the end of 1940, the plan was to produce 14.5 tanks per day (8 vehicles for American customers and 6.5 for British). The next important step was the establishment in April 1941 of the Joint Tank Planning Committee, which raised the production rate to 1000 tanks per month, and by July they were already thinking about 2000 vehicles. After a meeting between Prime Minister Churchill, President Roosevelt and Lord Beaverbrook, the planned numbers jumped to 25,000 medium tanks in 1942 and 45,000 tanks in 1943. However, tank reform in America immediately ran into the absence of a medium tank that should have been produced.
In fact, the United States had a new medium tank, the M2, standardized in August 1939. However, by the time the M2 tank was ready for mass production, its 37mm gun was already considered prohibitively weak for a vehicle of its class. On June 5, 1940, the Commander of the US Army Infantry expressed a desire for medium tanks to now be armed with 75mm guns. Therefore, as a temporary measure, from November 1939 to August 1940, only 92 M2A1 tanks were produced, which were immediately distributed between training and research centers. The weakness of the M2A1, which was outdated before it even appeared, was too obvious.
On June 13, 1940, the Ordnance Department announced new requirements for a medium tank. On July 11, 1940 the tank was standardized as the Medium Tank M3. The urgent need for tanks forced the Americans to standardize and issue an order for production long before the finished design of the vehicle appeared.
To finally determine the characteristics of the future medium tank, the Commander of the Tank Forces, General Chaffee, held a meeting at the Aberdeen Proving Ground on August 26, 1940 with representatives of the Artillery Department and production workers who were members of the Tank Committee. By the way, the Tank Troops were established only a month and a half ago, on July 10, 1940. As a possible sample, the meeting participants were shown a wooden model of a tank hull with a short-barreled 75mm T6 gun in the right sponson. It was a conversion of an extremely unsuccessful anti-aircraft gun with a low initial projectile velocity. Adapted for the tank, it received the designation T7, but in comparison with the weak 37mm gun of the M2A1 tank, it was a noticeable progress. During the consultations, it was finally decided that a modern medium tank should be armed with a 75mm gun. The catastrophic situation with tanks required quick solutions, but the designers did not have a turret capable of accepting a 75mm cannon. Purely for the sake of gaining time, the American military agreed to not very a good option- install a 75mm gun in the sponson of a tank created on the basis of the M2A1. Moreover, one of the main requirements of the new project was the maximum technical similarity of the new vehicle with the M2A1. The military believed that such a vehicle would not last long in the army and would serve as a temporary measure until the appearance of a tank with a 75mm cannon in a full-moving turret. According to the military, about 360 M3 tanks were to be produced until the designers were able to develop a new turret. After this, production of the M3 was supposed to be suspended and rebuilt to produce a tank with a 75mm gun in the turret. Everyone agreed on this decision.
The development of the new car was started by designers from Aberdeen. The basis for the project was the T5E2 prototype, which in turn was a T5 Phase III prototype, converted in March-May 1939 into a self-propelled gun with a 75mm M1A1 howitzer in the right front part of the hull. The new tank had the same suspension and Wright R975 EC2 radial engine, 400 hp, as the M2, but a wider and longer hull. The rolled homogeneous armor of the new M3 tank was slightly enlarged and mounted on rivets inherited from the M2. The sponson, turret and commander's cupola are cast. Inside fighting compartment was covered with porous rubber to protect the crew from small secondary fragments and splashes of scale that could occur when the shell did not penetrate the tank’s armor.
The engine was located at the rear, and the transmission with synchronizer and differential were in front, protected by a three-piece armored cover, which was connected and bolted to the body. The transmission was located directly under the driver's seat, and was connected to the engine by a driveshaft. Under the shaft were the engine control rods. The Synchromesh gearbox had 5 forward gears and 1 rear gear, with the following gear ratios:
1st gear - 7.56:1
2nd gear - 3.11:1
3rd gear - 1.78:1
4th gear - 1.11:1
5th gear - 0.73:1
rear - 5.65:1
The chassis consisted of three support bogies on board and a rubber-metal track. The cart had two rubber-coated support rollers on a rocker arm, which was attached to a vertical spring in a welded frame. On top of the frame there was a roller that supported the track. The drive wheels with 13 teeth were located at the front.
Electrical system - 24 volts DC. There were two generators. The main generator operated by drawing power from the main engine and provided 24 volts, 50 amps. The backup generator ran from the backup engine, producing 30 volts, 50 amps. In addition, there were two 12 volt electric batteries.
To the left of the sponson there was an SCR 508 radio station, and in command tanks there was an SCR 506 radio station to the right of the sponson, and on early command vehicles there could be an SCR 245. For negotiations inside the tank, an interphone with 5 stations was used with headphones for each crew member.
In case of fire, the tank was equipped with two fixed 10-pound carbon dioxide fire extinguishers and two portable 4-pound fire extinguishers.
The first pilot of the M3 was armed with an 84-inch long 75mm T7 gun, which was a modification of the 75mm T6 gun. The T7 had a vertical semi-automatic bolt and could fire ammunition from a French WW1 gun, the M1897, borrowed by the Americans. The initial speed of the T7 projectile reached 1850 feet per second. The T7 was standardized as the 75mm M2 gun. For balance, there was a counterweight in the front part of the M2 barrel, and from the very beginning it was planned to replace the M2 with a longer gun in the future, so the counterweight was added not to the carriage, but to the barrel. The M2 gun was later replaced by the longer T8, standardized as the M3.
The cast turret was located on the left rear of the fighting compartment. It was armed with a 37mm M6 cannon and a coaxial .30cal M1919A4 machine gun. The tower had a manual and hydraulic rotary drive and made a full turn in 20 seconds. At the beginning of mass production, there were not always enough M6 guns, so 37mm M5s were sometimes installed instead. There was another .30cal machine gun in the commander's cupola. Both tank guns - 37mm and 75mm - were equipped with a gyrostabilizer in the vertical plane. In addition, two rigidly mounted .30cal machine guns were installed in the glacis, which were controlled by the driver. The ammunition load of the 75mm gun was 65 rounds, the 37mm gun - 126 rounds, 4000 rounds of machine gun ammunition, 20 machine gun magazines, 6 hand grenades, 8 smoke grenades, 12 flares.
At first the crew consisted of 7 people: the driver - in front, in the middle of the fighting compartment; radio operator - to the left and slightly behind the driver; 75mm gun gunner - on the right; loader - to the right of the gunner; commander - in the turret, behind; gunner - at the bottom of the tower, on the left; loader - below, on the right.
The crew could climb in and out of the vehicle through two side doors (one per side), a hatch on top behind the 75mm gun in the sponson, and through a hatch in the commander's cupola.
All tankers had good review: hatch and driver's viewing holes, 2 viewing slits in the commander's cupola, 2 periscopes. The tank had 4 pistol loops: one near the driver, one on each door, one at the back and one on the left of the turret.
The weight of the car was about 31 tons.
It should be noted that the creation of an acceptable medium tank project was only part of the solution to the huge problem of establishing mass tank production. America met the beginning of WW2 not only without a normal medium tank, but also without production facilities capable of producing it in large quantities. At that time, a single low-power state-owned enterprise, Rock Island Arsenal, was responsible for the production of American tanks. Naturally, one could not seriously count on it, so there was an urgent need to reform the country’s production potential. Responsible for coordinating American industry and defense needs was William S. Knudsen, a member of the National Defense Advisory Committee and president of the General Motors Corporation. To increase production, it was necessary to attract private contractors, but serious disagreements arose here. The Artillery Department believed that the main contracts should go to heavy engineering enterprises, which previously specialized in the production of locomotives and large cranes. However, Knudsen took exactly the opposite view. He was convinced that although heavy engineering enterprises have sufficient potential, the specificity of their production lies in the relatively long and small-scale production of products. At the same time, the newly emerged Tank Troops demanded urgent massive supplies of armored vehicles. Based on this, Knudsen insisted that tank building should be undertaken by automobile companies that were accustomed to producing products quickly and in large quantities. He put forward a proposal to urgently build a specialized tank plant in Michigan on the basis that half of the costs would be borne by Chrysler and the other half by the state. The arsenal was to be owned by the state and managed by Chrysler. This idea found understanding among the authorities and the president of the Chrysler Corporation, Keller. On August 15, 1940, Chrysler received a contract for 1,000 M2A1 medium tanks. In September 1940, construction of a new plant began on a 100-square-acre site in Warren, just north of Detroit. The building originally measured 1,380 x 500 feet and was designed by architect Albert Kahn in the Art Nouveau style.
Meanwhile, the Ordnance Department entered into contracts with two of the largest heavy engineering companies - American Locomotive Company for 685 tanks and Baldwin Locomotive Company for 535 tanks. Rock Island Arsenal constantly exchanged information with them so that the contractors could immediately begin production when the tank design was ready.
During design work on the future M3 tank, Rock Island Arsenal worked closely with Chrysler to ensure that the equipment at the plant under construction was consistent with the technology of the future tank. In addition, Rock Island Arsenal continually consulted with other contractors. In addition, in June 1940, the British Tank Commission headed by Michael Devore arrived in the United States. The British, having lost a significant part of their tank forces in France, were very interested in acquiring American tanks and willingly shared their combat experience with the M3 developers.
In February 1941, the tank project was generally ready, and the plant in Michigan was almost completed.
On March 13, 1941, Rock Island Arsenal completed the first pilot of the future tank, and on March 21, the prototype was delivered to the Aberdeen Proving Ground. In April 1941, three contractor companies completed their template pilots for the M3 tank and they gradually arrived at the test site. In August 1941, one prototype was sent from Aberdeen to the Tank Forces at Fort Bening and two more were handed over to the British. The tanks were shipped to England on September 20, 1941 under Land Lease. It is noteworthy that at that time many M3 tanks supplied to the Tank Forces did not have 75mm guns.
Based on feedback from the British and their military, a number of serious shortcomings were identified in the design of the tank.
The Hycon hydraulics in the steering system turned out to be too unreliable. The first M3s were equipped with a Hycon hydraulic system, but already on August 26, 1942 Detroit Tank Arsenal switched to a completely mechanical system. In February 1942, the Ordnance Department recommended that all manufacturers switch from hydraulic to mechanical.
Tests in Aberdeen revealed severe contamination of the fighting compartment with carbon monoxide when firing with the hatches closed. To solve the problem, new fans were installed in the tank: on the roof of the turret, on the roof to the left of the driver, in the hatch above the 75mm gun. Soon the fan in the hatch above the 75mm gun was moved behind the hatch for convenience.
Another drawback was the weak VSS suspension, borrowed from the M2 tank. To prevent the suspension from deteriorating quickly, the springs were strengthened. The support roller was moved back.
Ballistic tests showed that both guns could be jammed by enemy small arms fire. The designers developed additional protective shields, which, however, were rarely installed.
It was discovered that the side doors were too vulnerable to fire not only from armor-piercing shells, but also from high-explosive shells. Experts from Aberdeen recommended removing the doors and making an escape hatch in the floor. A hatch in the floor in the right rear part of the fighting compartment appeared on later tank models.
But the power drive for turning the turret and the gyrostabilizer in the vertical plane showed their best performance. With the tank zigzagging at 10 mph, the gunner could easily lock onto targets at ranges of 200 to 700 yards in any direction. Based on the results of tests, the Artillery Department in June 1941 recommended standardizing stabilizers for 75mm and 37mm guns. By November 1941, Detroit Tank Arsenal began installing stabilizers on production vehicles, and from January this innovation was to be installed by all M3 manufacturers.
In the engine compartment, they placed a box on each side. The radio operator was removed from the crew, and his duties were transferred to the driver. In June 1942, the Artillery Committee advised the abandonment of both fixed driver machine guns; two machine guns and one of two .45cal submachine guns. The designers agreed to remove only one course machine gun and one machine gun mounting. Later, during serial production, the pistol loopholes were removed on the left side, but left on the right.
Over time, tankers grew dissatisfied with the fact that the periscope sight did not provide sufficient accuracy for the 75mm gun. Instead of a periscope, a telescopic sight was installed.
By August 1941, full-scale serial production of M3 tanks finally began at three enterprises. Rock Island Arsenal did not participate in the release of M3. On August 28, 1940, production of the M2A1 medium tank, the predecessor of the M3, was finally curtailed.
Chrysler produced 3352 tanks,
American Locomotive Company - 685,
Baldwin Locomotive Company - 1220,
Pressed Steel Car Company - 501
Pulman Standard Car Company - 500
The average cost of an M3 series tank was $55,244.
| M3 tanks that passed the selection committee | |||
| car | I'm very pleased | first acceptance | last acceptance |
| medium tank M3 | 4.924 | December 1940 | August 1941 |
| medium tank M3A1 | 300 | June 1941 | August 1942 |
| medium tank M3A2 | 12 | January 1942 | July 1942 |
| medium tank M3A3 | 322 | March 1942 | March 1942 |
| medium tank M3A4 | 109 | June 1942 | August 1942 |
| medium tank M3A5 | 591 | January 1942 | December 1942 |
| including conversions | |||
The British who purchased M3 series tanks gave it two names depending on the British or English modification of the vehicle:
M3 Grant (M3 Grant) for the British modification
M3 Lee - for the American version.
In October 1941, the United States standardized the new M4 medium tank, and the M3 became the “substituted standard”. In April 1943, the M3 was already "limited standard", and a year later, in April 1944, the M3 was declared obsolete.
| 75mm Guns M2, M3 and M6 75mm guns M2, M3 and M6 |
||
| accommodation | medium tank of the M3 series, on an M1 carriage (M2 and M3 guns); |
|
| chamber length (without rifling) | 36.576 cm | |
| threaded length | 176.784 cm (M2 gun), 244.348 cm (M3 and M6) | |
| chamber length (to the edge of the projectile) | 32.9184 cm (ARS M61), 29.21 cm (NOT M48) | |
| channel length | M2 gun: 180.34 cm (ARS M61), 184.15 cm (NOT M48); M3 gun: 248.0818 cm (ARS M61), 251.714 cm (NOT M48) |
|
| barrel length | 213.36 cm, 28.5 caliber (M2); 281.0002 cm, 37.5 caliber (M3 and M6) | |
| shutter release length | 19.685 cm (M2 and M3 guns), 14.605 cm (M6 gun) | |
| length from the barrel to the back of the bolt | 233.045 cm, 31.1 caliber (M2 gun) 300.6852 cm, 40.1 caliber (M3 gun) 295.6052 cm, 39.4 caliber (M6 gun) |
|
| extra length, with muzzle brake, etc. | No | |
| total length | 233.045 cm (M2), 300.6852 cm (M3), 295.6052 cm (M6) | |
| channel diameter | 7.493 cm | |
| chamber volume | 88.05 cu.m. inches (ARS M61), 80.57 cubic inches (NOT M48) | |
| total weight | 355.162826 kg (M2) 405.057986 kg (M3) 185.972872 kg (M6) |
|
| shutter type | Semi-automatic. The gun is installed so that the bolt opens vertically on the M1 carriage and horizontally on the M34, M34A1 and M64 carriages | |
| rifling | 24 rifling, right hand, 1 turn/25.59 gauge (7 degree riffle) | |
| ammunition | unitary | |
| fuse | impact type | |
| total ammunition weight | 9.03556001 kg HVAP T45 Shot (APCR-T * ) 6.16885623 kg AP M72 Shot (AP-T) 8.52753656 kg HE M48 Shell (HE), Supercharge 8.87226676 kg HE M48 Shell (HE), Normal 8.52753656 kg HC B1 M89 Shell, Smoke 4.458813 kg |
|
| projectile weight | APC M61 Projectile (APCBC/HE-T) 6.78574186 kg HVAP T45 Shot (APCR-T * ) 3.81017591 kg AP M72 Shot (AP-T) 6.32307764 kg HE M48 Shell (HE) 6.66780784 kg HC B1 M89 Shell, Smoke 6.61 kg |
|
| highest pressure of powder gases | 38,000 psi | |
| highest rate of fire | 20 shots/min | |
| starting speed | APC M61 Projectile (APCBC/HE-T) 588.264 m/s (M2 gun), 618.744 m/s (M3 and M6 guns) HVAP T45 Shot (APCR-T *
) AP M72 Shot (AP-T)
HE M48 Shell (HE), Normal HC B1 M89 Shell, Smoke |
|
| projectile muzzle energy | APC M61 Projectile (APCBC/HE-T) 387 ft-tons (M2 gun), 427 ft-tons (M3 and M6 guns) HVAP T45 Shot (APCR-T *
) AP M72 Shot (AP-T) HE M48 Shell (HE), Supercharge HE M48 Shell (HE), Normal |
|
| firing range (regardless of carriage) |
APC M61 Projectile (APCBC/HE-T) 12,435.84 m (M2 gun), 12,801.6 m (M3 and M6 gun) AP M72 Shot (AP-T) HE M48 Shell (HE), Supercharge HE M48 Shell (HE), Normal HC B1 M89 Shell, Smoke |
|
| * - experimental only | ||
| projectile type | initial speed, m/s | range, m | |||
| 457.2 | 914.4 | 1371.6 | 1828.8 | ||
| 588.264 | 60mm | 55mm | 51mm | 46mm | |
| AP M72 Shot (AP-T) | 588.264 | 60mm | 53mm | 46mm | 38mm |
| armor penetration of the 75mm M2 gun |
|||||
| projectile type | initial speed, m/s | range, m | |||
| 457.2 | 914.4 | 1371.6 | 1828.8 | ||
| APC M61 Projectile (APCBC/HE-T) | 588.264 | 69mm | 60mm | 55mm | 48mm |
| AP M72 Shot (AP-T) | 588.264 | 58mm | 46mm | 33mm | 25mm |
medium tank M3 Lee on homogeneous armor, at an angle of 30 degrees. from vertical |
|||||
| projectile type | initial speed, m/s | range, m | |||
| 457.2 | 914.4 | 1371.6 | 1828.8 | ||
| APC M61 Projectile (APCBC/HE-T) | 618.744 | 66mm | 60mm | 55mm | 50mm |
| AP M72 Shot (AP-T) | 618.744 | 76mm | 63mm | 51mm | 43mm |
| HVAP T45 Shot (APCR-T * ) | 868.68 | 117mm | 97mm | 79mm | 64mm |
| * - experimental only | |||||
| armor penetration of 75mm M3 and M6 guns medium tank M3 Lee on cemented armor, at a meeting angle of 30 degrees. from vertical |
|||||
| projectile type | initial speed, m/s | range, m | |||
| 457.2 | 914.4 | 1371.6 | 1828.8 | ||
| APC M61 Projectile (APCBC/HE-T) | 618.744 | 74mm | 67mm | 60mm | 54mm |
| AP M72 Shot (AP-T) | 618.744 | 66mm | 53mm | 41mm | 33mm |
M3 tank modifications
All later models of tanks, regardless of modification, had a longer 75mm M3 cannon.
M3. Riveted hull, cast turret, side doors, Wright Continental R-975 radial engine, 340 hp. Produced from April-August 1941 to August 1942. A total of 4,924 M3 tanks were produced.
Detroit Tank Arsenal produced 3,242 M3 tanks
American Locomotive Company - 385
Baldwin Locomotive Company - 295
Pressed Steel - 501
Pulman - 500.
Some cars, due to a shortage of Continental engines, were equipped with Guiberson diesel engines, and “(Diesel)” was added to the name of the modification.
M3A1. The successful service of cast towers made us think about a cast hull. Ballistic tests showed satisfactory results for cast armor, although it had to be made thicker to achieve the strength of rolled homogeneous armor. The slightly greater weight of the cast hull was fully compensated by the smoother surface and the absence of rivets, so disliked by tank crews. In June 1941, the Artillery Committee authorized the release of a cast upper hull. The lower part remained riveted. On October 9, 1941, this version of the tank received the name M3A1. The mechanics of the M3A1 are identical to the M3 tank. The upper hatch on the right side of the hull roof was different. In a cast hull, the hatch was located on a plane inclined backwards, and the hatch fastening loops were located in front. To make the hatch easier to open, on later cars the hatch hinges were moved back. Also, on later models there were no side doors, and an escape hatch was added to the floor at the right rear. The pistol embrasure on the rear wall of the fighting compartment was removed.
M3A1 was produced by the American Locomotive Company in February-August 1942. 300 units were produced.
From July 2 to October 8, 1941, the Guberson T-1400-2 diesel engine was tested in Aberdeen for the M3A1 series tank. This tank was sent as a sample for production, and instead they continued testing with another M3A1. On April 30, 1942, the first tank was returned to Aberdeen and tested until June 23, 1942. The engine was then dismantled and examined. Although the tank's range almost doubled, the Guberson T-1400-2 required frequent repairs and proved unreliable. Aberdeen did not recommend using this engine and suggested further development of it. A decree was issued that Guberson should be abandoned as soon as other engines became available. For this reason, the American Locomotive Company produced only 28 M3A1s with the Guberson T-1400-2. These cars had "(Diesel)" in their names.
M3A2. The mechanics are identical to the M3. The entire hull was welded, which met the new Ordnance Department requirement of September 1941. Ballistic tests showed that a welded hull, with slightly less weight, provided better protection than a riveted one. Even when the shell did not penetrate the armor, rivets flew dangerously into the tank. The welded body was cheaper and assembled faster. The Baldwin Locomotive Company began production in January 1942, but a new engine was adopted in March, when 12 units had been produced.
M3A3. Due to the fact that the air-cooled Continental engine was required not only by tank building, but also by aviation, there was a shortage of engines for the M3. In August 1941, a successful attempt was made to install in the M3 a block of two conventional automobile diesel engines General Motors 6-71, 375 hp. The new power plant was called Model 6046. Each motor in the block worked independently and could, if necessary, independently move the tank. The new engine took up more space than the radial engine, therefore, to protect the rear-mounted radiators, it was necessary to increase the rear and side armor down to the level of the tracks, and the rear fox was tilted 10 degrees from the vertical. The rear one-piece armor plate replaced the access doors to the engine compartment. Since the ventilation air flow and exhaust gases were now raising a lot of dust from the ground, reflectors had to be installed. Cooling air entered through two louvered hatches above the engine compartment. The larger size of the new engine forced the engine compartment to be increased by 12 inches at the expense of the fighting compartment. The diesel's fuel economy has reduced fuel capacity to 148 gallons while increasing range to approximately 160 miles. The new diesel engine was tested on the M3 tank with serial number 28 from Detroit Tank Arsenal. In October 1941, a new engine was approved as an alternative to the Continental R-975. The diesel engine dramatically reduced the fire hazard that was inherent in the aircraft Continental R-975, which ran on 92 octane gasoline.
Initially, the Artillery Committee standardized a tank with a diesel engine as the M3A3, but then only vehicles with a welded hull fell under this designation.
The tank has a welded hull. On later models, the side doors are welded or missing. Weight increased to 28,600 kg, top speed increased to 29 mph (about 47 km/h). From January to December 1941 Baldwin Locomotive Company produced 322 tanks.
M3A4. Concerned about engine shortages, William Knudsen commissioned Chrysler to develop a new engine that could be quickly produced using existing production facilities. On November 15, 1941, the first test engine was installed on the M3. It was a Chrysler A-57 Multibank, a multi-block of five automobile 6-cylinder engines connected in a star-shaped configuration, with a total power of 425 hp. at 2850 rpm. To accommodate the power multiblock, the engine compartment had to be lengthened by 11 inches, while the rear upper armor plates of the hull were moved back by 15 inches. The entire multiblock was cooled by one radiator from above at the rear of the engine compartment. The two vertical fuel tanks had to be removed, but in exchange each of the two tanks in the sponsons was increased to 80 gallons. The new longer body forced the middle and rear bogies with road wheels to be moved back. The spacing has increased by 6 inches, and the track has been lengthened from 79 to 83 tracks. The weight of the tank increased to 29,000 kg. There were no side doors, there were three fans on the roof, and the support rollers, which previously stood in the middle at the top of the frame of the wheel pair support bogies, were moved back behind the bogies.
In December 1941, the Artillery Committee standardized the tank as the M3A4.
In February 1942, the M3A4 was delivered to the Aberdeen Proving Ground for testing. After 42 hours of operation different types roads, the engine was replaced with a serial one and testing continued. A total of three engines were tested until October 1942, and the test results influenced changes in production samples.
In June-August 1942, Detroit Tank Arsenal produced 109 M3A4 tanks, after which it switched to assembling medium M4A4 tanks. On the new tank, this company installed a multiblock engine from the M3A4.
M3A5. Identical to the M3A3 modification, but with a riveted body instead of a welded one. The side doors were welded shut or eliminated on later cars. In January-November 1942 Baldwin Locomotive Company produced 591 tanks.
special purpose vehicles based on M3 series tanks
Mine Exploder T1 (for M3 Medium Tank)- trawl for detonating mines. It consisted of two rollers mounted in front of the tank and one at the rear. The mine trawl was originally developed for the M2A1 in early 1942. In practice it turned out to be unsuccessful.
M3 with E3 Flame-gun- instead of the 37mm cannon, a flamethrower was installed, and the 75mm gun was dismantled. The E2 flamethrower was originally developed for the M2 medium tank. The development did not progress beyond testing.
M3 with E5R2-M3 Flame-gun- portable flamethrower for quick installation in field conditions instead of a machine gun in the commander's cupola. The flamethrower was originally designed to be placed in the ball mount of the Kuros machine gun on the M3A1 light tank. A container for 10 gallons of flammable liquid was inside the tank. This flamethrower could also be installed in the M5 light tank.
Shop Tractor T10- British CDL tank made in the USA. In May-December 1943, the American Locomotive Company converted 355 M3A1 tanks. They did not take part in the battles.
Heavy Tractor T16- M3, converted into an artillery tractor. The turret and sponson were dismantled, and a winch was added at the rear for towing the gun. At the beginning of 1942, tests showed that the vehicle had little space for artillery crews and ammunition. The project did not progress beyond the prototype.
Tank Recovery Vehicle T2 (M31)- ARV based on the standard M3. The weapons were dismantled and replaced with dummy barrels; a winch, a crane boom, and tool boxes were installed at the rear. In September 1942 it was produced as "limited procuremet" (limited production), and in December 1943 it was renamed M31 and standardized as "limited standard" (limitedly suitable). ARVs converted from M3A3 tanks were called M31 B1, and M3A5 conversions were called M31B2.
Full-Track Pime Mover M33- tractor for 155mm guns. Converted from M31 ARV in 1943-44. The turret and crane were removed, but an air compressor and hoses were added to connect to the braking system on the artillery carriage of the towed gun. A 50cal anti-aircraft machine gun was installed on the roof of the tractor body. The pilot was called T1.
There was a similar tractor - Tractor 44, which was distinguished by a commander's cupola on the sponson.
3in Gun Motor Carriage T24- an attempt to convert the M3 tank into a tank destroyer with a 3-inch (76mm) gun. The turret, sponson and hull roof were removed from the M3 tank, but the vehicle was too tall and complex for rapid mass production. Development of the T24 began in September 1941, and the project was closed in March 1942.
3in Gun Motor Carriage T40 (M9)- an attempt to install a decommissioned 3-inch M1918 anti-aircraft gun on a T24 GMC. Since only 50 guns were available, in December 1941 it was proposed to produce only 50 of these tank destroyers. In April 1942, the car was standardized as the M9 GMC "limited standard" and an order was issued for the production of 50 units. Moreover, only 28 obsolete anti-aircraft guns remained in stock, and even before the final execution of the order for the M9 GMC, the industry had mastered more modern fighter M10 GMC tanks. As a result, the M9 GMC was abandoned in August 1942.
40mm Gun Motor Carriage T36- project of an anti-aircraft installation with a 40mm cannon on an M3 chassis. It was created at the suggestion of the Air Defense Directorate, published in October-November 1941. The vehicle turned out to be too poorly armed and difficult to manufacture, so the project was closed.
experimental vehicles based on the M3 tank
M3E1. The M3 tank was actively used to test various components before installation on the M4, which is a technically similar design. Since one of the main problems of American medium tanks was the frequent shortage of engines, they decided to test the engine for the Sherman on the M3. A liquid-cooled V12 Ford aircraft engine was adapted for installation in the tank. After modification, the number of cylinders was reduced to 8, and the power was 50 hp. at 2600 rpm. On December 19, 1942, the Artillery Committee assigned the M3 tank with the tested engine the designation M3E1. The tests in Aberdeen were successful and the engine adopted for service began to be installed on M4A3 tanks. The 4-stroke Ford GAA, V8, with a volume of 18 cubic liters, provided normal power of 450 hp. at 2600 rpm and maximum 500 hp. at 2600 rpm.
M3A5E1. Experts from the Aberdeen Proving Ground recommended installing an automatic transmission on medium tanks. At the beginning of January 1942, such a machine appeared, designated M3A5E1. The prototype had a twin General Motors diesel engine and two Hydramatic hydraulic transmissions. Tests in Aberdeen showed the advantages of the M3A5E1 over the M3 and M3A5 tanks. The new transmission provided greater acceleration, better driving comfort and greater stability of the gun platform.
As a result, the M3A5E2 ye tank appeared with one powerful Hydramatic transmission.
M3 tank with serial number 935 used for suspension tests. The M3 and M4 initially used a reliable VVSS design with a vertical suspension spring. However, at high speed the ride became very harsh, so the spring in the support trolley was placed horizontally, which made it possible to use shock absorbers. The horizontal spring design was called HVSS and began to be installed on M4 series tanks.
In addition, experiments were carried out with changing the sloth to increase the contact of the caterpillar with the ground and, accordingly, reduce the specific pressure of the tank on the ground. The project did not progress beyond testing.
M3A1E1. The constant shortage of engines for medium tanks led to the creation of the Lycoming T1300 engine, which consisted of three 6-cylinder engines in a single block, with a total volume of 1300 cubic inches and a power of 560 hp. For testing, this multiblock was installed on the M3A1 tank with serial number 1986. In February 1942, the prototype was named M3A1E1. Tests showed that the Lycoming T1300 provided the most higher speed- 40 mph. Nevertheless, the power plant turned out to be very complex and extremely inconvenient, for example, to replace the spark plug it was necessary to dismantle the engine. When the tests came to an end, other engines were already available, so the project was closed.
M3 and Lend-Lease
The Americans sent almost two-thirds of the Lee M3s produced under Lend-Lease to the UK and the USSR. The Soviet Union received 812 M3 Lee tanks in 1942 and 164 tanks in 1943. It is worth noting that in 1943, 12 M3s tanks were raised from a sunken transport in the Arctic Ocean, after which one tank was dismantled for spare parts and 11 entered the troops of the Karelian Front. Tanks raised from the bottom of the sea did not appear in any way in the Soviet documents of the admission committees of the GBTU KA. Along with these machines, in 1943 the USSR received 175 M3 Lee. In total, out of 1,386 M3 tanks sent, the Soviet Union received 976 vehicles, and in 1942 several M2 tanks arrived under the M3 brand.
In 1942-43, American M3 Lee tanks were actively used on almost all fronts as part of individual tank battalions, regiments and brigades. Climax combat use M3 Lee was produced in the summer-autumn of 1942. M3 Lee also took part in the legendary tank battle near Kursk. On July 1, 1943, the 48th A of the Central Front had 83 of these tanks: 30 in the 45th separate tank regiment in the Saburov area and 55 M3 in the 193rd separate tank regiment near Petrovka. One M3 Lee participated in the war with Japan as part of the Transbaikal Front.
Tanks raised from the bottom Arctic Ocean, after a year spent under water, they were repaired and sent to the 91st separate tank regiment of the 14th Army of the Karelian Front.
The Americans sent 2,653 M3 tanks, 49 M3A3 tanks, and 185 M3A5 tanks to Great Britain.
In addition, America sent 77 M3A3 and 23 M3A5 to other countries.
| deliveries of M3 tanks to other countries, as of September 1, 1945 | ||||
| car | England | USSR | other countries | Total |
| medium tank M3 | 2.653 | 1.386 | - | 4.039 |
| medium tank M3A3 | 49 | - | 77 | 126 |
| medium tank M3A5 | 185 | - | 23 | 208 |
| tanks shipped did not always mean tanks received, since the enemy sometimes sank Allied transports | ||||
topic navigation
sources
Peter Chamberlen and Chris Ellis -- British and American Tanks of World War Two--Silverdale Books, 2004
Jim Mesko -- M3 Lee/Grant In Action-- Squadron/Signal, Armor Number 33
Hunnicutt, R.P. -- A History of the American Medium Tank. Sherman-- Presidio Press, 1994
Bryan Perrett -- British Tanks in N.Africa 1940-42-- Osprey Publishing
M. Kolomiets, I. Moshchansky -- Lend-Lease tanks--Exprint, 2000
Bryan Perrett -- The Lee/Grant Tanks in British Service-- Osprey, Vanguard 6
In relation to this car, the proverb “The first pancake is lumpy” sounds very appropriate. The fact is that at the time of the adoption of the American National Arms Program in June 1940, the United States simply did not have a medium tank that could be put into mass production. According to the requirements of the document, it was assumed that America should produce 14.5 tanks per day by the end of 1940, but in reality it was not very clear what kind of tank to build at all. The medium M2 that existed at that time, ready for production, had already become a completely unsuitable candidate due to the extremely weak 37 mm gun. 92 examples of its modification, the M2A1, were produced from January to August 1940 solely as a temporary measure until the new tank was designed and standardized.
So, the army was categorically not satisfied with the 37-mm M2 cannon. The commander of the US infantry forces demanded that the new tank be equipped with a minimum 75 mm caliber gun. This problem had to be solved quickly, but the American designers simply did not have a turret capable of accommodating a gun of this caliber. Purely for the sake of saving time, the designers resorted to a deliberately losing solution and presented representatives of the Tank Committee with a wooden model of a tank with a 75 mm caliber gun mounted in a sponson located on the right side of the hull. This “ingenious” design solution made life very difficult for the tank crews, because it did not allow them to fire in a circular manner. The tank had to pretend to be a top.
To the credit of the designers, they obviously did not consider the new tank to be successful and positioned it as a temporary measure until the appearance of a tank with a 75-mm cannon in a full-fledged rotating turret. The military decided that about three and a half hundred M3 vehicles would be produced, and after that production would be reoriented to tanks with normal rotating turrets.
The issue of building tanks at that time was generally extremely painful for America. It simply did not have the necessary production capacity. There was only one small state plant, Rock Island Arsenal, which could not meet the growing demands of the armed forces. It was necessary to attract private contractors. The choice was between heavy engineering enterprises and automobile concerns. The decision was made in favor of the second option, since heavy engineering is more intended for the production of relatively piecemeal products. Automotive companies were no strangers to “driving the flow.” Chrysler was offered to build a specialized tank plant in Michigan in half with the state. At the same time, the state became the owner of the enterprise, and Chrysler itself had to manage it. In addition, the new plant was expected to closely cooperate with Rock Island Arsenal, which was supposed to ensure compliance with the equipment and technology of the future tank.
The development of the M3 began with designers from Aberdeen. The new tank received an engine similar to the M2 and the same suspension. The homogeneous rolled armor was reinforced and riveted, like the M2. The turret and sponson were cast. To reduce the risk of injury to the crew from small fragments and splashes of scale, the fighting compartment was covered on the inside with porous rubber.
The crew initially numbered seven people. They had to climb inside the vehicle and leave it through the side doors and hatches in the sponson and in the commander's cupola. The tank had a very good view. The weight of the car was 31 tons.
By February 1941, the design of a new tank was ready and the tank plant in Michigan was almost completed. All that remained was to translate the idea into metal and conduct field tests. The prototype arrived at the Aberdeen training ground on March 13, 1941. Tests revealed a number of shortcomings: excessive gas pollution in the fighting compartment, vulnerability of the doors on the sides, a high probability of the gun jamming in the sponson from being hit by an enemy shell, and weak suspension. All this had to be eliminated. But the turret drives and the gun stabilizer performed well. Even when zigzagging over uneven terrain, the gunner found it easy to aim.
As a result of the modifications, instead of doors, an evacuation hatch appeared in the bottom, one crew member was excluded from the crew, a telescopic sight was installed instead of a periscope, and many more changes were made. And in August 1941, the M3 tank was finally put into production. In total, from August 1941 to December 1942, more than 3.5 thousand tanks of this type were produced.
In addition to the fact that the tank was put into service with the American army, the British also purchased it. They named their tank “Grant”, and the Americans named it “Lee”, after the names of the generals who took part in the American Civil War.
As already mentioned, the M3 was produced exclusively “for lack of anything better.” And therefore most of the cars went under Lend-Lease to Britain and the USSR. The Soviet Union received 976 vehicles, distributed among individual tank battalions, regiments and brigades. The American tank took part in combat operations on all fronts, took part in the Battle of Kursk, and one vehicle even reached the Far East. But the M3 was not very popular in the Red Army. It had insufficient cross-country ability, a too high silhouette and rubber-metal tracks that burned out as soon as the car ran into a fire. A stationary tank became an easy target for enemy guns. Often the tracks simply fell off. Huge complaints were caused by the layout of the gun in the sponson, which made it much more difficult for the tank to fire at the enemy. All these shortcomings led to the fact that in the Soviet troops the M3 received the sad nickname BM-6 - “mass grave for six.”
In the Allied forces, the M3 was already completely replaced by the Sherman by 1944; in the Soviet forces, they also got rid of it to the best of their ability. But even after the war in Southeast Asia, these tanks continued to be used in combat. A lot of other equipment was also developed on their basis - from self-propelled guns to engineering vehicles.
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M3 "Lee"/"Grant"
M3 "Lee"/"Grant"
American medium M3
History of creation
The US entry into the First World War was very late, which brought them many different benefits. Expecting that the war would last a few more years, American military experts made the absolutely correct conclusion that tanks are needed in this war: heavy breakthrough tanks and light “cavalry” tanks. The first corresponded to the British Mk tanks, and the second to the French FT-17. On their basis, American designers (together with the British) created their heavy tank Mk VIII, which became the crown of heavy tank building in the First World War, and the light two-seater tank "Ford M 1918", also known as " Ford Z-x ton" due to its mass. These machines were created taking into account both their own combat experience, and the experience of the British and French. 1,500 Mk VIII tanks were ordered, called "Liberti" or "International", since the tank was created on two continents, and 15,000 Ford M 1918 tanks. However, only one Mk VIII tank and 15 Ford M 1918 vehicles were produced for the armistice. After which their production was stopped.
At the end of the war, the American General Rockenback tried to reorganize the tank units so that they became an independent branch of the military. He was supported by his combat commanders Major Georg Patgon, Sereno Brett and Dwight Eisenhower. But in 1920, the American Congress passed the National Defense Act, according to which the creation of tank units as a separate branch of the military was prohibited. The existing tank units, as well as all management of the development of new vehicles, were transferred to the commander of the infantry of the American army, in whose apparatus a tank commission was created. As a result, the idea of an “armored strike” was buried, and the cavalry did not switch to tanks and retained their horses. True, in 1931 the commission for the mechanization of cavalry began to work on tanks, which gave a certain impetus to design research. However, until the start of World War II, the American army, in fact, did not receive any successful tanks for itself.
Experienced medium tank T1
Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, American mechanized forces at Fort Meade in Maryland continued to consist of World War I tanks and light American-made Renaults.
Work on the advanced design of tanks, however, was still carried out both by a number of private firms and at the state arsenal in Rock Island in Illinois at an artillery factory. The first two designs, which appeared in 1921 and 1922, were medium tanks, very similar to their progenitor, the British D tank. But they had a rotating turret and a 57 mm gun. The third (medium tank Tl, created in Rock Island in 1926) had a mass of 23 tons, which exceeded the 15 tons established by the task, selected from the load-carrying capacity of the bridges. Engine 220 hp provided speeds of up to 20 km/h. The tank's armament consisted of one 57-mm cannon, coaxial with a machine gun, main tower and one more machine gun in a small turret mounted on top of the main one, in its rear part. The tank's hull was made of armor one inch (25.4 mm) thick. This tank was considered too slow by the military. In 1930, the T2 tank was built. With a mass of 15 tons, which fully corresponded to the task, a more powerful “Liberti” with a capacity of 312 hp was used. The tank's armament consisted of a 47-mm cannon and a heavy machine gun located in the hull, a 37-mm cannon and a coaxial conventional-caliber machine gun installed in the turret. Externally, this tank was very similar to the English 12-ton tank "Vickers Medium Mk I", which was actually chosen as the prototype. All these tanks were transferred for testing to a mixed mechanized unit, which was based at Fort Eustis in Virginia and consisted of military vehicles, cavalry and mechanized artillery. Subsequently, another tank unit was created at Fort Noko, Kentucky. But this did not produce real results for the development of American tank forces.
At the same time, tank designer J. Walter Christie, nicknamed the “eccentric” by the American military, worked in the United States - a man as talented as he was quarrelsome and enthusiastic. He presented the Department of Armaments with several samples of his wheeled-tracked tanks and self-propelled guns. Army officials, notable for their usual distrust, purchased only five tanks from him for military testing, after which his vehicles were rejected. But in other countries these designs were regarded as promising! Christie's ideas were used in the USSR, Great Britain and Poland. In the USSR alone, about 10 thousand wheeled-tracked tanks of various modifications were produced, based on Christie tanks. Even the legendary T-34 used its suspension.
So, in search, the 30s passed. Experimental models of medium tanks TZ, T4, T5 and their various modifications were created, but none of the medium tanks were ever produced in series.
It was September 1, 1939. In 18 days, German tank wedges passed through Poland and met with tank wedges of the Red Army, which was carrying out the Liberation Campaign in Western Ukraine and Belarus. The further war in Europe, which ended with the defeat of the French and English armies at Dunkirk, showed the United States that war was on the doorstep and they would not be able to sit overseas, but would have to fight in earnest.
Experienced medium tank T2
Experienced medium tanks T1 and T2
It immediately became obvious that America was far behind in the development of tank forces. The reaction came quickly. Already in July 1940, General George Marshall and General Staff ordered General Edn R. Chaffee to withdraw all armored units from the infantry and cavalry units and form two tank divisions with support battalions. And, if on June 30, 1940, the National Army Support Program was adopted, then already on July 10, General Chaffee began to form new armored units. All tanks produced went only to him. To arm the divisions, it was planned to produce 1000 tanks, and production was supposed to reach 10 vehicles per day.
The M2A1 medium tank of the 1939 model, the M2 tank, is urgently being put into service. This tank was designed in Rock Island and represented further development medium experimental tank T5. Weighing 17.2 tons, the M2 tank had armor 1 inch thick, a 37 mm Mb cannon and 8 7.62 mm Browning Ml 919 A4 machine guns along the perimeter of the hull and in the turret. Nine-cylinder "Wright Continental R-975" with 350 hp. provided him with speeds of up to 26 mph (42 km/h). The M2A1 tank had 1 inch and a quarter (32 mm) armor, an enlarged turret and a 400 hp engine, which made it possible to maintain speed despite the increased weight. they looked old-fashioned with high straight sides and were poorly armed for medium tanks, since they were already produced for the army with the same 37 mm cannon and two or three 7.62 mm machine guns.
In June 1940, Lieutenant General William Nudsen, founder of the General Motors Corporation and head of the national defense program K.T. Keller (who is also the president of the Chrysler Corporation) decided not to produce M2A1 tanks at their factories, since this required a complete restructuring of production, since they believed that they could earn more money by supplying cars to the army. And they intended to transfer the order for tanks to the American Locomotive Company and Baldvin concerns. What was quite unexpected for them was the allocation of $21 million for this production, including funding for the construction of a new tank factory. K.T. Keller assured General Wesson, the chief of artillery of the US Army, that the Chrysler Corporation was able to produce tanks. It was assumed that 1,741 tanks would be produced in 18 months. The Chrysler concern was given only 4.5 months to rebuild production and submit a project for the construction of an arsenal completely independent of suppliers.
When the Rock Island Arsenal built two prototypes of the M2A1 tank, General Wesson allowed Chrysler engineers to study them. On July 17, 1940, one M2A1 tank from the Chrysler concern was valued at 33.5 thousand dollars, a price that the artillery committee, out of caution, accepted as “floating.” Within a month, the contract was worked out and signed on August 15. 1,000 M2A1 tanks were to be delivered to the US Army by August 1940, and their production was to begin no later than September 1941. This date was set by the Chrysler concern itself, considering a month to be quite sufficient time to prepare production for the release of new products.
The first tanks from the Chrysler factories were two wooden mock-ups of the M2A1, made according to drawings received from Rock Island. But on August 28, 1940, the order for 1000 M2A1 tanks was canceled, although 18 were still produced. Some of them were sent to Western Sahara. We were unable to find information about their participation in the battles. In 1941, a flamethrower was installed on one of the tanks instead of a cannon, and the fire mixture was mounted in the stern. This one received the M2E2 index, but remained a prototype.
By this time, based on the results of the discussion about the possible arming of the M2A1 tank with a 75-mm gun (which was envisaged in the design of the T5Ё2 tank, cited by General Gaffis from the Artillery Department in Aberdeen), a new “unplanned” tank was created. The landfill design department developed all the necessary documentation in just three months. The vehicle was given the designation MZ and the name "General Lee", in honor of Robert Edward Lee (1807-1870), commander-in-chief of the Southern army in the Civil War of the North and South of 1861-1865. in USA.
The designers of the MZ tank installed a 75-mm gun in the side sponson on the right side of the hull, as on tanks from the First World War. This reflected a certain lack of confidence among the designers in their abilities and a reluctance to abandon their view of the tank as a moving dog. A 37-mm gun, coaxial with a machine gun, was mounted in a cast rotating turret, shifted to the left side. Another machine gun was located in a small turret on top.
The design was archaic in all respects. Note that the Soviet tank, created back in 1931, under the leadership of the German designer Grotte, had a similar design, with a cannon in the body. But the MZ was superior to all British tanks, even the Churchill Mk I, which had a 75-mm gun located in the hull between the tracks, and a 2-pounder (40 mm) gun in the turret. The French B-1 bis tank, which also had multi-tiered armament, was also inferior to the Lee.
Work on the construction of the Chrysler tank plant began on September 9, 1940 on section 113 of the Detroit suburb of Waren Townshire. The government subsidized this construction, which occupied an area of about 77 thousand acres. All preparatory work were completed by January 1941, when engineers from the Chrysler concern, together with engineers from the American Locomotive Company and Baldvin concerns, worked out the technological processes. Experimental tanks from these companies began to be tested on April 11, 1941. The first Chrysler tank was donated to the government, the next was sent to the Aberdeen Proving Ground for testing on May 3, and another was kept as a sample for the selection committee. Serial production of General Lee tanks began on July 8, 1941. The approval of the Lend-Lease regulations on March 8 of the same year lifted all restrictions on the supply of tanks to Great Britain and the USSR, and new tanks immediately went overseas. This gave impetus to all companies to increase the production of armored vehicles. The companies PulIman-Standart Car Company, Pressed Stell and Lima Lokomotive were involved in its production. The MZ tank was produced for just over a year, from July 8, 1941 to August 3, 1942. During this time, the Chrysler concern produced 3352 MZ tanks of various modifications, American Locomotive Company - 685 units, Baldvin - 1220 units, Pressed Stell - 501 units, Pullman - Standard Car Company - 500 , a total of 6258 cars of various modifications. In addition, the Canadian company "Montreal Lokomotive company" produced 1157 MZ tanks for the Canadian army. In August 1942, all enterprises switched to the production of M4 Sherman tanks. However, the Baldvin company continued producing MZ tanks of the third and fifth modifications until December 1942.
MZ tank design
MZ tanks of all modifications had such an original appearance that it was difficult to confuse them with other models.
According to its design, the tank was a vehicle from the First World War, with the gun located in the side sponson, as on the English tanks Mk I, Mk VIII, and instead of a stationary wheelhouse, it was rotating. The engine was located at the rear, at the front, under the rotating floor of the turret. Between them is the fighting compartment. The engine was connected to the transmission by a driveshaft. Under the shaft were the engine control rods. All this was covered with a removable casing. The transmission parts were installed in a cast armored housing, made of three parts, bolted together through flanges. They formed a very characteristic bow end of the tank. All this was also attached to the tank body with bolts, which was the same for all modifications. The same design was used on early models of the M4 Sherman tank. The tank hull was made of flat sheets. The thickness of the armor was the same on all models and was: two inches (51mm) for the frontal armor, one and a half inches (38mm) for the side and rear plates, half an inch (12.7mm) for the hull. The bottom had a variable thickness: from half an inch (12.7 mm) under the engine to one inch (25.4 mm) in the area of the fighting compartment. The walls of the tower had armor - two inches and a quarter (57mm), and the roof - seven-eighths of an inch (22mm). The front plate was installed at an angle of 60 degrees to the horizontal, the side and rear plates were installed vertically. The armor plates were attached with rivets (modifications MZ, MZA4, MZA5) or by welding (modifications MZA2 and MZAZ) to the internal frame. The MZA1 tank had a completely cast hull. However, due to the complexity of manufacturing, only three hundred cars were produced. On the right side of the hull, a cast sponson with a 75 mm gun was installed, which did not extend beyond the dimensions of the hull. The height of the sponson, along with the size of the engine, determined the height of the tank. A cast turret with a 37-mm gun rose above the hull, shifted to the left; it was crowned with a small turret with a machine gun. The resulting pyramid was over 3 m - ten feet and three inches (3214 mm). The length of the tank was eighteen feet and six inches (5639 mm), width - eight feet eleven inches (2718 mm), ground clearance - seventeen and one eighth inches (435 mm). But the tank turned out to have a spacious fighting compartment, and is still considered one of the most comfortable. The inside of the hull was covered with sponge rubber to protect the crew from small fragments of armor. Doors were installed on the sides, and there were hatches on top and in the machine-gun turret. This ensured quick landing of the crew, and most importantly, convenient evacuation of the wounded from the tank through the side doors, although the doors reduced the strength of the hull. Each crew member had viewing slots and embrasures for firing personal weapons, protected by armored visors. On the aft plate of the hull there was a double door for access to the engine, the joint of the doors was closed with a narrow strip of bolts. There were two air filters on the sides and top of the door. They were round and box-shaped. On the above-engine plate there were air intakes covered with meshes and upper hatch doors. Hatches at the top and rear made it easier to access the engine during maintenance. An entrenching tool, tow rope, tarpaulin, canisters, spare rollers were attached to the engine plate, and spare tracks were mounted on the fenders. Often infantry helmets were also located there. Sometimes the tool was fixed to the stern plate.
The MZ tanks, both "General Lee" and "General Grant", modifications MZA1, MZA2 and all vehicles based on them were equipped with an aviation star-shaped nine-cylinder carburetor engine "Wright Continental" R 975 EC2 or modification C1 with a power of 340 hp. It provided the 27-ton tank with a top speed of up to 26 mph (42 km/h) and, with a transportable fuel supply of 175 gallons (796 liters), 120 miles (192 km). The disadvantages of the engine include its high fire hazard, since it ran on high-octane gasoline, and difficulty in maintenance, especially for the cylinders located at the bottom. But in 1941 it was the only engine that satisfied tank builders. Since March 1942, the Baldvin company began installing water-cooled General Motors 6-71 6046 automobile diesel engines on MZ tanks, but with two engines each with a total power of 375 hp, which increased the weight of the tank by 1.3 tons, but due to greater power and efficiency, speed and range increased slightly. These tanks were designated MZAZ and MZA5. In June 1942, the Chrysler concern installed a new 30-cylinder multi-row water-cooled Chrysler A 57 engine on the tank. The installation of this engine not only increased the weight of the tank by two tons, but also the length of the hull and, as a consequence, the length of the tracks. Speed and power reserve were maintained. The British, on the MZ tanks in service in their army, could, during operation, replace standard American engines with English Guiberson radial diesel engines. At the same time, no alterations to the hull were made.
The driver, even on tanks delivered to England, was located in front on the left. The dashboard was equipped with: speedometer, tachometer, ammeter, voltmeter, fuel consumption indicator, thermometer and clock. The tank was controlled using the gear shift lever, brake pedals, accelerator and handbrake.
The chassis of the tank was a rubber-metal track supported by three bogies on board. The support trolley had a welded frame, onto which, through two spiral vertical springs, a rocker arm with two rubber-coated support rollers was attached. A support roller was installed on top of the frame. Track rollers were made with both solid discs and spokes. This support trolley was also used on medium tanks M2 and the first samples of M4
The caterpillar drive was carried out through a sprocket, which was located in the front part of the hull and had two removable ring gears, secured with bolts. At the rear there is a guide roller with a tension crank mechanism, which was also bolted to the body.
The tracks were rubber-metal and had 158 tracks, 16 inches (421 mm) wide and 6 inches (152 mm) long each; on MZA4 tanks there were 166 pieces each, due to the elongated hull. The track was a rubber plate with a metal frame pressed inside it, through which two metal tubular axles passed, onto which connecting brackets with a fang were put on, connecting the tracks into a caterpillar. For each track, there were two fangs that went around the rollers of the support trolley. The drive sprocket grabbed the track by the connecting brackets. The rubber plate of the track was smooth. The last tanks were equipped with a plate with chevron protrusions, which was also installed on the M4 General Sherman tanks.
The MZ tank had fairly strong weapons. The main firepower is a 75 mm gun mounted in the sponson. This gun was designed at the Westerflute Arsenal based on the 75 mm French field gun Puteaux and Dupont, Model 1897, adopted by the US Army after the First World War. The gun, which received the M2 index, had a barrel length of 118 inches (Zm), was equipped with a aiming stabilizer, a semi-automatic bolt, and a system for purging the barrel after firing. The aiming stabilization system on the MZ tank was used for the first time in the world and subsequently served as a prototype for similar systems for tanks of many armies around the world. The vertical aiming angles were 14 degrees; in the horizontal plane, the gun was aimed by turning the entire tank. Vertical aiming of the gun was carried out both by electro-hydraulic drive and manually. The ammunition was located in the sponson and on the floor of the tank.
However, when installing the M2 cannon on the tank, it turned out that it extended beyond the front line of the hull. This greatly alarmed the military, who were afraid that the tank might get caught on something while moving. At their request, the barrel length was reduced to 92 inches (2.33 m), which reduced the combat characteristics of the gun. Such a truncated gun was assigned the index MZ, and when mounted in a tank, in order not to redo the stabilization system, a counterweight was put on the barrel, similar in appearance to the muzzle. By the way, a similar story happened with Soviet tank T-34. At the request of the military, the designers reduced the original length of the F34 cannon barrel by 762 mm, thereby reducing its power by 35%. But the gun did not protrude beyond the dimensions of the tank! It seems that the conservatism of the military depends neither on the nation nor on the social system.
The 37 mm gun was created in the same arsenal in 1938. The M3 tank was equipped with its modifications M5 or M6, in a turret rotating 360 degrees. The vertical aiming angles made it possible to fire at low-flying aircraft. A coaxial machine gun was also installed in the turret, and on top there was a small turret that rotated 360 degrees with another machine gun. The turret had a rotating floor with walls that separated the fighting compartment into a separate compartment. The gun's ammunition was located in the turret and on a rotating platform.
The 37 mm gun could hit armor up to an inch and seven-eighths (48 mm) thick from a distance of 500 yards, and the 75 mm gun could hit two and a half inches of armor tilted 30 degrees to the vertical.
Both guns were equipped with periscope optical sights. For the 75 mm gun it was located on the roof of the sponson and allowed direct fire up to 1000 yards (914 m).
The tank was equipped with four 0.30-inch (7.62 mm) Browning machine guns, Model 1919, which were used on tanks back in the First World War. One machine gun was located in the machine gun turret. But for some reason the British did not like it, and this turret was not installed on General Grant tanks. Moreover, on the General Lees that were in the British army, this turret was removed and replaced with a turret. The second machine gun was coaxial with a 37 mm gun. Two more were fixedly fixed in the body, in front of the driver. The crew was also armed with 0.45 inch (11.43 mm) Thompson submachine guns, pistols, and grenades. In the British army, 4-inch (102 mm) grenade launchers for smoke grenades were installed on the turret.
MZ tank layout
Ammunition was 65 shells for a 75 mm cannon, 126 shells for a 37 mm cannon (139 on General Grant tanks), 4,000 rounds for machine guns, 20 magazines for machine guns, 6 grenades, 12 flares, and 8 smoke grenades .
The tank's crew consisted of 6 people. The commander was in the turret of a 37-mm gun and conducted observation from a small turret. If necessary, he fired from a machine gun. Nearby was the gunner of the 37-mm gun, and below him, in the center of the vehicle, was the loader. All of them were placed on the rotating platform of the tower. The gunner of the 76-mm gun was located inside the sponson, and next to it, in the tank body, behind the gun breech was the loader. The driver sat in front and to the left and could conduct unaimed fire from front-facing machine guns.
Modifications of the M3 tank
The basic model of the MZ tank (English designation Lee I) had an angular riveted hull, a cast turret and a star-shaped Wright Continental R 975 EC2 or C1 aviation gasoline engine, modified for installation on tanks, and was produced until August 1942. A total of 4924 tanks were manufactured, including 3243 tanks at the Chrysler factories, 385 tanks at the American Locomotive company, 295 tanks at the Baldvin plant, 501 tanks at the Pressed Stell plant, and 501 tanks at the Pullman-Standart Car Company. " - 500 pieces. The MZ tanks produced in Canada had some differences in the chassis. In total, Montreal Lokomotive Work produced 1,157 MZ tanks for the Canadian Army.
The first modification of the M3A1 tank (English designation Lee II) had a cast streamlined body and a 75-mm M2 cannon, with a shortened barrel and a counterweight at the muzzle. Other characteristics corresponded to the base model. The tanks were produced by the American Locomotive Company from February to August 1942. A total of 300 vehicles were produced.
A modification of the MZA2 tank (English designation Lee III) had a welded hull and a 75-mm gun, with a shortened barrel and counterweight. The Baldvin company produced only 12 vehicles in January 1942, after which it switched to the production of M3A3 tanks.
The modification of the M3A3 tank (English designation Lee V) differed from the M3A2 only in the engine. These tanks were equipped with two water-cooled General Motors 6-71 6046 diesel engines with a total power of 375 hp. This increased the tank's weight to 63,000 pounds (28,602 kg), but due to the greater power and efficiency of diesel engines, the speed increased to 29 mph (46 km/h) and the range increased to 160 miles (256 km). The external difference between the tank and the base model is the slightly modified shape of the engine compartment. In total, Baldvin produced 322 MZAZ tanks from March to December 1942.
The British designated the M3A3 tank as Lee IV, but with a "Wright Continental" engine, while maintaining the same hull shape. Apparently, the engines were replaced by the British during operation.
A modification of the M3A4 tank (English designation Lee VI) was produced by the Chrysler concern at the Detroit Arsenal from June to August 1942. A total of 109 vehicles were produced. The tank was distinguished by a new 30-cylinder multi-row Chrysler A 57", water-cooled engine, designed and supplied at the concern's factories. The installation of this engine increased the tank's weight to 64,000 pounds (29,056 kg) and length to 19 feet 8 inches (5995 mm), which Also caused by an increase in the length of the tracks to 166 tracks each, but the speed and range remained the same as the base model.
A modification of the M3A5 tank is the same M3A3, only with a riveted hull. Produced by Baldvin from January to November 1942 in parallel with the M3A3 tank. In total, the company made 591 tanks.
M3 tanks were delivered to Great Britain. There they dismantled the upper machine-gun turret and installed a hatch, and also applied their own camouflage.
After the approval of the Lend-Lease regulations, a commission for the purchase of weapons arrived in the United States from Great Britain, including for the purpose of selecting American armored vehicles for its own armed forces, since most of the weapons were left in France during the evacuation of Dunkirk. The commission was supposed to buy (for cash!) experimental American developments. She chose the M3 tank, but suggested changing its design: installing a new turret, abandoning the upper machine-gun turret, and installing English radio equipment. All these proposals were worked out on M2 tanks. It was decided to establish production of M3 tanks of the English model in the USA. This tank was named "General Grant", in honor of Ulysses Simpson Grant (1827-1885), commander-in-chief of the federal forces of the North in 1864-1865 during the American Civil War, and in 1869-1877 - Republican US President parties. Thus, the name of the tank reconciled the two warring sides of American society.
The General Grant tank, classified in England as a "cruising tank", had two modifications:
- "Grant I" - created on the base tank MZ
- "Grant II" - created on the chassis of the MZA5 model.
General Grant tanks had the same characteristics as the basic models, but had one less machine gun and guns without counterweights. American Browning machine guns could be replaced by British Bren or Bes machine guns. During operation, sometimes the standard engines were replaced with English Guiberson radial diesel engines.
The British converted some of the General Grant tanks into command vehicles. All weapons and turrets were removed from the tanks, a more powerful radio station, control devices, and additional equipment necessary for the work of a regiment or division commander were installed, and the tank received the designation “Grant OP/Command tank.” A very small number of tanks were converted.
In 1941, very original designs appeared, the so-called “Canal Defense Tanks”. Frightened by rumors about the preparation of crossing the English Channel by German troops, very skillfully spread by the intelligence services of Nazi Germany, the British made great efforts to create an anti-landing defense of the strait. One of the measures was the installation of powerful searchlights on the MZ tank. The turret with the 37-mm gun was removed, and a specially designed turret with an arc searchlight with a power of up to 15 million candles was installed instead. The light flux was focused through a narrow viewing slot in the turret armor. To prevent these secret vehicles from standing out too much, a fake 37 mm gun barrel was installed on the turret for camouflage. At the same time, the machine gun in the turret, the 75-mm cannon and the remaining machine guns were retained. Such tanks were intended for night combat, when the enemy is illuminated and blinded by searchlights and destroyed by on-board weapons. The work was carried out both in England, where the tank was designated "Grant CDL", and in the USA, where this tank was called "Shop Tractor T10". The work was carried out in the USA at the factories of the American Locomotive Company; from May to December 1943, 355 tanks were converted, mainly MZA1. Both in the British and American armies, these tanks were a strategic reserve and were surrounded by a veil of secrecy. But they did not have to take part in hostilities.
In 1942, the United States tried to equip the MZ with a flamethrower. On several vehicles, instead of a 37-mm cannon, it was installed in the turret, and a tank with a fire mixture was installed in the stern, according to the M2E2 model, or instead of a 75-mm cannon. The vehicles received the designation MZE2, and they remained prototypes.
What the designers failed to do, the soldiers themselves accomplished in the field. They mounted an E5R2-M3 backpack flamethrower instead of a machine gun in the top turret of the Lee tanks. Such tanks received the designation M3E5R2. We were unable to determine the number of converted tanks and the type of chassis.
Concluding the story about modifications of the MZ tank, I would like to mention the most recent of them, created in 1942. The designers abandoned the sponson and deckhouse, creating a small turret box, which was protected by thicker armor and topped with a turret with a 75 mm gun. turned out to be so successful that it was given a new index M4 and its own name - "General Sherman". But the story about this tank, which became epochal in the history of world tank building, requires a separate book. Let us only note that many elements of the new tank were tested on the MZ tanks, in particular, the chassis and engines: on the MZE1 - “Ford-GAA”, on the MZE1 - the six-cylinder “Lycoming engine”. transmission: on MZA1E1 - double hydromechanical, on MZA5E2 - single hydromechanical. Externally, the tanks did not differ from the base models.
Combat vehicles based on the M3 tank
Both in the USA and in England, work was carried out to create self-propelled guns on the chassis of the M3 tank. All standard weapons were removed from the tanks, and the armored cabin was altered to accommodate the mounted gun. In the USA, prototypes of self-propelled guns were created:
- T6, with an openly mounted 105 mm gun;
- T24, with an openly mounted 3-inch (76.2 mm) gun;
- T36, with a 40-mm anti-aircraft gun installed in a rotating, specially designed turret;
- T40/M9, with an openly mounted 3-inch M1918 anti-aircraft gun;
- M33, with a 155-mm cannon installed in a closed wheelhouse on the chassis of the T2 (M31) repair and maintenance vehicle, created on the basis of the M3A3 and M3A5 tanks. Machine guns were installed on the roof of the building;
- M44, which was a further development of the M33, with a modified wheelhouse and commander's cupola.
None of these vehicles were accepted into service.
The British managed to create a more successful design for a self-propelled 105 mm howitzer. The experimental model had the designation T32, and the serial one - M7 and its own name "Priest" (Priest) and was used in the armies of many countries.
The 105 mm M2A1 or M1A2 was openly mounted on the chassis of the M3 tank, from which the sponson, turret, and top armor plate were removed. The sponson opening was covered with an armor plate, which was fastened with rivets. An embrasure was cut into the front sheet of the cabin to install the gun barrel. A carriage was mounted in the hull, on the starboard side - with a 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun. Crew - 6 people. Armor and engine are the same as the base model. Speed 25 mph (40 km/h). Cruising range on the highway is 125 miles (210 km), on the ground - 87 miles (140 km).
The M7 self-propelled howitzer was produced in US factories from 1942 to 1945. Two prototypes were created by the Baldvin concern in February, and the M7 self-propelled gun and its modifications were produced at the American Locomotive Company, Pressed Stell and Federal Mashine & Welder factories. A total of 4,267 vehicles were produced, which performed well.
The Americans and the British paid due attention to engineering machines.
The first example of such a vehicle in the United States was the T16 artillery tractor. All weapons and the turret were removed from the M3 tank, and a winch was installed inside the hull. But the tractor was not accepted for service due to cramped conditions in the hull. Even for repair vehicles, the military demanded comfortable conditions for their maintenance.
The T2 repair and recovery vehicle became the serial model. The turret and armament were also removed from the tank, the hull was fully armored and a fixed cargo boom with a lifting capacity of 10 tons, with a winch, and large boxes for tools and spare parts were installed. The production of cars began in September 1943. Created on the chassis of the MZAZ tank, they received the designation M31V1, and on the MZAZ5 chassis - M31V2. In the British army these vehicles were designated ARV I.
The British created their ARV repair and maintenance vehicle according to the same principle: all weapons and the turret were dismantled, but the crane with a manual winch was removable. There were also boxes for tools and spare parts. The vehicle could be armed with anti-aircraft machine guns, most often a pair of 7.62 mm Bren machine guns. In the “stowed” position, the boom was removed, disassembled into several parts and secured to the sides of the hull from the outside.
To break through minefields, the Chrysler concern tried to create a special T1 minesweeper. A trawl consisting of dual disc rollers and a separate pressure roller was attached to the MZ. But this minesweeper did not show any advantages over the English Scorpion trawl, which the British mounted on MZ tanks. To do this, they had to remove the 75 mm gun from the sponson. Tanks with the "Scorpion I" trawl were designated "Grant Scorpion III", and those with the "Scorpion II" trawl - "Grant Scorpion IV". Interesting feature The design of the Scorpion II trawls was the presence of two Bedford engines driving the sweeping device. The trawl itself looked like a drum, with chains welded to it. The engines, in special armored boxes, were located in place of the aft boxes for spare parts, and their shaft drives went to the drum along the hull. Because of this, it was impossible to open the side doors, so the crew had to climb into the tanks and leave them only through the upper turret hatches, which created certain inconvenience. The dust that they raised with their chains hammering on the ground blinded the driver and made movement difficult.
The M3 tank, which entered service with the Canadian army, did not suit Canadian strategists. Brought up in the “best traditions” of English conservative military thought, they believed that to support the infantry a different tank was needed - slower, less maneuverable, more poorly armed. A "General Lee", in their opinion, was a breakthrough tank, with a powerful, 76-mm cannon, although not well located. In January 1941, an order to design a new tank was issued to Montreal Lokomotive Work. The designers used the chassis and engine from the MZ tank. But the driver was placed, according to English traffic rules, on the right. The upper part of the hull and the turret were made of cast materials of our own design. They abandoned the sponson with the 76 mm gun, and the hull became symmetrical and lower. The side doors were retained. The machine gun cupola was removed from the gun turret and installed in the front part of the hull, on the left, next to the driver. This gave it a resemblance to the Crusader tanks, the first modifications. In the turret, shifted to the starboard side, a 2-pounder (40 mm) gun, traditional for British tanks of that time, coaxial with a machine gun. But the “cunning Canadians” made such a mantlet that it was possible to install a 2.5 mm pound gun (57 mm) in it without altering it. The turret had hatches like on the M3 tank - on top, for the crew, and at the back, for dismantling the gun. The driver did not have his own hatch. There were inspection slits near the driver, on the hull doors and on the sides of the turret. The body retained doors and removable sheets with ventilation grilles for servicing the engine.
In June 1941, an experimental model of the tank, designated RAM Mk I, entered sea trials. A large order was given for these tanks, but only 50 RAM Mk I were produced, after which the tank was re-equipped with a 2.5-pounder (57 mm) gun and called the RAM Mk II. 1094 of these machines were produced. On the latest vehicles, the hull did not have side doors.
RAM tanks were only in service with Canadian Army units. Several pieces were sent to the USA for comparative testing. There they were given the index M4A5, which enabled many researchers to consider the RAM as a modification of the M4 "Sherman" tank.
With a sufficiently in-depth study of the project, the RAM tank could become a good replacement for the General Lee MZ tank, almost comparable in its characteristics to the M4 Sherman. But traditionalism of thinking, as well as weak technical base for the production of tanks, did not allow Canadian designers to take a decisive step forward and create a design designed for the future.
In parallel with the creation of the M7 self-propelled 105-mm howitzer, work was underway to install a 25-pound English field gun on the RAM tank chassis. The design, similar to the M7 self-propelled howitzer, had an open top gun mount, but the driver was located on the right, and the ammunition loading hatch was on the left. This self-propelled gun was given the name "Sexton" - "Sexton". In 1943, production began at the Montreal Lokomotive Work factories. A total of 2,150 vehicles were produced by the end of 1945.
The leadership of the armed forces of Australia, like all countries of the British Commonwealth, practically did not engage in the development and production of weapons, relying on the industrial power of Great Britain. However, the events of 1940 seriously forced us to think about our own defense. In November 1940 General base The Australian Armed Forces issued technical specifications for a tank that meets the country's industrial production capabilities. The weight of the tank was supposed to be 16 -20 tons, armament - one 2-pounder (40 mm) cannon and one 0.303 inch (7.62 mm) machine gun, armor - 2 inches (50 mm), speed up to 30 mph (54 km/h). The English cruiser tank A15 Mk.I "Crusader", which was mass-produced, corresponded to this task. But military engineers, having become acquainted with American tanks. preferred the M3 "General Lee" tank.
The introduction of this machine into production encountered great difficulties. The Australian industry did not produce 2-inch armor, nor engines of the required power, nor 76-mm tank guns. Although the tank had to be redesigned, already in January 1942 the first of three experimental vehicles entered testing, and serial production began in August. The tank received the name "cruising tank AC I "Sentinel" - "Sentinel" (AC - Australian Cruiser). Thus, it did not take much time for the Australian industry to create its own tank: only eleven months from the date of issue of the order and 22 months - from the beginning of the development of technical specifications.
The chassis of the Sentinel tank was taken from the M3, but the chassis was somewhat strengthened by installing a Hotchkiss-type suspension. The body was made cast, and the nose section with the transmission and the engine compartment cover were bolted to it, just like on the MZ. The cast turret had an armor thickness of up to 65 mm. Armament consisted of a 2-pounder (40 mm) British tank gun in the turret and two 0.303 inch (7.62 mm) water-cooled Vickers machine guns. One machine gun was installed in the frontal part of the hull, and the second was installed in the turret, coaxial with the cannon. Powerful armored casings were put on the machine guns, which gave the vehicle special kind and it became characteristic feature these tanks. consisted of three Cadillac engines in one block. It provided the tank with a specified speed of 30 mph and a range of 360 km. The periscope devices were complemented by viewing slits with armored shutters, through which it was possible to fire from personal weapons. The tank had reliable communications. The crew consisted of five people: a commander, a gunner, a loader/radio operator, a driver, and a machine gunner for a front-line machine gun. The tests revealed a number of shortcomings of the tank: the engine cooling system did not work satisfactorily, and the turret turned slowly, especially when the tank was on a slope. The weapons were also weak. Nevertheless, the success of Australian designers was obvious.
A total of 66 AC I tanks were produced. After which it was re-equipped with a 2.5-pounder (57 mm) gun and the index was changed to AC IL. In February 1943, a modification of the AC III tank with a 25-pounder (84 mm) was developed. field gun, adapted for installation in a tank turret. The design of the tower was slightly changed. The frontal plate of the hull was installed at an angle, the frontal machine gun was removed and the machine gunner was reduced in the crew. The next stage was the installation of a 17-pound (76 mm) high-rate gun of our own design on the tank. This gun had good armor penetration, and the shells had a powerful high-explosive effect. We had to increase the shoulder strap, which the design allowed, and make a new larger turret. The result was an AC IV tank comparable to the American Sherman tank. American observers noted the strong impression made by the AC III and AC IV tanks on the American military, in particular on General MacArthur. But by that time the threat of a Japanese invasion of Australia had already passed; the Australian troops, according to the allies, were sufficiently saturated with Anglo-American equipment. The production of tanks of their own design was regarded by the leadership of Great Britain and the USA as a kind of “sabotage” against Lend-Lease. Therefore, apart from the prototypes AC3 and AC4, no more new Sentinel tanks were built. The vehicles that remained in service were used until 1956 as training vehicles.
The chassis of the M7 self-propelled howitzers and the Sexton guns with their weapons removed were converted into armored personnel carriers (APCs), called "Kangaroo" (Kangaroo). In the fighting compartment, all weapons and equipment were dismantled, including anti-aircraft machine guns with a turret, the embrasure was closed with armor plates, additional armor was mounted on the sides, and seats for 16 soldiers were installed inside. Armored personnel carriers were consolidated into special units and assigned to armored units, for example, the 79th British Armored Division, which fought in Northwestern Europe. ARS "Kangaroo" armored personnel carriers were the first vehicles of this type to be widely used in the British army.
Combat use of the M3 tank
The Lee/Grant tanks occupied, in fact, an intermediate position between tanks and self-propelled artillery units, so assessing their combat effectiveness is quite difficult.
For the middle of 1941, it was one of the most heavily armed tanks, superior to all existing ones, except for the French B-Ibis, which had a 75-mm gun in the hull, and the Soviet KV-2, with a 152-mm gun in the turret. The German experimental tank "Rheinmetall NbFz" was superior to it in total mass weapons, but only five such tanks were manufactured and they were used for purely propaganda purposes.
The armament of the Lee/Grant tanks made it possible in those years to fight on equal terms with any tanks of Nazi Germany and its allies. The turret-mounted 37mm gun could hit armor up to an inch and seven-eighths (48mm) thick from a distance of 500 yards, and the sponson-mounted 75mm gun could hit two and a half inches (65mm) of armor with a slope of 30 degrees to vertical. Note that the 76-mm gun of the Soviet heavy tank KB penetrated armor 69 mm thick from a distance of 500 m and, therefore, in terms of the capabilities of fighting German tanks, these vehicles were equal.
Tank guns with a caliber of 37-50 mm and the short-barreled 75-mm cannon of the "StuG III" assault gun, known in our country as the "Artshturm", could not penetrate the frontal two-inch armor of the MZ from a distance of 500 m. In addition, from a 37-mm gun it was possible to fire at aircraft, thanks to which the tank had very effective anti-aircraft cover. The large size of the tank had a psychological impact on the enemy, especially in the countries of Southeast Asia.
The first to begin combat service were the "Canal Defense" tanks: "General Grant CDL" and "Shop Tractor T 10". They were consolidated into the 79th British Armored Division, which included Matilda CDL tanks. The division was located on the coast of the English Channel, all vehicles were in combat readiness in anticipation of the German landing. They were a strategic reserve and were classified. But there was no landing and the CDL tanks did not have to take part in the hostilities. MZ tanks received their baptism of fire in Africa.
In January 1942, German-Italian troops, under the command of General E. Rommel, launched an offensive against the 8th British Army, under the command of General N. Ritchie, in Libya and pushed it back from the city of Benghazi to the city of Ghazala. Here the front stabilized for four whole months. The British dug into the ground. Their line of trenches stretched over 40 miles from Ghazala on the Mediterranean coast to Bir Hakeim in the Kerinaka Desert. Free French infantry battalions held the defense on this flank.
Both warring sides used this lull to strengthen their troops. 8 The British army was replenished with new tanks, among them 167 MZ "General Grant". In total, there were 849 tanks in the armored units, consolidated into the 13th and 30th corps. Grant tanks were armed with units of the 4th armored brigade of the 7th armored division, the 2nd and 22nd armored brigades of the 1st armored division of the 30th corps. In addition, the corps included 149 MZ General Stuart light tanks with a 37 mm gun and 257 Crusader tanks with a 57 mm gun. The 13th Corps, consisting of the 1st and 32nd Army Tank Brigades, had 166 Valentine tanks with a 2.5-pounder (57mm) gun and 110 Matilda tanks armed with a 2-pounder (40mm) gun , but had 78 mm frontal armor. In Heliopolis, near Cairo, American instructors trained British tank crews. The British command positioned its tank units in the center of the line, awaiting frontal attacks.
General E. Rommel also received new tanks through Tripoli. His famous Afrika Korps consisted of the 15th and 20th Panzer Divisions, the 90th Light Division, as well as Italian units: the Ariet armored division and the Trieste motorized division of the 20th Corps. In total, he had 19 PzKpfw IIIJ tanks with a long-barreled 50 mm gun, 223 PzKpfw IIIF tanks with a short-barreled 50 mm gun, 40 PzKpfw IV tanks with a 75 mm gun, and 50 PzKpfw II light tanks with a 20 mm gun. The Italian units, which also included the 10th and 21st Corps, under the command of General Cruvelle, were armed with 228 M13/40 and Ml4/41 tanks with a 47-mm cannon.
On May 17, 1942, in Russia, far from Africa, German troops began an offensive near Kharkov, and on May 26, General E. Rommel launched an attack on the British.
Italian troops, under the command of General Cruwell, carried out an auxiliary strike in a 20-mile area, and the main forces of the German troops, bypassing Bir Hakeim, went through the desert to the rear of the British. The allied forces included the French, but, after stubborn fighting, they managed to get out of the encirclement.
The 3rd Royal Tank Regiment of the 4th Armored Brigade, armed with Grant tanks, tried to stop the victorious march of the Teutons. The meeting of this regiment with the 15th tank division of the Germans ended very disastrously for it. 50-mm shells did not penetrate the frontal armor of American tanks, and 37-mm shells even bounced off. While the M3, unlike the Matilda and other tanks, could easily fight the enemy from long distances. The German 15th Panzer Division was almost destroyed. The fight against the General Grant tanks was entrusted to 88-mm anti-aircraft guns and Marder-III self-propelled guns, which were the chassis of the Czechoslovak 38t tank, armed with captured Soviet 76.2-mm F-22 cannons. But the sacrifices of the tankers were in vain. British tank units operated without interaction with infantry. The brave "Tommies" lost faith in victory and retreated. By June 13, the British had about 70 serviceable tanks left. In June Tobruk was besieged. Two days later, the 33,000-strong garrison surrendered, despite large reserves of weapons, food and the possibility of support from the sea. Among the German trophies were 30 tanks, about 2 thousand cars and 1.5 thousand tons of gasoline. Having mounted infantry on British vehicles and replenished his forces with captured tanks, including the MZ, Rommel rushed forward to El Alamein, encountering virtually no resistance. The technology could not keep up with this pace. The desert was covered with cars and tanks that were out of order.
When Rommel's army approached El Alamein on July 1, it had only 26 serviceable tanks. Another “miracle” happened. Rommel stopped. During a month of fighting, German-Italian troops covered about 600 km and practically defeated the 8th British Army, whose losses reached 80 thousand people. Although the British still had more than 100 tanks in Egypt, they did not think of resisting, built fortifications near Cairo and Alexandria and evacuated headquarters and rear units from Egypt.
In July-August, local battles took place near El-Alamey, and the sides increased their forces. In June, the US government decides to urgently send 300 of the latest M4 General Sherman tanks and 100 Priest self-propelled guns, as well as aviation and artillery, to Egypt. In August, General G. Alexander, 8th Army B. Montgomery became the commander-in-chief of British troops in the Middle East. In addition to the existing corps, the 10th Corps was formed, consisting of two tank and one infantry divisions. The British already had 935 tanks, including 200 M3 "General Grant", which received the unofficial name "The Last Egyptian Hope".
On August 31, E. Rommel launched an attack on El Alamein. He managed to collect 440 tanks, including repaired and captured ones. During the four-day battles, the German-Italian troops lost 3 thousand people and 50 tanks, the British - 1,750 people and 65 tanks, but the Germans failed to break through the defense.
Over the next two months, Anglo-American troops accumulated forces. Indian, Australian, New Zealand, Canadian and American units arrived in Egypt, in particular the 1st US Armored Division, armed with M4A1 tanks. The number of tanks reached 1441, of which 253 MZ and 288 M4 "General Shennan". Rommel, against 230 thousand allies, had about 80 thousand people and 540 tanks, 60% of them light Italian. All the main forces of the Germans were on the Eastern Front. All the reinforcements went there, including the Special Corps “F” of General G. Felmy, formed from the Germans, for a long time living in the Arab East, and Arabs. Instead of Africa, this corps had to fight the Red Army in the Caucasus.
The El Alamein offensive began on October 23, 1942. But already on October 27, the 10th tank corps was withdrawn for replenishment. The Germans have learned to fight M3 and M4 tanks! The decisive battles were on November 3 and 4. After them, only 35-40 combat-ready vehicles remained in the German tank divisions. Note that in the battle of El Alamein, German-Italian troops lost only 55 thousand people and 320 tanks. However, even the latest tanks in large numbers, and superiority in other branches of the military, could not raise the morale of the British command. Although the enemy was almost defeated, the rate of advance was only 1.5 km per day. And only by mid-February, troops reached the Libyan-Tunisian border.
In November - December 1942, Anglo-American troops occupied, practically without resistance, North Africa, which was under the rule of the French Vichy government, a protege of Nazi Germany. In response to this, German infantry and tank divisions were transferred to Tunisia, transformed into the 5th Panzer Army, under the command of General J. Arnim. Together with Rommel's troops, she was supposed to hold Tunisia. The 5th Tank Army included 501 separate heavy tank battalions, armed the latest tanks PzKpfw VI "Tiger", with 88 mm cannon. The army also had many PzKpfw IV tanks armed with a long-barreled 75 mm gun.
Fighting broke out in Tunisia on Christmas Day. Until February 1943, there were limited actions by ground forces, the main battles were fought by. In early February, the 2nd American Corps, which included the 1st Armored Division, launched an offensive. On February 14, the 15th and 21st German Panzer Divisions, with the support of the 10th Panzer Division, responded with a counterattack in the area of the Kasserine mountain pass. In five days of fighting, the Germans covered 150 km, captured almost three thousand Americans, destroyed almost 200 M3 and M4 tanks, and many other equipment created a threat of a breakthrough to the airfields of American tactical aviation. The Allies had to take emergency measures and transfer new armored units. to the breakthrough area, attract large aviation forces. On February 23, the German counteroffensive was stopped, and by March 3, they were driven back to their original positions.
The German-Italian troops were finally defeated only by May 13, and this, despite the double superiority of the Allies in infantry, triple in artillery and quadruple in tanks at the beginning of the offensive, as well as the constant supply of troops with everything necessary. By the end of the fighting, the German-Italian forces had 120 tanks left, while the Allies had about 1,100 vehicles.
These battles revealed the superiority of the M4 General Sherman tanks over the MZ. MZ tanks began to be withdrawn from service in the armies of Great Britain and the United States and were transferred to the allies - India, Australia, New Zealand, as well as French and Polish military units formed in Great Britain. The MZ tanks that remained in the army were converted into various combat vehicles: command vehicles, minesweepers, repair and recovery vehicles, which were used until the mid-50s.
During the landings in Normandy and the south of France, British and American troops were armed with the latest tanks, and MZ tanks were in the French and Polish divisions that were part of the American army. Despite this, during the German offensive in the Ardennes, the tenacity of the French in the US 7th Army near Strasbourg and the Polish armored division in the Lower Meuse was held back German tanks, which saved the American 7th Army from complete defeat.
Formally, armored units in India began to be formed on May 1, 1941. The basis was American light tanks "General Stuart", supplied under Lend-Lease. The events of 1942 forced their formation to accelerate.
In February 1942, the British fortress of Singapore fell. After this, the Japanese 15th Army, under the command of General Iida, launched an offensive in Burma. The 5th, 6th and 66th Chinese divisions retreated into China in panic and only on the Saluen River in Yunnan Province were the Japanese stopped by units of the 71st Chinese army. British troops, under the command of General G. Alexander, also bravely retreated to India, offering virtually no resistance. Rangoon fell on March 8, Mandlalai fell on May 1. In total, 12 thousand people went to India, and during the passage through the Chin Pass, all weapons were abandoned. For the defense of India, General A. Wavell forms one British and six Indian divisions, combined into two corps. Armored units began to form, replenished with the latest General Grant and General Lee tanks. By the end of 1943, the Indian Armored Corps was formed, consisting of three divisions. Units of the 32nd Division, consisting of the 254th and 255th Armored Brigades, were formed from parts of the 7th British Armored Brigade, which fought in the African desert. The 31st division consisted of the 251st and 252nd armored brigades, the 43rd of the 267th and 268th armored brigades.
Since 1943, MZ medium tanks entered the battle in the jungles of Burma. Here, the massive use of tanks, as in the desert, was impossible. Therefore, they were used in small units, or even singly, to support the infantry, which often fought on mules, buffaloes and elephants.
In Burma, the MZ tank showed its best side. Japanese tanks with their 37 mm guns could not penetrate their frontal armor from a distance of 500 meters, at which they themselves became victims of the 75 mm General Lee guns. The Japanese army did not have effective anti-tank guns. In helpless anger, Japanese officers rushed at the tanks with sabers, trying to hit the crew through the viewing slits. The infantry organized squads of suicide bombers who, with mines or Molotov cocktails in their hands, threw themselves under tanks or, hiding in the thickets, tried to shove mines on bamboo poles under the tracks of the tank. The tankers had to put the infantry on the armor, and the Japanese had no choice but to use aviation. To achieve this, the Ki-44-II Otsu fighters were armed with two 40-mm Kha-301 cannons instead of the 20-mm cannons mounted in the wing. Two 12.7 mm machine guns were retained. These aircraft were used as attack aircraft to strike armored targets, although the cannons carried only 10 rounds of ammunition per barrel. The 64th Air Regiment of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force, under the command of Major Yasukiho Kurse, fought on such vehicles.
Despite the obvious technical superiority, the British were in no hurry to advance in Burma, shifting the brunt of the fighting to national formations - Indian, Chinese and African units. Fighting in Burma continued until mid-1945.
Self-propelled 105-mm howitzers M7 "Priest", manufactured on the chassis of the MZ tank, have proven themselves well in battles in the Libyan desert as part of the 8th British Army. Therefore, they were adopted by the British, American and French armies and were used as artillery for direct infantry support in all subsequent military operations: in Sicily, in Italy, in Europe. M7 howitzers were in service with many armies around the world until the mid-50s.
Command and staff vehicles began to be manufactured from M3 tanks in 1943. After dismantling the weapons and ammunition, a very free compartment was obtained in the tank hull, which was equipped with a powerful radio station and other equipment necessary for the headquarters work of the regiment or division commander. Externally, the vehicles were similar to the ARV-1, since they did not have guns and a turret. However, the US troops sometimes retained the turret with the 37 mm cannon. These “tanks” were the vehicles of the commanders of tank regiments and divisions, and they also housed the operational group of the headquarters of the tank division. At the same time, the units were equipped with any other tanks, not only MZ. It was not converted a large number of tanks.
ARV repair and recovery vehicles were consolidated into special units and marched in the second echelon of advancing tank units, with the task of repairing and evacuating damaged vehicles. However, there were no tank battles on the Western Front like those in Russia. Therefore, ARVs were used to a limited extent.
The Kangaroo armored personnel carrier was a vehicle designed specifically to transport infantry behind advancing tanks. Collected into separate units, they were assigned to the British armored divisions that fought in Europe. But their combat use was also insignificant. After World War II, the Kangaroo was in service with the Australian Army for some time.
But in the USSR, MZ tanks were greeted without enthusiasm. By mid-1942, Germany began producing T-IIIJ and T-IIIL tanks with 50 mm armor and a long-barreled 50 mm cannon, which penetrated up to 75 mm of armor from a distance of 500 m, the T-IVF tank and the StuG III assault gun ( known in our country as "Artshturm") with a long-barreled 75-mm cannon with even greater efficiency. The armor no longer saved the MZ tank. Speed and stealth were needed, which this tank did not have. Tall, with particularly poor cross-country ability on Russian roads, with an insufficiently powerful engine (power 340 hp versus 500 hp for the T-34 of the same mass), and also very sensitive to the quality of fuel and lubricant, the Lee tank "did not generate good reviews from our tankers. But even such shortcomings would be tolerable if the tank did not have rubber-metal tracks. During the battle it burned out and the tracks fell apart. The tank became a stationary target. The tankers did not forgive this. Neither could their sentence be commuted comfortable conditions operation and maintenance, neither large side doors, which made it easy to evacuate the crew from a damaged vehicle, nor strong weapons. That is why MZ tanks received the contemptuous nickname “Mass Grave for Six” from Soviet tankers. The report of the commander of the 134th tank regiment, Colonel Tikhonchuk, dated December 14, 1942, with an assessment of the General Lee tanks of the Ministry of Defense has been preserved:
“American tanks work extremely poorly in the sand, the tracks constantly fall off, get stuck in the sand, lose power, due to which the speed is extremely low. When firing at enemy tanks, due to the fact that the 75-mm cannon is installed in the mantlet and not in the turret , you have to turn around the tank, which is buried in the sand, which makes it very difficult to fire."
Note that neither the British nor the Americans used MZ tanks with such intensity as the Russians, because the intensity of the fighting in Africa and on the Western Front was very far from what was happening on the Eastern Front.
The Allies also realized the shortcomings of the MZ "Lee/Grant" tanks and therefore removed them from production. Since August 1942, the M4 "General Sherman" tank began to be produced in the USA, and the Mk VIII "Cromwell" tank began to be produced in the UK.
By the way, a similar fate befell the Soviet KV supertank. Invulnerable in 1941, it ceased to satisfy the military in 1942, primarily due to its driving characteristics, and even the question was raised about its removal from production and replacement by the T-34 tank, which had thinner armor but was more maneuverable. To improve the maneuverability of the KB tanks, among other measures, the designers even went to reduce the thickness of the armor, although the 75 mm armor of the tank had already been penetrated by German artillery!!!
Tanks of the M3A3 and M3A5 modifications with diesel engines were supplied to the USSR under Lend-Lease. In total, about 300 vehicles were delivered. The supply took two routes: northern - by sea to Murmansk and southern - through Iran.
It was not customary to write about the combat use of American M3 "Lee" tanks by the Red Army, so as not to praise the military equipment of the ideological enemy. However, in the 5th volume of "History of the Second World War", published in 1975, there is a photograph of a tank attack by Soviet troops on M3A3 "General Lee" and "General Stuart" tanks in the Kalach area on the Don in the summer of 1942 (although the American historian Stephen Zaloga dates it back to 1943), which suggests the presence of American tanks in the 13th Corps of the 1st Tank Army. The 134th Tank Regiment operated together with the 4th Guards Cossack Corps in the area north-eastern of the city of Mozdok, and fought with the German F Corps. To the company commander, Captain Nikolaenko P.I. and the tank commander, junior lieutenant V.N. Gretsky. for the battles of December 12-14, 1942 in the area of the Norton farmstead, Stavropol Territory, he was awarded the title of Hero Soviet Union(Decree of the Presidium Supreme Council USSR dated March 31, 1943).
It is known that Lee tanks also fought near Kharkov, in the Kalmyk steppes south of the city of Stalingrad (now Volgograd), in the North Caucasus, and possibly in the Far East.
During the transport of tanks by PQ sea convoys, ship crews used the 37 mm guns of MZ tanks mounted on the deck to repel enemy air attacks. Perhaps this is the only case of using tanks in naval ocean battles.
Tank color and markings
MZ tanks made in the USA were painted green various shades- from dark green to khaki. On the side sheet in the engine area on both sides was written the registration number assigned to the tank when built by the Armament Department. The name of the country “USA” and the letter “W” were written in blue paint, indicating that the tank was transferred to the troops, and the six-digit number was written in yellow or white. The symbol of the American armed forces was applied to the turret and front plate of the hull - a white star in a blue circle superimposed on a white stripe. In this form, the tanks were delivered to the allies under Lend-Lease.
In the US troops, tactical numbers were painted on tanks in white paint on the turret and hull: first, the serial number of the vehicle in the company, and then the letter designation of the company. For example: 9E or 4B. On the sponson, on the left side next to the door, geometric figures were drawn indicating the number of the company, battalion and regiment in the division. The division's insignia was painted on the middle sheet of the transmission. The tanks that fought in North Africa had the American Stars and Stripes on the front armor instead of a star.
Later it was recommended to apply black camouflage spots to the tank. This recommendation took into account combat experience, when crews splashed mud on tanks to improve camouflage.
M3 tanks supplied to the UK were painted dark olive green according to American standards. They were repainted on site in British tri-color camouflage: yellow, green and brown sinuous stripes with black trim. But the first tanks heading to North Africa often entered the battle on the move and there was simply not enough time to apply camouflage. The tanks were repainted on site in sand color or only stripes of this color were applied. Tanks fought in the desert wearing olive overalls.
The registration number was retained, only the letter "W" was replaced by the letter "T". When repainting the tank in the standard camouflage scheme, the number was restored with white paint. In field conditions, the number could not be painted over, but protected with a stencil, and it would look like it was in an olive frame. The standard British cockade of red, white and red vertical stripes was applied to the side of the hull. An outline was drawn on the tank turret geometric figure with a number inside. The figure: a square, circle or triangle indicated the number of the tank squadron, and the number indicated the serial number of the vehicle in the squadron. The color of the outline and numbers was determined arbitrarily. The division and brigade markings were a red eight-and-a-half (216 mm) to nine-and-a-half inches (240 mm) square with a white number inside and were applied to the front of the left wing and the rear of the right or on the armored transmission cover. And on the opposite wings the emblems of brigades and divisions could be drawn.
Perhaps the most original coloring belongs to the MZ Grant tank, exhibited at the British Royal Armored Vehicles Museum in Bovington, one of the largest tank museums in the world. It has sinuous camouflage stripes in gray with a black and white outline over the main sand background!
Most of the British MZ tanks that fought in Burma were painted green with large white stars on the hull and turret. Almost all tanks retained their registration numbers. Some of them had individual numbers on the frontal armor.
Tank crews in both the British and American armies assigned their own names to their tanks, which they wrote on the tanks in a very arbitrary form.
M3 tanks, manufactured in Canada, were painted khaki. Canadian red-white-red flags were applied on the front of the middle sheet of the transmission and along the sides of the hull. By analogy with the American armed forces, a five-digit registration number was painted in white paint on the side of the hull in the engine area on both sides behind the flag and on the front plate above the flag. The name of the country was not written, and instead of the letter "W" the letter "T" was used.
In 1945, on all tanks that fought in Europe, two white stripes began to be applied at the top of the turret along the perimeter. While the Soviet ones have one lane. This was done by special agreement to facilitate aerial identification of allied forces.
Allies in the anti-Hitler coalition, who received tanks under Lend-Lease, did not repaint them. Only American identification marks were painted over, and their national and tactical numbers were applied. Registration numbers The Armaments Department was, as a rule, retained.
In the USSR, M3 tanks were also not repainted, but red stars were painted instead of American insignia. Often white American stars They just painted it red. Registration numbers and all technical inscriptions in English were preserved. Tactical numbers on the towers were written in free form. Also, slogans like: “For our Soviet Motherland”, “Death to Fascism”, etc. could be applied to the tank’s body. The lack of documentary material does not allow these inscriptions to be reproduced. Tanks that survived until winter were repainted in the field in White color lime, through which the standard color showed through.
It is known that some M3 tanks captured by the Nazis were used in Wehrmacht tank units. Photographs have been preserved from which it can be judged that, for the purpose of better identification, the Germans painted black and white crosses on their hull and turret much larger than on their own vehicles. There was even a Nazi flag stretched out on the engine compartment to make it easier to recognize from the air! From the memories of participants in battles in Africa, it is known that E. Rommel used Grant tanks in English camouflage, without having the time or opportunity to repaint them.
Tactical and technical characteristics of the MZ tank, its modifications and combat vehicles based on it
Table 1 
* Height is indicated without anti-aircraft machine gun.
**Height shown with load boom removed.
Ta6face 2 
1. NPP tank - a direct infantry support tank.
2. "Grant" CDL (Lee CDL) - a canal defense tank - instead of a 37 mm gun, it is installed with a capacity of up to 15 million candles. Used in England for anti-landing defense of the English Channel.
3. BTR - armored personnel carrier. It was made from the M7 "Priest" and "Sexton" self-propelled guns, with the weapons removed. Could carry up to 20 infantry.
4. BREM - armored repair and recovery vehicle. It was manufactured on the chassis of all types of M3 tanks removed from service.
5. The engine "General Motors 6-71 6046" is diesel, the rest are carburetor engines, running on gasoline, with an octane rating of at least 80.
6. The caliber of weapons is indicated in metric system. The English system used during the Second World War would:
- machine guns: caliber 7.62 mm - 0.303 inches; 12.7mm-0.5inch
- guns: caliber 40 mm - 2.0 pounds; 57 mm - 2.5 lbs; 76 mm - 17 lbs; 84 mm - 25 lbs.
Bibliography:
1.
White Series. Supplement to the magazine “M-Hobby”. Issue No. 5. Editor-in-Chief A. Sirotin, Responsible for the issue: .Duchitsky
2.
V.D. Mostovenko "Tanks" Voenizdat M, 1958
3.
I.P. Shmelev "Tanks in battle" Publishing house "Young Guard" M, 1984.
4.
I.P. Shmelev " ". "Technology for Youth", N8, 1980, pp. 44-45.
5.
D.S. Ibragimov "Confrontation" M, DOSAAF Publishing House, 1989.
6.
"Weapon of Victory" under the general editorship of V.N. Novikova M., “Mechanical Engineering” 1987
7.
V.G. Grabin "Weapon of Victory" M. Politizdat, 1989.
8.
A.A. Grechko “Years of War” M. Voenizdat, 1976
9.
"From Barbarossa to Terminal. A view from the West." M. Politizdat, 1988
10.
"History of the Second World War 1939 - 1945" T.Z. M. Military Publishing House, 1-974 Encyclopedic Dictionary Wikipedia
- (German). Coarse, clean sand; same as gravel. Dictionary foreign words, included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. GRANT [English. grant gift] 1) gift, donation, official provision of funds for charitable purposes... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
GRANT Hugh (b. September 9, 1960, London), English actor. He studied literature at Oxford, acted in student theater and made his film debut in the film Privileged (1982), financed by the Oxford Film Fund. After… … Encyclopedia of Cinema
GRANT Hugh (b. September 9, 1960), English actor. He studied literature at Oxford, acted in student theater and made his film debut in The Privileged (1982), financed by the Oxford Film Fund. After that I played... encyclopedic Dictionary
The United States entered World War I only at the very end, which gave them many different benefits. But the American military believed that the war would continue until 1919, and from this the logical conclusion followed that to win they would need tanks: both heavy breakthrough tanks and very light “cavalry” tanks. The first requirement was met by the British Mk vehicles, but the second requirement was met by the light French tanks FT-17. On their basis, American engineers (together with English) developed and then released the Mk VIII tank - essentially the crown of heavy tank building during the First World War, and then the very light and miniature two-seater tank "Ford M 1918", known in Russia as "Ford- 3 ton"Both designers created, taking into account both their own combat experience and the experience of the British and French. Knowing the capabilities of their industry, the Americans did not stand on ceremony: they immediately ordered 1,500 Mk VIII tanks, called "Liberti" (Freedom) or "International "(International), since this tank was created on two continents at once, and an entire armada of 15,000 Ford M 1918 tanks. But by the time the armistice was signed, only one Mk VIII tank and only 15 Ford M 1918 vehicles had been made. After This is why their production stopped, and why is understandable.
M3 tank by the late Vyacheslav Verevochkin. There lived such a man in Russia, at home, with his own hands he created tanks “on the move” and with the quality that you see in this photo. But... people on planet Earth, unfortunately, die. Although, on the other hand, what remains is what was created by their hands.
General Rockenback attempted to reorganize the tank units of the US Army so that they became an independent branch of the military. His proposals were supported by such combatant commanders as George Patton, Sereno Brett and Dwight Eisenhower. But... majors are just that: majors. Nobody listened to them then. Moreover, in 1920, the US Congress adopted an important document - the National Defense Act, according to which the creation of tank units as a separate branch of the military was prohibited. Well, those tank units that already existed were transferred to the infantry.
Nevertheless, new machines were developed, built and tested. For example, in 1930 an experimental T2 tank appeared. With a weight of 15 tons, which corresponded to the assignment issued by the military, it was equipped with a powerful aircraft engine "Liberti" with 312 hp. This tank was armed as follows: a 47-mm cannon and a heavy machine gun in the hull, and a 37-mm cannon and another coaxial rifle-caliber machine gun were installed in the turret. A special feature of the tank was the engine at the front and a “door” in the hull at the back, like the British on the Vickers Medium Mk I tank, so it was very convenient to climb into this tank.
Tank T2.
Indeed, in appearance it was very similar to the English 12-ton medium tank "Vickers Medium Mk I", and in fact it was chosen as a promising prototype for the future US medium tank. The completed tanks were sent to a mixed mechanized unit at Fort Eustis in Virginia. This experimental unit consisted of military vehicles, cavalry and mechanically driven artillery. Then another tank unit was created at Fort Knox in Kentucky. But all these experiments did not give real results.
The entire early American tank fleet.
At that time, a talented armored vehicle designer, John Walter Christie, was working in the United States, an “eccentric” - as the American military called him, a man for all his talents, or perhaps precisely because of them, was very quarrelsome and extremely enthusiastic. He offered the Armament Department a number of samples of his wheeled-tracked tanks and self-propelled guns. Army officers, distinguished by their traditional mistrust, purchased only five tanks from him to participate in military trials, but after them his vehicles were rejected. Although Christie's designs in other countries have found their second life! His ideas were used in England, the USSR and Poland. As you know, it was in the USSR that about 10 thousand wheeled-tracked tanks of various modifications were produced, starting with the BT-2 and ending with the diesel BT-7M, which were based on the design of the Christie tanks. After all, even the legendary T-34 had its suspension. And it was also used on all British cruiser tanks, including the Covenanter, Crusader, Centor, Cromwell and Comet.
"Ford M. 1918". Front view.
And so, in a long search, the 30s passed. A whole family of medium tanks TZ, T4, T5 and also their modifications were built, but none of these vehicles went into production.
Projections "Ford M. 1918".
This photo gives a clear example of how cramped it was in this tank.
But then came September 1, 1939, and in just 18 days the tank wedges of the Wehrmacht passed through Poland and met with the same tank wedges of the Red Army, which entered Western Ukraine and Belarus, on the other side. And the subsequent war in Europe, which ended with the rapid defeat of the French army and the disaster at Dunkirk, clearly showed the United States that war was on the threshold, and that it would not be possible to sit out overseas. This means that we will have to fight in earnest. How can you fight without modern tanks?
"Ford M. 1918" in the General Patton Museum.
Drive wheel.
And then all the American military and senators suddenly saw the light and saw that their country was very far behind in the development of its tank forces. Actually, they simply don’t exist. That's even how! And therefore the reaction to this followed very quickly. Already in July 1940, General George Marshall and General Staff gave the order to General Edn R. Chaffee to withdraw all armored units from the infantry and cavalry formations and, as soon as possible, to form two tank divisions together with support battalions. On June 30, 1940, the National Army Development Program was adopted, and on July 10, General Chaffee began the formation of new armored units. All tanks produced went to him and no one else. To equip the new divisions, it was planned to produce 1000 tanks at once, while the production was supposed to be 10 vehicles per day.
Model 1921 Christie tank undergoing testing.
The M2A1 medium tank of the 1939 model, which was an improved version of the M2 tank, was urgently adopted. The vehicle was designed by the Rock Island Arsenal and was a further development of the same experimental T5 tank. Weighing 17.2 tons, the M2 had armor protection one inch (25.4 mm) thick, was armed with a 37 mm M6 gun and seven (and one spare) 7.62 mm Browning M1919 A4 machine guns located along around the entire perimeter of the hull, as well as in the tower. The Wright Continental R-975 engine had nine cylinders and 350 horsepower, giving the tank a speed of 26 mph (or 42 km/h). The M2A1 received 32 mm thick armor - essentially like German tanks, a larger turret and a 400 hp engine. The weight increased, but the speed remained the same. However, all these tricks did not lead to any particularly positive results: the tanks remained old-fashioned, had high straight sides and were not very well armed for vehicles of their class, since light M2 tanks with exactly the same 37 -mm cannon and fairly powerful machine gun weapons.
Medium tank M2. Interestingly, the tank had a crew of 7 people: a driver, a commander-gunner, a loader and 4 machine gunners. Moreover, two tripods for machine guns were attached to the tank - remove, install and fire from the ground, and there were two hatches on the sponson roof and two pins for machine guns and anti-aircraft fire! The tank had seven machine guns! A record number for a single-turret tank. Directly ahead, five could fire at the same time!
In June 1940, Lieutenant General William Nudsen, who created the General Motors Corporation, and K.T. Keller, the president of the Chrysler Corporation, who also led the national defense program, agreed that they would not produce the M2A1 at their enterprises, since this requires a complete restructuring of the entire production. They decided that they would earn much more money by producing cars for the army. They decided to transfer the order for tanks to two concerns: the American Locomotive Company and Baldvin. But then, quite unexpectedly, Congress allocated for their production of 21 million dollars, including financing and construction of a new tank plant. Then K. T. Keller hastened to assure General Wesson, chief of artillery of the US Army, that his corporation was ready to produce any tanks. It was agreed that 1741 tanks would be produced in 18 months. Thus Thus, Chrysler received only 4.5 months to rebuild its production and submit a project for the construction of an arsenal independent from other suppliers.
Then the situation was like this: two experimental M2A1 vehicles were built in Rock Island (differing from the base model by the sloping armor of the turret), and General Wesson allowed Chrysler engineers to study them, which was done. And not just done: the engineers did everything, what was required so that their company could produce these tanks! Already on July 17, 1940, the M2A1 produced by the Chrysler concern was valued at 33.5 thousand dollars. The artillery committee accepted this price as a “floating” price. Then, within a month, the contract was carefully worked out and signed on August 15th. The company was supposed to deliver 1000 M2A1 tanks to the US Army by early August 1940, and their production was supposed to begin no later than September of the following 1941. This period was set by the Chrysler concern itself, considering one month to be quite sufficient time to prepare for the release of new products.
Chrysler first made two wooden mock-ups of the M2A1 based on drawings they received from Rock Island. But already on August 28, 1940, the army canceled the old order for 1000 M2A1 tanks, despite the fact that they still managed to make 18 of them. Some of these tanks were sent... to Western Sahara. It was not possible to find information about their participation in hostilities. It is known that in 1941, one of the tanks received a flamethrower instead of a gun, and a tank with a combustible mixture was installed on it in the stern. The car was assigned the index M2E2, but it remained a prototype.
Aberdeen Proving Ground. M2 tank is medium.
At this time, the discussion about the possibility of arming the M2A1 tank with a 75-mm cannon ended (which, by the way, was provided for in the T5E2 tank project), and based on its results, a completely new and “unplanned” tank was created. The Aberdeen Proving Grounds design department prepared all the necessary design documentation in just three months. The tank was given the designation M3 and its own name - "General Lee", in honor of General Robert Edward Lee (1807-1870), who during the Civil War of the North and South of 1861-1865. in the USA he was the commander-in-chief of the army of the southerners.
Aberdeen Proving Ground. Tank M3 "General Lee".
The creators of the M3 tank placed a 75 mm gun in the side sponson on the right side of the hull, as on the French Schneider tank of the First World War. This was the simplest solution, since the installation was similar to ship guns, the machines for which were well developed. In addition, the 76 mm gun installed in the tank was very powerful, and the designers were not sure whether it would work well in the turret. This showed a certain amount of uncertainty among American designers in their own abilities, but in addition also a reluctance to abandon the usual views of tanks as mobile pillboxes that were supposed to fire while standing still. A cast rotating turret was installed at the top, moving it to the left, and a 37-mm gun was installed in it, paired with a machine gun. The small turret on top also received a machine gun, which the tank commander could use both for self-defense against infantry and for shooting at aircraft.
(To be continued…)
Indeed, one can only envy the speed with which the Americans developed the project and launched it in mass production M3 tank. Apparently, this has never happened before in the history of armored forces. But here the construction of the Detroit Tank Arsenal in Michigan (Center Line) also played into the hands of the Americans. Its production was optimized for mass production of light tanks. In the fall of 1939, the American Artillery and Technical Service planned to issue a contract to American Car and Foundry (which was the largest in the field of heavy engineering) for the mass production of M2A4 light tanks. But the sudden attack of the Germans in the spring-summer of 1940 in Europe forced them to reconsider their plans for the mass production of tanks. The fighting in Europe showed that British tanks had weak armor and could not effectively resist the Germans due to their weak cannon armament. In addition, the Americans realized that they would need medium tanks more than light tanks. In accordance with the old program, the Americans wanted to make only 400 light tanks. With new requirements, the US Army needed to create 2 thousand medium tanks within 1.4 years. The American industry was unable to supply the quantities required by the situation in the world by the summer of 1940. This was noted by William S. Nudsen, who was the president of the General Motors Company, at the same time, he was a member of the US National Defense Commission. By the way, Nadsen believed that the American tank industry was completely similar to the automobile industry, the only difference was in the armor. But the ATS committee did not think so. In their opinion, it was necessary to develop tank production, using the experience of automotive industry designers. Having secured the consent of the American government, Nadsen began to expand tank production. This is how the Detroit Tank Arsenal appeared, back in September 1939, on the outskirts of Detroit, 40 hectares of land were allocated to the plant building; after the construction of the plant, this building was 152 meters wide and 420 meters long. The US government entered into a contract with Chrysler on August 15, 1940 to build 1,000 M2A1 medium tanks. About a month later, the terms of the contract were changed, and instead of M2A1 light tanks, they began to make M3 medium tanks. Meanwhile, events in Europe and throughout the world were taking a sharp turn. The government hurried tank designers to speed up the start of tank production, since the tank fleet in America was quite small in number, it was necessary to urgently arm itself.
In parallel with the development tank production In Detroit, specialists from the Rhode Island Arsenal worked with designers from Chrysler to create the M3. And as the design work progressed, serial production of tanks was established. In March 1941, the M3 tank project was completely ready. Also by this time, the Detroit Tank Arsenal was completely ready, and six months later its production reached its full design capacity. The arms race prompted the American ATS to conclude a contract for the production of the M3 tank at two more American enterprises: Baldwin Locomotive (533 tanks) and American Locomotive (875 tanks). By the way, the British closely followed the development of tanks in America (experienced British tank crews who participated in combat operations in Europe gave advice on tank design) and in June 1940 they placed an order for the production of a batch of medium tanks for their army.
In April 1941, all the companies (Chrysler, American Locomotive and Baldwin Locomotive) that were supposed to mass produce M3 tanks provided the American commission with their pre-production tanks, which were approved for production. In August 1941, all three contracting firms began mass production, which continued until the end of 1942. By December 1942, 6258 units of M3 series tanks had been created. For the British, M3 tanks were created by the American companies Pullman (500 units) and Press Steel (500 units); the contract for the construction of these tanks was signed in August 1941.
Medium tank M3 "Lee/Grant". American tanks from the Great Patriotic War.
In October 1941, the M3 tank was recognized as “morally obsolete”; it was always a temporary solution and the Americans did not hide it. Moreover, American tank designers created the M4 medium tank, which met all the requirements for modern combat operations; most importantly, it had a turret with all-round fire. In April 1943, M3 tanks were transferred to the "replacement standard" and then to the "limited standard". In the spring of 1944, the M3 tank was declared completely obsolete.
The M3 tank was similar in size to the M2A1, it had the same air-cooled Wright engine and a suspension with vertical coil springs. On tanks of the latest series, a 75-mm M2 cannon was installed in the right sponson, which had a very limited vertical aiming angle. A turret with a 37-mm cannon was installed on top, which had all-round fire. This turret was shifted to the left side of the tank. The maximum thickness of the tank's armor was 56 mm. The sponson and turret were cast, the hull had a riveted structure (but there were also changes, you can read about them in the article “Modifications of the M3 tank”). Initially, the M3 tank had a commander's cupola and a side hatch; these elements were subject to numerous changes during the production process.
Medium tank M3 "Lee/Grant". American tanks from the Great Patriotic War.
An important difference between the American M3 medium tank and Soviet and German tanks (and tanks all over the world) was that a gyroscopic stabilizer was installed on their guns. This device allowed the tank to fire directly on the move. The introduction of a gyroscopic stabilizer for the gun gun was standard on all M3 tanks. Moreover, gyroscopes were installed on 75 mm and 37 mm guns. Both guns had periscope sights. The turret with a 37-mm cannon had a mechanical and manual drive. The weight of the M3 tank was 30 short American tons.
In terms of design, the tank was a World War I model whose weapon was mounted in a sponson. The engine compartment of the tank was located at the rear, and the transmission was at the front; under the rotating floor of the turret there was a gearbox. Between the transmission and the engine compartment there was a fighting compartment. The entire structure of the tank was assembled from flat armored sheets. The frontal armor of the tank was 51 mm, the side and rear armor was 38 mm, and the hull roof was 12.7 mm. The walls of the tower were 57 mm thick, the roof of the tower was 22 mm. Tanks M3, M3A4 and M3A5 had hulls assembled with rivets, and modifications M3A2 and M3A3 were assembled by welding to the internal frame. There was an option for a completely cast body, this is the M3A1. But the method of making a cast hull was too complicated, so only 300 M3A1 tanks were made. All the tank's armament formed a kind of pyramid, with a 75-mm cannon in the sponson below, a 37-mm cannon in the turret above it, and a turret with a machine gun above it. This entire structure formed a very high silhouette of the tank, over 3 meters, which made it quite vulnerable to enemy tanks. But there were also advantages to this tank layout - a spacious fighting compartment. Until now, the fighting compartment of the M3 tank is considered the most convenient for tank crews. To prevent small fragments of armor from getting into the crew, the inside of the tank hull was sealed with sponge rubber. For quick entry into the tank, there were doors in the machine-gun turret, on top of the hull and on the sides. The downside to this solution was that the strength of the hull was significantly reduced. The entire crew of the tank had an individual viewing slot and embrasures for firing from personal weapons.
Medium tank M3 "Lee/Grant". American tanks from the Great Patriotic War.
The propulsion system in the M3 tanks (General Grant and General Lee, and modifications M3A and M3A2) was the Wright Continental P975 EC2 aircraft engine. The engine (340 hp) allowed the tank to accelerate to 26 mph. The tank's range was 192 km. A significant disadvantage of this engine was its high fire hazard, diesel fuel in this case it was better because it has a higher combustion temperature. In addition, the engine was difficult to repair, since the cylinders were located at the bottom, but there were no more successful engines in America at that time. In the spring of 1941, one of the Baldwin contractors began installing General Motors 6-71 6046 diesel automobile engines on serial M3 tanks, two at a time, with a power of 375 hp. The maximum speed, range, power and efficiency of the tank immediately increased, although the mass of the tank increased by almost 1.5 tons (these tanks were designated M3A3 and M3A5). In turn, Chrysler began installing Chrysler A57 engines on its production tanks. This entailed an increase in the mass of the tank, an increase in the rear part of the hull and an increase in the length of the tank tracks. Although the range and maximum speed have been preserved. The British installed their Guiberson diesel engines on the M3 tanks they supplied, without changing the design of the tank. The chassis of the tank consisted of three support trolleys, which consisted of a rocker arm, spiral vertical springs and two rubber-coated rollers, a metal-rubber track (158 tracks) and support rollers.
For that time, the M3 tank had very strong armament in the form of a 75-mm M2 cannon (barrel length 2.3 meters, UVN 14 degrees). In addition to this gun, a 37-mm gun of the 1938 model was installed on top of the turret. Both tank guns had a periscope optical sight. The tank was equipped with four 7.62-mm Browning machine guns (one in the turret, the second in the Spark with a 37-mm cannon, and two more in the front plate in front of the driver). Each of the crew members of the M3 tank was armed with a Thomson assault rifle. The ammunition capacity of the M3 tank was as follows: 65 rounds (75 mm cannon), 126 rounds (37 mm cannon) and 4,000 7.62 mm machine gun rounds.
As you know, the M3 General Lee/Grant tank was created in order to effectively resist any German tank and allied tanks (Italy/Japan). In terms of combat and tactical properties, this tank could fight on equal terms with any enemy tanks of that time. In addition, the 37 mm cannon could fire at low-flying targets, which made it a good air defense weapon. In Southeast Asian countries, the large size of the M3 tank had a strong psychological impact on enemy infantry.
Medium tank M3 "Lee/Grant". American tanks from the Great Patriotic War.
The M3 General Lee/Grant tanks were to receive their first combat use on the English Channel coast, where the British were expecting the Germans to land. M3 tanks were used as a strategic reserve and their presence on the island was strictly classified. But as we know, the German naval landing never followed. These tanks, numbering 167 units, received their real baptism of fire in North Africa in the 8th British Army in battles with the German formations of Erwin Rommel. In these battles, the M3 General Lee/Grant tanks performed admirably, as 50 mm and 37 mm shells could not penetrate their armor. And M3 tanks could destroy all German tanks from long distances. To combat the new American tanks, Rommel used the Marder-3 self-propelled guns and 88-mm anti-aircraft guns. Thanks to tactics and numerical superiority, German-Italian troops nevertheless defeated the 8th British Army. At the beginning of summer, the Americans decide to transport 100 Priest self-propelled guns, 300 M4 General Sherman tanks, artillery, aviation and manpower to Egypt. By the way, the British called the M3 tanks “General Grant” - “the last Egyptian hope.”
The next combat use of M3 tanks was the Allied landings in Normandy and southern France. These tanks were in the Polish and French divisions (which fought as part of the American army), while the Americans were armed with more modern tanks. For the defense of India, several armored units were brought together, which included M3 General Lee/Grant tanks. In 1943, these tanks took part in battles in the jungles of Burma, where they showed good results, since the Japanese tanks were too poorly armed, and the Japanese artillery could not stop them. To fight against these tanks, the Japanese converted Ki-44 fighters into attack aircraft armed with two 40-mm cannons (62nd Air Regiment of the Japanese Air Force). M3 General Lee/Grant tanks were also supplied to Russia under the Lend-Lease program, but Russian tankers were unhappy with them. Moreover, the Germans began to produce T-III tanks and the Stug-II self-propelled guns with more powerful guns that easily dealt with the M3. It was precisely because of the poor driving characteristics, weak engine, low maneuverability, high silhouette that did not hide the tank and the high sensitivity of the engine to poor lubrication and fuel that Russian tank crews never spoke well of it. Among our tankers, the M3 General Lee/Grant tank received the nickname “mass grave for six.” In total, the Americans delivered 300 units of M3 tanks with gasoline and diesel engines to Russia. M3 tanks fought in the USSR in the North Caucasus, near Stalingrad and in the Kharkov region. In naval battles, oddly enough, M3 General Lee/Grant tanks took part in repelling air attacks on PQ convoys, firing from their 37 mm cannons.
A large number of modifications and engineering vehicles were created on the basis of the M3 tank.
Production of M3 tanks