The Light tank M3 Stuart was a tank based on the M2A4 with an upgraded 37mm anti tank gun later models having a gyrostabiliser.
The power was provided by a 250hp Continental petrol engine, driving through the front drive wheel, then via 2 pairs of road wheels to a rear idler then back over 3 return rollers.
The models varied from the early rivetted models to the very late fully welded models..
General Details
Specifications
Operational Date(s)
1940
Ordnance classification
Quantity Produced
5811
Weight
unknown
Crew
4
M.G's small
5
M.G's large(>10mm)
n/a
Length
4.58 mtr
Width
2.26 mtr
Height
2.54 mtr
Engine Details/Performance
Max Road Speed
36 mph
Max Cross Country Speed
20 mph
Range Road
130 miles
Range Cross Country
unknown
Fuel Type
Petrol
Fuel Capacity
54 gal
Horse Power
250 hp
Power/Weight
unknown
General Information
The Light tank M3 Stuart was a tank based on the M2A4 with an upgraded 37mm anti tank gun later models having a gyrostabiliser.
The power was provided by a 250hp Continental petrol engine, driving through the front drive wheel, then via 2 pairs of road wheels to a rear idler then back over 3 return rollers.
The models varied from the early rivetted models to the very late fully welded models.
Armour Details
Turret
Front
38mm
@
0°
(38mm)
Side
25mm
@
0°
(25mm)
Rear
25mm
@
0°
(25mm)
Top
10mm
@
90°
(10mm)
Superstructure
Front
38mm
@
45°
(54mm)
Side
25mm
@
0°
(25mm)
Rear
25mm
@
0°
(25mm)
Top
9mm
@
90°
(9mm)
Hull
Front
38mm
@
45°
(54mm)
Side
25mm
@
0°
(25mm)
Rear
25mm
@
0°
(25mm)
Top
9mm
@
90°
(9mm)
Armour (x)mm @ (y)° (Effective mm @ 0°)
Effective Armour - Maximum 54 mm - Minimum 9 mm
Weapon Details
37mm Antitank Gun M6 (Anti Tank Gun)
History
This was the Tank mounted version of the 37mm M3
Manufacturer
Watervliet Arsenal
Calibre
37mm
Ammunition Details
Name/Id
Calibre Weight MVelocity
Explosive Content
AP M74 Shot(AP)
37mm 0.86Kg 885M/Sec
Quoted Penetration 36mm @ 500mtr/0° ( ≈ 36mm/0°)
Range(Mtr)
100
200
400
800
1200
1600
2000
2400
Flight Time(Secs)
0.12
0.24
0.51
1.15
2.01
3.19
4.93
7.73
Penetration(mm@30°)
61
55
48
38
30
22
16
10
Penetration(mm@0°)
71
64
56
45
35
26
19
12
Hit Probability(%)
98
98
98
96
64
25
8
2
AP(AP)
37mm 0.86Kg 885M/Sec
Quoted Penetration 25mm@2000m
Range(Mtr)
100
200
400
800
1200
1600
2000
2400
Flight Time(Secs)
0.12
0.24
0.51
1.15
2.01
3.19
4.93
7.73
Penetration(mm@30°)
61
55
48
38
30
22
16
10
Penetration(mm@0°)
71
64
56
45
35
26
19
12
Hit Probability(%)
98
98
98
96
64
25
8
2
HE M63 Shell(HE)
37mm 0.73Kg 792M/Sec
0.039Kg explosive
Maximum Range 3000 Mtr
Range(Mtr)
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
Flight Time(Secs)
1.73
5.51
20.09
Burst radius Infantry in open 99% kill
0 mtr
Burst radius Infantry in open 66% kill
1 mtr
Burst radius Infantry in open 33% kill
3 mtr
Armour Penetration inc roof at 1 mtr
0 mm
An explosion within 1 mtr of infantry in the open will cause > 66% casualties and could damage some AFV's.
An explosion within 3 mtr of infantry in the open will cause 33% casualties.
The blast effect of this shell exploding within 1 mtr of an armoured vehicle will not cause any significant armour damage.
Hit probability is based on a static 2 x 2.4 metre panel at 0 degrees(vertical) at the range specified.
The data that has been used to create these records has come from Wikipedia, The Lone Sentry, The Bundes Archive
and numerous books and websites that have provided the detailed information that has not been available anywhere else. The
information we use to calculate the penetration tables, flight times and the hit probability comes from the Gun Calibre,
the Shell Mass(Kg) and the muzzle velocity, plus range reductions to allow for gravity and wind resistance. This calculation
originally came from a pre-war Krupp calculation which has been modified, and seems to fit the actual test results.
