SS12055 STUART LIGHT TANK IN ACTION (Paperback)

by Rob Ervin and David Doyle.

Named for Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart of the American Civil

War, the Stuart tank filled the need for a light tank. The M3
and M5 series of tanks were the ultimate production variants of a

line of vehicles whose development began in the mid-1930s. Then
in 1941 the US Ordnance Department accepted a proposal by
Cadillac to install double Cadillac V8 engines in the tank and,
after remodeling the hull to accommodate the new motors, a new
tank, the M5 (to avoid confusion with the M4 Sherman) was born.
Reconnaissance units in the front lines of U.S. forces were
always accompanied by the agile M5s. With a top speed of 45 miles

per hour, armor protection, and firepower, the M5A1 provided
powerful support for mobile reconnaissance teams. Though not a
match for heavy German armor, the Stuart was more than adequate
for dealing with infantry and saw action with U.S. Forces in the
Pacific, where the Stuart could confront Japan’s armor on better
terms. In addition to serving the U.S. military, M5s were
supplied to Britain and France and after World War II saw action
of battle fronts in as far-flung places as China, India, and
Indochina. Illustrated with over 200 photographs, plus color
profiles and detailed line drawings; 80 pages.

ISBN = 978-0-89747-761-0 Soft Cover