M5/M5A1 Stuart Walk Around
(Soft Cover)
Product Code: SS5719

Overview

By Jim Mesko

The light M5 Stuart Tank was a much-upgraded version of the M3
Stuart. Named for Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart, the Stuarts
filled the need for a light tank and, in addition to the US, they
were supplied to Allied military forces. The leap from the M3 to
the M5 Stuart took place in 1941, when 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, was born.
Reconnaissance units in the front lines of US 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. Though not a match for heavy German armor, the Stuart
was more than adequate for dealing with infantry. In addition to
the US military, M5s were supplied to Britain, the Soviet Union
and France. After WWII, the Stuart saw action in such far-flung
places as China, India, and Indochina.

Illustrated with more than 190 photographs, plus color profiles
and detailed line drawings; 80 pages.