Although designed as a Light Tank, when first introduced into British service in late 1941 the M3 Stuart was used as a Medium or Cruiser tank. However, as the Grant, Sherman and later Crusaders with bigger guns came into use, the Stuart was relegated to traditional light tank roles. Some were used as Observation Post vehicles in Royal Artillery units in North Africa in 1942, but the use of the Stuart as a reconnaissance tank was formalized by changes to the structure of British Armoured Regiments in late 1943. This added light tanks to their organization, the three Regiments in an Armoured Brigade (whether it was part of an Armoured Division or an independent Brigade) having eleven each, while the Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment in an Armoured Division had 30. With the Stuart's 37mm gun no longer being effective against enemy armour, the decision was made to remove the turrets and rebuild them into specialist 'recce tanks.' In fact, in the later stages of the North African campaign some were already being used without turrets, photos show the Royal Scots Greys and Nottinghamshire Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry having such vehicles. Both were M3 Stuarts with riveted hulls and may have been made by the units themselves using old and maybe damaged tanks.
Download from (hotfile.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment