w/s no.19 fitted to M3 Stuart light tank

[Mrs Vampire]

Hi
My two bobs worth.

The first batch of M3 Stuarts ( the refugee cargo Dutch ones used in Buna etc) were modified to look like the drawing (above) TD 262 according to the Australian archives. ( my copy of that drawing came from the file specifying the fit out ) .

The photos from Buna show the sponson Guns removed and the holes welded up with a substantial amount of steel. The diagram above shows ammo and oil amongst other things were put where the guns used to be.

Later hybrid Stuarts almost certainly had the sponson guns removed . some has the semi circular ammo bins as in the M3A1 but with checker plate lids so you could stand on them. I have seen one shot with a seat mounted on the side of the basket-less turret and have seen in the flesh Australian Stuarts with the welded fitting to take that. I for many years thought the bracket was a fitting so either powered or hand traversing gear could be fitted..I could never make sense of it until I saw the seat fitted to the Stuart in the Dutch museum. ( Those were Hybrid M3s. )


I am not sure if we ever used M3 or M3 hybrids with sponson guns though I have seen one resto job with them in place in Australia I have never seen a period photo with them in Australian service.

Des can you say which Stuart you photo was taken from???

[Mrs Vampire]

Carls photo appears to be of Bill O'reilleys Stuart.

I am not confident that is an accurate set up. The rear of the hull appears to have the places for the W/T shelf. I also note the Turret in this tank has the fittings on the turret for a basket....I suspect that some "recreation" has been exercised .

My own Stuart had the #19 fitted in the stbd sponson ...the shock mounts still being in place when I first got the hull way back in 1970 .

Pictured Bill's Installation and turret detail and my own radio installation in an M3A1 .

[Mrs Vampire]

Des' Photo seems to be one of the Brazilian Stuarts.

Note the replacement honeycomb style radiator and Coffman Starter breech indicating a Guiberson installation.

Again I am unsure how reliable this set up is. The ammo bins and other fittings and the many other photos such as those of the Bovington Brazilian Stuart, the shots taken when they were imported and shots of Stuarts taken out of Brazil prior to Mike Stalwarts export effort, indicate they were originally very much like the drawing .
That said the Brazilians kept the Stuarts for a long time and embarked on a massive modification program that lasted from when they first relieved them till they sold them off.

For my money until some period photos show up I am sticking to the original Australian M3 looking like the drawing and our Hybrids looking a lot like the Dutch Museum Stuart.

Any interior shots of Stuarts would be gratefully received.

[drcowie]

Gina

The pics I included were from my M3 Guiberson powered tank USA W-303598 (now sold) - not ex Brazil, but restored by me with original bins, early radiators & US radio/mount setup & intercoms (all working)

[Mrs Vampire]

many Thanks for clarification Des.

Haven't seen Honeycomb radiators as original fit before. Do you have any more photos of that installation ...where is the tank now??? From whence did it come???

Gina

[Mrs Vampire]

would also be interested to know more about the victorian stuart with the M3 radio shelf.

[Mrs Vampire]

Talking about the insides of M3s I have this interior shot of Sgt Lattimore's Stuart 2017.

There is a filter of some sort right up against the main battery switch box.

From other info that switch was a knife switch that was supposed to be turned on and off.

never seen such a filter/whatever fitted before and have no idea what its for.

The engine compartment shot doesn't quite show if it lines up with a hole in the wall of the fighting compartment. The filter look original 1942 .

anyone have any clues??