AFV Modeller Publications M3 Lee/Grant ISBN: 9780993564680

[Mike]

M3 Lee/Grant

ISBN: 9780993564680

AFV Modeller Publications via Casemate UK

 

 

In the years before WWII America realised that they were lagging behind in respect of armour, a fact that became especially clear when Germany came out from under a veil of secrecy to throw off the shackles of the Versailles treaty to show off and then use their new tanks and Blitzkrieg tactics.  The M3 Lee was conceived in 1940 as a medium tank carrying a powerful 75mm gun, partly for manning by their own crews, but also because Britain had requested a large number of tanks to make good their losses from Dunkirk.  The Lee was a decent tank but suffered from a high silhouette and limited traverse of the sponson-mounted 75mm gun, but was still widely used.  In British service it was known as the Lee if it was fitted with the original American turret, or the Grant when using the lower-profiled British specification turrets.

 

The Lee was used primarily in Africa and the Pacific theatres where the 2nd line equipment seemed to be fielded (for the most part) by the enemy, and against the Japanese who were far behind with their tank designs and tactics.  It underwent some substantial changes including cast, welded and back to riveted hulls plus changes in the power pack and loss of the side doors to stiffen the hull.  The riveted hulls suffered from rivets popping off and becoming projectiles when hit, which could be just as lethal as a penetrating round and was never fully eliminated. Lots of oddities and projects used the basic chassis, even after the Sherman supplanted it in general usage.

 

The Book

This is a new volume from AFV Modeller Publishing, and it is a weighty tome in a hard back binding with 471 real pages inside and a couple of blank ones in the rear to even things up.  On the front is a stylised version of a wartime picture of a crew posing with live rounds in front of their tank, plus a small pile of “lightly used” spent brass in front of them.  At first glance it appears to be a model, but later on I stumbled on the original picture at which time the cogs started turning and I took another look at the cover.  It’s really well executed, I have to say.  The pages are a satin finish and almost all of them are printed with contemporary photos, which are predominantly black and white, although a few are in colour.

 

 

 

 

The best way to describe the book is an M3 Lee/Grant bible, as it covers the type from before its birth back to the T5 prototype that… well, let’s be frank, looks hideous and outdated even viewed through a mid-30s lens.  The book is broken down as follows:

 

	Chapter 1	-	Setting the stage, the T5/M2	3
	Chapter 2	-	Preparing for war	4
	Chapter 3	-	An overview of the M3 Medium Tank series	15
	Chapter 4	-	The radial engine tanks – M3, M3A1 and M3A2	30
	Chapter 5	-	The Diesel tanks – M3A3 and M3A5	38
	Chapter 6	-	The Multi-bank tanks – M3A4	116
	Chapter 7	-	Production and modification	138
	Chapter 8	-	M3-based conversions	148
	Chapter 9	-	North American use	247
	Chapter 10	-	The M3 in the British Isles	340
	Chapter 11	-	Combat debut – North Africa	366
	Chapter 12	-	The M3 in the Far East	420
	Chapter 13	-	The M3 in Australia	430
	Chapter 14	-	The M3 in Soviet service	442
	Appendix	-	Tabulated data	452

 

 

 

 

The book is a goldmine of information, with every photo having an informative caption, with the main text expounding the history and major events of the tank’s development, from a rather angular beast to the shapelier M3 Lee and Grants that we know and sort-of love.  The photos have been drawn from a number of private collections, and include many that are likely new or rare to print, with tons of pictures from the development, building of the tanks in the various factories and foundries that made the type, and at the proving grounds during tests.  The depth of information in the pages is amazing, and some of the pictures are posed, while others are more candid both in the factories and in service.  There is a great deal of inspiration for dioramas of course and so much detail that it would be of great value to modellers and history buffs alike.

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

You can imagine from the page count that the amount of information held within is comprehensive, and the photographs are of excellent quality both in terms of sharpness and content.  If you’re interested in the type, you really should consider this book a must-have.

 

Very highly recommended.

 

Review sample courtesy of

[junco]

Bought this as soon as it came out, no fussy colour artwork, just large clear photos covering the development and construction of the vehicle.  Thoroughly recommended.

Neil