M3 Grant reference book

[Simon Cornes]

Just a quick question, ignoring the presumably superb book on the subject by David Doyle and costing £60 (currently £40 at Amazon but still too expensive) what would you recommend as a single source modelling reference?

If there was a Tankcraft that might do, but there isn't, or a Haynes for that matter. Mr Doyle has only recently released another book in the Legends of Warfare series and costing a much more reasonable £13.64 from Big A. I don't want the drawings book by Kagero written by Mr Z but then there is the Osprey New Vanguard? Then the 'Tanks in Detail' volume by Terry Gander gets an interesting write up by a chap who seems to know his stuff and rates it slightly higher than the New Vanguard. But that was in 2018 so what's the current opinion ?

Thank you 

[Kingsman]

The M3s have been rather neglected for significant reference material until the Doyle book.  They were covered in the seminal US Medium Tanks book by Hunnicutt, but a even a PDF facsimile of that will cost you a lot more than the Doyle book.  As for a real copy, get a mortgage........

 

But you could do a lot worse that the old Airfix Classic AFVs book 2 on the Lee and Grant by Ken Jones and Peter Chamberlain. These pop up on eBay from time to time for a few £ and you might find one on Amazon or at the likes of Abe Books.  Although it dates back to 1977 it has scale plans, painting and marking schemes, cutaway drawings etc as well as a decent development and operational history.  It also touches on the M7 HMC, the Grant CDL and Grant ARV.  But being that age there is no colour in it: it's all black and white. 

 

Here's one on eBay now starting at £13.70 inc shipping: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184920081903?hash=item2b0e1885ef:g:Lg8AAOSw3rtgeyE2

 

Terry Gander also put out an M3 book.  This one is on eBay now here for £9.99: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/392588850655?epid=89556382&hash=item5b681e75df:g:56sAAOSwYfBe-azL

 

If you just want plans and a bit of colour artwork the Kagero Top Drawings booklet is good if you can find it.  Here's one on eBay right now: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/383732300941?epid=21046580297&hash=item59583a3c8d:g:b9MAAOSwdilfaJAU

[Simon Cornes]

Many thanks for that. I was able to get hold of the Jones/Chamberlain book and whilst Ive not read it yet I agree with the highlights you've noted and so I dont feel the need for the TopDrawings publication. I wonder whether the Gander book does the same thing as the Jones/Chamberlain, and no better?

Many thanks

 

Simon

[Kingsman]

I did buy the Doyle book I must admit, and the Kagero drawings.  But then I am planning half a dozen Grant and Lee models and it seemed like a good companion to Son Of Sherman.  I have the Airfix book but not the Gander one.

 

One minor thing about the Airfix book is that it was published at a time when the nomenclature of British M3s was misunderstood.  The Grant II was not an M3A5 Lee.  The Grant IIs were 93 final-production Baldwin-built Grants using the M3A5 (83) and M3A3 (10) hulls but with all the normal Grant differences from the M3 Lee.   We did not differentiate the welded and riveted Grant IIs.

 

In terms of Lees, the UK only received M3 Lee 1s.  Designations were allocated for M3A1-A4 but none were received.  The book incorrectly designates the Lee IV as an M3A3 with Continental engine: there was no such beast.  M3A3s were welded-hull diesels.  The M3A2 was the welded-hull Continental-engined version: Lee III.

[Simon Cornes]

Thank you for that - I will copy and paste onto a piece of A4 to keep with the references! I am building a 1/16 radio controlled Grant so I think one will be enough ! Mind you a Lee would be tempting to!!

[Kingsman]

In terms of full size references, Bovington has a Grant I and IWM Duxford has a Grant II.  Just a thought, but Bovington might have a Plan Pack on the Grant.  Their archive certainly has Grant documentation including things like stowage diagrams.

[Simon Cornes]

Thank you for that extra bit. I think I probably have enough reference info to get me going. I think that I'll work with the references I have and then, if I need something in particular, I'll ask again. 

Hard copy of all our advice produced and inserted into Airfix reference book! 

Thanks again