M3 Lee - Revision history

U132877009: Added a paragraph about the key figures involved in the development of the M3 Lee, also mentioning the problems they had. Information Sourced from Nevington War Museum.

2024-08-08T23:42:43Z

Added a paragraph about the key figures involved in the development of the M3 Lee, also mentioning the problems they had. Information Sourced from Nevington War Museum.

U44629479: Edits

2024-04-01T21:03:20Z

Edits

U43191476: /* See also */

2024-04-01T08:51:04Z

‎See also

U44629479: Undo revision 179019 by U145926690 (talk)

2023-12-19T05:15:28Z

Undo revision 179019 by U145926690 (talk)

U145926690 at 02:34, 19 December 2023

2023-12-19T02:34:44Z

U74396666: Grammar

2023-08-29T03:25:30Z

Grammar

U38088265: /* Description */

2023-08-07T21:21:02Z

‎Description

U74396666: New Description Project - USA Priority: Tanks - M3 Lee

2023-08-07T15:14:53Z

New Description Project - USA Priority: Tanks - M3 Lee

U148757708: /* Usage in battles */

2023-06-01T17:33:09Z

‎Usage in battles

U44629479: Undo revision 159647 by U137552202 (talk)

2023-03-26T10:57:16Z

Undo revision 159647 by U137552202 (talk)

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 The current main tank in US inventory in 1940 was the [[M2|M2 medium tank]], but the Battle of France showed that such a tank was not going to be capable to go up against the German [[Pz.III F|Panzer IIIs]] and [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IVs]] and their Panzer Divisions. With the Western Allies now embroiled in the North African campaign against the Germans and Italians, the Allies needed a good tank capable of going against the Panzer tanks, and they needed it quickly.<ref name="ZalogaM3Med">Zaloga Steven. ''M3 Lee/Grant Medium Tank 1941-45'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2005</ref>
-The new tank design took elements from the M2 Medium, using the chassis and its VVSS suspension system. Part of the requirement for the new tank was to mount the more powerful 75 mm cannon. However, it was discovered that the United States does not have a turret design that could mount the 75 mm gun. Turret development would take time, and a new tank capable of fighting the Germans was needed by the British, which the Americans were building tanks for even though the United States was not yet at war. Taking elements from French designs such as the Char B1, with its two cannon mounts, the American designers decided that the 75 mm, if it couldn't yet be mounted on a turret, should be mounted on a sponson design on the hull. This design was tested on the M2 medium tank as the ''T5E2''. It was always considered a stopgap, using the same chassis as the future M4 Sherman to minimize issues with transition when the new design was ready. Ordnance approved it as combat-capable and the design was approved as the '''M3 Medium'''. The M3 Medium design had two cannons, the 75 mm on the hull sponson mount, and a 37 mm with a coaxial machine gun on a turret, a cupola on the turret had its own machine gun. The M3 Lee's 75 mm gun, however, presented a huge advantage over contemporary tank armaments as the 75 mm could fire high-explosive rounds for fortifications and artillery pieces, yet could fire a shell with a high enough velocity for anti-tank purposes.[[File:M3-Lee-Chrysler-Arsenal.jpg|x400px|right|thumb|none|Two M3 Lee being assembled at the Chrysler Arsenal, their guns still missing.]]
+The new tank design took elements from the M2 Medium, using the chassis and its VVSS suspension system. Part of the requirement for the new tank was to mount the more powerful 75 mm cannon. However, it was discovered that the United States does not have a turret design that could mount the 75 mm gun. Turret development would take time, and a new tank capable of fighting the Germans was needed by the British, which the Americans were building tanks for even though the United States was not yet at war. Taking elements from French designs such as the Char B1, with its two cannon mounts, the American designers decided that the 75 mm, if it couldn't yet be mounted on a turret, should be mounted on a sponson design on the hull. This design was tested on the M2 medium tank as the ''T5E2''. It was always considered a stopgap, using the same chassis as the future M4 Sherman to minimize issues with transition when the new design was ready. Ordnance approved it as combat-capable and the design was approved as the '''M3 Medium'''. The M3 Medium design had two cannons, the 75 mm on the hull sponson mount, and a 37 mm with a coaxial machine gun on a turret, a cupola on the turret had its own machine gun. The M3 Lee's 75 mm gun, however, presented a huge advantage over contemporary tank armaments as the 75 mm could fire high-explosive rounds for fortifications and artillery pieces, yet could fire a shell with a high enough velocity for anti-tank purposes.
 The M3 design's faults were the high profile and the sponson mount for its armament. The M3 was 10 ft. 3 in. tall, a foot taller than the M2 medium tank. The 75 mm on a sponson mount meant that the main armament of the tank had a limited traverse compared to a rotatable turret and forced the tank to reveal much of its body in order to aim the gun at the enemy. The M3 Medium was also constructed out of rivets (which increased spalling) and had a smooth track design which reduced ground traction. Despite these disadvantages, the Allies happily accepted them as they were critically low on tanks, and German Colonel Hans von Luck considered them superior to the [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IV]]s from his experience in Africa.
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 ;Related development
 * [[M3 Medium (Family)]]

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 == See also ==
-'''Related development'''
+<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 * [[M3 Medium (Family)]]
 == External links ==

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 == See also ==
-''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
+'''Related development'''
-* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
+* [[M3 Medium (Family)]]
-* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+** [[M3 Medium (USSR)]]
 == External links ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:15, 19 December 2023
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	Introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]], the M3 Lee had significant firepower and good armour compared to the previous M2 medium tank, but it had serious drawbacks in its overall design, including a high silhouette, an outdated sponson mounting of the main 75 mm gun resulting in a limited firing arc, riveted construction, and poor off-road performance. Overall, it is a very unusual tank for most players and will require certain coordination to be used effectively.		Introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]], the M3 Lee had significant firepower and good armour compared to the previous M2 medium tank, but it had serious drawbacks in its overall design, including a high silhouette, an outdated sponson mounting of the main 75 mm gun resulting in a limited firing arc, riveted construction, and poor off-road performance. Overall, it is a very unusual tank for most players and will require certain coordination to be used effectively.
−
−	~~So in other words it sucks.~~

	== General info ==		== General info ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:34, 19 December 2023
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	Introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]], the M3 Lee had significant firepower and good armour compared to the previous M2 medium tank, but it had serious drawbacks in its overall design, including a high silhouette, an outdated sponson mounting of the main 75 mm gun resulting in a limited firing arc, riveted construction, and poor off-road performance. Overall, it is a very unusual tank for most players and will require certain coordination to be used effectively.		Introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]], the M3 Lee had significant firepower and good armour compared to the previous M2 medium tank, but it had serious drawbacks in its overall design, including a high silhouette, an outdated sponson mounting of the main 75 mm gun resulting in a limited firing arc, riveted construction, and poor off-road performance. Overall, it is a very unusual tank for most players and will require certain coordination to be used effectively.
		+
		+	So in other words it sucks.

	== General info ==		== General info ==

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 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
-The '''M3 Lee''', formally Medium Tank, M3, was a World War II U.S. Army version of the M3 medium tank. The turret was built in two versions, one for US requirements and one for British requirements. Prior to the introduction of the M3, the [[M2]] medium tank was the primary medium tank of the U.S. Army. However, the accomplishments of the German Panzer IIIs and Panzer IVs in the French campaign during World War II prompted the U.S. Army to immediately request a new medium tank armed with a 75 mm gun in a turret in response to the new threats. The design began in July 1940, and the M3 medium tank commenced production in late 1940, in response to the United Kingdom's pressing demand for 3,650 medium tanks. The concept was a desperate attempt to get medium tanks built as soon as possible. The M3 medium was designed from the start to be an interim design with a 75 mm gun; hence, it was withdrawn from action in most theatres as soon as the [[M4 Sherman (Family)|M4 Sherman tanks]] became available in substantial numbers.
+The '''M3 Lee''', formally Medium Tank, M3, is a World War II U.S. Army version of the M3 medium tank. The turret was built in two versions, one for US requirements and one for British requirements. Prior to the introduction of the M3, the [[M2]] medium tank was the primary medium tank of the U.S. Army. However, the accomplishments of the German Panzer IIIs and Panzer IVs in the French campaign during World War II prompted the U.S. Army to immediately request a new medium tank armed with a 75 mm gun in a turret in response to the new threats. The design began in July 1940, and the M3 medium tank commenced production in late 1940, in response to the United Kingdom's pressing demand for 3,650 medium tanks. The concept was a desperate attempt to get medium tanks built as soon as possible. The M3 medium was designed from the start to be an interim design with a 75 mm gun; hence, it was withdrawn from action in most theatres as soon as the [[M4 Sherman (Family)|M4 Sherman tanks]] became available in substantial numbers.
 Introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]], the M3 Lee had significant firepower and good armour compared to the previous M2 medium tank, but it had serious drawbacks in its overall design, including a high silhouette, an outdated sponson mounting of the main 75 mm gun resulting in a limited firing arc, riveted construction, and poor off-road performance. Overall, it is a very unusual tank for most players and will require certain coordination to be used effectively.

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 <!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
-The multiple cannons allow for different combinations of attack. The 37 mm gun on the full 360° traverse turret allows for a diverse role on the M3, with its high-velocity and effective round for long-range fighting, but with a fast reload for close-quarter encounters. The 75 mm on the sponson mount has the same penetration level as the 37 mm, but with a very high post-penetration damage with the right ammo at the cost of lower velocity, and thus a shorter battle range. The limited traverse on the 75 mm mount also means it is not as flexible as the turreted 37 mm. With these two cannon, the M3 Lee can focus on close-range combat with the two cannons fighting a single tank or engage two separate tanks at a longer range. Closer range combat is supported by the M3's adequate sloped frontal armour, able to withstand most enemy fire at its battle rating. It is recommended to set the keys to allow separate firing of the cannons for maximum effectiveness.
+The multiple cannons allow for different combinations of attack. The 37 mm gun on the full 360° traverse turret allows for a diverse role on the M3, with its high-velocity and effective round for long-range fighting, but with a fast reload for close-quarter encounters. The 75 mm on the sponson mount has the same penetration level as the 37 mm, but with a very high post-penetration damage with the right ammo at the cost of lower velocity, and thus a shorter battle range. The limited traverse on the 75 mm mount also means it is not as flexible as the turreted 37 mm. With these two cannons, the M3 Lee can focus on close-range combat with the two cannons fighting a single tank or engage two separate tanks at a longer range. Closer range combat is supported by the M3's adequate sloped frontal armour, able to withstand most enemy fire at its battle rating. It is recommended to set the keys to allow separate firing of the cannons for maximum effectiveness.
 Still, different guns mean different styles of play. The M3 can also play as a tank destroyer, using its sponson gun to take shots at medium range and it's 37 mm to cover the flanks and make longer range snipe shots. The M3 Lee can also be used as an assault tank, quickly advancing on points while switching between the powerful 75 mm gun and the faster-firing 37 mm. It is also possible to completely ignore the 37 mm and focus solely on the 75 mm as it is a far more effective gun with its HE filler in its APCBC, as well as being easier to manage for newer players. In all game modes, the weapons should be assigned to different keys, this will allow the tank to aim using the sights of the three guns separately, allowing more accurate targeting at ranges, especially for the 75 mm gun. Since the 75 mm is in a side sponson, it is also possible to approach cover to where only the 37 mm is showing, allowing the tank to fire with most of the tank's profile hidden.

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 At its BR, the M3 Lee has a possibility of facing long-barrelled [[Pz.III L|Pz.Kpfw. III]], and [[Pz.IV F2|Pz.Kpfw. IV]], as well as [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]]s and [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]]. The ZiS-30 is also very deadly, with its long gun that can penetrate even a Tiger 1. The 75 mm gun can reliable penetrate all of these tanks at short range (save the T-34), whereas the 37 mm will require some particular shot placement. Another particular enemy worth noting is the Sd.Kfz.234/2 "Puma". This light tank mounts a 50 mm KwK39/1 cannon which can easily penetrate your armour all around. You should try to angle the tank in a way that the shells will just slide harmlessly off. Another tactic is to only expose your turret, that way, you can minimize the amount of damage dealt to you.
 When combating the M3 Lee, avoid its 75 mm gun by flanking the vehicle, then get in close and hug the sides or rear of the vehicle to prevent them from turning and going under the 37 mm's depression range. Aim for the large superstructure, a solid penetration will knock out all 6 crew members or make the ammunition combust. Note that firing through the side hatch will usually destroy the tank in a single shot, owing to the lack of sloping and ammunition storage.
 === Pros and cons ===