M2A4

M2A4

M3 Stuart

M2A4

M3 Stuart

USA

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.0	1.0	1.0

Class:

Light tank

Research:Free

Purchase:Free

Description

The Light Tank M2A4 is an American reserve light tank with a battle rating of 1.0. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in Update 1.45 "Steel Generals". The first iteration of the "Stuart" series, it is a simple design with a 37 mm tank gun and speed on its side.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour
• Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	25.4 mm (19°) Front plate 15.8 mm (69°) Front Glacis 25.4 mm (20°) Lower glacis	25.4 mm	25.4 mm Top 25.4 mm (18°) Bottom	6.35 mm
Turret	25.4 mm (11°) Turret front 25.4 mm (12-65°) Gun mantlet	25.4 mm	25.4 mm	6.35 mm
Armour	Sides	Roof
Cupola	25.4 mm	6.35 mm

Notes:

• Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, tracks are 10 mm thick.

Mobility

Mobility characteristic
Weight (tons)	Add-on Armor weight (tons)	Max speed (km/h)
11.5	N/A	63 (AB)
		57 (RB/SB)
Engine power (horsepower)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	406	500
Realistic/Simulator	232	262
Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	35.30	43.48
Realistic/Simulator	20.17	22.78

Armaments

Main armament

37 mm M5
Capacity				Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
103				-6°/+19°	±180°
Turret rotation speed (°/s)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded	Prior + Full crew	Prior + Expert qualif.	Prior + Ace qualif.
Arcade	19.52	27.01	__.__	__.__	38.59
Realistic	12.20	14.35	17.42	19.27	20.50
Reloading rate (seconds)
Stock	Prior + Full crew	Prior + Expert qualif.	Prior + Ace qualif.
3.77	3.33	3.07	2.90

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration in mm @ 90°
		10m	100m	500m	1000m	1500m	2000m
M74 shot	AP	78	76	59	43	31	22
M51 shot	APC	67	66	58	50	43	37

Shell details
Ammunition	Velocity in m/s	Projectile Mass in kg	Fuse delay in m:	Fuse sensitivity in mm:	Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):	Normalization At 30° from horizontal:	Ricochet:
							0%	50%	100%
M74 shot	792	0.87	N/A	N/A	N/A	-1°	47°	60°	65°
M51 shot	792	0.87	N/A	N/A	N/A	+4°	48°	63°	71°

Ammo racks

Ammo rack of M2A4

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	Visual discrepancy
103	69 (+34)	35 (+68)	1 (+102)	No

Machine guns

7.62 mm M1919A4
Coaxial mount
Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
5,250 (250)				500	N/A	N/A
Pintle mount
Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
3,000 (250)				500	-10°/+45°	±90°
Hull mount (#1)							Hull mount (#2)							Hull mount (#3)
Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance	Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance	Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
5,250 (250)				500	N/A	N/A	5,250 (250)				500	N/A	N/A	5,250 (250)				500	N/A	N/A

Usage in the battles

The M2A4 light tank is the reserve tank for the USA. As such, it is very maneuverable and fast, being a light tank. However, it has many distinguishing features that make it a forgiving beginners tank.

The M2A4 is most comparable to a cross between a BT-5 and T-26. The M2 has slightly less mobility than the BT-5, while being a larger target and having better armour, like the T-26. The M2A4 also has a fast-firing 37 mm M5 cannon that can fire M74 or M51 shot, as well as the M61 shell.

Its gun has better accuracy than the majority of tanks on its rank, and its APC ammo retains its penetration at most ranges. This ability to hit rapidly from range and still penetrate in part makes up for the somewhat anemic damage of the 37mm gun.

Like all tanks of this rank, it is lightly armoured and can be damaged or knocked out by any other vehicle from anywhere on the map. A useful tactic is to make use of its speed by engaging at range and then relocating when the fire get to heavy around you.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Fast and agile
• Acceptable gun
• Fair armour all around
• Machine gun secondary armament allow for flexibility in taking out exposed SPAA and Tank Destroyers
• Roof mounted 30.Cal is quite effective at taking out unarmoured aircraft

Cons:

• Uneasy handling, prone to slide at high speeds
• Quite flammable, even when hit from the front
• Terrible steering, not adequate under gear 2
• Driving this straight into a wall at a fast speed can result in a crew knock out
• Can struggle to destroy larger vehicles due to lack of explosive filler

History

Development

The M2 Light Tank series was an American pre-World War II design as their answer to a fast, effective tank in a cavalry role.

The idea of light tanks started with the Defense Act of 1920, which defined tanks as an infantry support weapon, but the idea of a cavalry role for the tanks were brought up by multiple theorists, to which the British were the first to incorporate with the cruiser tanks. Limitation in American development lead to the establishment of light tanks as the combat cars. The development team soon looked at the tank prototypes T1 Light Tank and the T2 medium tank and decide to use them as the basis for the light tank design.

Modifications made onto the experimental tanks, mostly installing the new Vertical Volute Spring Suspension (VVSS) that would be the main suspension in future American tank development, made the tanks into the M2A1 Light Tank. The main version used before the war was designated the M2A2, which had two turrets, both with a .50 caliber M2 Browning as its armament. However, the Spanish Civil War showed that this kind of tank is insufficient in tank warfare, so the design was revised with one turret with a 37 mm cannon and improved armour, this would become the M2A4, which would be the main light tank variant in US service before World War II broke out.

Combat usage

Although the M2 light tanks were promising in their introduction, they were soon succeeded by the M3 and M5 light tanks. The M2 light tanks were seen by armament as a stopgap solution for the dire need of tanks and a development project for tank improvements. By December 1941, the M2 light tanks were being used for training only in the US Army, but the Marine Corps used them in the Battle of Guadalcanal in the Pacific due to the lack of M3 light tanks available.

Britain ordered some M2 light tanks in early 1941 in part of the Lend-Lease Act, but only 36 were delivered before switching to the improved M3 light tanks.

A unique feature on the M2 Light tank was the number of machine guns it could house. Aside from the coaxial and the bow gunner's ball mounted one, two machine guns were fixed facing forward on the sides of the hull, fired by the driver. Another M1919 Browning machine gun could be mounted on the turret top for anti-aircraft use.

Media

Skins and camouflages for the M2A4 from live.warthunder.com.

Read also

Official War Thunder forum article: [Vehicle Profile] M2A4 Light Tank

Sources

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.