I'm currently thinking of purchasing a Stuart (preferably the really old clunker-looking M3A1) and I would like to know if that was still used in Normandy landings and after. I read that they were declared obsolete in late '43, but I doubt that prevented them from being utilized.

Some M3 and M5-s were used in recon roles up to the end of the war.

Yes, they were definitely used after Normandy. As JimF said, they were used in a recon role, and sometimes used with infantry. Thanks for your time.

DMS,
The French were still using the M5 and M3 (I think) in Indochina into the early '50s if you want to go that far. Would be a neat subject...

HTH,
Shaun

Good good. Just what I needed. As far as the M3A1 goes, would anyone recommend using the AFV Club M3 suspension set with the Academy M3A1 kit? Supposedly the kit suspension leaves something to be desired.
Hmm. . . didn't realize the French continued to use the Stuart into the '50's! Thought they were only using the M24 in Indochina.

DMS,

From the info in Osprey Stuart and squadron signal books by D-Day the US had issued M5A1's to its light tank units as losses mounted some M5's were issued as stocks of M5A1 were low. The French were using M3A3 and M5 series and the Common Wealth nations were using everything including some M3A1's.
Also have seen pictures of Stuarts are still being used by Mexico (modified of course).

The M3 & M3A1 were mostly replaced in Europe in US units by Normandy, however the M3 and M3A1 served longer in the Pacific.

I have the osprey "modelling the stuart" book, and zaloga writes that the AFV suspension and tracks are the best available. All models he builds after the AFV release include them.

I'm a big fan of the Stuart because of a Computer game I like to play called "Combat Mission" from battlefront.com.

Granted, I've had many Stuarts die too many times in standoffs with German tanks, but I do love how the Stuart had the ability to mess with infantry. The machine guns rock.

I put together a 1/35th Tamiya Stuart. I won't say "build" because I'm just beginning my modeling journey and it was just a simple box only thing.

Of the American light AFV's, the Stuart and Greyhound are my favorites.

Careful using the AFV Club suspension witht he old Tamiya & Academy hulls. Tamiya messed with the dimensions of the hull to motorize the kit and adjusted the height of the suspension to make things work out. When Academy copied the Tamiya kit, they didn't correct anything, so that one's out as well. The best solution is to scratchbuild a new lower hull for the academy kit, but resetting the vertical position of the suspension would work as well. In either case its not a drop fit. Cl;ose, mind you, but its definitely noticable if you don't fix it.

Paul

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Do we adjust the hieght of the bogies up or down. By how much?