Most of the M3 tanks in North Africa were Grants. Have we got any photos or illustrations of M3 Lees in 1942 for a modelling project?
I have a photo in the book about Sherman’s of a group of tanks. In the background are some Lee’s. They are from the Wiltshire Yeomanry, 9th armoured brigade, 27 Oktober 1942. The Wiltshire Yeomanry was the second regiment within the brigade. It is in the background, rear facing, and another one right side facing. They have the command cuppola fitted. On the turred side is a large yello C squadron circle, which seems correct, for the tekst sais the Grants at this time were in C squadron, confirmed by the regiments diary. They have sand shields fitted, and the ‘sundshield’ attatchments. Comparred to the Sherman’s in the fore ground, they have a base cote of what seems light stone. No camoflage is visible in the distance. Also note that, by this time, the 9th had green AoS backgrounds, and carried the 2nd NZ division mark, with a combined brigade mark and AoS, both usually on the mudguards. On the 1st of November, c squadron reported ‘1 petrol Lee’ on hand.
In the new vanguard book about the M-3 tank, a photo is included of a M-3 Lee at the ordnance school in Cairo in the spring of 1942. The tank is in US olive drab, with mud dessert cammo. Later on, the olive drap was used some times on M-3s as cammo. Also, some Grants and Lee’s had canvas folded around the 75mm base, to keep dust out of the mechanisms.
I know it’s not exacly what you might have wanted, but I think it’s as close as I can get. Ofcource, you have the photo of a Lee in British service on www.Afrikakorps.org.
Cheers, and good luck and a lot of fun with the prodject.
Joppe
Thanks for the detailed description of the photo.
No chance of posting it here I suppose?
Also, all the Afrikakorps.org photos of Lees are from 1943. I very much want to do a British crewed 1942 model.
I’ll have to ask my dad, not sure if he has his scanner installed yet, but I’ll try.
Cheers,
Joppe
Hope I’m not to late,
On the other hand, interest has no time limit, right?
Here is the photo. I also have the Lee singled out.
Cheers,
Joppe
Just had a look of your photos, we’ve got plenty more around our TAC. I will try my best next time i’m in to get a capture of some of the unit’s M3’s from WW2. Although most of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry’s tanks were shermans, i’m fairly certain there’s at least a couple of M3’s knocking about. Also you could always try the regimental archives located in the county archives in Trowbridge.
Sorry I got the name wrong. ROYAL WILTSHIRE YEOMANRY, got it now;)
Hope I didn’t offend you!
I hope you find some photo’s to post!
Cheers,
Joppe
http://pachome1.pacific.net.sg/~kriegsketten/ALT352015.htm
Just found out there is a decal set for the M-3 Lee in N-Africa. One option is provided for a British Lee. The rest is russian and US Lee’s, and British Grants.
Cheers,
Joppe
I found a photo in the squadron but it wasn’t very good and the quality was pretty poor. I’m going to try to see what I can get in the archives, although no promises.
thanks.