The M2 and M3 - A Light Tank Origin Story

The M3 Stuart was THE allied light tank of World War 2. Good armour, good gun, good mobility, and loved by it's crews. It's development began with the T2, continued into the M2 and culminated in the M3A3, with the vehicle serving for decades on the front lines. And, believe it or not, it's still very much in service somewhere!
DISCORD: / discord
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:35 The M2 Light
01:51 M2A2 "Mae West"
02:33 M2A3
02:55 M2A4
04:42 Arctic Intermission
05:08 The M3 "Stuart"
06:41 M3A1
07:55 M3A3
09:28 Welcome to Yugoslavia
09:42 Still in service...
10:17 Outro
Credit to Panzer Insight for a large portion of the footage.
/ @panzerinsight
All content is presented in historical context for educational purposes. All footage is owned by it's copyright holder and is used in this channel under "fair use".
Music by Epidemic Sound

[@craigfitzpatrick4810]

"mounted twin turrets of her own"......😂

[@cjclark1208]

He didn’t even hesitate, legend.

[@xed5204]

Had me spittin’ up!

[@invictus-1B9]

RAF life jackets in WWII also were called "Mae Wests"... for obvious regions

[@c3aloha]

We could now call them Stormy Daniels. 😂

[@parhamghm]

This one had me rolling 😂

[@ahmadjordan3080]

I like the M2 but i prefer the M2 but you might not like it so i recommend the M2

[@Lost_Kin]

My personal favourite is the M2

[@DanielLopes-uo7qo]

bullshit, everyone knows the M2 is better than the M2, also the M2 is overrated.

[@arturneveshopner9187]

0:28 For those who don't know, this is the x1 Pioneer, a Brazilian built/modified Stuart rocking a 90mm low pressure cannon

[@ThatWelshGuy.]

You mean the very cursed one

[@petesheppard1709]

Having grown up on the ‘Haunted Tank’ comics, the Stuart is a lifelong favorite.

[@c3aloha]

It was great when General Stuart almost abandoned the crew when they switched to the M4 Sherman!

[@petesheppard1709]

@@c3aloha I missed that one.

[@c3aloha]

@@petesheppard1709 of course they couldn’t fight the late war using a 37mm against Tigers. He came back when they faced a Tiger haunted by Attila the Hun. :)

[@petesheppard1709]

@@c3aloha In some of the comic books they did. I remember it being explained in one case as a 'Special' 37mm, causing a Tiger to self-disassemble shortly thereafter; granted the shot was into the lower glasis... Still, it was a comic about a ghost giving directions to an M3 TC in Europe, so I didn't take it too seriously... 😎 I also remember seeing a book where the tank looked a lot like an M41, but that was just a glance.

[@ThePrader]

As I also grew up reading that series I know just about how old you are. As I am 70, you must be close.

[@BHuang92]

The M3 has been one of my favorite tanks! I play World of Tanks and Warthunder with the M3 and had a blast with them!

[@joshfritz5345]

I too like the M3. The combination of turret mounted 37mm and sponson mounted 75mm is great for engaging multiple targets. The M2 is another favorite of mine. Those TOW missiles are lethal against anything it's likely to come across.

[@interpl6089]

@@joshfritz5345 I Also Like the M3, I Love the TOW-II and Bushmaster 25mm Chaingun Duo!

[@PC-coolant-pipe-sucker]

Not to confuse with the M3 Lee, Grant, M3 army knife, M3 Grease Gun, the M3 half truck and the M3 USAAF helmet.

[@PC-coolant-pipe-sucker]

Oh, how could have I forgotten the M3 AA gun, the M3 GMC, M3 Scout Car, M3 105mm howitzer, 37 mm gun M3, M3 20mm cannon, M3 machine gun and I would be damned if I didn't mention the M3 tripod.

[@chaosXP3RT]

I believe these tanks are also a product of a phase the US Army went through referred to as "The Cult of the Machinegun"

[@PopeMetallicus]

we're Americans, there is no such thing as too many machine guns

[@davidtuttle7556]

@@PopeMetallicusunless it interferes with pistol and rifle ports for our 1911s and AR-15s. Which, that happens,you’re probably using too many M240s and not enough pintle mounted dual and quad M2s.

[@Ugly_German_Truths]

it's an easy formula... the more dakka you can send into the field, the less legally competent (sane) your crew needs to be.

[@capfig4471]

The Stuart’s are easily my favourite series of tanks. Not for any of their actual practical abilities. I think their just cute.

[@mnguy98]

"Not to be confused with the M2, the M2, M2, M2, or the M2. Thanks for that, America." You're quite welcome. We've also got plenty of M1s, M3s, and M4s to look at while you're here.

[@somethingelse4878]

"JOHN, GRAB THE M2!"... NO, NOOO, the other m2 ffs

[@kevinkral4568]

This might be a good time to mention *The Haunted Tank,* a great comic book from some time ago. An M3 Stuart is protected and guided by the ghost of CSA Cavalry General Jeb Stuart, resulting in many highly improbable victories for the diminutive protagonist of the series title. This is a great movie concept and I can't imagine why it hasn't been done yet. The publisher (DC) night want to think about reprinting a retrospective, as they were genuinely entertaining books. Regards, Kev ps. Red Wrench, you'd get a real charge from a Caterpillar Co. book titled "Fifty Years On Tracks" as it contains lots of cool proto-tank stuff. It's an older CAT publication and not too hard to find . . . -K.

[@leeblake3989]

I was not into "super heros". The Haunted Tank was the very first comic book I ever read and the only one I ever followed. To this day, I love the Stuart tank for that reason.

[@Ugly_German_Truths]

Uhh, hero worship of JEB Stuart? No wonder everybody still believes the man shat golden bullets in a fight... despite having made several important blunders that cost the Confederates whole battles (although Gettysburg probably was a bit more Lee looking for a scapegoat than Stuart truly messing up reconnaissance... the armies were pretty aware where the other was as they had danced around each otherrs staging locations for 10 or 15 days...) but then most confederate generals get an undeserved "Rebel" bonus just for being on the Slavestate side... if they had the same record as Union generals they would be bashed by the people adoring them.

[@leeblake3989]

Triggered much? We were talking about a comic book and a WW II tank, not the general it was named after.@@Ugly_German_Truths

[@avnrulz]

In your photo showing the extended idler wheel of the M#, the gap between the bogies is also reduced.

[@jayg1438]

Really enjoying your vids. No WWII documentary on amy topic will please everyone. You do a good job balancing it all.

[@ps1_hagrid_gaming517]

Cant wait for part 2!❤️ I need more stuart lore😩

[@cjclark1208]

You identified Mays armaments with the quickness.

[@aleks1939]

I believe an M3A3 was used in the original Twilight Zone episode entitled "The 7th Is Made Up of Phantoms." Which is about a 1960s America National Guard tank and crew travelling back in time to the Battle of Little Big Horn.

[@c3aloha]

At first it threw me off because of the sloped sides. If they had brought the tank it might’ve helped them. 😂

[@cosmoray9750]

Taiwan is being quietly invaded kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqCaopWcgtSijqs

[@HM2SGT]

*_ TERRIFIC*_ episode. My all-time favorite.

[@c3aloha]

@@HM2SGT Warren Oates was awesome as always

[@dougstubbs9637]

I suffered through a revolution in fat loss from an isolated Vietnam island commercial, 3:26 long, half way through this vid. I figured they want to give Red Wrench some money, so I let them. You are welcome. Respect. Fantastic so far.

[@GeneraI_Motors]

Your humor in these videos is spot on

[@V1C1OUZ]

Thank you so much for the video! I can rest easy now knowing they were completely different tanks and unique in their own ways, I've always been confused about these tanks and why make too many variants(just like the M4's) , they were just all "Stuarts" to me. 😅 🍻

[@pepperonipizza3080]

One of those partisan m3a3 is preserved in Slovenia. I could never recognise if it was an M3 or M5 but now i know.

[@PiggyBankBurglar]

Love the video, they really brighten my day!

[@AverageSpaniard0505]

you always entertain us with interesting topics, thank you!

[@justafan4266]

My boy you have some truly quality armored content!

[@newhonk]

I love your videos so much that I just have to thank you for making them

[@michaelboguski4743]

I grew up with the Haunted Tank Comic Book, that's how as a little boy I absolutely loved the Stuart Tank.

[@KanJonathan]

Very useful and underrated at PTO.

[@codaboi138]

These little guys are so cute. If i were to give it a hat, it would have a top hat sitting over the turret. The Matilda would get a bow of her own, as it's also a cute tank.

[@rgriffinRETIRED_SHEEPDOG]

Excellent video!

[@johncox2865]

Hey, my uncle, who fought in WW II, told me that Mae West carried twin 88s. He called them “bombs”, in fact.

[@ianbell5611]

Thanks Great video

[@gandydancer9710]

5:47 timestamp - M2 ends, M3 begins

[@gansior4744]

I would love a Patton video. Development was interesting and the countless modifications to cover. Truly tank that won't die

[@leondillon8723]

2:07) Mae West was also the name for US life vests.

[@SilverStarHeggisist]

Love the War Thunder style color code for armor thickness

[@aymonfoxc1442]

Whilst I briefly found myself wondering what the aim-2 had to do with the M2 light tank, I quickly realised what Red was saying after he said em 2 with a twang 😅 Red's videos keep getting better. He does his research, takes an in-depth approach and presents a lot of interesting factual information. The M2 deserves more attention and I'm glad Red is giving it some time under the spotlight.

[@Chode216]

Does anyone remember a comic book series called "The haunted tank"

[@thedungeondelver]

Looking forward to exploring the X1A and X1A1 variants. Man, what a trip - the Brazilians turned a light WW2 tank into a light Cold War era tank! New turret with 90mm main gun, LRF, fire control, thermals, NBC protection...

[@dougcapron7940]

Excellent

[@jeffjackelen744]

Just found your channel this week. Well done! Doesn't the Marine Museum in Virginia have a display with a Stuart in Guadalcanal? Seems unlikely they would have found an historically accurate M2 but who knows? Maybe someone can correct me here.

[@JohnMinehan-lx9ts]

Also, nice to see someone who knew how to pronounce "Stuart."

[@jakeg6172]

Pretty sure you can find more m2 examples with little effort. I also never liked the naming schemes used then.

[@biorop638]

Can we get the IS-3 next? :)

[@fbi3679]

They did saw combat in Burma.

[@avnrulz]

There is a Twilight Zone episode (The 7th is made up of phantoms, S5) which features an M5.

[@c3aloha]

Also the Joker and Penguin drive a gold Stuart in the 60’s Batman TV show.

[@superdupergrover9857]

2:05 AKSHUALY those would be casemates on Mae West.

[@Ugly_German_Truths]

Just think when people were serious about 37mm being a LARGE caliber... Now they are squabbling about 105, 120 or 130 mm with some bringing already up 140mm...

[@AlexVanChezlaw]

The brits always give cool names to their weapons: Stuart, Sherman, Firestreak, Red Top, Centurion, Spitfire...

[@eugeneblue299]

Nice.

[@seanthompson8071]

04:45 You're Welcome! 😂😂

[@ShopeeToyFindsPH]

Would love to see a m113 video

[@c3aloha]

You mean a Gavin? Just kidding!

[@Mr_Bunk]

I don’t know how you do a video on the origins of the M2 and T2 without once mentioning the T1 Combat Car, the vehicle that started this whole line.

[@RedWrenchFilms]

If you're talking about the M1931 it didn't really have much to do with these vehicles. It may have influenced the requirements for T2, T2E1 and T2E2 but it was an entirely different design. The US Army only bought 3 of Christie's tanks and didn't seem all that interested.

[@Mr_Bunk]

@@RedWrenchFilms I apologise for the misleading typo. I meant to say *M1,* not T1. I am aware that the Christie tanks had no influence in the history of US tank design, but I am still surprised that the M1 combat car had no mention.

[@8.bit_gun340]

“The cult of the machine gun” is a powerful thing don’t fall for it like we did.

[@nickdanger3802]

4.30 36 M2A4 Lend Leased to Britain plus 5,532 M3 light and 1,391 M5. page 8 Hyperwar Lend Lease shipments 1941 December 170 M3 light tanks in North Africa, 108 in the Philippines.

[@NovaAge]

Dall-e mini thinks that "The m2 us military" is eighter a machinegun or tripod-mounted rocket launcher, so to solve the ambiguity joked about at the start let's say that the mortar is "the m2" and every other m2 shall only be referred with the appropriate adjective.

[@aleksskrbec150]

I Just came from museum wher they had yugoslav stuards and models and pictures of the modified ones

[@pyeitme508]

WOW!

[@luvr381]

What was the co-drivers actual job description?

[@comentedonakeyboard]

The apearance of the M2 promted the Penguins to develop a anti tank snowball🐧

[@TEXASUSA45]

The thumbnail with Stuart little😂😂😂😂😂

[@karoltakisobie6638]

Diesel radial engine? Never heard of that one before.

[@thatgaycat]

If the intro taught me anything, it's that America isn't very creative when naming equipment

[@jeffreysort7219]

What’s the tank at :23 seconds? The Stuart with the really long barrel.

[@paulobrien3241]

You totally ignored the history of the M2 in New Guinea 1942 -43. They were pivotal in the victory at Buna & Sanananda in the hands of the Australian Army. Not the first time that the New Guinea theater (which was a much bigger theatre than Guadalcanal) has been overlooked by WW2 history.

[@RedWrenchFilms]

I don’t think the M2 ever served in New Guinea or saw combat outside of a select few at Guadalcanal - do you have any photos or anything?

[@ThemightyM3_Stuart1]

As the stuart came in many varieties... the first and third version of the stuart were effective towards the Japanese but as for the M5 Stuart, it's was used for more combat during later in the war, trust me, the m5's were like selling highly cheap toys for other countries as not to mention the M3A1 Stuart Satan 🤓

[@PC-coolant-pipe-sucker]

Do not confuse the M3 "Stuart" with the 37 mm Gun M3, 90mm gun M3, 105 mm Howitzer M3, M3 20mm cannon, M3 fighting knife, M3 machine gun, M3 submachine gun (AKA: Grease Gun), M3 tripod, M3 Gun Motor Carriage, M3 half-track, M3 Lee/Grant, M3 Ram, and who could forget the M3 Scout Car.

[@Modified-bf109]

Ok I will not

[@LilHomieRefugee]

Did an m3 stuart hull ever have the turret of a m3a3 stuart?

[@Koba_78]

Doesn't the M1 Medium look a tiny bit like t34 from the front?

[@ThatWelshGuy.]

The tanks i enjoy driving most in war thunder are the stuarts (mostly the m5) and their replacment the m24 chaffee

[@warlordshaxx856]

wait thought you said the M2A1 was not a Stuart

[@deplorabledegenerate2630]

You don't like all the M2s? What about all the M1s are those okay we did good there right? But no it drives me batshit too that the current tank we've been using is suddenly the M1 again is maddening. M stands for model I think so it makes some sense but how hard is it to put extra designation in there? Like... LT-M1. Light Tank Model 1. There. Done.

[@dehydratedwater90]

you can’t knock America for valuing standardized equipment designation. you can however knock America for standardizing designations beyond all unique meaning.

[@thegrimgripper8416]

What about the m3 Satan in the pacific?

[@blyatman7368]

do su 100pm

[@nilloc93]

you got a source for that "honey" name?

[@RedWrenchFilms]

Which aspect of it?

[@nilloc93]

@@RedWrenchFilms It's a pretty disputed myth that the British called in a honey. Sort of in line with blitzkrieg which was only used by journalists. Since honey meaning good wasn't in the British lexicon during WW2. It's an Americanism that creeped into British culture after the war.

[@RedWrenchFilms]

@@nilloc93 It’s true that some people do think it’s a bit of a post-war myth, notably David Fletcher of the tank museum. That being said I do personally think it was used during the war, I found a column by the Chieftain which had some quotes from Churchill himself calling American vehicles “Honey”. I’ll try and dig them out.

[@nilloc93]

@@RedWrenchFilms Its not uncommon for politicians and journalists to come up with silly nicknames for vehicles that none of the users actually say. A great contemporary example would be the Canadian LAV3/6 and ACSV which the media have given the nickname "Kodiak" and "super bison" to. But none of the operators have ever used it nor are they official nicknames. It just sounds cooler for casuals.

[@c3aloha]

@@RedWrenchFilms .The reference I found was in Robert Crisp’s book Brazen Chariots. He was a Stuart commander in North Africa. He said the driver who first took it for a test drive came back and said She’s a honey. Especially because of the aircraft radial engine and the rubber tracks that didn’t shed compared to their crusaders.

[@Sacrificed_marder3]

Why is there soo many "m 2s"

[@peepsbates]

2:06 Judging by this and the fact that the American's nicknamed the T-72B's composite armour the 'Super Dolly Parton', I have come to one conclusion. Tankers are horny mfs.

[@felipelomar5388]

Not more than the bomber crews naming their planes after pin ups

[@dudududu1926]

Cutest WW2 US tanks.

[@zino5879]

I must disagree and suggest the m22

[@233Hicks]

She's a honey...

[@tvgerbil1984]

MacArthur had more than 100 M3s together with over 50 T12 Tank Destroyers for the defense of the Philippines in 1941. They should have been capable to wipe out the 90 odd Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go light tanks which had the dreadful one-man turrets.

[@markgarin6355]

M3....model 3....of something. Machine gun, tank, rifle..., Now had you mentioned the M3 Lee tank........well then there you have an issue.

[@RedWrenchFilms]

The Lee was the M3 Medium Tank and the Stuart was the M3 Light Tank

[@markgarin6355]

@@RedWrenchFilms ah...but designated 'M3'....and a tank...ha. light, medium, large....what's in a designation? They are all pretty heavy to me.

[@RedWrenchFilms]

@@markgarin6355 A light might be 10t, a medium 20-30t and a heavy 40t, but it’s more about their roles and how they are deployed!

[@markgarin6355]

@@RedWrenchFilms I know ..just making light...ha of the designations. It's amazing the number of people I've heard call the M2 Browning...an M50 because of the caliber.

[@Nicosrandomstuff]

2:10 xdd

[@nizarb.arsantaka2740]

Brazil is absolutely mental

[@NuggetTherWarhammer40ksimp]

E

[@flyyourimagination7615]

1st?

[@flyyourimagination7615]

Comment?

[@theciaweeb3078]

First Edit: nvm, Second

[@I_want_White_Cheddar_Popcorn]

Hands down M3A3 is the ugliest Stuart