US M5A1 light tank
GAS50135

Complete 1/48 scale US M5A1 light tank kit

Kit contains:

• Resin parts
• Brass rods
• Assembly instructions with parts list and color photos: Download instructions

You can also contact us to have this model assembled and painted with the camouflage of your choice.

Click here for availability and price.

History of the US M5A1 light tank

6,810 15.4-ton M5A1 light tanks were built between November 1942 and June 1944 by Cadillac Division, a subsidiary of GMC. A doublet of Cadillac "Series 42" gasoline engines developed 296 hp and enabled a speed of 58 km/h, with a range of 252 km.

The four tankers were protected at best by 51 mm of armor. The main armament, a 37 mm M6 cannon supplied with 147 shells, was complemented by three 7.62 mm M1919A4 Browning machine guns (AA, coaxial and shell) with a total of 6,750 rounds of ammunition.

The M3A3 was nicknamed "Stuart" (General Stuart) by British troops. The vehicle had its baptism of fire on November 8, 1942, during Operation Torch. It successfully fulfilled its role as a cavalry tank, and was not superseded by the M-24 Chaffee until 1945.