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SFC_Jeff_Button

These three Stuarts are at the 4th ID museum, Ft Hood. The M3 and M3A1 had their serials stamped into the front left diff bulge. The M5 had it clearly stamped into the slope on the front left, and had something on the right rear tow lug but it wasn't really readable.

M3 serial was 5067
M3A1 serial was 9542
M5A1 serial was 6306

Neil_Baumgardner

Jeff, thanks for these! I am updating the posting for now, will put it into a pdf this weekend....

On the M5 SN, the picture looks like it is the right side of the front hull???

Neil

SFC_Jeff_Button

It's on the left side as you look head-on at the tank. That is how I reference my locations. Am I confusing people?

Neil_Baumgardner

Oh yeah, I refer to locations on the vehicle itself - its left side or right side.... Just like you'd say right side of the car, etc... Let me check the references Wink

Neil

SFC_Jeff_Button

Hello to all. When I posted these Stuarts, I also sent the pictures to Joe DeMarco and he was able to find the following information on each of them;

"M3 serial was 5067
M3A1 serial was 9542
M5A1 serial was 6306

S/N 5067 would have been built by American Car & Foundry at their plant in Berwick, Pa. June, 1942. It would have been assigned USA 308500, so they already have the first 4 digits of the Registration Number painted on there. That would have been built with the D 58101 "low profile" turret, which would be similar to the turret on the M3A1, but without the turret basket, & with a blank off plate over the periscope hole in the right roof. The turret that's on their now, with the commader's cupola, came from a earlier M3. This tank was built as ACF transitioned from riveting to welding. Notice that the sides are welded, but the rear end is still riveted.

S/N 9542 would also have been built by ACF Berwick, but in December, 1942. It would have been assigned USA 3024751. That tank was assembled almost completely by welding. Notice the upper rear hull plate is kind of a half round screwed on. The handle on the glacis is oriented side to side, which, AFAIK, was only on M3A1s. Both that & the M3 probably came form Australia. That's probably where the grouser rack on the hull side was installed. The M3 shows scars which indicate that it might have had the racks as well. I wouldn't be surprised if the 2 side pistol ports on the M3A1 turret were welded up. That seems to be something the Commonwealth users liked to do.

M5A1 S/N 6306 would have been built by Cadillac-Detroit in April, 1944, a month before the end of production. The late turret on there is certainly appropriate.
Nice shot of the "Serial No" stamping on the glacis. So far, that is where the S/N has been found on Cad-Detroit M5 series, while it's been found just below that stamped into the bow mg casting on units made by Cad-Southgate & Massey-Harris. Looks like they all stamped it on the right front diff bulge as well. I haven't seen it on the rear tow lugs, so if that's what's in your photo, that would be something new to me.

That tank is on the list of 90 M5A1s "Sold to Canada 9/20/46 @ $831, doc from P. Ford in Army Motors #47." It's listed as 6306 / USA 3049418. The 4th ID Museum probably got it form SECO, who got if from Portugal, who got it from Canada. An old photo of that tank at Hood shows a Canadian DND number painted on."

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