Introduction

M3 General Lee is an American medium tank from World War II era, also used by the British Army and known as Lee in the US, and in the United Kingdom as Grant. The M3 tank was created as a result of the need to replace the obsolete M2 tank, which did not match the WWII battlefield. The serial production began in August 1941. The M3 tank had many components from the M2 light tank, including chassis, Wright R975 EC2 star engine, and the shape of the combat compartment.

Kagero Topdrawings

Kagero Topdrawings series are a great resource for all modelers who want correct proportions and details of the vehicle. High quality line drawings are presented along with colored profiles and camouflage schemes. Plans are in popular scales including 1/48 and 1/35 for military vehicles.

Medium Tank M3 Lee I Line Drawings

The Topdrawings for the M3 Lee include line drawings of all sides and the vehicle top for the following variations:

• M3 Medium Tank Early production
• M3 Medium Tank Mk. I
• M3 Medium Tank Mid Production with spoke wheels
• M3 Medium Tank Mid Production with pressed steel wheels
• M3 Medium Tank Late Production with 75mm gun
• M3 Medium Tank Mid Production with 75mm gun & modified exhaust
• M3 Medium Tank Mid Production with field modifications for grenade launchers and additional antennas

A separate loose page includes a 1/35 scale elevation and top view of a M3 Medium Tank Late Production with 75mm gun, and 1/48 scale side elevations of four variations of the M3.

Medium Tank M3 Lee I Color Profiles

Color profiles with markings and camouflage are included for these tanks:

• M3 Lee of F Company 12^th Battalion of the 3^rd Regiment of the 1^st Armored Division, Tunisia, January 1943.
• M3 Lee of 12^th Company, 13^th Regiment of the 1^st Armor Division, Tunisia, April 1943.
• M3 Tank of F Company, 2^nd Battalion of the 13^th Regiment of the 1^st Armor Division, operation “Torch,” Oran, Algeria, December 1942.
• M3 Lee of the British 10^th Armor Division, North Africa, October 1942.
• M3 Lee delivered to the USSR, 241^st Armored Brigade, Battle of Stalingrad period.
• M3 Lee, unknown unit from the Battle of Kursk period, summer of 1943.
• M3 Lee from Australian Second Army fighting in Burma from 1942 to 1943.

Summary

This is another excellent book in Kagero’s Topdrawings series. The line drawings are a great reference for scratch builders and all modelers of the M3 Lee. The color profiles provide good inspiration for finishing, camouflaging, and weathering kits.

Thanks to Kagero for publishing this excellent series, and to Casemate for providing the review sample to IPMS.