M-5 Stuart Light Tank Walkaround

P-38

Planes & Stuff

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USS Midway

M-5 Stuart Light Tank

Folks,

Here are some photos of the M-5 Stuart Light Tank that was on display outside the Tamiya North America Headquarters building during their TamiyaCon '05 in April of '05.

Enjoy!

M-5 Beauty shot.

Front angle view.

Track detail view

Note the strips of armor welded in front of the tranmission case bolts - just below the machine gun on the left, along the middle, and below the headlight / horn assembly on the right.

The left side of the Iron Maiden.

M-5 rear view

M-5 Track view from the rear.

Engine access door detail. Note the towing pintle and the staining of the grilles over exhausts.

Rear hull details. The black rectangular things in the foreground here are spare track links. Look how much different they are from the pads on the current tracks. Also note the weld seams of the hull plating and also the "blobbiness" of the welds that hold the attachments hooks and such to the hull.

Suspension gear detail. Note the relatively simple track tension adjustment fittings on the rear wheel.

Another view of the rear track wheel detail.

Rear track wheel closeup. Note the threads and adjustment nut.

More suspension detail.

Track boggie detail. Note the coiled spring cylinders on each boggie. Also note the loop of metal bolted to the top of each unit underneath the tracks. This appeared to me to serve as a guide for the treads. The loops were assymetrical in that the one on the front boggie was "leaning" more toward the front and the one on the rear toward the rear. Also note the return rollers and the various attachment points on the hull's side.

Bolt detail on the tank's upper hull over the treads. These bolt heads projected out from the upper hull immediately above the treads. No doubt they secured items within the hull. I just thought it interesting that they'd be placed outside of the hull to do that.

Also note the track guide plate bolted atop the suspension boggie. That's the thin flat piece of metal in the center of the image. Just big enough and high enough to help guide the tread's teeth while not being so big that it fouls them.

Right side rear deck detail. This box at the center of the image is the safety cover for the engine compartment fire extinguisher pull handle.

Tanker crewman in period attire. Note how small the tank is and how boxy its superstructure is as well.

Drive sprocket detail.

Front boggie detail. That bit projecting out from the bottom side of the hull just between the boggie assemblies is a pretty heavily welded "T" shaped hook. It's rounded and curved and must be for secure the vehicle to its transport or to the ground. I'd also bet that thing would manage to "secure" debris and such as the tank drove across it. More stuff for the tank's crew to clean!

Closeup of the top of the front boggie. Here the track guide plate is more visible. Note the metal loop band atop the boggie under the tread and how it "leans" forward. Also note the safety wire threaded through the bolts holding the track return roller in place.

Drive sprocket detail. Note the cutout in the hull's side for the transmission assembly to reach the drive sprocket. Also note the molded in lettering on the boggie's road wheel.

Another view of the tie-down bracket welded to the hull's side between the boggies.

Suspension boggie detail. The coiled springs show up well here.

Driver's hatch area. Note the attachment bracket for the driver's periscope on the inside of the open hatch.

Hull machine gun detail.

Tank front transmission detail.

Right front detail. Note periscope protective cage on top of the gunner's hatch.

Transmission case detail. The numbers here are upside down in relation to the rest of the tank as the piece is installed on it.

Left front detail. Note the bolts and safety wire securing them in place. Also note how the drive sprocket engages the tread. You can also see the front lifting mount welded to the front of the transmission case that makes up the front of the tank's hull.

This page was last updated on 16 April 2005

If you've questions or comments about this page then drop me a line at: madoc@madoc.us

Unless otherwise noted, all photographs and images on this page are copyright protected property of Madoc Pope. If you would like to use any of my images you must contact me first before you do so.

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In the meantime, I hope you have enjoyed your "stay" at this site. Check back again to see what new images I have added. Until then, stay well, play hard, play safe, and have fun!

Madoc