The M3 Medium Tank, dubbed the “Lee” by the British, was America’s first mass-production medium tank design of World War II. Production started prior to the United States entering the war and it’s design suffered by trying to fulfill too many disparate roles and tactics. Nevertheless, when it made it’s battlefield debut in British use, it’s powerful 75mm cannon proved advantageous against anything then fielded by Rommel’s Afrikakorps.
When the Americans joined the war, the M3 was the main medium tank supplied to it’s armored units. However, it’s tall silhouette, limited traverse of the sponson mounted 75mm gun, and relative ineffectiveness of the turret mounted 37mm anti-tank gun proved the M3 to be an obsolete and inadequate design fairly early in it’s deployment.. The automotive components of the M3 proved to be it’s main strength and would be carried into the legendary M4 Sherman tank, which replaced the M3 as the Western Allies main medium through the end of the war.
The M3 chassis and hull would provide the basis for the M7 Priest 105mm Motorized Howitzer Carriage and many existing M3′s were converted to the M31 Tank Recovery Vehicle.
Additional information about this Brickmania custom Lego® kit:
This Brickmania custom kit is only being offered as an exclusive reward for helping to launch the Brickmania Track Links™ on Kickstarter. All photos are shown using LEGO Technic track links, which will be replaced with the more realistic Brickmania Track Links when the kit is delivered. The only way to order this kit now s to pledge now for delivery when the new tracks are ready (we are aiming for sometime in July). Your opportunity to own one of these kits ends Saturday Jun 8, at 12:25pm CDT.
The M3 “Lee” kit has the following features:
- Elevating 75mm main gun plus two fully rotating turrets with elevating guns.
- Two custom pad-printed tanker minifigs
- Two stocked tools bins with opening lids
- Five opening hatches for the crew plus opening engine compartment doors
- Easy separating lower / upper hulls for access to the semi-detailed interior
- Built to the same 1/35 scale as other Brickmania kits
- Includes 652 new condition elements from LEGO and Brickmania
- Comes with signed and number certificate of authenticity
- Intermediate Skill Level (4-6 years experience with LEGO is recommended)
All Brickmania model kits are made of new-condition LEGO bricks and this one includes compatable weapons by BrickArms. This model comes disassembled and includes completed printed building instructions and comes packaged in a sealed box.
More Images of the M3 “Lee”
Filed under: Announcement, Brickmania Track Links, General Awesomeness, New Releases Tagged: BrickArms, Brickmania Track Links, Custom Lego, Daniel Siskind, Kickstarter, Lego, Lego Military, Lego Sherman, Lego Sherman Tank, M3 Lee, M3 Tank
