Stuart VI Recce (was: Stuart Recce replacement)

[Alex van de Wetering]

IWM BU 3027

Germany April 1945; 11th Armoured Division Stuart Recce

M5A1 Recce? ....I think the M5A1 and M8 HMC were the only Stuart variations with the grill next to the towing hook(?)


source: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/i...ject/205207034

Alex

[Stefan Leegwater]

Hi Alex,

You could be right, that looks like an M5A1.

Would you or anybody else know what the inside looks like for stowage of boxes, radio etc. in a Canadian version?
I am about to weld on this hull, it is nice to prepare everything before blasting/painting.
I also asked on FB Stuart M5A1, there are M3A3 pictures, would the interior be basically the same?

Thanks,

Stefan

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Stefan Leegwater

You could be right, that looks like an M5A1.

Agree.

Would you or anybody else know what the inside looks like for stowage of boxes, radio etc. in a Canadian version?
I am about to weld on this hull, it is nice to prepare everything before blasting/painting.
I also asked on FB Stuart M5A1, there are M3A3 pictures, would the interior be basically the same?

As these were field modified, anything to make it work for the troops who used them. I would look indeed at pics of the modified M3A3's (see the one pictured from above), or descriptions on how Priests were converted to Kangaroos on my web page here: http://www.mapleleafup.nl/g104/apckang2.htm.

Basically the interior was stripped of all 37-mm ammunition storage and parts when used as a tank, reposition the radio into one of the sponsons, to make as much as room as possible.

From the history of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment's Stuart VI, PRESS ON, CT271427, you'll find that over time the same Stuart was used for a variety of roles:

This turretless Stuart VI now stands in front of the armoury in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. It is a late production M5A1, with periscope guards on the driver's and co-driver's hatches, the storage box on the rear, and a mixture of open spoked and solid road wheels.
It was found abandoned in France shortly after the Lincoln and Welland Regiment (10th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian Armoured Division) landed in July of 1944. It was abandoned by the South Alberta Regiment as the turret had been damaged. Everything else apparently worked, and one of the Lincs' mechanics got the engines running. The turret was removed and the CO pressed it into service for his own personal vehicle.
For the balance of the war, it was also used as an recce vehicle, ambulance, ammo carrier and many other tasks. When it was first used to take ammo up to some troops it looked so strange that both sides fired at it. At the end of the war the Regiment decided to bring it home as its "war trophy". Reportedly, when the Stuart came to Canada, it bore the signatures of all of the regimental members.

HTH,
Hanno

[Stefan Leegwater]

Thanks Hanno

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Just a second thought Stefan, and I checked the pictures on https://military-classic-vehicles.fr...ecce-a-vendre/

As it was stripped internally already to serve as a Gun Tower, I think the logical bits to remove for conversion to Recce are already gone. You would have to put the top deck and driver's hatches back on. These can be fabricated, Adrian Barrell has done this many years ago.

Just add a radio in an appropriate location - vital for it's role as a Recce vehicle, not so much as a gun tower - add a MG and you're done.

Attached a picture of a Stuart VI Gun Tower, just for reference - and because I couldn't find a new Stuart VI Recce picture ;-)

Stuart VI Gun Tower.jpg

[Alex van de Wetering]

Couple more............details and markings blurry, as usual!

First one might be an M3A3 Recce (normandy)....other 4 stills show 2 different M5A1 Recce's in Belgium 1944.

source: Britishpathe.com (stills can be found there)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbmTTtQKf4o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNnYyJ4dc00

I am still looking for more pics/footage of the Canadian Recce in Bergen op Zoom, but sadly the city archive has moved to a new web address and somehow removed a lot of the interesting pics!

Alex

[Alex van de Wetering]

And an M3A1 Recce for good measure....

Roosendaal 1944
source: https://westbrabantsarchief.nl/