M3 and M5 Stuart, Honey, M8 HMC, and all the rest

[PanzerWulff]

only a minor improvement but how about upgrading the main gun to the M-1 57mm AT gun it would make it a better infantry support/cavalry scout meaning it could take on lighter armor like japanese tanks and panzer III/IV based vehicles and halftracks. or even go with a twin Oierlikon 20mm with the 20mm's ROF it would be useful for keeping the infantry's heads down in support of an advance
"Panzer"

[dy031101]

Brazil upgraded their tanks into X1A-1 and kept them in service until the 1990s.

It seem that quite a few tank upgrade projects involved widening and lengthening their hulls.  How cheap or expensive is doing so?  Or does it depend on the tank hull designs?

[Just call me Ray]

Cant find photos of the Stuart with Flakvierling also used by the Yugoslavs

Come to think of it, there is a Fine Scale Modeler article about such a conversion. I think it was April something-something (lost the issue unfortunately, but it was mid-late 90s if that helps)

[jcf]

Some SPG concepts built on the M3, part 1.

T56, 3" gun on M3A3.

Jon

[jcf]

Part 2.

T57, 3" gun on M3A3.

M8A1, 75mm gun M3 in M8 howitzer turret.

Evidently there was also an early proposal to mount the turret of the M4 Sherman on the M3 chassis, the turret armour was to be thinned
and the bustle eliminated.

I will be adding some other concepts later.

Jon

[Jeffry Fontaine]

only a minor improvement but how about upgrading the main gun to the M-1 57mm AT gun it would make it a better infantry support/cavalry scout meaning it could take on lighter armor like japanese tanks and panzer III/IV based vehicles and halftracks. or even go with a twin Oierlikon 20mm with the 20mm's ROF it would be useful for keeping the infantry's heads down in support of an advance

stepping down to a 20mm is not such a bad idea for arming a reconnaissance vehicle such as the Stuart.  If the US Army had actually managed to procure the T3 20mm Automatic Gun (Solothurn S18-1000 20mm anti-tank rifle) it might have been possible to use that weapon on the Stuart with the added benefit of being able to dismount the weapon from the vehicle.  The advantage to the T3/Solothurn S18 was the smaller magazines that were used. 5, 10, and 20 rounds capacity.  If the Army had managed to get that weapon it might have been possible to see a transistion to the S18-1100 version which was capable of full automatic fire. 

[Just call me Ray]

Well, I hope the following helps for Whiff potential.

Just download the image and make whatever changes you wish in MS Paint

EDITED for corrections to image

[Just call me Ray]

Oh, and here's a conversion kit for quad 50's on an M3:

http://www.missionmodels.com/product.php?productid=164829&cat=259&page=1

[Just call me Ray]

Well, here's my interpretation of a 40mm Bofors stuck on top of an M3 as a quick field mod:

Also, I hope I got the gun proportions correct.

[Jschmus]

It needs shields at the minimum, but I like it.

[Just call me Ray]

It needs shields at the minimum

If you say so!

[philp]

Ok, I am a Stuart nut.  Loved the Haunted Tank when I was a kid (who cares if a 37mm would just give a Tiger crew a mild headache) and Brazen Chariots was a good read.

Kind of like some of the other Brazilian modifications.  Stuart turned into a APC with the engine moved to the forward corner ala M-113.  Lengthening the hull and putting on the 90mm turret that has been seen on the Commando (Hobby Boss supposed to release that version soon).

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Ok, I am a Stuart nut.  Loved the Haunted Tank when I was a kid (who cares if a 37mm would just give a Tiger crew a mild headache) and Brazen Chariots was a good read.

Kind of like some of the other Brazilian modifications.  Stuart turned into a APC with the engine moved to the forward corner ala M113.  Lengthening the hull and putting on the 90mm turret that has been seen on the Commando (Hobby Boss supposed to release that version soon).

The Haunted Tank was one of my favorite comic books erh, graphic novels when I was much younger.  What was the tank that they converted to later in the series?  I keep thinking it was an M24 but it was pimped out so much and that was so long ago that all I remember is the thing was green with a really long gun barrel. 

[philp]

From Wiki:
"When their latest M3 is destroyed, the crew scavenge spare parts and wreckage from a "tank graveyard" to build themselves a new tank, known as the "Jigsaw Tank" (G.I. Combat #150), which serves them from that point."

Forgotten all about that version Jeff.  Also saw that the HT was resurrected in 2008 for a 5 part series, this time as an Abrams in Iraq.

[jcf]

From Wiki:
"When their latest M3 is destroyed, the crew scavenge spare parts and wreckage from a "tank graveyard" to build themselves a new tank, known as the "Jigsaw Tank" (G.I. Combat #150), which serves them from that point."

Forgotten all about that version Jeff.  Also saw that the HT was resurrected in 2008 for a 5 part series, this time as an Abrams in Iraq.

An Abrams?? Haunted by General Abrams??

A LAV would have been more in the original spirit of things.

Jon