| The 3rd Tank Battalion was
activated in September of 1942 under the command of Lt. Col. Hartnoll
J. Withers. When the 3rd Division was activated each of the three regimental combat teams had there own tank company and a scout car platoon. The Ninth Marines tank company became Company A. The Twenty First Marines company became Company B. The The Twenty Third Marines (later redesigned Third Marines) company became Company C. When the Battalion was formed it absorbed the three companies, formed a Headquarters Company, a Scout Car Company (E) and Company D. The Scout Car Company absorbed the three scout car platoons. All the tank company's were equipped with light tanks. |
| Crew....................................4 Weight..................................28,515 Lbs Maximum Road Speed.........36 MPH Maximum Gradient...............26 Degrees Fording Depth......................3' 6" Trench Crossing...................6' Turning Radius.....................21' Vertical Step........................2' Range..................................60 Miles Fuel Capacity......................56 Gallons Engine.................................Continetal W670-9A, 7 Cyl., Gas, Air Cooled Radial Horsepower........................250 at 2400 RPM Steering...............................Controled Differential Suspension..........................Vertical Volute Spring. Two double wheeled bogies each side, three return rollers and a trailing idler. This is the first U.S.
Light Tank to
have a TURRET BASKET,
STABILIZED GUN and POWER TRAVERSE. Some also had .30 Cal.
MG's fix
mounted in the sponson boxes.
Later removed. This was also the light
tank that the
Marines first converted to a
Flame Tank. Attempts were made to replace the bow
MG with a Flame thrower.
Then
later to replace the main gun with a bigger and better Flame
thrower.
Neither one was very successful.
|
Length..................................14'
10" Width...................................7' 6" Height..................................7' 4" Ground Clearance................1' 3" Track On Ground.................9' 7" Track width..........................11 1/2" Blocks per Track, Rubber.....66 Main Gun...................1 37mm M6, L/57 Stabilized in Elevation 360 Deg. Power Traverse Secondary.................1 .30 Cal MG Co/Ax 1 .30 Cal MG Bow Flex Mount 1 .30 Cal MG A/A Main Gun Ammo Storage......111 Rds. Secondary.............................7,000 Rds. Armor type................Face hardened, riveted, some welded, homogeneous. Hull front, lower.........2" cast x 20-90 Deg. Hull front, upper........1/2" x 68 Deg. Drivers front..............1 1\2" x 10 Deg. Sides.........................1" x 0 Deg. Deck.........................3/8" x 90 Deg. Bottom......................3/8-1/2" x 90 Deg. Rear, lower...............1" x 19 Deg. Rear, upper...............3/4" x 0-60 Deg. Turret front................2" x 10 Deg. Turret sides, rear.......1 1/2" x 0 Deg. Turret top.................3/8" x 75-90 Deg. |
 Greg Peck Photo. |
 Greg Peck Photo. |
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| Crew..............................5 Weight............................69,000 Lbs. Maximum Road Speed.........29 MPH Maximum Gradient...............60 Degrees Fording Depth......................3' 4" Trench Crossing...................7' 5" Turning Radius.....................21' Step.....................................2' Range..................................150 Miles Fuel.....................................148 Gal. Engine.................................Twin GMC Diesels, Model 6-71 Horsepower........................375 at 2100 RPM Steering...............................Controled Differential Suspension..........................Vertical Volute Spring. Three double wheeled bogies each side, three return rollers, front drive sprocket and a trailing idler. Armor type.........................Welded, homogeneous armor plate, cast turret, 1 or 3 piece transmission housing. Hull front, lower.................1 1/2" Hull front, upper.................2" Sides.................................1 1/2-2" Bottom..............................1/2-1" Top...................................1" Turret front........................3" Turret sides, rear................2" Turret top..........................1" Some had applique armor applied to turret and sides. |
Length...................................19'
5" Width....................................8' 7" Height....................................9' Ground Clearance..................1' 3" Track Centers........................6' 11" Track On Ground..................12' 3" Track width...........................1' 41/2" Track, steel chevron Ground Pressure....................14.2 PSI Main Gun...................1 75mm M3 w/M43 or M34a1 mount Stabilized in Elevation 360 Deg. Power Traverse Elevation....................+35, -5 Deg. Sighting......................Periscope M4 w/telescope M38 or M70 F Secondary.................1 .30 Cal MG Co/Ax 1 .30 Cal MG Bow Flex Mount 1 .50 Cal MG A/A Main Gun Ammo Storage......97 Rds. Secondary............................50 Cal. 300 Rds. .30 Cal. 4,750 Rds. .45 Cal. 600 Rds. Hand Grenades....................Fragmentation 12 Smoke 12 Vision..................................6 M6 Periscopes Communications..................Crew Intercomm Various types of radios and tank/infantry phones were used. M1 Bulldozer blade mounted on some of these models. Also some were fitted with an expermental flame thrower in place of the telescope or the main gun. |
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