Stuart M5A1, British use in NWE Q. re an IWM photo

[Old Git]

Just stumbled on this on the IWM and was trying to ascertain what type of Stuart it is. Now I'm no expert but it looks to me to be an M5A1, raised deck at the back, the Armoured thingy  on the side of the Turret for the .30 Cal. etc. Can anyone confirm that it is an M5A1 and also if it was usual to have an armoured Glass visor on the M5A1? I don't think I've seen this combination before, but as I say I'm no expert. 

Direct link if you want to zoom the photo is here: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205203359

© IWM (BU 5302) A Stuart tank of the Royal Scots Greys, 4th Armoured Brigade in Wismar, 4 May 1945

 

Edited November 18, 2019 by Old Git

[Adrian Barrell]

Yes, M5A1 but known as Stuart VI in British service. The drivers screen and hood was a standard part of the equipment, known as approach hood in British parlance.

 

[Old Git]

Thanks for the reply Adrian, can always rely on you mate. As it happens I was just looking at some footage of the Berlin parade at the end of the war and spotted another.

 

[Old Git]

So, as far as I know only the Guards Armoured Division fielded the Stuart VI in NWE? Would every Stuart VI have had this feature, or only some of them?

 

[Adrian Barrell]

It's not a feature per se, just a part of the tank equipment, CES in today's terms.  It fastens to the glacis plate at the top edge and presumably can be folded up for use or down as shown in your picture. It's not armoured glass, just laminated for safety and has a wiper and demister. Shermans have them too but they are either fitted or not, there is no facility to fold them down.

[Old Git]

Thanks for that Adrian, it's beginning to make more sense now. At first I thought it was built over the drivers hatch as an Armoured hood but I see it's just a screen in front. Found a bit of footage of 6th Guards Armoured Brigade in the bocage, with a couple of Stuart VI.

http://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=1060019767

 

 

Edited November 19, 2019 by Old Git

[Adrian Barrell]

From the manual. 

[Old Git]

Thanks again Adrian, that's brilliant info, nice to know that it comes with the later versions of the M5A1 as well. Just need to find some drawings for it now.

 

[Old Git]

Another question on Stuarts in British service. Attached below is a well known pic of an Irish Guards Stuart south of Caumont during the Normandy campaign (© IWM (B 8275) ). Those of you who know your Stuarts will know that there is a cover on the side of the turret in which a 30. cal was normally mounted, at least in US service. This Stuart, and others shown in the same series of pics, seem to have a smoke discharger fitted in the same place with something else underneath. Does anyone know exactly how this setup worked and does anyone have any clearer pics or drawings of this?

[Old Git]

Here's another shot of the same setup, taken about the same time, on what I believe is a different Stuart. This photo is a still from a piece of film footage, covering the same events, which can be found on the IWM website ( (© IWM (A70 107-5)). Interesting to see the skirts still on this vehicle

 

 

Edited January 4, 2020 by Old Git

[super6]

On 11/19/2019 at 7:45 PM, Adrian Barrell said:

From the manual. 

Out of curiosity what is tape, friction, 3/4-in wide, and what is its purpose?

Presumably a paulin is a tarpaulin?

[Adrian Barrell]

I think friction tape is the old type of insulating tape with a fabric weave that holds by friction as much as adhesion.

Yes, paulin is a tarpaulin. That reminds me of a day on Fury when Shia Labeouf was studiously reading the Sherman crew drill to make sure he got it right and the same word stumped him. 'What the hell is a paulin?' he asked me. I told him a tarpaulin but he was still lost, I then described it as a tank sheet and he said 'Oh, a tarp! Why the hell didn't you say so?' 

[Pzkpfw-e]

It looks like a 2" mortar.

[Old Git]

It does indeed look like the 2" mortar cum smoke discharger which one normally sees fitted inside the turret, especially in Cromwells, Churchills and Firefly's etc. I have a feeling that they may have also fitted something similar to UC's but will need to check. I've zoomed the detail shot below from the film still which shows it a bit better. Would still like to know what the thing that protrudes below is and also have a better understanding of how the gubbins works.It look likes it might be the standard mounting so just off now to see if I can find an online manual for the M5A1 and see if I can't work it out for myself.

 

[Old Git]

Found a pic of the standard AA mount, sans armament, and trying to compare the two setups...

 

[Old Git]

Another couple of still, this time from  © IWM A70 119-3 . Can't tell if this shows the bomb Thrower attached alongside the mounting for the 30 cal or as a replacement. Last pics shows a couple of Machete attached to rear bustle bin.

 

 

 

Edited January 6, 2020 by Old Git
added pics