MiniArt releases the second new tooling for its 1/35th-scale M3 Stuart

No interior – no problems! Well. We look at the second of MiniArt’s new M3 Stuart light tank kit in art, colours, decals and plastic. We look at the second of MiniArt’s new M3 Stuart light tank kit in art, colours, decals, plastic, etch & the vehicles used for the marking choice sin our preview…

Preview: MiniArt’s second of the new-tooled 1/35th scale M3 Stuart – Initial Production…

M3 Stuart Light Tank Initial Production

From MiniArt Models

1/35th scale

Kit No #35425

Decals for four options in the box

Photo-etch included

The M3 Stuart Light tank:

The US Army began development of a light tank in the early 1930s. The M3 series, which was launched in July 1940 after a succession of tanks with increasing armor and firing power, is the result. The M3 was provided to British forces under the Lend-Lease Act. It first came into combat in North Africa with British troops in November 1941. These three pictures are supposed to represent three of the marking options in this kit. The M3 was used by American forces in the Philippines when the Japanese invaded in December 1941. Improvements were made based on the feedback from this action. These included a gyro stabiliser for the main 37mm gun, and power traverses for the turret. This was the first American tank to include such features. The M3A1 was also used by American troops during the North African Campaign. It was even less effective than the 37mm gun that had been inadequate to British forces just a year earlier, as German armor continued to improve. A veteran wrote, “Popcorn Balls thrown by Little Bo Peep against German armor would have been as effective.” After the 1st Battalion of the 13th Armored Regiment participated in the Battle of Kasserine Pass the Stuart tank became a reconnaissance vehicle and flank guard. M3 tanks and their successors, M5 tanks, continued to serve in Europe until the end of World War II. The Stuart tank served as an infantry supporting vehicle in New Guinea and Solomon Islands. The kit is from MiniArt

The second version of MiniArt’s newly-tooled, 1/35th-scale M3 Stuart Initial Production kit. Some modelers prefer this version because it is easier to build. They don’t want the complexity of the larger kit. The main difference between these two tank kits is

and some marking options. That and

and some marking choices is the main difference between these two tank kits….

Photo-etched parts are offered for correct scale thickness and a scope for damage or removal if so desired.

The rear deck is actually very clean for a wartime tank…

Modellers will soon see to that with the addition in this kit of several petrol cans that strap to the engine deck – excellent!

Although there is some photo-etch, it is limited in this kit by the looks of these CAD drawings.

Lastly, the make-up of the suspension and tracks show a little more about the construction.the interiorThe sprues of the kit are laid out here to understand the scope of this kit…