{"product_id":"hasegawa-mt5-31105-m3-grant-mk-i-medium-tank-1-72-scale-plastic-kit","title":"Hasegawa MT5 \/ 31105 M3 Grant Mk.I Medium Tank — 1\/72 Scale Plastic kit","description":"\u003cp\u003eManufacturer: Hasegawa\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Kit: MT5\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    MPN: 31105\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Barcode: 4967834312050\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Subject: M3 Grant Mk.I medium tank\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Scale: 1\/72\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Series: Hasegawa Mini Box\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Original tooling\/family: 1973\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    MT5 catalogue issue: 1991\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Material: Injection-moulded plastic\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Parts: approximately 45 according to current retail documentation\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Contents: plastic tank, decals and assembly instructions\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Status: discontinued\/out of regular production\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHasegawa's historical kit-number records are particularly useful here: the original M3 Grant was MB-005, became MB5\/31005, and subsequently MT5\/31105. The original kit is recorded as first available in 1973, while the MT-series issue dates from 1991.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThere is a small discrepancy in published parts counts: one current retailer lists 45 pieces, while an older build review describes the kit as having 59 pieces. This can result from counting metal axles, alternate\/replacement components or different packaging generations, so I would catalogue it simply as approximately 45–59 parts depending on counting method\/release.\n\u003cbr\u003eHasegawa manufacturer history\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHasegawa Seisakusho Co., Ltd., generally known internationally as Hasegawa, is one of Japan's long-established scale-model manufacturers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe company became particularly well known for aircraft kits, but its catalogue has also included military vehicles, ships, cars, spacecraft and other subjects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIts early military-vehicle range is especially interesting to collectors because many of the 1\/72 Mini Box kits date back to the 1970s. Rather than being newly designed kits for the 1990s, many MT-series subjects are later catalogue\/package versions of much older tooling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThat is exactly the case with MT5.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Hasegawa catalogue history lists:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    MB-005 — original M3 Grant;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    MB5 \/ 31005 — later numbering;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    MT5 \/ 31105 — Mini Box release;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    31205 \/ MT5 — later catalogue numbering.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis makes the kit particularly interesting as a piece of modelling history: the plastic represents 1970s Hasegawa tooling, while the MT5 packaging belongs to a later generation of the product line.\n\u003cbr\u003eKit contents\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe MT5 kit is a relatively compact 1\/72 military-vehicle kit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCurrent product documentation lists:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    plastic M3 Grant tank parts;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    assembly instructions;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    decal sheet;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    approximately 45 plastic parts according to one current retailer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe kit is a relatively uncomplicated build compared with modern 1\/72 armour kits.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe basic components include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    lower hull;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    upper hull;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    suspension and running gear;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    tracks;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    engine-deck components;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    British-style Grant turret;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    turret fittings;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    75 mm hull gun;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    37 mm turret gun;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    machine guns;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    stowage components;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    wheels\/track assemblies;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    decals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe model is supplied unassembled and intended to be painted by the modeller.\n\u003cbr\u003eKit accuracy\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt is worth noting that this is vintage tooling, rather than a modern highly detailed Grant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe modelling reference site On The Way specifically notes that the turret is incorrect\/undersized and that the transmission cover is poorly shaped, while describing the hull as reasonably good and well detailed for its age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA later build of the kit also points out that the Grant shares many components with Hasegawa's M3 Lee kit, with the British-style turret being the major distinction. The modeller made corrections to the stowage, side skirts, side rails and 75 mm gun area.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eConsequently, this is best regarded as a collectible vintage Hasegawa kit rather than a state-of-the-art representation of the M3 Grant.\n\u003cbr\u003eThe real vehicle — M3 Grant Mk.I\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe M3 Medium Tank was an American medium tank developed during the critical period immediately preceding American entry into the Second World War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt was designed because the US Army needed a medium tank with substantially greater firepower than the preceding M2 medium tank.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe problem was that American industry did not yet have a suitable turret capable of accommodating a large 75 mm gun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe solution was a compromise: the 75 mm gun was installed in a limited-traverse mount in the right side of the hull, while a smaller 37 mm gun was placed in a rotating turret.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis produced the unusual two-level appearance that is so characteristic of the M3.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe M3 was therefore always regarded as an interim design. Its principal purpose was to put a useful 75 mm gun into American and British armoured units quickly while development continued on the more advanced M4 Sherman.\n\u003cbr\u003eLee and Grant\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe same basic M3 tank received different names in British service.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe American configuration became known as the Lee, while the British version with its redesigned turret became the Grant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe British-designed turret was larger and incorporated a rear bustle to accommodate the radio. The machine-gun cupola found on the American turret was removed, reducing the overall height and giving the Grant its distinctive appearance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Grant Mk.I represented the British version based on the initial M3 chassis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThat is the version represented by Hasegawa MT5.\n\u003cbr\u003eWhy Britain wanted the Grant\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBritain urgently needed medium tanks following the disastrous loss of much of its armoured equipment during the Battle of France in 1940.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe British Tank Mission therefore negotiated with American manufacturers for production of a modified M3.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe British required a larger turret because the American arrangement was cramped and provided inadequate space for the radio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe resulting British turret was designed by L. E. Carr and incorporated the radio into a rear bustle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Grant consequently gave British armoured units something they badly needed: a reasonably well-protected tank carrying a 75 mm gun capable of engaging German tanks and firing useful high-explosive ammunition.\n\u003cbr\u003eProduction\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe M3 programme was produced by several American manufacturers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe first production contracts included:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Chrysler \/ Detroit Tank Arsenal;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    American Locomotive Company;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Pressed Steel Car Company;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Pullman-Standard;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Baldwin Locomotive Works;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    other associated production facilities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBritish Grant production was particularly associated with Baldwin Locomotive Works, Pressed Steel Car Company and Pullman-Standard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOverall, approximately 6,258 M3-series tanks were produced.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOf these, roughly 1,685 were Grants supplied directly to Britain, according to historical production summaries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe M3 was manufactured during 1941–1942, after which the Sherman increasingly replaced it on American production lines.\n\u003cbr\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA representative Grant Mk.I had approximately:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Crew: 6\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Combat weight: about 30–31 tons\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Length: approximately 5.64 m\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Width: approximately 2.72 m\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Height: approximately 3.0 m\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Engine: Wright Continental R-975 radial\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Power: approximately 340–400 hp, depending on rating\/version\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Maximum road speed: approximately 34–39 km\/h\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Range: roughly 190 km, depending on conditions and fuel configuration\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Main armament: 75 mm gun\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Secondary armament: 37 mm gun plus .30-calibre machine guns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe relatively large crew was necessary because the tank's weapons were distributed between different positions.\n\u003cbr\u003eArmament\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe main weapon was the 75 mm M2\/M3 gun mounted in the right-hand hull sponson.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt had limited traverse compared with a fully turreted weapon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe secondary 37 mm M5 or M6 gun was installed in the rotating turret.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSeveral .30-calibre Browning machine guns provided additional anti-infantry and defensive fire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis combination gave the M3 considerably more firepower than many contemporary medium tanks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe disadvantage was the awkward layout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe 75 mm gun could not traverse freely through a full 360 degrees, meaning the entire tank often had to be repositioned to engage targets outside its limited firing arc.\n\u003cbr\u003eProtection\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe M3's armour was useful for its period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRepresentative armour thicknesses were approximately:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Hull front: 51 mm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Hull sides: 38 mm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Turret: up to approximately 51 mm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Hull rear: approximately 38 mm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe armour was sufficient to resist many contemporary anti-tank weapons at suitable ranges, but the vehicle's high silhouette made it an obvious target.\n\u003cbr\u003eNorth Africa\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Grant's most famous service was with the British Eighth Army in North Africa.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe first Grant tanks entered combat during the Gazala battles in May 1942.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis was an important moment because British armoured units finally had a tank capable of mounting a useful 75 mm weapon in significant numbers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Grant was not perfect, but it gave British tank crews a substantial improvement in firepower.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHistorical accounts record that the Grant was in action during:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Gazala, 1942\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Alam Halfa, 1942\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    El Alamein, 1942\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    the subsequent campaign in Tunisia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Tank Museum describes the Grant as a tank that entered North Africa in May 1942 and was designed as a stopgap until a tank capable of mounting a 75 mm gun in its turret became available.\n\u003cbr\u003eAgainst Rommel\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe appearance of the Grant presented German forces with a more serious opponent than many of the British tanks encountered earlier in the North African campaign.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe 75 mm gun gave British crews the ability to engage German armour and also fire effective high-explosive ammunition against anti-tank guns and infantry positions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe M3's armour and mechanical reliability were also useful in the harsh desert environment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, its height, limited-traverse 75 mm gun and relatively cumbersome layout remained disadvantages.\n\u003cbr\u003eAlam Halfa and El Alamein\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGrants continued in British armoured formations during the battles of Alam Halfa and El Alamein.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBy this stage, however, the M4 Sherman was entering service.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Sherman provided a much more logical layout, with its principal gun mounted in a fully rotating turret.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eConsequently, the M3's role steadily diminished in the main British armoured formations.\n\u003cbr\u003eBurma and the Far East\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe M3 did not disappear immediately.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSurviving vehicles were particularly useful in the Far East, where the vehicle's firepower and mechanical characteristics remained valuable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBritish and Commonwealth forces used Lee and Grant tanks in the Burma campaign, where they encountered Japanese armour and fortified positions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe relatively large 75 mm gun was useful against Japanese defensive positions as well as enemy vehicles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe M3 therefore continued to serve after it had become obsolete in the European and North African tank-versus-tank environment.\n\u003cbr\u003eAustralia\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAustralia also received substantial numbers of M3 tanks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCollections WA records that approximately 757 M3 Mediums were received by Australia in 1942, where they equipped the 1st Australian Armoured Division.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSome surviving Australian vehicles were subsequently used for land-clearance work after the war.\n\u003cbr\u003eOther Allied users\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eM3-series tanks were supplied to several Allied countries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Soviet Union also received M3 medium tanks through Lend-Lease.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe vehicle consequently saw service across a remarkably broad geographical area:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    North Africa;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Britain;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Australia;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Burma;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    India;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Soviet Union;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    other Allied theatres.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eApproximately 2,887 M3 variants were supplied to British forces, while the overall production total reached 6,258.\n\u003cbr\u003eReplacement by the Sherman\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe M3 was always intended to be temporary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe next-generation M4 Sherman solved the principal weakness of the M3 by placing its main gun in a rotating turret.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe US Army's historical documentation describes the M3 as a stopgap vehicle pending development of a new tank with a turret-mounted 75 mm gun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs Sherman production increased, M3 tanks were progressively withdrawn from the most demanding armoured roles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNevertheless, the M3 had fulfilled an important purpose: it provided thousands of Allied tank crews with a useful medium tank at a critical point in the war.\n\u003cbr\u003eSurvivors\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA small number of original M3 Grants survive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Tank Museum has featured running M3 Grant vehicles in its events. One Grant described by the museum was recovered and restored and is regarded as the world's oldest running American medium tank.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnother M3 Grant acquired by the Bannister Historic Armour Collection was undergoing restoration for running operation and was featured at TANKFEST.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThese surviving running vehicles are particularly valuable because very few Grants remain operational.\n\u003cbr\u003eFull-size historical selling price\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eUnlike a civilian aircraft, wartime tanks generally were not sold through a normal retail market. Prices were determined through government procurement contracts, production arrangements and military supply agreements.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eI would therefore not assign a made-up \"selling price\" to the Grant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe available historical evidence is much stronger for production quantities and contracts than for a universally applicable unit selling price.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor your catalogue, the appropriate entry is:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHistorical full-size selling\/procurement price: No reliable universal unit price established from the sources reviewed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is preferable to presenting a production-cost figure as though it were the actual price paid by the British government.\n\u003cbr\u003eCurrent full-size value\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThere are surviving M3 Grants, including examples capable of running under their own power, but they are extremely rare historic military vehicles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThere is no transparent, regular market comparable to used cars or modern aircraft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eValues vary enormously according to:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    originality;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    completeness;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    running condition;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    restoration quality;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    provenance;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    combat history;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    rarity of the particular variant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAccordingly:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCurrent full-size market price: No dependable standard market price; surviving Grants are specialist collector\/museum assets.    Manufacturer: Hasegawa\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Kit: MT5\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    MPN: 31105\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Barcode: 4967834312050\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Subject: M3 Grant Mk.I medium tank\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Scale: 1\/72\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Series: Hasegawa Mini Box\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Original tooling\/family: 1973\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    MT5 catalogue issue: 1991\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Material: Injection-moulded plastic\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Parts: approximately 45 according to current retail documentation\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Contents: plastic tank, decals and assembly instructions\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Status: discontinued\/out of regular production\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHasegawa's historical kit-number records are particularly useful here: the original M3 Grant was MB-005, became MB5\/31005, and subsequently MT5\/31105. The original kit is recorded as first available in 1973, while the MT-series issue dates from 1991.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThere is a small discrepancy in published parts counts: one current retailer lists 45 pieces, while an older build review describes the kit as having 59 pieces. This can result from counting metal axles, alternate\/replacement components or different packaging generations, so I would catalogue it simply as approximately 45–59 parts depending on counting method\/release.\n\u003cbr\u003eHasegawa manufacturer history\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHasegawa Seisakusho Co., Ltd., generally known internationally as Hasegawa, is one of Japan's long-established scale-model manufacturers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe company became particularly well known for aircraft kits, but its catalogue has also included military vehicles, ships, cars, spacecraft and other subjects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIts early military-vehicle range is especially interesting to collectors because many of the 1\/72 Mini Box kits date back to the 1970s. Rather than being newly designed kits for the 1990s, many MT-series subjects are later catalogue\/package versions of much older tooling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThat is exactly the case with MT5.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Hasegawa catalogue history lists:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    MB-005 — original M3 Grant;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    MB5 \/ 31005 — later numbering;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    MT5 \/ 31105 — Mini Box release;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    31205 \/ MT5 — later catalogue numbering.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis makes the kit particularly interesting as a piece of modelling history: the plastic represents 1970s Hasegawa tooling, while the MT5 packaging belongs to a later generation of the product line.\n\u003cbr\u003eKit contents\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe MT5 kit is a relatively compact 1\/72 military-vehicle kit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCurrent product documentation lists:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    plastic M3 Grant tank parts;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    assembly instructions;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    decal sheet;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    approximately 45 plastic parts according to one current retailer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe kit is a relatively uncomplicated build compared with modern 1\/72 armour kits.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe basic components include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    lower hull;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    upper hull;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    suspension and running gear;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    tracks;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    engine-deck components;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    British-style Grant turret;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    turret fittings;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    75 mm hull gun;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    37 mm turret gun;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    machine guns;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    stowage components;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    wheels\/track assemblies;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    decals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe model is supplied unassembled and intended to be painted by the modeller.\n\u003cbr\u003eKit accuracy\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt is worth noting that this is vintage tooling, rather than a modern highly detailed Grant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe modelling reference site On The Way specifically notes that the turret is incorrect\/undersized and that the transmission cover is poorly shaped, while describing the hull as reasonably good and well detailed for its age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA later build of the kit also points out that the Grant shares many components with Hasegawa's M3 Lee kit, with the British-style turret being the major distinction. The modeller made corrections to the stowage, side skirts, side rails and 75 mm gun area.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eConsequently, this is best regarded as a collectible vintage Hasegawa kit rather than a state-of-the-art representation of the M3 Grant.\n\u003cbr\u003eThe real vehicle — M3 Grant Mk.I\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe M3 Medium Tank was an American medium tank developed during the critical period immediately preceding American entry into the Second World War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt was designed because the US Army needed a medium tank with substantially greater firepower than the preceding M2 medium tank.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe problem was that American industry did not yet have a suitable turret capable of accommodating a large 75 mm gun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe solution was a compromise: the 75 mm gun was installed in a limited-traverse mount in the right side of the hull, while a smaller 37 mm gun was placed in a rotating turret.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis produced the unusual two-level appearance that is so characteristic of the M3.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe M3 was therefore always regarded as an interim design. Its principal purpose was to put a useful 75 mm gun into American and British armoured units quickly while development continued on the more advanced M4 Sherman.\n\u003cbr\u003eLee and Grant\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe same basic M3 tank received different names in British service.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe American configuration became known as the Lee, while the British version with its redesigned turret became the Grant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe British-designed turret was larger and incorporated a rear bustle to accommodate the radio. The machine-gun cupola found on the American turret was removed, reducing the overall height and giving the Grant its distinctive appearance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Grant Mk.I represented the British version based on the initial M3 chassis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThat is the version represented by Hasegawa MT5.\n\u003cbr\u003eWhy Britain wanted the Grant\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBritain urgently needed medium tanks following the disastrous loss of much of its armoured equipment during the Battle of France in 1940.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe British Tank Mission therefore negotiated with American manufacturers for production of a modified M3.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe British required a larger turret because the American arrangement was cramped and provided inadequate space for the radio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe resulting British turret was designed by L. E. Carr and incorporated the radio into a rear bustle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Grant consequently gave British armoured units something they badly needed: a reasonably well-protected tank carrying a 75 mm gun capable of engaging German tanks and firing useful high-explosive ammunition.\n\u003cbr\u003eProduction\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe M3 programme was produced by several American manufacturers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe first production contracts included:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Chrysler \/ Detroit Tank Arsenal;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    American Locomotive Company;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Pressed Steel Car Company;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Pullman-Standard;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Baldwin Locomotive Works;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    other associated production facilities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBritish Grant production was particularly associated with Baldwin Locomotive Works, Pressed Steel Car Company and Pullman-Standard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOverall, approximately 6,258 M3-series tanks were produced.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOf these, roughly 1,685 were Grants supplied directly to Britain, according to historical production summaries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe M3 was manufactured during 1941–1942, after which the Sherman increasingly replaced it on American production lines.\n\u003cbr\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA representative Grant Mk.I had approximately:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Crew: 6\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Combat weight: about 30–31 tons\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Length: approximately 5.64 m\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Width: approximately 2.72 m\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Height: approximately 3.0 m\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Engine: Wright Continental R-975 radial\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Power: approximately 340–400 hp, depending on rating\/version\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Maximum road speed: approximately 34–39 km\/h\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Range: roughly 190 km, depending on conditions and fuel configuration\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Main armament: 75 mm gun\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Secondary armament: 37 mm gun plus .30-calibre machine guns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe relatively large crew was necessary because the tank's weapons were distributed between different positions.\n\u003cbr\u003eArmament\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe main weapon was the 75 mm M2\/M3 gun mounted in the right-hand hull sponson.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt had limited traverse compared with a fully turreted weapon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe secondary 37 mm M5 or M6 gun was installed in the rotating turret.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSeveral .30-calibre Browning machine guns provided additional anti-infantry and defensive fire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis combination gave the M3 considerably more firepower than many contemporary medium tanks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe disadvantage was the awkward layout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe 75 mm gun could not traverse freely through a full 360 degrees, meaning the entire tank often had to be repositioned to engage targets outside its limited firing arc.\n\u003cbr\u003eProtection\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe M3's armour was useful for its period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRepresentative armour thicknesses were approximately:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Hull front: 51 mm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Hull sides: 38 mm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Turret: up to approximately 51 mm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Hull rear: approximately 38 mm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe armour was sufficient to resist many contemporary anti-tank weapons at suitable ranges, but the vehicle's high silhouette made it an obvious target.\n\u003cbr\u003eNorth Africa\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Grant's most famous service was with the British Eighth Army in North Africa.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe first Grant tanks entered combat during the Gazala battles in May 1942.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis was an important moment because British armoured units finally had a tank capable of mounting a useful 75 mm weapon in significant numbers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Grant was not perfect, but it gave British tank crews a substantial improvement in firepower.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHistorical accounts record that the Grant was in action during:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Gazala, 1942\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Alam Halfa, 1942\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    El Alamein, 1942\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    the subsequent campaign in Tunisia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Tank Museum describes the Grant as a tank that entered North Africa in May 1942 and was designed as a stopgap until a tank capable of mounting a 75 mm gun in its turret became available.\n\u003cbr\u003eAgainst Rommel\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe appearance of the Grant presented German forces with a more serious opponent than many of the British tanks encountered earlier in the North African campaign.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe 75 mm gun gave British crews the ability to engage German armour and also fire effective high-explosive ammunition against anti-tank guns and infantry positions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe M3's armour and mechanical reliability were also useful in the harsh desert environment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, its height, limited-traverse 75 mm gun and relatively cumbersome layout remained disadvantages.\n\u003cbr\u003eAlam Halfa and El Alamein\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGrants continued in British armoured formations during the battles of Alam Halfa and El Alamein.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBy this stage, however, the M4 Sherman was entering service.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Sherman provided a much more logical layout, with its principal gun mounted in a fully rotating turret.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eConsequently, the M3's role steadily diminished in the main British armoured formations.\n\u003cbr\u003eBurma and the Far East\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe M3 did not disappear immediately.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSurviving vehicles were particularly useful in the Far East, where the vehicle's firepower and mechanical characteristics remained valuable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBritish and Commonwealth forces used Lee and Grant tanks in the Burma campaign, where they encountered Japanese armour and fortified positions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe relatively large 75 mm gun was useful against Japanese defensive positions as well as enemy vehicles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe M3 therefore continued to serve after it had become obsolete in the European and North African tank-versus-tank environment.\n\u003cbr\u003eAustralia\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAustralia also received substantial numbers of M3 tanks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCollections WA records that approximately 757 M3 Mediums were received by Australia in 1942, where they equipped the 1st Australian Armoured Division.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSome surviving Australian vehicles were subsequently used for land-clearance work after the war.\n\u003cbr\u003eOther Allied users\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eM3-series tanks were supplied to several Allied countries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Soviet Union also received M3 medium tanks through Lend-Lease.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe vehicle consequently saw service across a remarkably broad geographical area:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    North Africa;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Britain;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Australia;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Burma;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    India;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Soviet Union;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    other Allied theatres.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eApproximately 2,887 M3 variants were supplied to British forces, while the overall production total reached 6,258.\n\u003cbr\u003eReplacement by the Sherman\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe M3 was always intended to be temporary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe next-generation M4 Sherman solved the principal weakness of the M3 by placing its main gun in a rotating turret.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe US Army's historical documentation describes the M3 as a stopgap vehicle pending development of a new tank with a turret-mounted 75 mm gun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs Sherman production increased, M3 tanks were progressively withdrawn from the most demanding armoured roles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNevertheless, the M3 had fulfilled an important purpose: it provided thousands of Allied tank crews with a useful medium tank at a critical point in the war.\n\u003cbr\u003eSurvivors\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA small number of original M3 Grants survive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Tank Museum has featured running M3 Grant vehicles in its events. One Grant described by the museum was recovered and restored and is regarded as the world's oldest running American medium tank.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnother M3 Grant acquired by the Bannister Historic Armour Collection was undergoing restoration for running operation and was featured at TANKFEST.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThese surviving running vehicles are particularly valuable because very few Grants remain operational.\n\u003cbr\u003eFull-size historical selling price\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eUnlike a civilian aircraft, wartime tanks generally were not sold through a normal retail market. Prices were determined through government procurement contracts, production arrangements and military supply agreements.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eI would therefore not assign a made-up \"selling price\" to the Grant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe available historical evidence is much stronger for production quantities and contracts than for a universally applicable unit selling price.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor your catalogue, the appropriate entry is:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHistorical full-size selling\/procurement price: No reliable universal unit price established from the sources reviewed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is preferable to presenting a production-cost figure as though it were the actual price paid by the British government.\n\u003cbr\u003eCurrent full-size value\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThere are surviving M3 Grants, including examples capable of running under their own power, but they are extremely rare historic military vehicles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThere is no transparent, regular market comparable to used cars or modern aircraft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eValues vary enormously according to:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    originality;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    completeness;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    running condition;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    restoration quality;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    provenance;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    combat history;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    rarity of the particular variant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAccordingly:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCurrent full-size market price: No dependable standard market price; surviving Grants are specialist collector\/museum assets.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hasagawa","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57512972681596,"sku":"Hasagawa-31105","price":22.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0432\/8584\/0033\/files\/690C27CA-71E4-4546-8219-53D68593D3E1.jpg?v=1790661704","url":"https:\/\/sussex-model-centre.co.uk\/products\/hasegawa-mt5-31105-m3-grant-mk-i-medium-tank-1-72-scale-plastic-kit","provider":"Sussex Model Centre","version":"1.0","type":"link"}