We have seen the Grant tank already - but now the US version of the tank is coming from MiniArt. The new 35th scale Lee (Late Production) kit will also be hitting our shelves. We have Colours, decals, sprues & features and some on the original tank in our preview.
MiniArt presents the new M3 Lee Late Production kit in 1/35th scale
M3 Lee Late Production
M3 Lee Late Production
From: MiniArt
Kit No # 35214
Box size: 386 x 240 x 90 mm
1/35th scale
Decals for seven variants of Lee tank
The news just came thru that it is an M3 Lee in 35th scale from MiniArt is on the way - We already have the Grant int he process also – so for those who do not know what's the difference between these two very similar variants?
The M3 Lee, officially Medium Tank, M3, was an American medium tank used during World War II. In Britain, the tank was called by two names based on the turret configuration and crew size.
Tanks employing US pattern turrets were called the "Lee", named after Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Variants using British pattern turrets were known as "Grant," named after Union General Ulysses S. Grant.
Design commenced in July 1940, and the first M3s were operational in late 1941. The U.S. Army needed a medium tank armed with a 75mm gun and, coupled with the United Kingdom's immediate demand for 3,650 medium tanks, the Lee began production by late 1940. The design was a compromise meant to produce a tank as soon as possible.
The M3 had the considerable firepower and good armour, but had serious drawbacks in its general design and shape, including a high silhouette, an archaic sponson mounting of the main gun preventing the tank from taking a hull-down position, riveted construction, and poor off-road performance. They were extensively used in northern Africa.
Its overall performance was not satisfactory and the tank was withdrawn from combat in most theatres as soon as the M4 Sherman tank became available in larger numbers.
Long in the promise, the whole family of M3 Lee / General Grant tanks is now looking like it is on the way to us and sooner than we think. The American version of the Lee tank is offered this time in this late production boxing. We have the feature set of the tank here to give you some context of the parts we will show you later.
The advertised feature set from MiniArt:
Workable T41 Track links Included
All Hatches Can Be Posed Open & Closed
Photo-etched Parts Included
Clear Parts Included
The decals for seven versions are printed in the Ukraine also
The colours for these seven are here
The sprue trees - still in CAD - showing the layout of kit.
Some clear parts for periscopes and other parts are included.
The Photo-Etch parts are of a minimum for new kits.
For more on this #35214 kit as it comes to light check out the product link on the MiniArt Website