M3 lee medium



Developed by engineers from the Chrysler Corporation and the Army, the M3 was the first tank built en masse by the Army. Production on the M3 began in June 1941 and continued until the tank was replaced by the M4 Sherman in mid-1942. The Lee had a crew of seven men and was armed with a 74mm cannon attached to a non-rotating turret. The Lee, although faster than most German tanks, was no match for the German’s superior guns and armor. The inability to rotate the tank’s main cannon made it vulnerable during fights, but despite this five versions of the tank were manufactured and it saw wide use by both British and U.S. forces in North America.