Specification Crew : 6 Engine power : 340 bhp Combat weight :27,240 kg (60,064 lb) Max speed : road 42 km/h (26.8 mph) Length : 5.64 m (18.50 ft) Range : 193 km (119.85 miles) Width : 2.71 M (8.92 ft) Main gun : 75 mm(2.96 in) Height : 3.12 m (10.25 ft) Armour : 12.7 mm (0.50 in)to 57 mm(2.25 in)

To match the firepower of German tanks the US Army needed a tank with a 75 mm(2.96 in)gun but the M2 could not carry such a heavy weapon in its turret.The solution was to mount a 75 mm gun in a limited traverse sponson on the right hand side of a much-modified M2hull.Asmall cast turret with a 37 mm(1.46 in)gun was located on the top left. The British ordered M3s built to their specifications as the Grant and bought some standard M3(which they named the Lee).Batches of M3s were also sent to the Soviet Union.British combat experience in North Africa highlighted the disadvantages of the M3s limited traverse gun mounting but this had always been appreciated by the US designers who intended the M3 to be a stopgap before the arrival of the M4.At least the 75 mm gun was able to destroy German tanks invulnerable to the old 2-pounder.By the time M3 production ceased in December 1942 6,258 had been made over 1,100 of them in Canada.After that time as M3s were withdrawn they were used for a large number of trials and special purpose conversions including the M7 105 mm(4.14 in)self-propelled howitzer,the M12 155 mm(6.11 in)self-propelled gun,the M33 heavy artillery tractor and a widely used armored recovery vehicle the M31.