Revisiting the M3 Lee

Revisiting the M3 Lee


Here is one I havn't worked on in a while- Tamiya's M3 Lee. I was disappointed last time with the build so perhaps I can pick it up again and have a go. The M3 Lee caught my attention on the store shelf due to its awkward design. It features 3 turrets in a tier formation and bulky armor- it looks like a mobile fortress. The real Lees were far from mobile fortresses- they were hot (temperature wise), required 7 crew to operate and many problems were noticed in the field. The design didn't totally flop- the track and hull design were carried over to the infamous M4 Sherman.


Upon examining the kit, this one seems about 60%-70% complete. I subjected the model to a cleaning and slight pressure test and noticed some parts fell off- I wanted this to happen so I could find these loose pieces and secure them properly. There are many holes on the back of the tank that I may not use so I will have to putty them up (tedious task of sanding, etc). I remember one of the rubber tracks giving me problems- I will have to think of af solution to get it affixed properly.