ACCPACK123
Thomas Gunn Miniatures
Not yet released - Special Pre-Order period until September 30, 2024 with expected delivery end of November 2024.
The M24 Chaffee was officially classed as a light tank, entering service in the last year of WWII, but then seeing service in the Korean War, with the French in the First Indochina War, and then in the Algerian war. The Chaffee was efficient, simple, reliable and rugged, it was mainly exported after WW2 and stayed in service with many armies until the 1980s and beyond, encompassing most of the Cold War. In British service it was given the service name Chaffee after the United States Army general, Adna R. Chaffee Jr.
The M24 Chaffee was a replacement for the M3/M5 Stuart Tank, it was a new generation in light tank design, massively improving the American light tank, with modern torsion bar suspensions, completely revised welded steel armour, improved protection and a much more potent lightweight 75 mm main gun. The M24 Chaffee had a four-man crew; commander, gunner, driver and assistant driver, the latter moving up into the turret and serving as loader when the tank was in action.
The M24 Chaffee was first supplied to US forces in Western Europe in November 1944 and were issued to the 2nd Cavalry Group in France. These were then issued to Troop F, 2nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron and Troop F, 42nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, which each receiving seventeen M24s. During the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, these units and their new tanks were rushed to the southern sector.
Reports from the armoured divisions that received them prior to the end of hostilities were generally positive. Crews liked the improved off-road performance and reliability, but were most appreciative of the 75 mm main gun, which was a vast improvement over the 37 mm issued to Stuart tank units. The M24 was inferior in armour to German tanks, but the bigger gun at least gave its crews a much better chance to fight back when required, especially in infantry support. The M24's light armour made it vulnerable to German tanks, anti-tank guns, and hand-held anti-tank weapons, but its speed was designed to help its crew extract themselves from any serous trouble if needed.
All of the M24 Chaffee’s will be in a US Olive Drab colour scheme.
Comes with 3 x tank crew figures included all wearing US style helmets.
The 3 half crew members will be: Commander, Driver and Assistant Driver/Loader.
The crew hatches will open and close so you can display different crew combinations with your Chaffee(s).
Fixed non moveable tracks
Removeable turret machine gun
Rotating turret