M5A1 Stuart Fullguard Hull Late Turret

Add the M5A1 Stuart Fullguard Hull Late Turret to your WWII tabletop force, historical miniature collection, or diorama. This made-to-order model is available in a choice of scales; select your preferred scale from the dropdown.

The M5A1 Stuart—specifically the "Fullguard Hull / Late Turret" production configuration (often referred to by modelers and armor historians as featuring the factory-installed full-length sandshields/mudguards)—represented the absolute peak armor refinement for the American light tank series. This specific version integrated extensive field protection modifications directly onto the production line, ensuring maximum track and component protection during high-speed reconnaissance operations.

Design and Bodywork

• Chassis & Manufacturer: Built by Cadillac and American Car and Foundry using the standard welded, sloped-armor M5A1 foundation.
• The Fullguard Hull Profile: The defining characteristic of this model is the factory integration of full-length "Fullguard" sandshields (mudguards). These heavy steel panels skirted the entire length of the upper track run on both sides. They featured a distinct curved front lip over the drive sprocket and a squared-off mud flap assembly at the rear. This layout was specifically engineered to suppress massive dust clouds in arid environments and protect the suspension from debris. Like the late hull, it lacked the early sponson escape hatches, maintaining a continuous vertical side profile capped by the horizontal mudguard shelf.
• The Late Turret Structure: Features the final, optimized "high-bustle" turret layout. It is instantly recognizable by the massive rear overhang designed to isolate the SCR-508 radio unit. The roof incorporated a specialized armored shield protecting the anti-aircraft machine gun pintle mount on the commander's right side, alongside a rapid-deploy split-hatch mechanism.
• Interior Access: Crew entry points remained uniform with two forward-folding deck hatches for the driver and bow gunner, complemented by the turret-top dual commander/loader hatches.

Technical Specifications

• Engine: Powered by twin Cadillac Series 42 V8 liquid-cooled petrol engines configured in a non-parallel block, delivering 220 collective horsepower.
• Transmission: 4-speed Cadillac Hydra-Matic automatic transmission, utilizing a dual hydraulic fluid coupling transfer unit to feed the front drive sprockets.
• Drive Configuration: Tracked drive run using Vertical Volute Spring Suspension (VVSS). The "Fullguard" skirts completely enclosed the upper return rollers from profile view, leaving only the lower road wheels and track face exposed.
• Fuel Capacity: 89 US gallons (~337 liters) split across isolated internal fuel cells, providing a cross-country operational range of roughly 90–100 miles.
• Top Speed: Clocked at an agile 36 mph (58 km/h) on hard pavement, matching the aggressive speed requirements of mechanized cavalry units.
• Weight & Dimensions: Combat weight slightly increased due to the full skirting, totaling roughly 17.2 tons. Length (including sandshields and rear storage boxes) expanded to approximately 15 ft 10 in (4.84 m), Width ~7 ft 6 in (2.30 m), Height ~7 ft 8 in (2.33 m).

Capacity & Utility

• Armament: Standardized 37mm M6 anti-tank gun fitted with an M23/M44 combination mount featuring a gyroscopic vertical stabilizer. This was supplemented by a coaxial .30 caliber M1919A4 Browning machine gun, a ball-mounted bow machine gun, and a turret-mounted anti-aircraft machine gun.
• Ammunition Payload: Handled 147 rounds of 37mm ordnance tucked safely away in protected hull floor lockers, flanked by thousands of rounds of .30 caliber ammunition belted for the machine guns.
• Crew: 4 men (Commander/Loader and Gunner in the high-bustle turret; Driver and Assistant Driver/Bow Gunner in the hull).

Wartime Legacy

• Production: Rolled out during the peak manufacturing periods of mid-to-late 1944. These full-skirted variants represented the most visually complete and robust factory iterations of the Stuart line before assembly shifted entirely toward newer platforms.
• Notable Service: Deployed extensively with US Army Armored Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadrons throughout France, Germany, and the Italian campaign. In the Pacific theater, where Japanese anti-tank infrastructure was less dense, the full-guard hulls were particularly valued for keeping sand, mud, and volcanic ash from fouling the suspension during amphibious beach landings and dense jungle advances.

Designer: M Bergman
Manufacturer: S&C Foundry
Associated Army: American
Era: WWII
Product features: Printed with high-quality ABS-like gray resin.

This is a 3D-printed product and may have minor imperfections. Some assembly and removal of print supports may be required.