M24 CHAFFEE LIGHT TANK

The US Army M24 Chaffee light tank first saw service in WWII with the Allies in December 1944

-  CRAIG MOORE

SCOUT TANKS The M24 Chaffee's role was to go ahead of the main attack to scout out the location of enemy units, report their location, call down an artillery barrage or air attack and leave without engaging heavily armed enemy tanks.

BRITISH CHAFFEE TANKS The British Army ordered 842 M24 Chaffee tanks but received less than 400. The 7th Armoured Division (The Desert Rats) used them in their reconnaissance squadrons. In June 1945 they still had 28.

HATCHES The M24 Chaffee had enlarged driver and assistant driver hatches compared to the Stuart tanks they replaced. Each had a rotating periscope built in. An emergency escape hatch was located in the hull floor behind the assistant driver's seat.

PATTON'S CHAFFEES In April 1945, Patton's 3rd Army allocated M24 Chaffees to F troop, 2nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron for their advance towards Bavaria, Southern Germany. A blue disk with a white trim and the letter A was painted on their turrets.

The US Army's M24 Chaffee light tank was the replacement for the M3/M5 Stuart light tanks and was a leap forward in light tank design, greatly improving the concept in all directions.

It had modern torsion bar suspensions, completely revised welded steel armour, improved protection and, more importantly, a much more potent lightweight 75mm (2.95in) main gun. The Stuarts only had 37mm (1.4in) guns mounted in their turrets. A few Chaffees arrived in Europe just before the Battle of the Bulge started on 16 December 1944. The tank was found to be efficient, simple to use, reliable and rugged.