Hobby Master Archive

Hobby Master 1/72 Ground Power Series HG3607 M24 Chaffee RoC Army (Republic of China - Taiwan)

Pre-Painted by professionals Accurate paint colors Markings Tampo (pad) applied Fully Assembled Die-Cast Model True to Scale (1:72) Weathering and insignias Turret turns Metal turret and main gun Realistic tracks

Because of several deficiencies a new tank was needed to replace the M-3 Stuart. The M-24, referred to by some as the Chaffee, was given angled armor thereby increasing its thickness. The M-24 was given a larger 75 mm gun as well as being the first US tank to use a torsion bar suspension. The M-24 didn’t do very well in Korea against the T34/85 so it was given secondary roles to the M26 and M46. The M41 Bulldog replaced the M24 in US service by 1953.

Included in the RoC Army (Republic of China - Taiwan) arsenal of 480 M-60A3s, 450 M- 48Hs and 300 M-48A5 medium tanks, are 708 much older M-41 as well as 292 older M- 24 light tanks. In the early 1950s Taiwan acquired the M-24 Chaffees and this made it possible to create two armored divisions. These were the 1st at Hokou and the 2nd at Taichung. The Chaffees also made it possible to form 4 tank battalions (701st, 702nd, 711th, 731st) in Kinmen. Some of these divisions still lacked sufficient numbers of M-24s to bring them up to full strength so they became a mixer of M-24 and M-18 76mm TDs. In the late 1950s the U.S. started to supply the more modern M41 so that by the late 1960s the M-24 had disappeared from the Divisions and only existed with the 4 battalions and eventually was placed into storage.

Specifications M-24 (Chaffee)

Manufacturer Cadillac and Massey-Harris.

Number produced 4,415 Crew 5 men Dimensions Weight (combat loaded): 20.25 tons Length (not including gun): 16 feet 6 inches Width (overall): 9 feet 8 inches Height (to top of turret): 8 feet 1 inch Performance Engine: two Cadillac V-8s, 110 hp, gasoline Maximum speed: 35 mph Range: 110 miles Fording depth: 3 feet 4 inches Vertical obstacle: 3 feet Trench crossing: 8 feet Armor 38 mm turret front; minimum of 10 mm elsewhere Armament Main gun: 1 X 75 mm - 48 rounds / armor penetration - 70 mm at 500 yds Machine guns: 2 X .30 caliber - 3,750 rounds, one in the bow, one mounted coaxially with the main gun. 1 X .50-caliber anti-aircraft mounted on top of turret - 440 rounds