It turned out that the battery charger had the wrong pins for British wall sockets and the model was sold, virtually unused, when the battery ran flat. My journey into the realm of 1/6 scale model tanks began when found a huge, 1/6 scale, radio controlled plastic model (made by 21st Century Toys) listed on E-bay at an affordable price, under 'for spares or repair'. Here is a full size M5 Stuart Recon giving joy rides at a military vehicle show. The only down side of the M5 Stuart Recon conversion was when it rained. The reduction in weight improved both the speed and maneuverability of this remarkably reliable vehicle.

Many Stuarts were modified, in the field, by removing the turret and the inadequate 37 mm gun. It acquired the affectionate nickname 'Honey' because it was a joy to drive, a real 'Honey', due to light weight, powerful aircraft radial engine and good reliability. The Stuart tanks were well liked by their crews. When the relatively thin armor and small 37mm gun became ineffective against more modern and more powerful opposition, the M5 Stuart was withdrawn from tank v tank operations and went on to serve as an excellent scout or reconnaissance vehicle. They were later used by the US Army and all the allied forces in all theaters, until the end of the war. The Stuart light tanks were made available to the British and Commonwealth forces under the Lease-Lend agreement.

The M3 Stuart and it's improved derivative, the M5 Stuart Light Tank were the first production-line tanks to be built in the US factories.

Modern battle tank radial engine