Weight Loss After 30

M5A1 (Stuart VI) Light Tank. 1941- 43.
Moscow. Kubinka Tank Museum.

The M3 Stuart, formally Light Tank M3 was an American light tank of World War II. It was used by British and Commonwealth forces prior to the entry of the USA into the war, and thereafter by US and Allied forces until the end of the war. The name General Stuart or Stuart given by the British comes from the American Civil War General J.E.B. Stuart and was used for both the M3 and M5 Light Tank; in British service it also had the unofficial nickname of Honey. To the United States Army the tanks were officially known only as Light Tank M3 and Light Tank M5.
History
Observing events in Europe, American tank designers realized that the Light Tank M2 was becoming obsolete and set about improving it. The upgraded design, with thicker armor, modified suspension and new gun recoil system was called "Light Tank M3". Production of the vehicle started in March 1941 and continued until October 1943. Like its direct predecessor, the M2A4, the M3 was armed with a 37 mm M5 gun and 5 .30-06 Browning M1919A4 machine guns: coaxial with the gun, on top of the turret in an M20 AA mount, in a ball mount in right bow, in the right and left hull sponsons.

To relieve the demand for the radial aero-engines used in the M3, a new version was developed using twin Cadillac V-8 automobile engines. The new model (initially called M4 but redesignated M5 to avoid confusion with the M4 Sherman) also featured a redesigned hull with sloped glacis plate and driver’s hatches moved to the top. Although the main criticism from the using units was that the Stuarts lacked firepower, the improved M5 series kept the same 37 mm gun. The M5 gradually replaced the M3 in production from 1942 and was in turn succeeded by the Light Tank M24 in 1944.

Combat history

Light Tank M5A1 passes through the wrecked streets of Coutances.
An Australian Stuart I during the final assault on Buna.
A British M3 (Stuart I) knocked out during fighting in North Africa.The British Army was the first to use the Light Tank M3 as the "General Stuart" in combat. In November 1941, some 170 Stuarts took part in Operation Crusader, with poor results. Although the high losses suffered by Stuart-equipped units during the operation had more to do with better tactics and training of the Afrika Korps than the apparent superiority of German armor in the North African campaign, the operation revealed that the M3 had several technical faults. Mentioned in the British complaints were the 37 mm M5 gun and poor internal layout. The two-man turret crew was a significant weakness, and some British units tried to fight with three-man turret crews. The Stuart also had a limited range, which was a severe problem in desert warfare as units often outpaced their supplies and were stranded when they ran out of fuel. On the positive side, crews liked its high speed and mechanical reliability, hence its unofficial nickname of Honey. The high speed and high reliability distinguished the Stuart from cruiser tanks of the period, in particular the Crusader, which composed a large portion of the British tank force in Africa up until 1942.

From the summer of 1942, when enough US medium tanks had been received, the British usually kept Stuarts out of tank-to-tank combat, using them primarily for reconnaissance. The turret was removed from some examples to save weight and improve speed and range. These became known as "Stuart Recce". Some others were converted to armored personnel carriers and were known as "Stuart Kangaroo", and some were converted command vehicles and known as "Stuart Command". M3s, M3A3s, and M5s continued in British service until the end of the war, but British armor units had a smaller proportion of these light tanks than US units.

The other major Lend-Lease recipient of the M3, the Soviet Union, was even less happy with the tank, considering it undergunned, underarmored, likely to catch fire, and too sensitive to fuel quality. The narrow tracks were highly unsuited to operation in winter conditions, as they resulted in high ground pressures that sank the tank into the snow. Also, the M3’s radial aircraft engine required high-octane fuel, which complicated Soviet logistics as most of their tanks utilized diesel. However, the M3 was superior to early-war Soviet light tanks such as the T-60, which were often underpowered and possessed even lighter armament than the Stuart. In 1943, the Red Army tried out the M5 and decided that the upgraded design wasn’t much better than the M3. Being less desperate than in 1941, the Soviets turned down an American offer to supply the M5. M3s continued in Red Army service at least until 1944.

In US Army service, the M3 first saw combat in the Philippines. Two battalions, comprising the Provisional Tank Group fought in the Bataan peninsula campaign. When the American army joined the North African Campaign in late 1942, Stuart units still formed a large part of its armor strength. After the disastrous Battle of the Kasserine Pass the US quickly followed the British in disbanding most of their light tank battalions and subordinating the Stuarts to medium tank battalions performing the traditional cavalry missions of scouting and screening. For the rest of the war, most US tank battalions had three companies of M4 Shermans and one company of M3s or M5/M5A1s.

In the European theater, Allied light tanks had to be given cavalry and infantry fire support roles since their main cannon armament could not compete with heavier enemy AFVs. However, the Stuart was still effective in combat in the Pacific Theater, as Japanese tanks were both relatively rare and were generally much weaker than even Allied light tanks. Japanese infantrymen were poorly equipped with anti-tank weapons and tended to attack tanks using close-assault tactics. In this environment, the Stuart was only moderately more vulnerable than medium tanks. In addition, the poor terrain and roads common to the theatre were unsuitable for the much heavier M4 medium tanks, and so initially, only light armor could be deployed. Heavier M4s were eventually brought to overcome heavily entrenched positions, though the Stuart continued to serve in a combat capacity until the end of the war.

Though the Stuart was to be completely replaced by the newer M24 Chaffee, the number of M3s/M5s produced was so great (over 25,000 including the 75 mm HMC M8) that the tank remained in service until the end of the war and well after. In addition to the United States, United Kingdom and Soviet Union, who were the primary users, it was also used by France, China (M3A3s and, immediately post-war, M5A1s) and Tito’s partisans in Yugoslavia (M3A3s and few M3A1).

After the war, some countries chose to equip their armies with cheap and reliable Stuarts. The Republic of China Army, having suffered great attrition in terms of armors as a result of the ensuing civil war, rebuilt their armored forces by acquiring surplus vehicles left behind in the former PTO by the US forces, including 22 M5A1s to equip two tank companies. They would have their finest hours during the Battle of Kuningtou, for which the tank came to be known as the "Bear of Kinmen" (金門之熊). The M5 played a significant role in the First Kashmir War (1947) between India and Pakistan, including the battle of Zoji-la pass at an incredible altitude of nearly 12,000 ft. The vehicle remained in service in several South American countries at least until 1996.

During the 60s and 70s, the Portuguese Army also used some in the war in Angola, where its all terrain capability (compared to wheeled vehicles) was greatly appreciated.

Production history
Produced 1941-1943
Specifications
Weight 14.7 tonnes (32,400 lb)
Length 4.5 m (14.8 ft)
Width 2.46 m (8.1 ft)
Height 2.3 m (7.5 ft)
Crew 4 (Commander, gunner, driver, co-driver)

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Armor 13 – 51 mm
Primary
armament 37 mm M6 in M44 mount
174 rounds
Secondary
armament 3 x .30-06 Browning M1919A4 MG
7,500 rounds

Engine Continental W-670-9A, 7 Cylinder air-cooled radial
250 hp (186 kW)
Power/weight 17.82 hp/tonne
Suspension Vertical volute spring
Operational
range 120 km (74 mi)
Speed 58 km/h (36 mph) (road)
30 km/h (18 mph) (off-road)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M3_Stuart

By Peer.Gynt on 2009-09-06 23:03:25

Is Weight loss after 30 any more difficult than weight loss in your 20’s? Is physical decline really inevitable and do you just need to accept that a little extra blubber is just par for the course? Absolutely not, in this article I’ll tell you why your 30’s are as good a time as any to get in the best shape of your life.

In our teens and 20’s we can get away with a lot. We can go out and party at the weekends, eat less than optimal food and stay up late at night and still be in pretty good shape. In general however, as we get into our 30’s the body tends to be a little less forgiving. Why is this the case and, more importantly, does it need to be?

First of all, the good news is this is not inevitable. Yes, statistics show that after 30 years of age our metabolism tends to slow down and our testosterone tends to decline. However these things are preventable. The decline in metabolic rate happens mainly due to one thing – loss of lean muscle mass! At a rate of about .5% per year between the ages of 25 and 60 ,the average sedentary man loses muscle. Remember that muscle is very metabolically expensive. In fact for every 10lbs of muscle you gain, burn an extra 500 calories a day. So by allowing yourself to lose muscle you are slowing your metabolic rate and making it far easier for the fat to creep on and take up residence on your gut. This muscle loss in not an inevitable result of the aging process and you do not need to be a victim of aging! It is simply a result of becoming less active as you get older, so stay active or get active!

Another factor affecting weight loss after 30 is reduction testosterone production. Higher testerone is positively correlated with reduced fat and increased muscle mass. In other words,lower testeosterone is bad news if you like looking good naked. Again this is not totally inevitable, simply ensuring you get enough sleep will help to offset this for example. But the absolute best thing you can do right now to prevent this decline is to begin a proper training program which both burns fat and increases muscle mass, coupled with a diet that promotes higher testosterone.

Here are some tips for optimising your diet and training program for testosterone production and muscle gain and weight loss after 30 and beyond.

1- Select big bang for your buck exercises – The squat, deadlift and bench press have all been shown to increase the release of anabolic hormones. Building your training program around these exercises is a great choice.

2- Don’t fear fat – You absolutely need some saturated fat in the diet. Don’t be afraid to eat plenty of grass fed beef and other red meat as saturated fat is necessary for testosterone production. “What about my cholesterol?” I hear you ask, well that’s for another article but cholesterol is largely genetically determined and the idea that “fat increases cholesterol” is nowhere near as rock solid and scientifically proven as many people think. Bottom line, if your eating terrible, processed food with tonnes of fat in it you are going to have problems. But naturally fatty foods like beef, organic butter, avocados and coconut oil are testosterone enhancing and, if anything, good for your heart!

3- Eat plenty of cruciferous vegetables- Without getting overly scientific, these bad boys (such as broccoli, arugula, kale and cabbage) while not exactly being a taste sensation are good news for your physique. Some studies have shown that in addition to preventing some types of cancer, they also help “mop up” estrogen within the body. Less estrogen equals more free testosterone which once agin means you look better in a speedo (gross oversimplification there but this isn’t a physiology lesson).

So there we have it. Weight loss over 30 is easy when you have a good diet and training plan. Don’t be a victim of the aging process! Your 30’s could be the best years of your life if you only take control of your physique and your health, so start today!