Very rare Stuart M3A3 in perfect running order

Used in World War II by the Free French Army, this Stuart M3A3 participated in the liberation of Paris

This Stuart M3A3 was used by the 12th Tank Regiment, 2nd Armored Division of the French Army. It was decommissioned in the 1960s and languished forlornly in Châteauneuf-sur-Charente in France until it was discovered in the early 1970s by a British collector and enthusiast. After being returned to running condition in Britain, the vehicle was eventually sold to a Belgian collector who then performed a full nut-and-bolt restoration, including a fully reconditioned engine.

The tank’s former owner decided in early 2022 to slim his extensive collection down to more manageable proportions and entrusted the sale of the Stuart to Ivo Rigter Sr. at TracksandTrade. This lot attracted huge interest as one of perhaps only 43 Stuarts that remain in running condition.

The M3A1 purchaser is Miroslav Hrycak, the driving force behind the Wheels of Liberation Museum in the USA. The Museum, which is dedicated to the Polish 1 st Armored Division, was extremely interested in adding this Stuart to its collection as a truly perfect example of one of the tanks used by the Division in combat in 1944.

The seller and the buyer are extremely grateful to TracksandTrade for their expert input and professional coordination of this auction transaction. The Stuart will be shipped to the USA in early 2023.

“I know Ivo Rigter Sr. very well, having purchased vehicles for our collection from him in the past. His new venture, TracksandTrade, sets a new standard in the classic military vehicle market. The auction process was well managed and highly professional, minimizing the amount of effort required on our part.”

Miroslav Hrycak, Founder of The Wheels of Liberation Museum

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