An experimental investigation has been carried out to determine the effect of tempering temperature on the fatigue crack propagation behavior and mechanical properties using the quenched and tempered STS420 martensitic stainless steel. Heat treatments of tempering for two hours at the five different temperatures of 150.deg.C, 300.deg.C, 450.deg.C, 600.deg.C and 700.deg.C have been performed on the martensite obtained by air cooling the specimens austenitized for one hour at 1010.deg.C. Tensile strength, yield strength, hardness, .DELTA.K$_{th}$, C and m values of differently tempered specimens have been investigated by tensile, hardness and fatigue tests.s.