Holt gas electric tank

Last updated
Holt Gas-Electric Tank
Holt prototype gas electric tank.jpg
Place of originFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Specifications
Mass25.4 t (25.0 long tons; 28.0 short tons)
Length5.03 m (16 ft 6 in)
Width2.76 m (9 ft 1 in)
Height2.37 m (7 ft 9 in)
Crew6

Armor 6–15 mm
Main
armament
75 mm Vickers mountain howitzer
Secondary
armament
two 7.62 mm (0.300 in) M1917 Browning machine guns
Engine4-cylinder Holt gasoline
90 hp (67 kW)
Power/weight3.5 hp/tonne
TransmissionG.E.C. generator powering one electric motor per track
Suspensionvertical coil springs
Operational
range
50 km (31 mi)
Maximum speed 10 km/h (6.2 mph)

The Holt Gas-Electric Tank was the first prototype tank built in the United States [1] in a collaboration between the Holt Manufacturing Company (now Caterpillar Inc.) and the General Electric Company. The tank, built during 1917-1918, was the only one of its kind built, as testing proved it lacked the agility and maneuverability required. [2] The crew number is often given as six, on the assumption there would be two machine gunners, a gunner and loader for the main gun, a driver and a commander.

Contents

Construction

The tank was based on a lengthened and modified version of the suspension of the Holt Model 75, with pivoting track frames. There were ten road wheels at each side. The tank was 7 feet 9.5 inches (2.375 m) tall, 16 feet 6 inches (5.03 m) long, and 9 feet 1 inch (2.77 m) wide. [3] The vehicle had a Holt 90 horsepower (67 kW), 4-cylinder engine fitted with a General Electric generator driving an electric motor for each track; a comparable petro-electric system had earlier been used for the French Saint-Chamond that also was fitted with a lengthened Holt suspension. To prevent overheating the transmission—a constant problem with electrical types—a complicated water cooling system had been installed.

Weapon systems

Like the French tank, the Holt Gas-Electric had a 75 mm gun placed low in the V-shaped nose; two removable Browning 7.62 mm machine guns in sponsons on each side. The engine and transmission were in the rear, next to a corridor leading to the only door. Only one was built as tests showed its climbing performance was unsatisfactory, and it was much heavier than planned, about 25 short tons (23 t). [4]

Related Research Articles

Panzer VIII<i> Maus</i> WWII German super-heavy tank

Panzerkampfwagen VIII Maus was a German World War II super-heavy tank completed in July of 1944. It is the heaviest fully enclosed armored fighting vehicle ever built. Five were ordered, but only two hulls and one turret were completed, the turret being attached before the testing grounds were captured by advancing Soviet military forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cromwell tank</span> British WWII cruiser tank

The Cromwell tank, officially Tank, Cruiser, Mk VIII, Cromwell (A27M), was one of the series of cruiser tanks fielded by Britain in the Second World War. Named after the English Civil War-era military leader Oliver Cromwell, the Cromwell was the first tank put into service by the British to combine high speed from a powerful, reliable engine and reasonable armour. The intended dual-purpose high velocity gun could not be fitted in the turret, so a medium velocity dual purpose gun was fitted instead. Further development of the Cromwell combined with a high velocity gun led to the Comet tank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schneider CA1</span> French tank developed during WWI

The Schneider CA 1 was the first French tank, developed during the First World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint-Chamond (tank)</span> Heavy Tank

The Saint-Chamond was the second French tank to enter service during the First World War, with 400 manufactured from April 1917 to July 1918. Although not a tank by a strict definition of a heavily armoured turreted vehicle, it is generally accepted and described as such in accounts of early tank development. It takes its name from the commune of Saint-Chamond where its manufacturers Compagnie des forges et aciéries de la marine et d'Homécourt (FAMH) were based.

<i>Tanque Argentino Mediano</i> Argentine medium tank

The Tanque Argentino Mediano is a medium tank in service with the Argentine Army. Lacking the experience and resources to design a tank, the Argentine Ministry of Defense contracted German company Thyssen-Henschel. The vehicle was developed by a German and Argentine team of engineers, and was based on the German Marder infantry fighting vehicle chassis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tortoise heavy assault tank</span> British assault gun design/prototype

The Tortoise heavy assault tank (A39) was a British heavy assault gun design developed during the Second World War, but never put into mass production. It was developed for the task of clearing heavily fortified areas such as the Siegfried Line and as a result favoured armour protection over mobility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T28 super-heavy tank</span> Super-heavy tank, Assault gun

The T28 Super Heavy Tank was an American super-heavy tank/assault gun designed for the United States Army during World War II. It was originally designed to break through German defenses of the Siegfried Line and was later considered as a possible participant in the planned invasion of the Japanese mainland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M3 half-track</span> US military vehicle

The M3 half-track was an American armored personnel carrier half-track widely used by the Allies during World War II and in the Cold War. Derived from the M2 half-track car, the M3 was extensively produced, with about 15,000 standard M3s and more than 38,000 variant units manufactured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T95 medium tank</span> American prototype medium tank developed from 1955 to 1959

The T95 was an American prototype medium tank developed from 1955 to 1959. These tanks used many advanced or unusual features, such as siliceous-cored armor, new transmissions, and OPTAR fire-control systems. The OPTAR incorporated an electro-optical rangefinder and was mounted on the right side of the turret, and was used in conjunction with the APFSDS-firing 90 mm T208 smoothbore gun, which had a rigid mount without a recoil system. In addition, although the tanks were designed with a torsion beam suspension, a hydropneumatic suspension was fitted, and one of the tanks was fitted with a Solar Saturn gas turbine for demonstration purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M2 light tank</span> 1930s United States light tank

The M2 light tank, officially Light Tank, M2, was an American light tank of the interwar period which saw limited service during World War II. The most common model, the M2A4, was equipped with one 37 mm (1.5 in) M5 gun and five .30 cal M1919 Browning machine guns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T-44</span> Soviet medium tank

The T-44 was a medium tank developed and produced near the end of World War II by the Soviet Union. It was the successor to the T-34, offering an improved ride and cross-country performance, along with much greater armor. Designed to be equipped with an 85 mm main gun, by the time it was fully tested the T-34 had also moved to this weapon. Both tanks offered similar performance, so introducing the T-44 was not considered as important as increasing T-34 production. Fewer than 2,000 T-44s were built, compared to about 58,000 T-34s. Although the T-44 was available by the end of the war, it was not used in any battle. It was 1 ton lighter than the T-34-85 and slightly faster. The T-44 was heavily influential on the design of the T-54/55 main battle tank, most prominently lower hull and turret profiles. Also notable was the T-44-100, a 100mm D-10T-armed prototype, which would be the same 100mm gun mounted on the T-54/55, bar some minor changes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M6 heavy tank</span> American heavy tank

The Heavy Tank M6 was an American heavy tank designed during World War II. The tank was produced in small numbers and never saw combat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T20 medium tank</span> Series of armored fighting vehicles designed by the United States

The Medium Tank T20, Medium Tank T22 and Medium Tank T23 were prototype medium tanks, developed by the United States Army during World War II. They were designed as successors to the M4 Sherman. The standard main weapon for production versions of these designs was to be the 76 mm M1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type 61 (tank)</span> Main battle tank

The Type 61 tank is a main battle tank developed and used by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holt Manufacturing Company</span> Defunct American tractor company, predecessor to Caterpillar Tractor Company

The Holt Manufacturing Company began with the 1883 founding of Stockton Wheel Service in Stockton, California, United States. Benjamin Holt, later credited with patenting the first workable crawler ("caterpillar") tractor design, incorporated the Holt Manufacturing Company in 1892. Holt Manufacturing Company was the first company to successfully manufacture a continuous track tractor By the early 20th century, Holt Manufacturing Company was the leading manufacturer of combine harvesters in the US, and the leading California-based manufacturer of steam traction engines.

Object 187, was a Soviet experimental main battle tank developed between the late 1980s and middle 1990s. It remains a relatively unpublicized development because of high levels of secrecy surrounding the project.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MOWAG Shark</span> Swiss armored personnel carrier

The MOWAG Shark is an armored personnel carrier produced by the MOWAG Motor Car Factory, Kreuzlingen, Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type 60 Armoured Personnel Carrier</span> Armored personnel carrier

The Type 60 Armored Personnel Carrier is an armored personnel carrier that entered service with Japan Ground Self-Defense Force in 1960.

The Vickers Main Battle Tank Mk. 4 later known as the Vickers Valiant was a main battle tank developed as a private venture by British company Vickers for export. Its development began in 1976 and ended in January 1984. Although the Valiant did not enter production, its development provided valuable experience in the production of an aluminium-hulled, Chobham-armoured tank in the 40 tonnes weight range. A further development of its turret was later used for the Vickers Mk. 7 MBT.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High Survivability Test Vehicle (Lightweight)</span> US Army light tank

The High Survivability Test Vehicle (Lightweight) (HSTV(L)) was a U.S. Army light tank manufactured by AAI Corporation. It was developed under the Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) Armored Combat Vehicle Technology (ACVT) program.

References

  1. "The Holt Gas-Electric Tank - The first American tank". Landships. Archived from the original on May 1, 2008. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
  2. "Holt Caterpillar". Archived from the original on 2009-12-04. Retrieved 2010-02-27.
  3. Steven J. Zaloga, vol. 245, Oxford, Osprey Publishing, coll. « New Vanguard », 2017 ( ISBN   978-1-4728-1807-2).
  4. Christopher F. Foss, , dans Christopher F. Foss, , Staplehurst, Spellmount, 2003 ( ISBN   1-86227-188-7), p. 18.