Carrier, Personnel, Half-track, M3 | |
---|---|
Type | Half-track armored personnel carrier |
Place of origin | United States |
Service history | |
Wars | World War II Chinese Civil War 1948 Arab–Israeli War Greek Civil War Korean War First Indochina War Costa Rican Civil War Vietnam War Laotian Civil War Algerian War [1] Cambodian Civil War Suez Crisis 1958 Lebanon crisis Six-Day War 1973 Arab–Israeli War Lebanese Civil War Salvadoran Civil War Nicaraguan Revolution |
Production history | |
Designed | 1940–1941 |
Manufacturer | Autocar Diamond T White Motor Company |
Unit cost | $10,310 [2] |
Produced | 1941-1945 |
No. built | 53,000 (including variants) |
Specifications | |
Mass | 17,650 pounds (8.01 t) (M3), 18,425 pounds (8.357 t) (M3A1) |
Length | 20 ft 3 in (6.17 m) with roller |
Width | 7 ft 3.5 in (2.223 m) |
Height | 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m) |
Crew | 1 |
Passengers | 12 |
Armor | 6–12 mm (0.25–0.50 in) |
Main armament | .30 caliber Browning M1919A4 machine gun (M3, M3A1), .50 caliber Browning M2HB machine gun (M3A1) |
Engine | White 160AX 148 hp (110 kW) at 3,000 rpm |
Power/weight | 18.5 hp/metric ton (M3), 17.7 hp/metric ton (M3A1) |
Transmission | Spicer 3461 constant mesh |
Suspension | Front: semi-elliptic longitudinal leaf spring Rear: Vertical volute spring |
Fuel capacity | 60 US gallons (230 litres) |
Operational range | 200 mi (320 km) |
Maximum speed | 45 mph (72 km/h) on road |
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.
The M3 was extensively modified with several dozen variant designs produced for different purposes. During World War II, the M3 and its variants were supplied to the U.S. Army and Marines, as well as British Commonwealth and Soviet Red Army forces, serving on all major fronts throughout the war. The M3 and its variants were produced by many manufacturers including Diamond T, White Motor Company, and Autocar. They were adapted for a wide variety of uses, such as a self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon or self-propelled artillery. Although initially unpopular due to its lack of significant armor or a roof to protect the passengers and crew from shrapnel, it was used by most of the Allies during the war.
In the Cold War era, the vehicle was used by a variety of state and non-state operators in conflicts in South America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, remaining in service until as late as the mid-1990s.
The M3 half-track was 20 ft 3 in (6.17 m) long, 7 ft 3.5 in (2.223 m) wide, 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m) high and had a gross weight of either 17,650 pounds (8.01 t) (M3) or 18,425 pounds (8.357 t) (M3A1). The wheelbase was 135.5 in (3.44 m) long. The suspension consists of a leaf spring for the two front wheels, while the rear treads had vertical volute springs. With a fuel capacity of 60 US gallons (230 L), the M3 could carry its crew (one driver) and a squad of 12 soldiers 220 miles (350 km) before refueling, while protecting them from small arms with light armor (6–12 mm of armor [3] ). The vehicle was powered by a 148 hp (110 kW) White 160AX, 386 in3 (6,330 cc), 6-cylinder gasoline engine. [4] [5]
The design, which used many commercial components to improve reliability and the rate of production, was standardized in 1940 and built by the Autocar Company, Diamond T Motor Company, and the White Motor Company. [6] With a White 160AX engine, the M3 was driven through a manual constant-mesh (non-synchromesh) transmission with four forward and one reverse gear, as well as a two-speed transfer case. The front suspension uses leaf springs, while the tracks use vertical volute springs. Braking was hydraulic assisted while steering was manual. Onboard electronics run on a 12-volt system. [3] The vehicle uses two tracks made of molded rubber over steel cabling with metal track guides. [7]
Infantry rifles were held in brackets behind the seats while ammunition and rations were generally stored underneath. In 1942, the vehicles were fitted with small racks for land mines on the outside of the hull, just above the tracks. In combat, many squads found it necessary to stow additional rations, rucksacks and other crew stowage on the outside of the vehicle. Luggage racks were often added in the field, and later vehicles were fitted with rear-mounted racks for this purpose. [8]
Early vehicles had a pintle mount just behind the front seats that mounted a .50-caliber (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine gun. The later M3A1 adopted a raised, armored "pulpit" mount for the .50-caliber machine gun over the front passenger seat, and additional mounts for .30-caliber (7.62 mm) machine guns along the sides of the passenger compartment. Many M3s were later converted to M3A1s. The vehicle body was fully armored, with an adjustable armored shutter for the engine radiator, and adjustable bulletproof panels with vision slits for the windshield, driver windows, and passenger windows. [9]
The development of an armored half-track began with ordnance directive OCM 14188 to convert an M3 Scout Car into a half-track. The prototype was built at Rock Island Arsenal with help from White Motor Company and was designated the T7. It had the same chassis and engine as the M3, but had larger front wheels and a shorter front clip. The armor consisted of 1/4-inch thick hardened armor plate, and it was armed with two M1919 machine guns and one M2 Browning machine gun operated by a crew of eight. Tests at Aberdeen Proving Ground in 1938 demonstrated unsatisfactory performance due to the front-wheel drive. The T7 was converted back into a scout car and returned to the Army. [10]
Throughout 1939 and 1940, the M2 half-track car was prototyped and developed by the Army at Aberdeen Proving Grounds. The M3 was developed as a larger version of the M2 equipped with two M1919 machine guns and an M2 Browning machine gun for combat usage. The M3 also added a rear door and five additional seats in the rear. The M3 was tested at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in the summer of 1941 and was accepted into service soon after. [11]
In US service, it was intended that the M3 would be issued to armored infantry regiments. It was also quickly put into action with the Provisional Tank Group when the Japanese Army began their invasion of the Philippines. At first, there were multiple complaints due to several mechanical difficulties. These were rectified by the Ordnance Department after receiving field reports from the Philippines. The M3s first use in its intended role was during Operation Torch. Each armored division had 433 M2s or M3s, 200 in the armored regiments and 233 in the armored infantry regiment. [12]
The half-tracks were initially unpopular and nicknamed "Purple Heart boxes" (a grim reference to the US Army decoration for combat wounds) by American troops. The chief complaints centered on the complete lack of overhead protection from artillery shells bursting overhead and that the armor was inadequate against machine gun fire. Omar Bradley quoted in his report about half-tracks that it was "a competent and dependable contrivance. Its bad name resulted from the inexperience of our troops who attempted to use it for too many things". [12] Another major issue with the M3 was its fixed rear idler, which often broke on rough terrain. Commanders in North Africa bought parts to build spring-loaded rear idlers that could handle the rough terrain, which the Ordnance Department then approved as an official fix. [13] [14] In 1943, the M3 served in Sicily and Italy and received positive reports of it in action. It operated in Operation Overlord and served in Europe for the remainder of the war. [15]
The vehicle was generally considered very mechanically reliable, although there were two major complaints: the vehicle had a wide turning radius and lacked power steering, the latter especially evident when using narrow European streets. The unique design of the track, made up of steel bands with a rubber contact surface vulcanized to them, made replacement difficult; if the track became damaged or the steel bands stretched out, the entire track had to be replaced. A track with replaceable blocks was suggested as an alternative. [16]
Total production of the M3 and its variants ran to nearly 54,000 vehicles. [17] To supply the Allied nations, International Harvester produced several thousand of a very similar vehicle, the M5 half-track, for Lend-Lease. [18]
Various attempts were made to mate the 40 mm Bofors L/50 gun to the M3 chassis. In most cases the weapon's recoil was too severe or the mounting too heavy, and the attempts were finally stopped with the adoption of the M19 MGMC on the M24 light tank chassis. [35]
The M3 Stuart/light tank M3, was an American light tank of World War II. An improved version of the tank entered service as the M5 in 1942 to be supplied to British and other Commonwealth forces under lend-lease prior to the entry of the U.S. into the war. Afterwards, it was used by U.S. and Allied forces until the end of the war.
The M3 Lee, officially Medium Tank, M3, was an American medium tank used during World War II. The turret was produced in two different forms, one for US needs and one modified to British requirements to place the radio next to the commander. In British Commonwealth service, the tank was called by two names: tanks employing US-pattern turrets were called "Lee", named after Confederate general Robert E. Lee, while those with British-pattern turrets were known as "Grant", named after Union general Ulysses S. Grant.
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.
The M2 half-track car was an armored half-track produced by the United States during World War II. Its design drew upon half-tracks imported from France in the 1930s, employing standard components supplied by U.S. truck manufacturers to speed production and reduce costs. The concept was designed, and the pilot models manufactured by the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company Production by the White Motor Company began in 1940 and was expanded to include Autocar.
The 37 mm gun M3 is the first dedicated anti-tank gun fielded by United States forces in numbers. Introduced in 1940, it became the standard anti-tank gun of the U.S. infantry with its size enabling it to be pulled by a jeep. However, the continuing improvement of German tanks quickly rendered the 37 mm ineffective and, by 1943, it was being gradually replaced in the European and Mediterranean theaters by the more powerful British-developed 57 mm gun M1. In the Pacific, where the Japanese tank threat was less significant, the M3 remained in service until the end of the war, but some 57mm guns were issued.
The 3-inch gun M1918 was a United States 3-inch anti-aircraft gun that entered service in 1918 and served until it was largely superseded by the 3-inch anti-aircraft gun M3 in 1930, though the M1918 remained with some National Guard units until early in World War II. The M3 was subsequently replaced by the M1 90mm AA gun early in World War II, primarily during 1942. The M3 3" gun was later adapted for the anti-tank role, serving as the main armament of the M10 tank destroyer during World War II.
The 105 mm Howitzer M3 was a U.S. light howitzer designed for use by airborne troops. The gun utilized the barrel of the 105 mm Howitzer M2, shortened and fitted to a slightly modified split trail carriage of the 75 mm pack howitzer.
The 3-inch gun M5 was an anti-tank gun developed in the United States during World War II. The gun combined a 3-inch (76.2 mm) barrel of the anti-aircraft gun T9 and elements of the 105 mm howitzer M2. The M5 was issued exclusively to the US Army tank destroyer battalions starting in 1943. It saw combat in the Italian Campaign and on the Western Front in Northwest Europe.
The M3 gun motor carriage was a United States Army tank destroyer equipped with a 75 mm M1897A4 gun, which was built by the Autocar Company during World War II.
The 75mm pack howitzer M1 was a pack howitzer artillery piece used by the United States. Designed to be moved across difficult terrain, gun and carriage could be broken down into several pieces to be carried by pack animals.
The T18 howitzer motor carriage, or T18 HMC, was an American self-propelled gun. Its development started in September 1941 as a close-support vehicle using the M3 Stuart's chassis. A 75 mm howitzer was mounted on the right front of the vehicle. The gun mount was adapted from the M3 Grant. Two prototypes were produced by Firestone and then sent to the Aberdeen Proving Ground. However, they were unsatisfactory because of their high superstructure and nose weight. Because the Army disliked the high superstructure and nearly vertical armor, the T18 was abandoned in 1942, and soon started a new turreted project, the T41 75 mm HMC, also known as the howitzer motor carriage M8.
The M16 multiple gun motor carriage, also known as the M16 half-track, was an American self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon built during World War II. It was equipped with four .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns in an M45 Quadmount. 2700 were produced by White Motor Company from May 1943 to March 1944, with 568 M13 MGMCs and 109 T10 half-tracks being converted into M16s as well.
The M5 half-track was an American armored personnel carrier in use during World War II. It was developed in 1942 when existing manufacturers of the M2 half-track car, and M3 half-track could not keep up with production demand. International Harvester (IH) had capacity to produce a similar vehicle to the M3, but some differences from the M3 had to be accepted due to different production equipment. IH produced the M5 from December 1942 to October 1943.
The M13 multiple gun motor carriage (MGMC), otherwise known as the M13 half-track, was a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun used by the U.S. Army during World War II that was armed with two .50 caliber M2HB heavy-barrel Browning machine guns. Developed in response to a requirement for a mobile anti-aircraft (AA) vehicle, the vehicle was produced by the White Motor Company between July 1942 and May 1943. The only time it was ever used in combat was when the Americans landed at Anzio in January 1944. It was replaced by the more heavily armed M16 multiple gun motor carriage in April 1944.
The M15 half-track, officially designated M15 Combination Gun Motor Carriage, was a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun on a half-track chassis used by the United States Army during World War II. It was equipped with one 37 millimeter (1.5 in) M1 autocannon and two water-cooled .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 Browning heavy machine guns. Based on the M3 half-track chassis, it was produced by the Autocar Company between July 1942 and February 1944, and served alongside the M16 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage.
The M9 half-track was a half-track produced by International Harvester in the United States during World War II for lend-lease supply to the Allies. It was designed to provide a similar vehicle to the M2 half-track car. It had the same body and chassis as the M5 half-track but had the same stowage and radio fit as the M2 half-track.
The T48 57 mm gun motor carriage was a self-propelled anti-tank gun produced by the Diamond T company in 1943 for the United States. The design incorporated a 57 mm gun M1, a US production of the British Ordnance QF 6 pounder, mounted on an M3 half-track.
The M21 mortar motor carriage (MMC) was a self-propelled artillery mount on a half-track chassis used by the United States Army during World War II. It was equipped with an 81 mm M1 mortar and an air-cooled M2 Browning machine gun. It was produced by the White Motor Company in 1944. Only 110 examples were produced.
The T30 howitzer motor carriage (HMC) was a United States Army self-propelled gun used in World War II. Its design was based on requirements for an assault gun issued by the Armored Force in 1941 and it was built as an interim solution until a fully tracked design was complete.
The T19 howitzer motor carriage (HMC) was a 105 mm (4.1 in) howitzer mounted on a M3 Half-track chassis. It saw service during World War II with the U.S. Army. Its secondary armament consisted of an air-cooled .50 in (13 mm) M2 machine gun for local defense. It was produced by Diamond T between January 1942 and April 1942.
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