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United States' M8 Light Armored Car5
Design
The M8 Light Armored Car was originally designed to be a tank destroyer but the 37 mm gun was inadequate.
Radio
The radio used by the M8 was a SCR506, 508, 510, 608, or 610.
Construction
The M8 was made from all welded construction.5
The floor had rather thin armor and many crews put sandbags on the floor to help protect themselves from mines.5
In later models the steel gas tank was replaced by a rubber one.
Sand shields were mounted over the front and rear wheels, however, the rear ones were hinged and often removed to make it easier to mount tire chains. There was storage above the rear fenders and on the front hull between the headlights and racks for 3 mines on each side. The blackout lights were removable from their sockets.
Crew
The driver was located in the front along with the radio operator.5 The driver sat on the left and radio operator sat on the right and both had top and front hatches. Used a standard steering wheel. The wheels had an armored center and a bead lock to help prevent tires from collapsing in combat.
The turret was located in the middle with the commander and loader.5
Much of the crew's equipment had to be stored externally as there wasn't enough room on the inside.1
Turret
The M8's turret had an open top.5
All shutters and hatch covers can be closed and protectoscopes used for observation. There is a radio and speaking tube for inside of vehicle.
Main Armament
The gun was rotated and elevated manually.1
Engines
The fans in the rear blew towards the rear allowing for silent operation. This allowed for the M8 to approach the enemy stealthily.
Towing
A pintle was mounted in the rear of the M8 for towing a trailer.
Prototype
Prototypes built by Ford Motor Co.5 and Chrysler designated the T225 and T23.1 Both were very similar but the T22E2 was chosen for production on May 19, 1942.1
Production
- Total: 8,5231,5, 11,667
- Manufacturer: Ford Motor Co.1,4
- Production: late 1942 - 19455
Variants
- M8: Entered service in early 1943.5
- M8E1: Suspension improvements, skate ring for .50 cal AA gun.
- T22:
- T22E1: Built by Ford as a prototype.1
- T23E1: Built by Chrysler as a prototype.1
- T22E2: Had improvements made to the storage of equipment and better driver visibility.1
- T26: Prototype.
- T69 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage:
Usage
First saw action in Italy in March 1943.1
Pacific Theater
Was used mostly on Okinawa and the Philippines in the Pacific theater.1
Britain's Use
The British forces received the M8 but didn't like it as they felt the armor was too thin.5
Post World War II
By 1976 there were still 22 countries using the M8 Armored Car.5
| M8 | |
|---|---|
| Crew | 41,2,4,5 |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weight | 16,400 lb4, 17,400 lb 7.68 tons1, 7.94 tons2, 8 tons5 7,802 kg1, 8,126 kg5 |
| Length w/gun | 15' 8.25"4, 16' 5"1,2,5 5 m2,5, 5.01 m1 |
| Length w/o gun | |
| Height | 7' 4.5"2, 7' 5"1,5, 7' 6"4 2.248 m2, 2.25 m5, 2.26 m1 |
| Width | 8' 3 5/8"4, 8' 4"1,2,5 2.54 m1,2,5 |
| Width over tracks | |
| Ground clearance | 11.25"4, 11.5" |
| Ground contact length | |
| Ground pressure | 13.6 psi |
| Turret ring diameter | |
| Armament | |
| Main | 37 mm M61,4,5 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 2: 7.62 mm (.30 cal) MG1 |
| MG - coaxial | 1: 0.3" MG5 .30 cal M1919A40 MG4 1: 7.62 mm MG5 |
| MG - anti aircraft | 1: 0.5" MG5 .50 cal HB M2 MG4 1: 12.7 mm MG5 |
| Side arms | 4: Carbines |
| Quantity | |
| Main | 804 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | .30: 1,500, 1,5754 .50: 400, 4204 |
| Side arms | .30: 400 Grenades: 12 Smoke pots: 44 Antitank mines: 64 |
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 195 |
| Hull Front, Upper | 16 mm, 5/8", 0.625"@0°4 |
| Hull Front, Lower | 19 mm, 0.75" |
| Hull Sides, Upper | 9 mm, 3/8", 0.375"@0°4 |
| Hull Sides, Lower | 9 mm, 3/8" |
| Hull Rear | 9 mm, 3/8", 0.375"@0°4 |
| Hull Top | 6 mm, 0.25" |
| Hull Bottom | 3 mm, 1/8-1/4" |
| Turret Front | 19 mm, 0.75", 0.875"@0°4 |
| Turret Sides | 19 mm, 0.75", 0.75"@0°4 |
| Turret Rear | 19 mm, 0.75" |
| Turret Top | |
| Engine (Make / Model) | Hercules JXD1,2,4,5 |
| Bore / stroke | |
| Cooling | Water4 |
| Cylinders | 62,4,5 |
| Capacity | |
| Net HP | 1102,4,5 |
| Power to weight ratio | |
| Compression ratio | |
| Transmission (Type) | Selective sliding gear Synchromesh4 4 forward, 1 reverse4 |
| Steering | Worm and roller, front wheels only4 |
| Steering ratio | |
| Starter | |
| Electrical system | |
| Ignition | |
| Fuel (Type) | Gasoline2,4, Petrol5 |
| Octane | |
| Quantity | 54 gallons4, 56 gallons |
| Road consumption | 6.6 mpg4 |
| Cross country consumption | |
| Performance | |
| Traverse | 360°4 Manual4 |
| Max speed | 55 mph2,4,5, 56 mph, 60 mph1 89 kph2,5, 100 kph1 |
| Cross country speed | 30 mph |
| Road radius | 250 miles4, 350 miles2,5 563 km2,5 |
| Cross country radius | |
| Turning radius | 28'4 |
| Elevation limits | -10° to +18°4 |
| Fording depth | 2'2, 2' 8"4 0.61 m2 |
| Trench crossing | |
| Vertical obstacle | 1'2,4 0.3 m2 |
| Climbing ability | 30° slope4 |
| Suspension (Type) | Leaf spring Semi elliptical springs4 |
| Wheels each side | 6 x 64 |
| Return rollers each side | |
| Tracks (Type) | |
| Length | |
| Width | |
| Diameter | |
| Number of links | |
| Pitch | |
| Tire tread | 6 |
| Track centers/tread | 6' 4"4 |
| Tire size | 9.00 x 204 |
| Wheel base | 79" + 48"4 |
Sources:
- The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
- The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
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- Tank Data 2, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, E. J. Hoffschmidt and W. H. Tantum IV, 1969
- World Encyclopedia of Armored Fighting Vehicles, Jack Livesey, 2006
