M1 Combat Car:

USA's M1 Combat Car
Aberdeen Tank Museum

USA's M1 Light Tank

The 1920 Defense Act restricted tanks to the infantry. To allow the cavalry to have tanks of it's own, they were called "combat cars." In 1934-35 3 prototypes were developed. They were designated the T2, T2E1, and T2E2. The T2 was inspired by the British Vickers Armstrong 6 ton tank. The T2 was developed as an infantry tank and Rock Island Arsenal produced a similar tank for the calvary called the T5 Combat Car. It had vertical volute spring suspension instead of leave spring suspension. Modifications were made and soon it became the T5E2 which was eventually standardized as the M1 Combat Car.

It entered service with the US Army in 1937.

In July 1940 the new Armored Force was created and it abolished the distinction between infantry and cavalry tanks. These tanks were then renamed to Light Tanks.

The first 58 had a D shaped turret that had 2 MGs installed.1 Then they had octagonal turrets which sometimes had a MG installed for anti-aircraft protection.1 Instead of a raised idler it had a trailing idler wheel.

They never saw combat.4

The .50 cal MG fired at 2,850'/sec.5 The .30 cal MG at 2,800'/sec.5

Combat Car M1A1:

17 built.

Combat Car M2:

7 built. Used a Guiberson T1020 diesel.1

  M1 M1E2
Crew Commander, turret gunner, driver, hull gunner.2,4
41,2,4,5
43
Physical Characteristics    
Weight 19,200 lb5, 19,644 lb2
5.89 tons, 8.9 tons4
5,987 kg
19,530 lb3
Length w/gun 13' 7"1,2,5
4.14 m1,4
14' 7"3
Length w/o gun    
Height 7' 9"1,2,5
2.3 m1, 2.36 m4
7' 5"3
Width 7' 10"1,2, 8 2.5"5
2.39 m4, 2.4 m1
7' 9.75"3
Width over tracks    
Ground clearance 14.5"5  
Ground contact length 97"5  
Ground pressure 9 psi5  
Turret ring diameter    
Armament    
Main 12.7 mm (.50 cal) MG, 7.62 (.30 cal) mm MG.1,2
.50 cal MG, .30 cal MG4
.50 cal M2 MG5
4: MG3
Secondary    
MG .30 cal, hull2,4
3: .30 cal M2 MG, hull, turret, AA5
 
Side arms    
Quantity    
Main .50: 1,1002, 1,505
.30: 6,0002
 
Secondary    
MG .30: 2,3805  
Side arms    
Armor Thickness (mm) 161
62, 162
Front: 164
0.5" - 5/8"3
Hull Front, Upper 0.625"@0°5  
Hull Front, Lower    
Hull Sides, Upper 0.25"@0°5  
Hull Sides, Lower    
Hull Rear 0.25"@0°5  
Hull Top    
Hull Bottom    
Turret Front 0.625"@0°5  
Turret Sides 0.25"@0°5  
Turret Rear    
Turret Top    
Engine (Make / Model) Continental W-6701,2
Continental WG705
Continental radial3
Bore / stroke    
Cooling Air5 Air3
Cylinders R-75  
Capacity    
Net HP 2504,5 2503
Power to weight ratio    
Compression ratio    
Transmission (Type) Synchromesh5
5 forward, 1 reverse5
 
Steering Controlled differential5  
Steering ratio    
Starter    
Electrical system    
Ignition    
Fuel (Type) Gasoline5  
Octane    
Quantity 54 gallons5  
Road consumption 2.4 mpg5  
Cross country consumption    
Performance    
Traverse 360°2,5  
Max speed 45 mph1,2,5
72 kph1, 75 kph4
45 mph3
Cross country speed 15-20 mph2  
Road radius 100 miles1,2, 130 miles5
161 km1
 
Cross country radius    
Turning radius    
Elevation limits    
Fording depth 4' 4"2  
Trench crossing    
Vertical obstacle    
Climbing ability 26° slope5  
Suspension (Type) Vertical volute.2
Vickers Leaf-Spring.1
Vertical volute springing5
 
Wheels each side 2 double wheel bogie5  
Return rollers each side 25  
Tracks (Type) Steel, rubber pads, dry pin5  
Length    
Width 11.5"2,5  
Diameter    
Number of links 665  
Pitch 5.5"5  
Tire tread    
Track centers/tread 6'2, 73"5  
Production 1935: Rock Island Arsenal5
1937-
 

Sources:

  1. 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
  2. British and American Tanks of World War Two, The Complete Illustrated History of British, American, and Commonwealth Tanks 1933-1945, Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis, 1969
  3. Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
  4. Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
  5. Tank Data 2, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, E. J. Hoffschmidt and W. H. Tantum IV, 1969
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