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United States' M1 Combat Car:
M1 Combat Car: |
M1 Combat Car: Aberdeen Tank Museum |
M1 Combat Car: Life Magazine (Mark Holloway) |
M1 Combat Car at Fort Knox, Kentucky in 1940: Life Magazine (Mark Holloway) |
Design
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 1937.6
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.6
The .50 cal MG fired at 2,850'/sec.5 The .30 cal MG at 2,800'/sec.5
The Combat Car M1 was the basis for all following light tanks in the United States Army until 1944.6
Hull
The hull was made from flat plates.6
Suspension
The Combat Cars used the vertical volute suspension.6 These were selected as it was much easier to maintain them than the Christie torsion bar suspension.6 Instead of a raised idler it had a trailing idler wheel.
Turret
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
Prototype
Production
- Combat Car M1:
- Production: 19355, 1937-
- Manufacturer: Rock Island Arsenal5
Variants
- Combat Car M1: Two .30" machine guns and one .50" machine gun.6
- Combat Car M1A1: 17 built.
- Combat Car M2: 7 built. Used a Guiberson T1020 diesel.1 Two .30" machine guns and one .50" machine gun.6
Usage
| M1 | M1E2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Crew | Commander, turret gunner, driver, hull gunner.2 41,2,5 |
43 |
| Physical Characteristics | ||
| Weight | 19,200 lb5, 19,644 lb2 5.89 tons 5,987 kg |
19,530 lb3 |
| Length w/gun | 13' 7"1,2,5 4.14 m1 |
14' 7"3 |
| Length w/o gun | ||
| Height | 7' 9"1,2,5 2.3 m1 |
7' 5"3 |
| Width | 7' 10"1,2, 8 2.5"5 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 .50 cal M2 MG5 |
4: MG3 |
| Secondary | ||
| MG | .30 cal, hull2 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 |
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 | 2505 | 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 |
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 volute2,6 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 |
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
- 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
- Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
- -
- Tank Data 2, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, E. J. Hoffschmidt and W. H. Tantum IV, 1969
- Airfix Magazine Guide #26 American Tanks of World War 2, Terry Gander and Peter Chamberlain, 1977
