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United States' M5 Half Tracks:
M5 Half Track |
M5 Half Track  |
M5A2 Half Track |
Design
With the large allied demand of half tracks the U.S. Army had International Harvester produced these and the M9's for Lend Lease.7
Very similar to M2s & M3s, however the bodies had rounded rear corners while the M2 & M3 were square.7
The mudguards in the front were flat.7
Prototype
Production
- M5: 1521
- Manufacturer: International1
- Production: April 1942 - October 19437
- M5A1: 1,8597, 4,8281
- Manufacturer: International1
- Production: October 1943 - December 19437
- Total: 9,2917
- Manufacturer: International Harvester Company (IHC)7
- Production: April 1942 - June 19457
Variants
- M5: Entered service in December 1942.7
- M5A1: Similar to M3A1. Added M49 ring mount.7 Could carry 13.
- M5A2: Similar to M3A2. Same variable stowage arrangements.
Usage
A large user of the M5 series was the Soviet Union.7
Royal Engineers
The Royal Engineers (RE) and the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) used numerous M5s.7 The were used until 1966.7
| M5 | M5A1 | M5A2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | Commander, driver 37 |
||
| Passengers | 107 | ||
| Physical Characteristics | |||
| Weight | 20,500 lb 10.5 tons7 10,668 kg7 |
21,500 lb | 22,500 lb |
| Length w/gun | 20' 9"7 6.33 m7 |
||
| Length w/roller | 20' 2 3/16" | ||
| Length w/winch | 20' 9 1/16" | ||
| Length w/o gun | |||
| Height | 7' 7"7 2.31 m7 |
9' 0: | 9' 0: |
| Width | 7' 2 7/8", 7' 3"7 2.21 m7 |
||
| Width over tracks | |||
| Ground clearance | 11 3/16" | ||
| Ground contact length | |||
| Ground pressure | |||
| Turret ring diameter | |||
| Armament | |||
| Main | .50 cal Browning M2-HB 0.5" Browning MG7 12.7 mm Browning MG7 |
||
| Secondary | |||
| MG | .30 cal Browning M1919A4 3: 0.3" Browning MG7 3: 7.62 mm Browning MG7 |
||
| Side arms | 22 grenades 26 anti-tank mines |
||
| Quantity | |||
| Main | |||
| Secondary | |||
| MG | 4,000 | ||
| Side arms | 540 | ||
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 107 | ||
| Hull Front, Upper | 16 | ||
| Hull Front, Lower | 8 | ||
| Hull Sides, Upper | 8 | ||
| Hull Sides, Lower | 8 | ||
| Hull Rear | 8 | ||
| Hull Top | |||
| Hull Bottom | 8 | ||
| Turret Front | |||
| Turret Sides | |||
| Turret Rear | |||
| Turret Top | |||
| Engine (Make / Model) | International RED 450B7 | ||
| Bore / stroke | |||
| Cooling | |||
| Cylinders | 67 | ||
| Capacity | |||
| Net HP | 1437 | ||
| Power to weight ratio | |||
| Compression ratio | |||
| Transmission (Type) | 4 forward, 1 reverse | ||
| Steering | |||
| Steering ratio | |||
| Starter | |||
| Electrical system | |||
| Ignition | |||
| Fuel (Type) | Petrol7 | ||
| Octane | |||
| Quantity | 60 gallons | ||
| Road consumption | |||
| Cross country consumption | |||
| Performance | |||
| Traverse | |||
| Max speed | 38 mph7, 42 mph 61 kph7 |
||
| Cross country speed | |||
| Road radius | 125 miles7, 250 miles 201 km7 |
||
| Cross country radius | |||
| Turning radius | 59' | ||
| Elevation limits | |||
| Fording depth | 2' 8" | ||
| Trench crossing | |||
| Vertical obstacle | 1' | ||
| Climbing ability | |||
| Suspension (Type) | |||
| Wheels each side | 4 | ||
| Return rollers each side | 1 | ||
| Tracks (Type) | |||
| Length | |||
| Width | 1' | ||
| Diameter | |||
| Number of links | |||
| Pitch | |||
| Tire tread | |||
| Track centers/tread |
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
- The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
- -
- Tank Data 2, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, E. J. Hoffschmidt and W. H. Tantum IV, 1969
- M3 Infantry Half-Track 1940-73, Steven J. Zaloga, 1994
- World Encyclopedia of Armored Fighting Vehicles, Jack Livesey, 2006
