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United States' M5 Half Tracks:

M5 Half Track
United States' M5 Half Track
M5 Half Track
United States' M5 Half Track
M5A2 Half Track
United States' 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

Variants

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:

  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. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
  4. -
  5. Tank Data 2, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, E. J. Hoffschmidt and W. H. Tantum IV, 1969
  6. M3 Infantry Half-Track 1940-73, Steven J. Zaloga, 1994
  7. World Encyclopedia of Armored Fighting Vehicles, Jack Livesey, 2006
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