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United States' M3, M3A1 Gun Motor Carriage:
M3 Gun Motor Carriage Aberdeen Tank Museum |
Design
The British and American armies wanted a half track that would carry an anti tank gun.4 An M3 half track was adapted in 1941 by adding M1897A 75 mm gun.4
Alterations
The M3 75 mm Gun Motor Carriage had the fuel tanks moved towards the rear to make room for the 75 mm gun.4
Main Armament
The 75 mm M1897A was a copy of a French gun used in World War I.4
Initially the gun shield was the full height version, but this caused the silhouette to be too high, so it was reduced.4
Gun would fire at velocity of 2,000 ft/sec3 and penetrate 3 inches at 1,000 yards. Detachable canvas top. The APC shell weighed 18 lbs.3
Prototype
Production
Standardized in November 1941. It was classified as Limited Standard in March 1944, and declared obsolete in September 1944.
- Total: 2,2024
- Converted by: Autocar4
Variants
- M3: Used M2A3 gun mount.4
- M3A1: Used M2A2 gun mount.4
- 75 mm SP Autocar: Name used by British.4
- T-12 GMC: The Marines converted M3s by adding a 75 mm pack howitzer or the 105 mm howitzer. Had crew of 5 and was used extensively in the Pacific.
- T-19: An order was placed in March 1942.1 Declared obsolete in 1944.1 Had 105 mm gun installed.1 Used in North Africa.1
- 75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage T30: Converted M3 half tracks and 500 built with 75 mm Howitzer M1A1. Elevation of 25° and traverse 21° left and 23° right. Used by HQ companies of medium tank battalions until replaced by M8 in 1943.
Usage
First vehicles sent to Philippines in late 1941.1 There were 50 that were shipped.4
Used in Tunisia.
Used by British in Italy.
| M3 Gun Motor Carriages | M3 Gun Motor Carriages, M3A1 Gun Motor Carriages |
M3A1 Gun Motor Carriages | T-19 Gun Motor Carriages | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | Commander, driver, gunner, gun crew (2)2 52,3,4 |
Commander, driver, gun crew (3) 61 |
51 | |
| Physical Characteristics | ||||
| Weight | 18,085 lb3 9.09 tons2, 10 tons4 10,160 kg4 |
20,000 lb 8.9 tons1 9,071 kg1 |
9.2 tons1 9,298 kg1 |
|
| Length w/gun | 20' 3"4, 20' 5.5"3 6.14 m4, 6.22 m2 |
20' 5.5", 20' 3"1 6.2 m1 |
20' 3"1 6.2 m1 |
|
| Length w/o gun | ||||
| Height | 7' 5"4, 8' 2 5/8"3 2.26 m4, 2.51 m2 |
8' 2 5/8", 7' 5"1 2.28 m1 |
7' 5"1 2.28 m1 |
|
| Width | 7' 1"3, 7' 3"4 2.16 m2, 2.22 m4 |
7' 1", 7' 4"1 2.24 m1 |
7' 4"1 2.24 m1 |
|
| Width over tracks | ||||
| Ground clearance | 11 3/16"3 | 11 3/16" | ||
| Ground contact length | 46.75"3 | 3' 10.75" | ||
| Ground pressure | 12 psi3 | |||
| Turret ring diameter | ||||
| Armament | ||||
| Main | 2.95" M1897 A44 75 mm M1897A42,3,4, M3 mount2 |
75 mm M1897A4 gun1 | 75 mm 1897A42, M5 mount2 | 105 mm M2 howitzer1 |
| Secondary | ||||
| MG | 0.3" MG4 7.62 mm MG4 |
|||
| Side arms | M1903 .30 Rifle 4: M1 .30 carbines Grenades |
|||
| Quantity | ||||
| Main | 592,3,4 | 591 | 81 | |
| Secondary | ||||
| MG | ||||
| Side arms | Grenades: 22 | |||
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 0.5"4 12.7 mm4 Front: 122 Side: 82 |
131 | 131 | |
| Hull Front, Upper | 0.5"@0°3 | 6 | ||
| Hull Front, Lower | 6 | |||
| Hull Sides, Upper | 0.25"@0°3 | 6 | ||
| Hull Sides, Lower | 6 | |||
| Hull Rear | 0.25"@0°3 | 6 | ||
| Hull Top | 6 | |||
| Hull Bottom | 6 | |||
| Shield Front | 0.625"@0°3 | |||
| Shield Sides | 0.25"@0°3 | |||
| Shield Rear | ||||
| Shield Top | ||||
| Engine (Make / Model) | White 160 AX3,4 | White 160 AX1 | White 160 AX1 | |
| Bore / stroke | ||||
| Cooling | Water3 | |||
| Cylinders | 63 | |||
| Capacity | ||||
| Net HP | 1282,4, 1473 | |||
| Power to weight ratio | ||||
| Compression ratio | ||||
| Transmission (Type) | Dual range synchromesh3 8 forward, 2 reverse3 |
|||
| Steering | Cam and lever, front wheels only3 | |||
| Steering ratio | ||||
| Starter | ||||
| Electrical system | ||||
| Ignition | ||||
| Fuel (Type) | Gasoline3, Petrol4 | |||
| Octane | ||||
| Quantity | 60 gallons3 | 60 gallons | ||
| Road consumption | 3.5 mpg3 | |||
| Cross country consumption | ||||
| Performance | ||||
| Traverse | 19° left, 21° right2,3 Hand3 |
21° both ways2 | ||
| Max speed | 45 mph3,4 64 kph4, 75 kph2 |
45 mph1 72 kph1 |
45 mph1 72 kph1 |
|
| Cross country speed | ||||
| Road radius | 200 miles3,4 280 km4 |
200 miles, 180 miles1 290 km1 |
180 miles1 290 km1 |
|
| Cross country radius | ||||
| Turning radius | 30'3 | 30' | ||
| Elevation limits | -10° to +29°2,3 | -6.5° to +29°2 | ||
| Fording depth | 2' 8"3 | 2' 8" | ||
| Trench crossing | ||||
| Vertical obstacle | 1'3 | 1' | ||
| Climbing ability | 30° slope3 | |||
| Suspension (Type) | Front wheels: Semi elliptic spring3 Rear tracks: Vertical volute springing3 |
|||
| Wheels each side | Articulated dual wheel, four wheel bogies3 | 4 | ||
| Return rollers each side | 13 | 1 | ||
| Tracks (Type) | Endless band3 | |||
| Length | ||||
| Width | 1'3 | |||
| Diameter | ||||
| Number of links | ||||
| Pitch | 4"3 | |||
| Tire tread | ||||
| Track centers/tread | 63 3/16"3, 64.5"3 | |||
| Tire size | 8.25 x 203 | |||
| Wheel base | 135.5"3 | |||
| Production | 1941: Autocar3 | 2,2001 | 324 |
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
- Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
- 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
