M7 Medium Tank
Aberdeen Tank Museum
The Ordnance Board ordered 4 prototypes from the Rock Island Arsenal to be replacements for the M3 and M5 light tanks.1 These were designated the T7.1
The 57 mm gun fired a 6.25 lb shell at a muzzle velocity of 2,800'/sec.2
Using the turret ring from a Canadian Ram tank, the pilot vehicle was finished in June 1942.1 A 75 mm M3 gun was installed.
In February 1943, the Armored Forces didn't want both the M7 Medium and the M4 medium so an order for 3,000 was cancelled after 7 had been produced.1
T7E2:
Prototype with a cast hull, cast turret, Wright radial engine, and a British 6 pdr (57 mm) gun.1
M7:
Standardized in December 1942.1
| M7 | |
|---|---|
| Crew | 51,2 |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weight | T7: 11.6 tons1, 11,793 kg1 M7: 25 tons1, 28 tons2, 25,401 kg1 |
| Length w/gun | 16' 10"1, 17.1'2 5.15 m1 |
| Length w/o gun | |
| Height | 9'1,2 2.74 m1 |
| Width | 7.7'2, 7' 8"1 2.34 m1 |
| Width over tracks | |
| Ground clearance | 16"2 |
| Ground contact length | 152"2 |
| Ground pressure | 10.5 psi2 |
| Turret ring diameter | |
| Armament | |
| Main | 37 mm1 57 mm M32 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 2: 7.62 mm MG1 2: .30 cal M1919K4 MG2 .30 cal M1919K4 MG2 .30 cal M1915K5 MG2 |
| Side arms | |
| Quantity | |
| Main | 902 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 8,0002 |
| Side arms | |
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 641 Front: 1.5"2 Side: 1.25"2 |
| Hull Front, Upper | |
| Hull Front, Lower | |
| Hull Sides, Upper | |
| Hull Sides, Lower | |
| Hull Rear | |
| Hull Top | |
| Hull Bottom | |
| Turret Front | 2"2 Mantlet: 1"2 |
| Turret Sides | 1.5"2 |
| Turret Rear | |
| Turret Top | |
| Engine (Make / Model) | Wright R-9751 Continental & Wright2 |
| Bore / stroke | |
| Cooling | Air2 |
| Cylinders | 92 |
| Capacity | |
| Net HP | 340@2,400 rpm2 |
| Power to weight ratio | |
| Compression ratio | |
| Transmission (Type) | Automatic2 3 forward, 1 reverse2 |
| Steering | Controlled differential2 |
| Steering ratio | |
| Starter | Electric2 |
| Electrical system | |
| Ignition | Distributor2 |
| Fuel (Type) | Gasoline2 |
| Octane | |
| Quantity | 138 gallons2 |
| Road consumption | 1.3 mpg2 |
| Cross country consumption | |
| Performance | |
| Traverse | Power and hand2 |
| Max speed | 30 mph1,2 48 kph1 |
| Cross country | 18-20 mph2 |
| Road radius | 100 miles2 |
| Cross country radius | |
| Turning radius | |
| Elevation limits | |
| Fording depth | 36"2 |
| Trench crossing | |
| Vertical obstacle | |
| Climbing ability | 17° (30%) slope2 |
| Suspension (Type) | Vertical volute spring2 2 two wheel bogies and one idler wheel each side.2 |
| Wheels each side | 2x22 |
| Return rollers each side | 32 |
| Tracks (Type) | Rubber block, double pin shoe2 |
| Length | |
| Width | 16.5"2 |
| Diameter | |
| Number of links | 1422 |
| Pitch | 6"2 |
| Tire tread | |
| Track centers/tread | 7.7'2 |
| Production | 71 International Harvester Co2 |
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
- Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?
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