M578 armored recovery vehicle

The armored recovery vehicle M578 was part of the equipment of the light armored troops of the US Army and is listed there as the M578 ARV ( armored recovery vehicle ).

An M 578 armored recovery vehicle at Reforger 86

M 578 armored recovery vehicle

After the existing M74 armored recovery vehicle had proven to be technically obsolete and too slow and immobile for the mechanized infantry, the troops requested a new vehicle that was better adapted to the circumstances.

The prototype with the designation T120 was presented in 1959. The prototype T235 / 236 was used as the chassis, which was later adopted for the M107 and M110 self-propelled guns .

description

• Five rollers, front-wheel drive, no chain support rollers and no separate chain pulley
• Made of aluminum with only weak armor. Protection against hand weapons and splinters only.
• Support shield at the stern
• Engine in front

Technical specifications

• Length of tub: 5.72 m
• Width: 3.15 m
• Cable winch: 25 t pulling force
• Crane: 15.5 t lifting capacity
• Crew: 3
• Ground pressure : 0.81 kg / cm / 2
• Top speed: 56 km / h max
• Driving range: approx. 700 km
• Engine: 8-cylinder Detroit Diesel 8V71T diesel engine with 298 kW (405 hp) at 2300 rpm
• Climbing ability: 1.02 m
• Trench crossing ability: 2.36 m
• Weight: 21 t
• Armament: 1 machine gun 12.7 mm Browning M2

Assigned to mechanized infantry and self-propelled artillery .

literature

• FM by Senger and Etterlin , Tanks of the World 1983 Arms and Armor Press London 1983 ISBN 0-85368-585-1
• Tanks and other combat vehicles from 1916 to the present day , Buch und Zeit Verlagsgesellschaft, Cologne 1977

Web links

Commons : M578 Light Recovery Vehicle  - Album containing pictures, videos and audio files