M12 GMC
| M12 Gun Motor Carriage | |
|---|---|
|
|
| General properties | |
| crew | 6th |
| length | 6.73 m |
| width | 2.67 m |
| height | 2.70 m |
| Dimensions | 26.0 tons |
| Armor and armament | |
| Armor | 1.59-5.1 cm |
| Main armament | 1 × 155 mm cannon M1917 / 18-M1 |
| Secondary armament | 1 × 12.7 mm MG Browning M2 |
| agility | |
| drive | Nine-cylinder gasoline engine Wright R975 EC2 from Continental 340 PS (294 kW) |
| suspension | Vertical cone suspension |
| Top speed | 38 km / h (19 km / h off-road) |
| Power / weight | 13 hp / ton |
| Range | 220 km |
The M12 GMC or 155 mm Gun Motor Carriage M12 was an American self-propelled gun of the Second World War , of which only 100 copies were built.
description
The chassis of the Selbstfahrlafette M12 was based on the chassis of the medium tank M3 Lee / Grant . The R-975 engine was an aircraft engine from Continental , which was also used in armored vehicles such as the M40 GMC self-propelled gun towards the end of World War II . The vehicle was not fully armored, only the driver was protected by the armor. An earth spur was attached to the stern of the M12 , which was lowered before firing to support the vehicle when firing. This design with an open construction, rear-mounted cannon and earth spur was trend-setting and was taken up again in many later models.
Production began in 1942 and ended the following year. 60 vehicles were produced in 1942 and 40 in 1943. Mainly the M12 was used in France . Since the vehicle could only carry ten projectiles, the ammunition transporter Cargo Carrier M30 was developed, which was an M12 GMC without a gun. This vehicle could hold 40 155mm rounds and was armed with a 12.7mm Browning M2 machine gun.
Web links
- Detailed description of the M12 GMC (English)
- Technical Data (English)
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