M40 GMC
| M40 Gun Motor Carriage | |
|---|---|
|
|
| General properties | |
| crew | 8th |
| length | 9.10 m |
| width | 3.15 m |
| height | 2.70 m |
| Dimensions | 36.30 tons |
| Armor and armament | |
| Armor | 12 mm |
| Main armament | 1 × 155mm M2 cannon |
| Secondary armament | no |
| agility | |
| drive | Nine-cylinder gasoline engine Wright R975 EC2 from Continental 340 PS (294 kW) |
| suspension | Vertical cone suspension |
| Top speed | 38 km / h (23 km / h off-road) |
| Power / weight | 9.4 hp / ton |
| Range | 170 km |
The M40 GMC 155mm Gun Motor Carriage M40 was an American self-propelled gun of World War II .
description
The chassis of the M40 self-propelled gun was based on the chassis of the M4A3 Sherman medium tank . The R-975 engine was from Continental and is actually an aircraft engine, but it was also used in armored vehicles towards the end of World War II. The prototype was initially called T38 , but this was changed to M40 in March 1945. The vehicle was armed with a 155 mm M2 cannon. The M40 was originally intended to replace the M12 GMC self-propelled gun .
Production began in January 1945, by May 311 units had been produced and brought to the European theater of war. Some M40 were still used in the battle for Cologne . Mainly the M40 GMC was used in the Korean War . In addition, the British Army also used the self-propelled gun with the designation 155 mm SP, M40 .
variants
- Cargo Carrier T30 : only produced in small numbers; Discontinued in 1944
- 8 inch Howitzer Motor Carriage M43 : 203 mm HMC howitzer; a total of 48 produced
- 250mm Mortar Motor Carriage T94 : 250mm MMC Howitzer; only one prototype built in 1946
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