T18 boarhound
| T18 boarhound | |
|---|---|
|
|
| General properties | |
| crew | 5 |
| length | 6.2 m |
| width | 3.1 m |
| height | 2.6 m |
| Dimensions | 26.8 t (combat weight) |
| Armor and armament | |
| Armor | 9.5-50.8 mm |
| Main armament | 1 × 57mm M1 cannon |
| Secondary armament | 2 × .30 Browning M1919 -MGs |
| agility | |
| drive | 2 × 6-cylinder engine from GMC 2 × 125 PS (2 × 92 kW) |
| suspension | Wheel suspension 8 × 8 |
| Top speed | 80 km / h |
| Power / weight | 9.4 hp / ton |
| Range | 400 km |
The T18 Boarhound was an American reconnaissance tank from World War II , which was only produced in small numbers, mainly for the British Army .
history
The Ordnance Department of the US Army wanted to examine 6 × 6 and 8 × 8 wheeled armored vehicles for use as reconnaissance vehicles. The first prototype was made in 1942 by the armaments manufacturer Yellow Coach . Above all, the T18 should convince with a comparatively thick armor of up to 50.8 mm. The armament was initially a 37-mm cannon with two machine guns as secondary armament, one coaxial with the main weapon in the turret and the other in the front of the hull. In total, the total weight of the vehicle was well over 26 tons, which at that time corresponded to the weight of a medium battle tank like the German Panzerkampfwagen IV . It was later decided to install a more powerful main weapon , the British Ordnance QF-6-pounder-7-cwt in caliber 57 mm. This version was later to be produced under the name T18E2 Boarhound . The British Army was particularly interested in this modification and initially ordered around 2500 vehicles. The vehicle was too heavy for the demands of the US Army on a reconnaissance tank. But after the production costs rose sharply and the off-road capability of the tank did not meet expectations, the British decided to discontinue production after 30 vehicles had been built. The T18 boarhound was never used in combat.
The only remaining specimen can be seen in the Bovington Tank Museum .
variants
- T18 : original version with 37 mm cannon
- T18E1 : 6 × 6 version; Development was stopped
- T18E2 : Version with 57mm cannon
Web links
- Detailed information (English / French)
- T18E2 Boarhound at the Bovington Tank Museum (English)
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