Howitzer Motor Carriage M8

Infobox Weapon
name=75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8


caption=75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 on display at the Musée des Blindés
origin=USA
type=Self-propelled artillery
is_vehicle=yes
crew=4 (Commander/loader, gunner, driver, co-driver)
length= 4.98 m (16.33 ft)
width= 2.32 m (7.61 ft)
height= 2.72 m (9 ft)
weight= 16.33 tonnes (36,001 lbs)
armour= 9.5 - 44.5 mm
(.37 - 1.75 in)
primary_armament= 75 mm (3 in) M2/M3 Howitzer 46 rounds
secondary_armament= Browning M2HB .50cal MG 400 rounds
engine= Twin Cadillac Series 42, 16 cylinder, gasoline
engine_power= 220 hp (164.05 kW)
suspension= Vertical volute
speed= 58 km/h (36 mph)
pw_ratio= 13.47 hp/tonne
vehicle_range= 160 km (99 mi)

The 75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 was a self-propelled howitzer vehicle of the United States developed during the Second World War.

Development

It was developed on the chassis of the then new Light Tank M5 "(General Stuart VI)". The test vehicle had the standard M5 turret removed, and replaced with an open topped turret, this vehicle was designated the T47.

Armament

Armament consisted of a new open topped turret armed with a 75 mm M2 howitzer, later an 75 mm M3 howitzer, which were reworks of the M1A1 pack howitzer. It carried 46 rounds of 75 mm ammunition, types of ammunition carried were; Smoke M89, and H.E. (High Explosive) M48. It featured no coaxial or hull mounted Browning M1919A4 .30-06 machine guns as featured on standard Light Tank M5's. The only other armament was Browning M2HB .50cal machine gun for local area, and anti-aircraft defence, 400 rounds of .50 cal were stowed onboard for the M2HB.

Production

The T47 was ordered into production as the 75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 in April 1942. Production ran from September 1942, to January 1944. A total of 1,778 vehicles were produced.

Combat service

It saw action in the Italian Campaign, the Western Front, and in the Pacific Theatre of Operations during the war. It was used by the French Union and State of Vietnam during the First Indochina War. It was largely replaced by the adaption of the Medium Tank M4 to use the 105 mm howitzer.

Variants

*75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8Based on the Light Tank M5 chassis.

*75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8A1Based on the Light Tank M5A1 chassis.

ee also

* Light Tank M5/M5A1 "(The tank chassis that the M8 was based on.)"
* LVT(A)4 (Landing Vehicle Tracked(Armored)4) "(LVT(A)1 rearmed with the turret of the 75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8.)"

External links

* [http://afvdb.50megs.com/usa/75mmhmcm8.html AFV Database]
* [http://www.wwiivehicles.com/usa/self_propelled_guns/m8_howitzer_motor_carriage.html World War II Vehicles]