T30 Howitzer Motor Carriage
The T30 Howitzer Motor Carriage (HMC) was a United States Army self-propelled gun used in World War II. Its design was based on requirements for an assault gun issued by the Armored Force in 1941 and it was built as an interim solution until a fully tracked design was complete.
| T30 Howitzer Gun Motor Carriage | |
|---|---|
A sketch of the T30 Howitzer Motor Carriage | |
| Type | Self-propelled artillery |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1942–50s |
| Used by | United States France |
| Wars | World War II First Indochina War |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Ordnance Department |
| Designed | 1941 |
| Manufacturer | White Motor Company |
| Produced | February–April 1942 November 1942 |
| No. built | 500 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 10.3 short tons (9.3 t) |
| Length | 20 ft 7 in (6.28 m) |
| Width | 7 ft 3 in (2.22 m) |
| Height | 8 ft 3 in (2.51 m) |
| Armor | Up to 0.375 in (9.5 mm) |
Main armament | M1 Pack Howitzer |
| Engine | White 160AX, 386 in3 (6,330 cc), 6-cylinder, gasoline engine, compression ratio 6.3:1 147 hp (110 kW) |
| Power/weight | 15.8 hp/ton |
| Suspension | Vertical volute springs for tracks, leaf springs for the wheels |
| Fuel capacity | 60 US gal (230 L) |
| Maximum speed | 40 mph (64 km/h) |
Produced by the White Motor Company, the vehicle was simply a 75 mm Pack Howitzer M1 mounted on a modified M3 Half-track. It was first used in combat in the North African Campaign in November 1942. It later served in Italy and France, and possibly in the Pacific. Some were later leased to French forces and the type was used as late as the First Indochina War in the 1950s.
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