T55E1 gun motor carriage
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| T55E1 motor carriage | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Gun motor carriage |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Production history | |
| No. built | 1 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 30,200 lb (13.7 t) |
| Length | 23 ft 5 in (7.14 m) |
| Width | 9 ft (2.7 m) |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Crew | 4 |
Main armament | 3 inch gun 90 rounds |
Secondary armament | .50 M2 Browning Machine Gun 400 rounds |
| Engine | 2 x Cadillac. 8-cylinder V type, water-cooled engines 110 hp x 2 |
| Power/weight | 16,04 |
| Suspension | 8x8 wheel |
| Maximum speed | 60 mph (97 km/h) |
The T55E1 3-inch gun motor carriage was a prototype vehicle developed by the Allied Machinery Manufacturing Company in 1943 for the US Army. An eight-wheel drive vehicle, the T55E1 was armed with one three-inch gun in a limited traverse mounting and a supporting .50 caliber machine gun.
Development
[edit]Cook Brothers had developed an unusual vehicle for desert conditions. This had two four-wheel-drive bogies each with its own engine. Steering was by pivoting the front bogie. They then developed their design into a tank destroyer with two engines at the rear. There was sufficient interest from the Army for a contract for development as the T55. Testing led to modifications to the pilot as the T55E1. Further testing confirmed that it was not suitable and the T55E1 was cancelled.[citation needed]
Power was from two Cadillac eight-cylinder water-cooled engines. Production began in 1943, however by this time preference had shifted to tracked anti-tank vehicles, and the T55E1 was cancelled.[citation needed]
References
[edit]- Crow, Duncan; Icks, Robert Joseph (1976). Encyclopedia of armoured cars and half-tracks. Chartwell Books. ISBN 978-0-8900-9058-9.
- Haugh, David. Searching for Perfection: An Encyclopaedia of U.S. Army T-Series Vehicle Development (1925-1958).
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