M2 Medium Tank
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| Medium Tank M2A1 | |
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| General characteristics | |
| Crew | 6 (Commander, driver, (4x) gunners) |
| Length | 5.38 m |
| Width | 2.59 m |
| Height | 2.82 m |
| Weight | 18.7 tonnes |
| Armour and armament | |
| Armour | 6.4 - 32 mm |
| Main armament | 1x 37 mm Gun M3 200 rounds |
| Secondary armament | 7×.30-06 Browning M1919 machine guns 12,250 rounds |
| Mobility | |
| Power plant | Wright R975 EC2 air-cooled radial gasoline 400/340 hp (298/253 kW) |
| Suspension | Vertical Volute Spring Suspension (VVSS) |
| Road speed | 42 km/h (26 mi/h) |
| Power/weight | hp/tonne |
| Range | (130 mi) |
The Medium Tank M2 was a US tank that was produced in small numbers at the start of the Second World War by the Rock Island Arsenal. A poor design, with thin armour, inadequate main armament and a high profile, it is significant because it provided the foundation for the later Medium Tank M3 and Medium Tank M4 models. The M2 was already obsolete when it entered service, comparing badly with the latest German tanks that had been used in the European theatre. Given this, the tank was essentially a stop gap; employed for training purposes, it did not see combat.
The M2 featured a high superstructure with a sponson mounted machine gun in each corner. in addition, two more machine guns were fixed in the glacis plate and fired by the driver. Surmounting the hull was a small revolving turret armed with a 37 mm Gun M3 and a coaxial machine gun. The crew comprised of the tank commander, a driver and four gunners. The vehicle provided internal stowage for 200 rounds of 37 mm ammunition and up to 12,250 rounds of .30-06 cal.
The main production variant was the M2A1, which featured thicker armour, a more powerful engine and wider tracks than the initial M2 model.
[edit] References and external links
- Leland Ness(2002)Janes World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles: A Complete Guide, Harper Collins, ISBN 0-00-711228-9
- AFV database (pictures)
- WWII vehicles
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1941-1945
