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T55E1 Motor Carriage
T55E1-motor-carriage-haugh
The T55E1
Production history
No. built 1
Specifications
Mass 38,300 lb (17.4 t)
Length 306 in (7.8 m)
Width 108 in (2.7 m)
Height 106 in (2.7 m)

Main
armament
3 inch gun
90 rounds
Secondary
armament
.50 M2 Browning Machine Gun
400 rounds
Engine 2 x Cadillac. 8-cylinder, water-cooled engines
130 hp x 2
Suspension 8x8 wheel
Maximum speed 50 mph (80 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[]

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.

Power was from two Cadillac eight-cylinder water-cooled engines. Production began in 1943, however by this time preference had shifted to anti-tank vehicles, and the T55E1 was cancelled.

References[]

  • WarWheels T55E1 3-Inch 8x8 Motor Carriage retrieved on March 13, 2007
  • Duncan Crow and Robert J. Icks Encyclopedia of Armoured Cars
  • Haugh, David R. Searching for Perfection: An Encyclopaedia of U.S. Army T-Series Vehicle Development (1925-1958)


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