T55E1 gun motor carriage explained

T55E1 motor carriage
Type:Gun motor carriage
Origin:United States
Is Vehicle:yes
Number:1
Length:23feet
Width:9feet
Height:6feet
Weight:30200lb
Suspension:8x8 wheel
Speed:60mph
Primary 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
Engine Power:110 hp x 2
Pw Ratio:16,04
Crew:4

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 tracked anti-tank vehicles, and the T55E1 was cancelled.

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