Tanques M24 Chaofee y M551 Sheridan - Estados Unidos: libros - historia

The history of US light tanks during World War II is a chequered one. The Light Battalions of US Armored Divisions were initially filled with M3A1 and M5 Stuart tanks, however, on the battlefields of North Africa it was realised that these were disastrously under armoured and gunned, and a replacement, or the abandonment of light tank doctrine, was desperately needed. It wasn't until the last few months of WWII that the M24 Chaffee came into service and it was extensively used in combat from the Battle of the Bulge to the final campaigns in Germany.

This book traces the history of this design, its combat record in World War II, its many variants, and its extensive combat record post 1945.

Contents: Introduction - Design and Development - Operation History - Variants - Colour plate commentary - Index.

The M24 Chaffee was the finest light tank developed by the US during WWII. This tank was developed by Cadillac, which, along with farm equipment manufacturer Massey-Harris, produced the vehicles.
These tanks were used by the US during WWII and Korea and, during the post-WWII era, were supplied to numerous allied nations.

This book chronicles the development and use of the vehicle from concept to combat. Through dozens of archival photos, many never before published, as well as detailed photographs of some of the finest existent examples of these vehicles, this iconic tank hunter is explored and its history is explained.

The M24 Chaffee was the finest light tank developed by the US during WWII. Utilizing the M24 chassis -developed by Cadillac - the US Army procured a family of fighting vehicles, including the M19 Twin 40 mm Gun Motor Carriage, the M37 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage, and the M41 155 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage, all of which are covered in this second volume on the Chaffee.
While all of these motor carriages were too late to see combat in WWII, all were widely used during the Korean War, with many at the front of the fighting.

This book chronicles the development and use of these vehicles from concept to combat. Through dozens of archival photos, many never before published, as well as detailed photographs of some of the finest existent examples of these vehicles, this iconic tank hunter is explored and its history is explained.

In April 1943, the Ordnance Corps, together with Cadillac division of General Motors, started work on the new project, designated Light Tank T24. Every effort was made to keep the weight of the vehicle under twenty tons. The armor was kept light, with the glacis plate only twenty five mm thick (but sloped at sixty degrees from the vertical).
A new lightweight 75 mm gun was developed, a derivative of the gun used in the B-25H Mitchell bomber. The gun had the same ballistics as the M3, but used a thinly walled barrel and different recoil mechanism. The design also featured wider (sixteen inch) tracks and torsion bar suspension. It had a relatively low silhouette and a three-man turret.
On October 15, 1943 the first pilot vehicle was delivered and production began in 1944 under the designation Light Tank M24. By the time production was stopped in August 1945, 4,731 M24s had left the assembly lines.

The M41 155-mm Howitzer Motor Carriage was based on the M24 Chaffee Light Tank fitted with an M1 155-mm Howitzer. In addition to the Howitzer, the M41 carried twenty two rounds of 155-mm ammunition. Also known as the Gorilla, the M41 eventually saw action in Korea.

Originally labeled restricted, this Ordnance Maintenance Manual was declassified long ago and is here reprinted in book form. Care has been taken to preserve the integrity of the text.

In April 1943, the Ordnance Corps, together with Cadillac division of General Motors, started work on the new project, designated Light Tank T24. Every effort was made to keep the weight of the vehicle under twenty tons. The armor was kept light, with the glacis plate only 25 mm thick (but sloped at sixty degrees from the vertical).
A new lightweight 75 mm gun was developed, a derivative of the gun used in the B-25H Mitchell bomber. The gun had the same ballistics as the M3, but used a thinly walled barrel and different recoil mechanism.

The design also featured wider (sixteen inch) tracks and torsion bar suspension. It had a relatively low silhouette and a three-man turret. On October 15, 1943 the first pilot vehicle was delivered and production began in 1944 under the designation Light Tank M24. By the time production was stopped in August 1945, 4, 731 M24s had left the assembly lines.

The Light Tank M24 was used during the later part of World War II and in postwar conflicts including the Korean War and, with the French, in the War in Algeria and the First Indochina War. In British service it was given the service name Chaffee, after the United States Army General Adna R. Chaffee, Jr., who helped develop the use of tanks in the United States armed forces.

Created in 1951, this technical manual TM 9-729 reveals a great deal about the Chaffee's design and capabilities. Intended as a manual for those charged with operation and maintenance, it details many aspects of its engine, cooling, power and other systems.
Originally labeled restricted, this manual was declassified long ago and is here reprinted in book form. Care has been taken to preserve the integrity of the text.

This installation in R.P. Huunnicutt's legendary 10-volume history of American tanks and armored vehicles provides a detailed survey of the American light tank's developmental history, culminating with the M551 Sheridan AR/AAV and the vehicles based on its design. In the period directly after WWII, the U.S. Army became interested in developing a light tank. Hunnicutt begins by detailing the program that eventually produced the M41 series of 76mm gun tanks that were designed to fulfill this interest. At 25 tons, the M41 was considered to be too heavy in spite of its popularity with the troops that operated it.

Programs developed in an effort to produce a lighter-weight tank resulted in the T71 and T92 tanks, both of which retained the 76mm gun and weighed in at about 17 tons. However, once it was discovered that Soviet tanks of the same caliber were amphibious, the T92 was scrapped to redirect design efforts to an amphibious light tank. This new program produced the XM551 Sheridan, no longer designated as a tank but rather as an "armored reconnaissance/airborne assault vehicle", or AR/AAV for short.

An extremely complex design, the M551 Sheridan AR/AAV was plagued by problems with its weapons system in its early stages. The vehicle required a great deal of frequent maintenance which made it unpopular with troops regardless of the fact that it provided a wide range of services.
It was phased out of service in the late 1970s. Part III of this book covers the development of a future replacement for the Sheridan. Part IV covers several other light tracked combat vehicles.

Boasting dozens of detailed illustrations, line drawings and photographs, as well as the depth, precision, and nuance for which R. P. Hunnicutt's books are renowned, "Sheridan: A History of the American Light Tank" is a must-have for anyone with a keen interest in American military history.

The M551 Sheridan is often referred to as a light tank, but in actuality it was an armored reconnaissance/airborne assault vehicle. The M551 was designed to be a lightweight, amphibious, air-droppable vehicle armed with a massive 152 mm gun that doubled as a rocket launcher.
The gun launcher was designed to fire the MGM-51 Shillelagh antitank missile, or 152 mm conventional rounds with a combustible cartridge case.

The vehicles saw extensive use in Vietnam, Operation Just Cause in Panama (where they saw their only combat air drop), and Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The Sheridan ended its service with the US Army masquerading as Soviet Bloc vehicles at the National Training Center.
Through dozens of archival as well as detailed photographs of some of the finest extant examples of these vehicles, the Sheridan is explored, and its history explained.

Since the advent of airmobile warfare, there have been numerous attempts to support paratroopers with attached armored vehicles.

This book tells the story of the US experience with air-mobile tanks, starting with their efforts in World War II. However, full success was not achieved until the production of the M551 Sheridan. The history of this tank provides the focal point of this book, highlighting the difficulties of combining heavy firepower in a chassis light enough for airborne delivery. The book examines its controversial debut in Vietnam, and its subsequent combat history in Panama and Operation Desert Storm. It rounds out the story by examining the failed attempts to replace the Sheridan with other armored vehicles.