M15.. 37mm

[USCH]

United States' M15 and M15A1 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage
M15 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage used in North Africa
 U.S. Army in World War II - Pictorial Record, 1951  M15 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage
 M15A1 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage
 

Design
The M15 was to replace the M13 and M14 as they weren't meeting expectations.2

The M15 was made from a M3 Half Track chassis. It had the rear compartment removed and the M42 multiple gun mount was mounted on the flat bed.2 The guns could rotate a full 360°.2

Armament
The 37 mm could fire 40 rounds per minute and the MGs 500 rounds per minute.2

The M15 had a 37 mm M3E1 and two .50 cal MGs in a combined mount.

37 mm gun had ceiling of 6,200 yards, range of 8,875 yards. The .50 cal MGs had range of 7,200 yards.

Prototype
 

Production
M15: 6002
Manufacturer: Autocar
Production: February 1943 - April 19432
M15A1: 1,6522
Manufacturer: Autocar2
Production: October 1943 - February 19442
Variants
M15: Used a M6 Sighting System. Entered service in May 1943.2
M15A1: Used M54 gun mount.2 37 mm M1A2 Gun in a M3A1 Gun Carriage with a M5 Sighting System. Was lighter and had lower silhouette than M15. Platform provided for the loader and lead setter. Rail is provided at rear to help crew get into gun mount. There was more room for the crew.2
Usage
M15
The M15 was used in Sicily, Italy, and north western Europe.2

M15A1
The M15A1 was used in Italy and north western Europe.2

Post World War II
The M15s were used in the Korean War and remained in service until the late 1950s.2

  M15 M15A1
Crew 72  7
Physical Characteristics     
Weight 9.45 tons1, 10 tons2  20,800 lb
Length w/gun 20' 3"2
6.14 m2, 6.27 m1  20' 3.5"
Length w/o gun     
Height 8'2
2.39 m1, 2.44 m2  7' 10"
Width 8' 2"2
2.24 m1, 2.49 m2  7' 4.5"
Ground clearance   11 3/16"
Ground contact length   3' 10.75"
Ground pressure     
Turret ring diameter     
Armament     
Main 37 mm M1A21,2  37 mm M1A2
Secondary     
MG 2: .50 cal MG1
2: 0.5" Browning MG2
2: 12.7 mm Browning MG2  2: M2 .50
Side arms   4: .30 cal Carbines
Quantity     
Main 2402  200
Secondary     
MG 3,4002  1,200
Side arms     
Armor Thickness (mm) 0.5"2
12.7 mm2
Front: 121
Side: 01   
Hull Front, Upper   6
Hull Front, Lower   6
Hull Sides, Upper     
Hull Sides, Lower     
Hull Rear     
Hull Top     
Hull Bottom     
Turret Front   6
Turret Sides   6
Turret Rear     
Turret Top     
Engine (Make / Model) White 160AX2  White 160AX
Cylinders 62   
Net HP 1281,2   
Transmission     
Fuel type Petrol2   
Octane     
Capacity     
Performance     
Traverse 360°2  360°
Max speed 45 mph2
64 kph2, 67 kph1   
Cross country speed     
Road range 200 miles2
280 km2   
Cross country speed     
Turning radius     
Elevation Limits   -5° to 85°
Fording depth     
Trench crossing     
Vertical Obstacle     
Suspension (Type)     
Wheels each side     
Return rollers each side     
Track length     
Tires     
Track width     
Track centers/tread     

Sources

[waystin2]

+1

[StokesAk]

M16 isnt good enough?

[USCH]

like the Spit Ia isnt?

[TwinEng]

I think that it would just be easier for HiTech to create more variants of the Sdkfz 251

There were versions of it that were armed with the same guns that the Ostwind and Wirbelwind had.   Both would offer better firepower than the M15A1.   The guns would function the same, so should make implementing such a vehicle easier to do.

Here is a photo of the variant with the Ostwind's 37mm gun:




And here is the version of the halftrack with the same guns as the Wirbelwind:



.

[USCH]

I think that it would just be easier for HiTech to create more variants of the Sdkfz 251

There were versions of it that were armed with the same guns that the Ostwind and Wirbelwind had.   Both would offer better firepower than the M15A1.   The guns would function the same, so should make implementing such a vehicle easier to do.

Here is a photo of the variant with the Ostwind's 37mm gun:

(Image removed from quote.)


And here is the version of the halftrack with the same guns as the Wirbelwind:

(Image removed from quote.)

.

that all seems cool to me

[Beefcake]

But....but....but....we already have to much German Iron in the game, this isn't fair to other countries like America who contributed alot to the war. I say we need more American Iron in the game!

Seriously though, the M15 would be fun as hell to play with. 

[Stoney]

Why not the M19 instead?  2X40mm Bofors anyone?

[Pannono]

Why not the M19 instead?  2X40mm Bofors anyone?

drool......

[Motherland]

Whatever the specific model is, I think HTC should add some AA trucks and perk the Wirbelwind and Ostwind.

[wulf31]

And here is the version of the halftrack with the same guns as the Wirbelwind:
.

 Your second picture is of a sdkfz 7/1 a much heavier halftrack..the sdkfz 7 was the primary mover of the 88mm flak guns

[hammer]

Whatever the specific model is, I think HTC should add some AA trucks and perk the Wirbelwind and Ostwind.

Makes sense to me. Both were very low production IIRC. The M-15 numbers posted above are astronomical in comparison. What were the production numbers for the other U.S. and German systems shown above?

Regards,

Hammer

[wulf31]

 All of the german halftrack variants had low production numbers, in the few hundreds at most. As for the M19 only 285 were ever built as well.

[Stoney]

If I'm not mistaken, the M19 proved to be a pretty resilient piece of gear didn't it?  Some were being used through Korea?

[wulf31]

The M19 was initially set for production of 904 GMC, but trimmed down to 265 by the end of WW II. It came too late to be used in WW II, but saw extensive deployment in the Korean War. In Korea, with the lack of enemy airpower threatening the UN troops, the M19’s 40mm Guns were trained down upon enemy troop concentrations – with devastating effect in turning back “human waves”. The use of the M19 40mm GMC in the anti-personnel role in Korea set the tone for the tactics employed by crews of the M42 Duster in the Vietnam War.