75 MM GUN MOTOR CARRIAGE M3

As a result of the German armored offensive against the French, the U.S. Army became concerned as to the lack of mobile weapons to counter the Blitzkrieg. Development of tank destroyers and other self-propelled artillery was essentially nonexistent. Consequently a field expedient utilizing a modernized French 75 mm gun mounted on a M3 Half-track was adopted. During the landings in North Africa in November of 1942, many 75mm Gun Motor Carriage M3 Half-tracks came ashore for artillery support and tank destroyer duty. The 75 mm gun was somewhat effective against enemy armor but was found to be very useful as mobile artillery. The 75mm Gun Motor Carriage was used throughout North Africa, Sicily and Italy. It was also used extensively in the pacific theatre but was declared obsolete in the European theater and replaced by other tank destroyers such as the M18 "Hellcat".

                                         
                       Technical Data
              Weight:                  20000 lbs.
              Length:                  20 ft.
              Height:                   7 ft. 10 in.
              Width:                    7 ft. 2.5 in.
              Ammunition:               Fixed HE, AP, APC and smoke. 
                                            Projectile weight: 13-15 lbs
              Traverse:                 Left of center 19 degrees, 
                                            right of center 21 degrees, 
                                            elevation +29 degrees to -10 degrees.
                                            Can fire while vehicle is in motion.

Copyright 1995 Charles C. Roberts, Jr

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