Re: What engines were in WWII tanks ?

Posted by D.L. on September 21, 2002 at 23:07:04 from (209.99.119.62):

In Reply to: What engines were in WWII tanks ? posted by Just Wondering on September 21, 2002 at 07:28:59:

Sorry, had to continue here :-)

The earliest of the U.S. WWII tanks were called "Combat Cars" because the 1920 Defense Act restricted tanks to the Infantry only. Since the Cavalry wanted tanks also, the name became such.

The first of these were the M1 and M2 (1937) series "Combat Cars". The pre-1940 M2 (only 7 built) had a Guiberson T1020-4 engine (9-cylinder diesel, air cooled, 220HP).

In 1940, the distinction between infantry and cavalry tanks was abolished and "Light Tanks" were born. The follow-on M1 and M2 variants used Continental W-670-9A engines (7-cylinder, aircooled radial. 668 cu. in., 210HP, 415 lbs in weight).

Next was the M3 "Stuart III". It was quite popular and the British used them as well. It originally used the Continental W-670-9A in the "M3" configuration and the Guiberson T1020-4 in the "M3A1" configuration, but later engine shortages caused engineers to redesign them and one such production design called for twin Cadillac V-8's.

This design then became known as the M5 "Stuart IV" (so as not to confuse it with the medium M4 Shermans which had started production).

Following the M5, came the U.S.'s first tank designed to be used by airborne troops...the M22 "Locust". The M22 used the Lycoming 0-435T engine (7.1 liter horizontally opposed 6 cylinder, 192HP).

Next came the M24 "Chaffee", the last of the U.S. light tanks for WWII. It used twin Cadillac 44T24 engines (5.7 liters displacement each). It had 2 forward and 1 reverse gear.

The medium tanks embodied the M1, M1 Convertible and M1 Barbette, M2, M3 "Grant" and the M4 "Sherman" tanks.

The M1 Mediums used Packard engines (8-cylinder, gas, 200 HP)

The M1 Convertibles were unique in that it could run on its tracks, or on its roadwheels (a chain connected the drive sprockets to the rear road wheels). The M1 Convertibles used 268HP Continental 7-cylinder radial engines.

The M1 Barbette was basicaly an M1 Convertible without a turret. It had a square barbette superstructure instead. It used the same Continental engine as the M1 Convertible.

The M2 Medium was basically a bigger version of the M2 Light tank. Engines used in the M2 were the Wright (Continental) 973 (air cooled, radial, gas, 350 HP) and the Wright (Continental) R-975-EC2 for the M2A1 variant.

The M3 "Grant" was ordered straight off the drawing board as an interim tank to be used until the M4 Shermans became available. ALCO (American Locomotive Company) produced the M3A1 variant and Chrysler produced the M3 and subsequent variants other than the M3A1. The British also used the M3 and it was known to them as the M3 "Lee".

The M3, M3A1, M3A2 used the Continental R-975-EC1 and EC-2 gas engines (9 cylinder radial, between 340-400HP depending on version).

Due to engine shortages for aircraft, the M3A3 and M3A5 used the GM 6046 engine, basically, a pair of GM 6-71 6-cylinder, 2 stroke diesel truck engines that could be operated independently if desired. The engines were meshed via a helical gear mounted on a propellor shaft connected to the transmission.

The M3A4 used the Chrysler A57 (the 30 cylinder multibank setup as used on late model Shermans).

Next came the prolific M4 Sherman tanks. The M4A1 used the Wright (Continental) R-974-C4 engine (9-cylinder, radial, gas, 400 HP).

The M4A2 used the GM 6046 engine configuration.

The M4A3 used the Ford GAA 60 degree gas V-8 (450HP).

The M4 (mid-production model) went back to a Continental R-975-C1.

The M4A4 used the Chrysler A57.

The M4A6 used an Ordnance Engine RD-1820 (9-cylinder, 4 cycle, radial diesel, 450HP).

An M7 tank was produced (started as light tank, but grew to medium tank weight during design). It used the Continental R-975-C1. The Sherman out performed it though, so it was not selected for service.

The T23 was the most significant of the T20 series of tanks following the M4 Shermans. Although it used the Ford GAA V-8 engine, the engine did not drive the tracks, instead it drove a generator which produced electricity for two traction motors attached to the final drive. The T23 was to become the M27 once design and test was complete, but was never adopted due to maintenance concerns of the electric drive system.

The last of the WWII medium tanks to really see a lot of combat was the M26 Pershing (a culmination of the T20 series of tanks). It was reclassed as a heavy tank on June 29, 1944, but then classed again as a medium in May of 1946. It used the Ford GAF 60 degree V-8 (450HP).

This is getting quite long...if you want, I'll do the U.S. heavy tanks and then onto the German tanks?

The M26 Pershing was powered by the Ford GAF 6002B liquid cooled V-8 (gas).

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