| Ford 3-Ton | |
|---|---|
| Type | Light tank |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 3 tonnes |
| Length | 14 ft |
| Width | 6 ft |
| Height | 6 ft |
| Crew | 2 (Driver and gunner) |
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| Main armament |
.30 caliber Browning machine-gun |
| Secondary armament |
none |
| Engine | Two Ford Model T engines 45 hp |
| Power/weight | 10.4 hp/t |
| Operational range |
55 km |
| Speed | 12.8km/h (8 mph) |
The Ford 3-Ton M1918 was one of the first light tank designs by the U.S. It was a small two-man, one-gun tank. It was armed with a M1919 Browning machine gun and could reach a maximum speed of 8mph.
Contents |
Design on the 3-ton tank started in mid-1918. The 3-Ton was designed so that American forces could use another tank besides the Renault FT-17 in battle. The initial production run of the 3-ton was of fifteen vehicles, one of these was sent to France for testing. A contract for 15,000 of these vehicles was awarded; however, the U.S tank corps felt it did not meet the requirements they wanted. The contract for the 15,000 tanks was ended by the Armistice, leaving only the fifteen original vehicles produced.