| M56 Scorpion | |
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M56 Scorpion preserved at the American Armored Foundation Tank Museum in Danville, Virginia. |
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| Type | Self-propelled gun |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| Used by | See users |
| Wars | Vietnam War |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Cadillac Motor Car Division of General Motors |
| Produced | 1953–1959 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 7.1 tonnes (16,000 lb) |
| Length | 4.55 metres (14 ft 11 in) (excluding gun) |
| Width | 2.57 metres (8 ft 5 in) |
| Height | 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) over gun shield |
| Crew | 4 (commander, gunner, loader and driver) |
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| Armor | unarmored except for blast shield |
| Main armament |
90 mm M54 Gun 29 rounds |
| Engine | Continental A01-403-5 gasoline engine 200 brake horsepower (150 kW) |
| Transmission | Allison CD-150-4, 2 ranges forward, 1 reverse |
| Suspension | Torsion tube over bar at wheels 1 and 4, torsion bar at wheels 2 and 3 |
| Ground clearance | 0.32 m (1 ft 1 in) |
| Fuel capacity | 210 litres (46 imp gal; 55 US gal) |
| Operational range |
230 kilometres (140 mi) |
| Speed | 45 kilometres per hour (28 mph) |
The M56 Scorpion was an unarmored American self-propelled anti-tank gun, which featured a 90mm M54 gun with a simple blast shield, and unprotected crew compartment. It was meant to be transported by helicopter or by air drop.
Contents |
The M56 was manufactured from 1953 to 1959 by the Cadillac Motor Car Division of General Motors for use by US airborne forces, though the vehicle was eventually used by the Spanish Navy Marines and Morocco as well. With a crew of four (commander, gunner, loader and driver), the M56 weighed 6.4 tonnes (14,000 lb) empty and 7.7 tonnes (17,000 lb) combat-loaded. It had infrared driving lights but no Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) protection system and was not amphibious.
The M56 was a fully tracked vehicle with rubber-tired run-flat road wheels and front drive sprocket wheels. It was powered by a Continental A01-403-5 gasoline engine developing 200 brake horsepower (150 kW) at 3,000 rpm, allowing a maximum road speed of 28 miles per hour (45 km/h) and a maximum range of 140 miles (230 km). Twenty-nine rounds of main gun ammunition were carried, and only the blast shield was armored.
The M56 saw combat service with U.S. forces in the Vietnam War. It was deployed with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, which was the only Airborne Brigade deployed with the M56,[1] where it was used mainly in a fire-support role. Its function as an air portable, self-propelled, anti-tank vehicle was eventually replaced in Vietnam by the troublesome but effective M551 Sheridan which had a fully armored turret. The USMC used the Ontos which had an armored cabin and recoilless rifles, and was based on the running gear of the M56.
With the retirement of the Sheridan, current US airborne troops do not have a self-propelled gun system that can be delivered by air drop.