M8 Tractor

M8 High-Speed Tractor

M8E2 high speed tractor 1954
Type Artillery tractor
Place of origin  United States
Service history
Used by US Army
Production history
Manufacturer Allis-Chalmers
Produced 1950 to 1955
Specifications
Weight 54,008 lb (24.948 t)
Length 22 ft (6.731 m)
Width 10 ft 11 in (3.327 m)
Height 10 ft (3.048 m)
Crew 1 + 1
Armor none
Main
armament
 1 x 0.5 inch (12.7 mm) anti-aircraft machine gun
Engine Continental AOS-895-3 six-cylinder air-cooled petrol engine
863 hp (644 kW)
Power/weight 34.60 hp/tonnes
Operational
range
 180 miles (290 km)
Speed 40 mph (64 km/h)

The M8 High-Speed Tractor was an artillery tractor used by the US Army from 1950.

Construction

The M8 is a full-track tractor based on the chassis of the M41 Walker Bulldog light tank. It was used to tow cargo trailers and artillery such as the Skysweeper 75 mm anti-aircraft gun and the M59 Long Tom gun. The basic M8 variant could be quickly adapted for carrying projectiles and charges. Unusually for a tractor, the M8's engine was located at the front of the cab. Some M8s were equipped with a hydraulic M5 dozer blade.

History

The M8 was developed following the failure of the T33 cargo-carrier, which was based on the M24 Chaffee light tank chassis. The new, standardized M8 was produced between 1950 and 1955.

See also

References