T1 Cunningham
| T1 Cunningham | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Light tank |
| Place of origin |
 United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | prototype only |
| Used by | United States of America |
| Production history | |
| Designer | James Cunningham |
| Designed | 1922 |
| Manufacturer | James Cunningham, Son and Company (Rochester, NY) |
| Produced | Prototypes only 1922–1934 |
| Variants | T1E2 and T1E4 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight |
8.8 tons (7.98 metric tons) (T1E2) 8.6 tons (7.8 metric tons) (T1E4) |
| Length |
T1E2: 12 ft 9.6 in (3.90 m) T1E4: 15 ft 5 in (4.70 m) |
| Width |
6 ft 2.4 in (1.89 m) (T1E2) 7 ft 2.75 in (2.20 m) (T1E4) |
| Height |
7 ft 7.2 in (2.32 m) (T1E2) 6 ft 6.75 in (2.00 m) (T1E4) |
| Crew | 2 (T1E2) 1.Commander, Driver 2.Gunner, Radio Operator, Loader |
|
| |
| Armor |
T1E2: 0.6 in (15.2 mm) maximum T1E4: 0.625 in (15.9 mm) maximum |
Main armament |
T1E2: 37 mm M5, L/50 gun, (104 rounds) T1E4: 37 mm semi-automatic M1924, (80 rounds) |
Secondary armament | .30 cal M1919 machine gun coaxial, (3000 rounds) |
| Engine |
Cunningham V8 gasoline, water-cooled T1E2: 132 hp (98 kW) T11E1: 140 hp (100 kW) |
| Suspension |
T1E2: Leaf springs with 4 two wheeled bogies T1E1: Vickers-Armstrong type Semi-elliptic springing |
Operational range |
T1E2 – Unknown T1E4 – 85 miles |
| Speed |
T1E2: 18.2 mph (29.3 km/h) T1E4: 20 mph (32 km/h) |
The T1 Cunningham was a U.S. light tank design that never left the prototype stages. Officially carrying the designations of T1E2 and T1E4, it continued through the development stages from 1922 through 1928. This tank was never mass-produced, nor was it ever used in combat.
Preservation
It is unknown how many were actually produced in the prototype stages, but there is at least one preserved, currently in Fort Lee, Virginia.[1]
Design
The T1E2 had a turret at the top rear of the tank which was traversed by hand. It had an overall weight of 8.8 tons and was powered with a gasoline V-type 8-cylinder water-cooled engine producing 132 horsepower. The transmission was a Cotta brand with 3 forward and 1 reverse gears. Armament included the 37 mm M5, L/50 main gun with a .30 cal M1919A4, coaxial machine gun.[2]
The T1E4 had a centrally mounted turret with a full 360º manual traverse. It had an overall weight of 8.6 tons and was powered with a gasoline V-8 water-cooled engine producing 140 horsepower. The transmission was a modified Cotta sliding gear with 3 forward and 1 reverse gears. Armament included the 37 mm semi-automatic M1924 and the coaxial machine gun was a .30 cal M1919A2 MG.[3]
It is unknown how many were actually produced in the prototype stages, but there is at least one preserved, currently in Fort Lee, Virginia.[4]
| T1E2 | T1E4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Hull front | 0.6 in (15 mm) | 0.625 in (15.9 mm) |
| hull sides | 0.4 in (10 mm) | 0.25 in (6.4 mm) |
| Turret front | 0.6 in (15 mm) | 0.5 in (12.7 mm) |
| turret sides | 0.25 in (6.4 mm) | 0.25 in (6.4 mm) |
References
- ↑ "Tank Profile". Preservedtanks.com. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ↑ "T1 Cunningham Light Tank Free Paper Model Download". PaperCraftSquare.com. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ↑ "United States T1 Light Tank". World War II Vehicles, Tanks, Airplanes, and Guns. Archived from the original on 2012-04-19. Retrieved 2015-04-03.
- ↑ "Tank Profile". Preservedtanks.com. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
Further reading
- Hunnicutt, R. P. (1992). Stuart: A History of the American Light Tank Volume 1. Novato, California: Presidio Press. p. 512. ISBN 0-89141-462-2.