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🇺🇸 M19 (75mm Gun T22) 🇺🇸
Hello all! I’d like to suggest a potentially interesting SPAA addition for the US tech tree: the M19 with the 75 mm Gun T22. This was an M19 chassis that replaced the twin 40 mm M4 mount with the 75 mm Gun T22, designed for anti-aircraft duties. Testing was conducted from 1946 to 1948, and the experiment with this platform contributed to the development of the postwar M51 Skysweeper anti-aircraft gun.
History
The M19 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage was a World War II US SPAA developed on the M24 Chaffee light tank chassis. It was a product of the T65 project initiated in June 1944, as the M5 light tank chassis was being phased out in favor of the M24 chassis. The prototype, designated T65E1, was based on the new T24 chassis that was later standardized as the M19. An order for 904 production vehicles was placed. Production began in August 1944, but only 285 units had been completed by the end of the war. They arrived too late to see service during World War II but later served during the Korean War as both SPAA and assault gun platforms.
A lesser-known derivative of the M19 platform emerged as part of a US Army experimental program that began in 1946, after the war. An M19 was selected for installation of the 75 mm Automatic Gun T22. This experimental anti-aircraft weapon had been developed near the end of World War II to provide medium-range air defense using a 75 mm autocannon, a type of weapon more commonly found aboard naval vessels at the time. The system also incorporated a radio proximity fuze in an effort to improve effectiveness against hostile aircraft.
According to firsthand reports, the M19 equipped with the T22 gun was known to have fired M48E2 HE shells. In addition, a derivative HE shell equipped with a proximity fuze, designated T73E6, was developed specifically for the 75 mm AA platform. This round was at least intended for use with the T22 gun. The T73E6 proximity fuze reportedly armed between 600 and 800 yards from the gun, corresponding to a minimum arming distance of approximately 549–732 meters. The fuze’s maximum influence radius against an aircraft target was reportedly 50 feet (approximately 15 meters). The T73E6 was designed exclusively for anti-aircraft use and was not intended for engaging ground targets.
However, because the T22 was confirmed to fire the M48E2 HE shell, it theoretically could also have fired the M48 (M78) SAP shell for use against ground targets. This projectile was capable of penetrating just over 50 mm of armor at point-blank range. At present, however, I have not been able to confirm whether the T22 was also compatible with SAP, AP, or APHE ammunition. The maximum ammunition capacity of the M19 armed with the T22 is likewise unknown.
Testing of the vehicle took place at Aberdeen Proving Ground from February 1946 through June 1948. Although the concept showed promise, the trials revealed shortcomings. Firing the gun at high elevations placed excessive stress on the vehicle, damaging suspension components. When firing to either side, the vehicle also became unstable and was at risk of tipping over. There were also concerns regarding combat endurance, as the amount of ammunition carried would not support prolonged engagements. These limitations made the design less practical for operational service.
In the end, no further testing was considered, and the project was cancelled. This decision was influenced not only by the technical shortcomings but also by changing Army requirements. The M24-based chassis was already being phased out, while newer anti-aircraft systems such as the M51 Skysweeper, armed with the 75 mm Gun M35 and firing the improved M334 (T50E2) HE projectile with later iterations of the T73 proximity fuze, were beginning to enter service.
Specifications
M19 (75mm Gun T22)
General Characteristics
Crew: 6
Dimensions:
Length: 228.8 in (581.2 cm)
Width: 115.4 in (293.1 cm)
Height: 116.7 in (296.4 cm)
Powertrain:
Engine: Twin Cadillac Series 44T4
Power: 300 PS @ 3,200 rpm
Transmission:
Combat Weight: 41,000 lbs (19,000 kg)
Performance:
Power-to-Weight Ratio:
Maximum speed: 35 mph (56 km/h)
Armament & Armor
Main Armament:
75mm gun T22 on the mount T18 with a recoil operated loader-rammer
Rate of Fire: 40-45 rpm
Ammunition:
Armor Protection:
Assembly: Welding
Hull: Rolled homogeneous steel
Front:
Upper: 0.5 in (13 mm) @ 60 deg
Lower: 0.5 in (13 mm) @ 45 deg
Sides: 0.5 in (13 mm) @ 12 deg
Rear:
Upper: 0.5 in (13 mm) @ 0 deg
Lower: 0.375 in (9.5 mm) @ 0 deg
Front floor: 0.5 in (13 mm) @ 90 deg
Front top: 0.5 in (13 mm) @ 90 deg
Rear top: .375 in (9.5 mm) @ 90 deg
Sources
Thank you for taking the time to read my suggestion! 😃
2 Likes
+1, I love that this thing’s whole career basically ends with “yeah this was a bad idea, but thanks for the homework! - M51 Skysweeper.”
Looks like total madness
+1 even if its just for the gun turning the chassis into a seesaw
1 Like
Jarms
July 22, 2026, 12:05am
5
These indigenous vehicles are what the US should have gotten instead of the Skink. There’s so many of them.
1 Like
Since people can turn artillery into effective flak guns they can make this one work.
It’s too bad we never made a self-propelled Skysweeper, but this is the next best thing
this things probably gonna be 6.3 or 6.0
