M2 Elco Quad 20mm

Suggestions Ground
1
Would you like to see this in-game?
  • Yes, as a tech tree vehicle.
  • Yes, as an event vehicle.
  • Yes, as a squadron vehicle.
  • No
0 voters

What BR should this be in?

  • 3.3
  • 3.7
  • 4.0
  • 4.3
  • 4.7
  • 5.0
  • I said no.
0 voters

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Car, Half-Track, M2 Elco Quad 20mm

This is essentially an M2 Halftrack with an Elco Thunderbolt Mark 15 Mount mounted on the back. Only 1 was built and tested.
History
Little is known about this project. Designed and built in 1943, it was an M2 Half-track (Serial Number 4012073) fitted with an Elco Thunderbolt Mark 15 mount.
The chassis was the standard M2 chassis with some armor plating removed. The gun mount was the same as the one mounted on some PT boats, specifically PTs 556 to 559 and PT-174. Only three variants of the mount were built with different configurations: 4x 20mm, 2x 20mm + 6x .50 cal, and 4x 20mm + 2x .50 cal (the version mounted on this SPAA). The mount was fitted at the back for 360° traverse. While there is no information, it can be speculated that each 20mm cannon held 60 rounds, with a combined total of 240 rounds per load (like the in game PT-556). The .50 cal machine guns would have 200 rounds per gun, with a combined total of 400 rounds. Unfortunately, it is unknown how much ammunition could be carried by the truck itself. The crew would consist of a driver, commander, and gunner/loader.

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The armament included 4x 20mm Oerlikon Mk.II cannons and 2 coaxial .50 Cal by the flank. The reload rate of the vehicle is also unknown but something like the M16 with 15-18s reload would be reasonable. The project was later cancelled because the M2 chassis couldn’t handle the weight of the turret and guns.

Specification

Spoiler

Weight: N/A
Length: 5.96 m (19 ft 7 in)
Width: 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in)
Height: N/A
Engine: White 160AX, 150 HP @ 3,000 rpm
Top speed: N/A
Armor: 6-12mm
Crews: 3

Armaments

Spoiler

4 x 20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II autocannon
2 x 12.7 mm M2HB machine gun
Vertical guidance: -15° / 85

In game
Currently the in game American TT lacks SPAA at rank IV and the M19/M42 aren’t exactly good at being SPAA more so TDs with 40mm Autocannons.
The only viable option is uptiering the M16 which isn’t very ideal.
The model for the gun mount is similar to the PT-556 so it would required minimal modifications. This vehicle could be of similar role to Skink or Wirbelwind with little armor but with more dakka as a trade off with low mobility comparable to the Zis-43.
Photos

Spoiler

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Diagrams of the turret mount:
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Sources

5 Likes
2

USA needs this!

3 Likes
3

FINALLY!!! A low BR SPAA that’s would be great for the US TT

2 Likes
4

YES a million times YES, you have my +1

6

Damn it, why an extra .50, they just can’t build a vehicle with symmetry can’t they?

1 Like
7

The .50 cals are pretty symmetrical, the 4x 20mm aren’t tho cuz they have to moved them to the side to make room for the gunner.

8

i must be mmisunderstanding something… but i see 2 20mms and 6 12.7s here.

9

Not the number of .50 cal but the way how they were equipped, the left side has a extra one, the turret it self is not symmetric

10

The picture was of a different turret mounted on a normal truck.

11

Fair enough

12

Do we know how much ammunition it could carry? If it’s something laughable, like the Israel’s early SPAA with the 20mm autocannons (or how the Swedish SPAAs carry up to 7.0), then I would vote No, especially since the vehicle could not handle the weight of the turret + it’s own armament.
I would instead prefer an M113 variant with a single 20mm autocannon or any other light armored platform, if it has enough ammo and gun elevation (and work similarly to all 20mm SPAAs that were added recently).