M38 Wolfhound (37 mm gun) - The Best American Armored Car that Never Saw Combat

[Nostalgistic]

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M38 Wolfhound

   Hello everybody. I’d like to suggest the M38 Wolfhound for the US ground forces tech tree in War Thunder. This vehicle was a 6x6 armored car developed by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors in 1944 as a planned replacement for the M8 Greyhound. The M38 was a superior design, as it was lighter in weight, faster off-road, and equipped with fully independent suspension for excellent cross-country performance. However, the end of World War II resulted in the cancellation of its production.

History

The M8 Greyhound entered service around mid-1943 and served as the primary armored reconnaissance vehicle of the US Army during WWII. However, the Special Armored Vehicle Board found the M8’s truck-type suspension inadequate for off-road conditions. It recommended the development of a new light armored car of similar size and weight, but with a true independent suspension to improve mobility. This prompted two companies to submit their designs: Studebaker T27 (8x6) and Chevrolet T28 (6x6).

The T28 used six fully driven wheels with an independent coil spring suspension and hydraulic power steering on the front four wheels. It was powered by a Cadillac V8 engine producing 148 hp and featured a Hydramatic transmission.

The T28 had a crew of 4 and was armed with a 37 mm M6 gun in a modified M23 mount, paired with a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun. A second 7.62 mm MG was mounted on a pedestal at the rear for anti-aircraft use. The turret was lightweight and open top.

A prototype was completed by October 1943 and tested at both General Motors Proving Grounds and Aberdeen Proving Ground. Tests by mid-1944 confirmed that the T28 outperformed both the M8 and its competitor, the T27, in off-road handling and speed. The T27 lacked effective power steering, making it difficult to maneuver at high speeds across terrain.

In December 1944, the T28 was officially standardized as the Light Armored Car M38, with several improvements: emergency driver override controls in the turret; upgraded rear AA machine gun to a 12.7 mm M2 Browning; and modified crew seating, probably for better comfort and protection. After these modifications were applied to the M38, it ended up lighter than the M8 Greyhound. The British took an interest in the vehicle and dubbed it “Wolfhound” in anticipation of future use.

Production was assigned to Ford, but only a few units were completed before the war ended in 1945. With the conflict over and changing military doctrines, the full-scale production of the M38 was canceled.

Testing continued into the postwar period, including an experiment in 1946 with a 75 mm gun turret from the M24 Chaffee, which proved feasible. Still, no further development was pursued, and the M38 became the last WWII-era US armored car design. The M8 and M20 continued in service as the only operational American armored cars in combat.

Specifications

M38 Wolfhound

General Characteristics

• Crew: 4
• Dimensions:
  • Length: 201.25 in (5.11 m)
  • Width: 96 in (2.44 m)
  • Height: 78 in (1.98 m)
  • Fire Height: 70 in (1.78 m)
  • Tread: 80 in (2.03 m)
  • Wheelbase:
    • Front to intermediate axle: 59 in (1.50 m)
    • Front to rear axle: 118 in (3.0 m)
  • Ground clearance: 14.5 in (36.8 cm)
• Powertrain:
  • Engine: Cadillac Series 42 V8
    • Net Power: 110 hp @ 3,400 rpm
    • Gross Power: 148 hp @ 3,200 rpm
  • Transmission: 4-speed Hydramatic (1 reverse)
• Weight:
  • Unstowed: 6.5 US tons (5.9 t)
  • Combat: 7.65 US tons (6.94 t)
• Performance:
  • Power-to-Weight Ratio:
    • Net: 14.3 hp/US ton (15.8 hp/t)
    • Gross: 19.3 hp/US ton (21.3 hp/t)
  • Maximum speed: 60 mph (97 km/h)

Armament & Armor

• Main Armament
  • 37 mm Gun M6 (Mount M23A2)
  • Ammo capacity: 93 rounds
  • Ammunition types:
    • M74B1 AP
    • M51B1 APCBC
    • M63 SAPHEI
  • Elevation: -10° to +20°
  • Rate of fire: 30 rpm
  • Sight: Telescope M70D
• Secondary Armament:
  • 12.7 mm M2HB HMG (flexible AA mount)
    • Ammo: 440 rounds
  • 7.62 mm M1919A4 MG (coaxial)
    • Ammo: 1,750 rounds
  • Smoke Grenades:
    • Capacity: 4 smoke pots
• Armor Protection:
  • Hull:
    • Front: 0.375 in (9.5 mm) @ 22-45°
    • Sides: 0.375 in (9.5 mm) @ 22°
    • Rear: 0.375 in (9.5 mm) @ 36°
    • Top: 0.25 in (6.4 mm) @ 90°
    • Floor:
      • Front: 0.375 in (9.5 mm) @ 90°
      • Rear: 0.125 in (3.2 mm) @ 90°
  • Turret:
    • Gun Shield: 1.0 inches (25.4 mm)
    • Front: 0.5 in (12.7 mm) @ 27°
    • Sides: 0.375 in (9.5 mm) @ 27°
    • Rear: 0.375 in (9.5 mm) @ 20°
    • Top: Open (no armor)

Images

Related Suggestion

Please check out and support @CaID’s suggestion for the M38 chassis fitted with an M24 turret mounting the 76 mm gun.

M38 Wolfhound/M24. a wheeled chaffee.

poll caid’s suggestion #127 [image] I would like to suggest an interesting armored car for the mid-rank, the M38 wolfhound with an M24 turret [image] If you like the M24 Chaffee, you will love this armored car. this is a super armored car from WW2 the M38 Wolfhound was a development of Chevrolet of 1944 and was intended to enter production in March 1945. the purpose of this armored car was to replace the M8 Greyhound. the M8 has been a well-used armored car for scout duty but had serial fla…

Sources

• Armored Car: A History of American Wheeled Combat Vehicles - R.P. Hunnicutt (2002)
• Light Armored Car M38 Wolfhound
• US Army Armoured Cars, interwar - WW2
• https://tank-afv.com/ww2/US/photos/devArmoredVehicle-volI.pdf
• WarWheels.Net-T28/M38 Armored Car Index
• https://warwheels.net/images/WFVUSA4haugh.pdf
• M38 Wolfhound - Wikipedia

Thank you for taking the time to read my suggestion! 😃

[Ghostmaxi]

Thats some nothing armor.

[Insanerobert]

I am still surprised the US has almost no armored cars in their tech tree.

[Nostalgistic]

Yeah, this is unacceptable, so I’ve got a few more pending suggestions on the way, and I’ll be making more for US armored cars. :)

[WalletWorrier]

Man, wish this had a 57mm.
Do you have a specific number of vehicles produced?

[Nostalgistic]

@WalletWorrier

Man, wish this had a 57mm.

At least the same company, Chevrolet, had designed and produced another (heavy) armored car T66 GMC (which I also suggested), incorporated a more functional open-top turret, with full 360-degree rotation, and armed with a 75mm gun.

Sure, a Chaffee turret was mounted on the M38 chassis, but it turned out to be nonfunctional. The turret was bolted down to keep it simple, but it prevented it from rotating. So, whether Gaijin wants to add it or not is entirely up to them.

@WalletWorrier

Do you have a specific number of vehicles produced?

As far as I could find, I have one source stating that one M38 and two or three T28s were produced.

[Pvt_Par1s-psn]

Tech tree or event is the real question?

[Nostalgistic]

Personally, I think this M38 should be a tech tree vehicle since we don’t have any TT armored cars in the lower ranks at all. The M38 with the Chaffee turret could work as an event vehicle, so I don’t really mind that. That’s assuming Gaijin is okay with giving it a fully rotatable turret, considering the Chaffee turret was literally bolted down and fixed on the M38’s chassis.

[Caernarvon02]

I was gonna type my usual “more food for my 2pdr” but what on earth is that armour… Thats food for my vickers gun let alone my pea shooter