TYPE: Light tank/Tank destroyer
AMOUNT IN NORWEGIAN SERVICE: Ca. 72
ARMAMENT
1x D/925 low-pressure 90mm gun, 41 rounds
1xBrowning AN/M3 12.7 mm machine gun
1x Browning M2HB 12.7mm machine gun coaxial
Norwegian Model 128 Simrad LV3 Laser Rangefinder (90mm)
DM2 HC 76mm Electric fired smoke grenade launchers, 8 tubes 4 on each side of the turret, 16 grenades were carried in the tank. all 8 grenades could be fired at once
Passive night vision
TECHNICAL DATA
Lenght: 5.45m without cannon
Lenght: 5.94m with cannon
Widht: 2.82m
Height: 2.61m from top of 12.7mm
Total weight: 18.3 Ton
Total weight battle ready: 20 tons
Crew4 (driver, commander, gunner, loader)
Eigne: Detroit Diesel 6V-53T
Eigne horsepower: 260hp
Fuel capacity: 2 tanks total 208L
Gearbox: Allison MT 650/653 5 speed and 1 reverse (Automatic)
Reloading rate: around 6+ secounds
Tracks: switchable between US T85E1/T85E1 rubber tracks if nessecary
PERFORMANCE
Max Speed: 47 km/h (on road)
Range: Ca. 300 kilometers
ARMOR
Front Armor: 25 mm
Front Side 2/3 Armor: 25 mm
Rear side 1/3 Armor: 19 mm
Rear Armor: 19 mm
Turret Armor: 25 mm
Gun Mantel Armor: 38 mm
NORWEGIAN MODIFICATIONS
Detroit Diesel 6V-53T
D/925 low-pressure 90mm gun, 41 rounds
Browning AN/M3 12.7 mm machine gun
Norwegian made Norwegian Model 128 Simrad LV3 Laser Rangefinder (90mm)
NM (?) Practice round
Highly likely Norwegian made ammunition
Norwegian Camouflage summer/winter
Bushes and Camouflage nettings
New smoke grenades
New radios
New intercom
T85E1 rubber tracks
New heating systems
4 shock absorbers on each sides replaced with 2x more efficent ones improbing comfort and performance
plaus many more i havent found yet, both bigger and smaller
A little history about the M24 Chaffe wich the NM116 was upgraded from
This vehicle was developed as a replacement for the earlier American light tanks. Development of the wagon began in April 1943, serial production began in March 1944 and until production stopped in 1945, a total of 4,415 were built. The wagon entered service late in 1944 and then participated in both Europe and Asia until the end of the war. 1 1950 it returned to active service in the Korean War. France used the wagon to a large extent in Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, the wagon was used by both North and South Vietnam.
Norwegian usage:
The first wagons of this type came to Norway with the Americans
in 1945. When they withdrew. we took over these wagons. They then formed the backbone of our tank squadrons until the M48 came along in the 1960s. We have had a total of 141 wagons in Norway. They served in the reconnaissance squadrons until 1970, after which they were phased out of the cavalry. Most were converted to NM116 (see this). Of those that were not rebuilt, some ended up on firing ranges as targets, some were sold as scrap, while some came into service in the HV and were used here until 1991/92.
Norwegian Model 116
This vehicle was the first series-produced “Norwegian” tank. the basis was the M24 Chaffee, which was rebuilt by the company Thune-Eureka
The background for this conversion was that the M24 Chaffee had become redundant as pure tanks after the introduction of the Leopard. In contrast, there was a great shortage of anti-tank weapons in the army. It was therefore decided to rebuild and modernize the M24 so that it could be braked as an armored personnel carrier, officially. designation became NM116 Panzerjager.
The conversion mainly consisted of a new engine, new drive train, new cannon, new sights and a good number of other changes. The prototype was tested in 1973. In 1975, the first of a total of 72 NM116s was handed over to the cavalry inspector. The vehicles were put into use in the armored service squadrons where they served until 1993. Subsequently, these vehicles were also phased out as part of the CFE agreement.
Most were cut up in 1994, while some went to shooting targets at shooting ranges. Some wagons have also been taken over by the Defense Museum.
The main picture in this post most likely are the late verison, there are lacking pictures of the early verison
Below here we have a nice illustration from tanks encyclopedia showing a picture of how the prototype of the Original (ealy service) NM116 looked like. This verison had the same paint as the old M24 chaffes, wich should be “Olive Drab”, we can also see that the 12.7mm machinegun are placed in an added position in front of the Commanders hatch, this was changed on the late verison
D/925 low-pressure 90mm gun
Ammunition
-
M62 HEAT grenades
-320mm penetration
-Norwegian definition: Hulladningsgranat
-Projectile Weight: 3.650 kg
-Projectile Length: 0.5m
-Explosive Filler: 0.67 kg
-Muzzle Velocity: 750 m/s
Armor penetration
-At 0 Degrees: 320mm
-At 65 Degrees: 120mm
-At 70 degrees: ----- High chanse of rikochet -
MF1 HE-FS grenades
-Norwegian definition: Sprenggranat
-Projectile Weight: 5.280 kg
-Projectile Length: 0.48m
-Explosive Filler: 0.945 kg
-Muzzle Velocity: 640 m/s
Armor penetration:
-Uncertain due to lack of specifications -
MF1 SMOKE-FS grenades
-Norwegian definition: Røykgranat
-Projectile Weight: 5.40 kg
-Projectile Length: 0.48m
-Phosphorus Filler: 0.800 kg
-Muzzle Velocity: 635 m/s
-Smoke duration 20-30 seconds
Armor penetration:
-None -
EXERSISE grenades
-Norwegian definition: Eksersesegranat/øvelsesgranat
-Kinetic round
Drawings/bluepints
Picture for luberication points for grease, might show important details
Design schematics of the NM-116
M24 chaffe eigne deck left compared to the new upgraded eigne deck of the NM116 on the right
The new Detroit Diesel 6V-53T for the NM116’s
PICTURES
Spoiler
SOURCES
Spoiler
https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar-norway-nm-116-panserjager/ (mostly pictures from this site)
The book given out ny the Norwegian Defence Museum
“Motoriserte militærkjøretøy I norge 1905-2005”
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Tankograd Publishing sheet
- Yes
- No
