- Yes, as a tech tree vehicle.
- Yes, as an event vehicle.
- Yes, as a squadron vehicle.
- No
- Mild steel armor ( x0.45 armor mutiplier)
- Cast homogeneous armour ( x0.94 armor mutiplier)
- I said no.
- 1.3
- 1.7
- 2.0
- I said no.
The T18 Howitzer Motor Carriage (HMC) was an American prototype SPG built by the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. It mounted a 75mm Pack Howitzer on the chassis of an M3 Stuart. Only two prototypes were ordered, and only one was fully built using mild steel.
History
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In June 1941, following the cancellation of the T3 Howitzer Motor Carriage, the Department of Field Artillery issued guidelines for a new light SPG. This vehicle was required to mount either a 75mm or 105mm howitzer. The 105mm requirement was quickly dropped as it was too large for the intended M3 Stuart chassis.
Two designs were proposed:
- T17 HMC: Based on the experimental Combat Car M1E3 chassis.
- T18 HMC: Based on the standard M3 Stuart chassis.
Predictably, the T17 never progressed beyond the drawing board, and the T18 was selected for development. In October 1941, the Ordnance Committee ordered a wooden mock up, followed by an order for two mild steel prototypes.
The single completed prototype was tested at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds on May 7, 1942. While it met most technical requirements, it suffered from a major flaw: the heavy frontal casemate made the vehicle very nose heavy. To mitigate this, the ammunition capacity had to be reduced to 42 rounds.
The T18’s lower hull was nearly identical to the early M3 Stuart, retaining the same suspension, drivetrain, and engine. The upper hull was replaced by a boxy casemate fitted with a modified M3 Lee gun mount. This mount allowed for 15° traverse to either side and elevation between -5° and +20°. Two .30 caliber M1919A4 machine guns were mounted in the side sponsons but were fixed in place.
The armor was impressive for a light SPG of its time, featuring 50.8 mm (2 inches) of frontal armor, which was sufficient to stop 37mm rounds. The sides and top were 31.8 mm thick, while the rear was 25.4 mm. Despite the added weight, the retention of the Stuart’s Continental engine meant mobility remained close to that of the standard light tank.
Unfortunately, the arrival of the M5 Stuart and the T18’s inherent flaws: poor visibility, bad weight distribution, and lack of ventilation, led to its cancellation in April 1942. It was replaced by the T47 HMC (M8 Scott prototype), which solved the visibility and ventilation issues by using an open top turret.
Specification
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Length: 4.53 m
Width: 2.24 m
Height: 2.16 m
Weight: 13.50 tons
Crew: 3 (Gunner, Driver, Commander/Loader)
Engine: Continental W-670-9A, 250 hp, 16.8 hp/ton
Top Speed: 58 km/h
Armaments
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75 mm M1A1 Pack Howitzer (42 rounds): M48 HE shell, M66 HEAT, M64 WP Smoke
2 x .30 caliber M1919A4 Machine Guns (4,900 rounds)
In game
In game this would be a decent 1.3-1.7 Light Tank Destroyer after the M2 or foldered with the M8 HMC.
Photos
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The wooden mock up in December 1941
Sources
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https://www.tankarchives.ca/2017/04/t18-hmc-quick-howitzer.html
75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage T18 - Tank Encyclopedia
United States Self Propelled Guns (not really an info source but a good read)
After Note
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There were some suggestions post on the old forum and a single non suggestion post here on the new forum, so consider this page as a formal suggestion post for it.
Honestly idk whether Gaijin would add this in with mild steel or CHA amour since the prototype used it but i think the planned production ver would use CFA.
As always, replied to this if you have any problem or suggest a sources, thx.
