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{{more citations needed|date=March 2014}}
{{more citations needed|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox weapon
{{Infobox weapon
| name=155mm Gun Motor Carriage M12
| name=155 mm gun motor carriage M12
| image= 155mm-GMC-M12-France-1944.jpg
| image= 155mm-GMC-M12-France-1944.jpg
| image_size = 300
| image_size = 300
Line 7: Line 8:
|is_vehicle=yes
|is_vehicle=yes
|origin= United States
|origin= United States
|type=[[Self-propelled gun]]
|type=[[self-propelled gun|Self-propelled artillery gun]]
<!-- Service history -->
<!-- Service history -->
|service= 1942{{ndash}}1945
|service= 1942{{ndash}}1945
Line 19: Line 20:
|production_date= September 1942{{snd}}March 1943
|production_date= September 1942{{snd}}March 1943
|number= 100
|number= 100
|variants= M30 Cargo Carrier
|variants= M30 cargo carrier
| length= {{convert|22|ft|1|in|m|abbr=on}} hull, spade retracted <br> {{convert|22|ft|2.5|in|m|abbr=on}} including gun
| length= {{convert|22|ft|1|in|m|abbr=on}} hull, spade retracted <br> {{convert|22|ft|2.5|in|m|abbr=on}} including gun
| width= {{convert|8|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}} without sand shields
| width= {{convert|8|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}} without sand shields
Line 35: Line 36:
}}
}}


The '''155&nbsp;mm Gun Motor Carriage M12''' was a U.S. [[self-propelled gun]] developed during the [[World War II|Second World War]]. It mounted a 155&nbsp;mm gun derived from the French [[Canon de 155mm GPF]] field gun.
The '''155 mm gun motor carriage M12''' was a U.S. [[self-propelled gun]] developed during the [[World War II|Second World War]]. It mounted a 155&nbsp;mm gun derived from the French [[Canon de 155 mm GPF]] field gun.


==Development==
==Development==
The idea for the M12 was first proposed in 1941 and the pilot - T6 GMC - built and tested in early 1942. The Army Ground Forces initially rejected the design as unnecessary, but after the Artillery Board supported the Ordnance Department, 100 were authorized and built. These vehicles were at first used for training.<ref name=CandEp144/>
The idea for the M12 was first proposed in 1941 and the pilot - T6 GMC - built and tested in early 1942. The [[Army Ground Forces]] initially rejected the design as unnecessary, but after the [[Artillery Board]] supported the [[Ordnance Department]] in asking for 50 units, 100 were authorized and built by March 1943. These vehicles were at first used for training.<ref name=CandEp144/>


== Description ==
== Description ==
The M12 was built on the chassis of the [[M3 Grant ]] tank. The engine was moved forward to the center of the vehicle to allow room for the gun mount, and most vehicles used later M4-style bogies with trailing return rollers.<ref name=CandEp144/> The armored compartment at the front was occupied by the driver and commander. The gun crew were located in an open-topped area at the back of the vehicle. It mounted a 155&nbsp;mm gun M1917, M1917A1 or M1918 M1, depending upon availability, a weapon derived from the nearly identical French [[Canon de 155 mm GPF|155&nbsp;mm GPF]] gun of World War I vintage. Limited storage space meant that only 10 155 mm projectiles and propellant charges could be carried on the vehicle.
The M12 was built on the chassis of the [[M3 Grant ]] tank. The engine was moved forward to the center of the vehicle to allow room for the gun mount, and most vehicles used later M4-style bogies with trailing return rollers.<ref name=CandEp144/> The armored compartment at the front was occupied by the driver and commander. The gun crew were located in an open-topped area at the back of the vehicle. It mounted a 155&nbsp;mm gun M1917, M1917A1 or M1918 M1, depending upon availability, a weapon derived from the nearly identical French [[Canon de 155 mm GPF|155&nbsp;mm GPF]] gun of World War I vintage. The main armament had a traverse of 14° and elevation limits of +30° to -5°.<ref name=CandEp145>Chamberlain, P. & C. Ellis (1969) ''British and American Tanks of World War II'', Arms and Armour Press, London, p. 145</ref> Limited storage space meant that only 10 155 mm projectiles and propellant charges could be carried on the vehicle.


An earth spade (similar to a bulldozer blade) at the rear was employed to absorb recoil. This layout (large gun mounted in an open mount at the rear, with a spade) was the pattern adopted for many years by other pieces of heavy self-propelled artillery.
An earth spade (similar to a bulldozer blade) at the rear was employed to absorb recoil. This layout (large gun mounted in an open mount at the rear, with a spade) was the pattern adopted for many years by other pieces of heavy self-propelled artillery.
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{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center; "
|- style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center; "
|+Production of M12<ref>''Official Munitions Production of the United States, by Months, July 1, 1940 - August 31, 1945'' (War Production Board and Civilian Production Administration, 1 May 1947) p. 231</ref>
|+Production of M12<ref>''Official Munitions Production of the United States, by Months, July 1, 1940 – August 31, 1945'' (War Production Board and Civilian Production Administration, 1 May 1947) p. 231</ref>
|- style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center;"
|- style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center;"
! Month
! Month
Line 81: Line 82:
|}
|}


===M30 Cargo Carrier===
===M30 cargo carrier===
[[File:T14 cargo.jpg|thumb|left|T14/M30 cargo carrier]]
[[File:T14 cargo.jpg|thumb|left|T14/M30 cargo carrier]]


Given the limited ammunition carried in the M12, a support vehicle based on the same chassis was produced as the '''Cargo Carrier M30''' to transport the rest of the gun crew and additional ammunition. Identical to the M12 except for the gun and [[Gun carriage#Modern gun carriages|recoil spade]], it could carry 40 rounds of 155&nbsp;mm ammunition, and was armed with a [[M2 Browning machine gun|.50-caliber Browning M2]] [[machine gun]].<ref name=CandEp144/> in a ring mount for self-defense. In operational conditions, the M12 and M30 would serve in pairs.<ref name=CandEp144>Chamberlain & Ellis ''British and American Tanks of World War II'' p144</ref>
Given the limited ammunition carried in the M12, a support vehicle based on the same chassis was produced as the '''cargo carrier M30''' to transport the rest of the gun crew, battery stores, and ammunition. Identical to the M12 except for the gun and [[Gun carriage#Modern gun carriages|recoil spade]], it could carry 40 rounds of 155&nbsp;mm ammunition, and was armed with a .50-caliber (12.7&nbsp;mm) [[M2 Browning machine gun]]<ref name=CandEp144/> in a ring mount for self-defense. In operational conditions, the M12 and M30 would serve in pairs.<ref name=CandEp144>Chamberlain & Ellis ''British and American Tanks of World War II'' p144</ref>

{{clear}}


== Use ==
== Use ==
During 1943, the vehicles were used for training or put into storage. Before the invasion of France, 74 M12s were overhauled in preparation for combat operations.<ref name=CandEp144/> They were assigned to six armored field artillery battalions (the 258th, 557th, 558th, 987th, 989th, and 991st) and employed successfully throughout the campaign in [[Western Front (World War II)#1944–1945|North-West Europe]]. Although designed primarily for [[indirect fire]], during assaults on heavy fortifications, the M12s were sometimes employed in a direct-fire role, such as in the Allied assault on the [[Siegfried Line]], where the M12 earned its nickname "Doorknocker" thanks to the 155mm cannon's ability to pierce seven feet of concrete at ranges up to 2,000 yards (1,830 meters) (the same epithet was given to the 37mm guns on the early Panzer III tank due to its ''in''ability to penetrate modern armored vehicles). The vehicle was also dubbed "King Kong" by American operators due to the raw power of its gun.
During 1943, the vehicles were used for training or put into storage. From February to May 1944, before the invasion of France, 74 M12s were overhauled in preparation for combat operations overseas.<ref name=CandEp144/> They were assigned to six armored field artillery battalions (the 258th, 557th, 558th, 987th, 989th, and 991st) and employed successfully throughout the campaign in [[Western Front (World War II)#1944–1945|North-West Europe]].


Although designed primarily for [[indirect fire]], during assaults on heavy fortifications, the M12s were sometimes employed in a direct-fire role, such as in the Allied assault on the [[Siegfried Line]], where the M12 earned its nickname "Doorknocker" thanks to the 155mm cannon's ability to fire armour piercing rounds through seven feet of concrete at ranges up to 2,000 yards (1,830 meters).<ref>The same epithet was given by German troops to their [[3.7 cm Pak 36]]s due to its ''in''ability to penetrate heavily armored vehicles</ref> The vehicle was also dubbed "King Kong" by American operators due to the raw power of its gun.{{cn|date=January 2021}}
⚫
In 1945, the M12 was complemented in Europe by the [[M40 Gun Motor Carriage]], designed on a late-war M4A3 Sherman chassis. Postwar, the M12 was retired from service and replaced by the M40.

⚫
In 1945, the M12 was complemented in Europe by the [[M40 gun motor carriage]], designed on a late-war M4A3 Sherman chassis with the [[155 mm gun M1]] the successor to the 155mm M1918. Postwar, the M12 was retired from service and replaced by the M40.


== Surviving vehicle ==
== Surviving vehicle ==
[[File:US Army Artillery Museum M12.jpg|thumb|"Adolph's Assassin" on display at the U.S. Army Artillery Museum, Fort Sill, Oklahoma.]]
[[File:US Army Artillery Museum M12.jpg|thumb|"Adolph's Assassin" on display at the U.S. Army Artillery Museum, Fort Sill, Oklahoma]]

The sole surviving M12 GMC is displayed at the [[Fort Sill]] museum in [[Oklahoma]].<ref>http://sill-www.army.mil/famuseum/</ref> It had previously been stored at the [[United States Army Ordnance Museum]] in [[Aberdeen, Maryland]], United States, before being transferred to Fort Sill in November 2010.
The sole surviving M12 GMC is displayed at the [[Fort Sill]] museum in [[Oklahoma]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sill-www.army.mil/famuseum/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100831024309/http://sill-www.army.mil/FAMuseum/ |archive-date=2010-08-31 |title=U.S. Army Field Artillery Museum {{!}} Home}}</ref> It had previously been stored at the [[United States Army Ordnance Museum]] in [[Aberdeen, Maryland]], United States, before being transferred to Fort Sill in November 2010.


==See also==
==See also==
Line 106: Line 112:
* Leland Ness (2002) ''Janes World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles'', Harper Collins, {{ISBN|0-00-711228-9}}
* Leland Ness (2002) ''Janes World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles'', Harper Collins, {{ISBN|0-00-711228-9}}
*{{Cite sign |title=U.S. Army Artillery Museum |year=2014 |type=Plaque inside museum |publisher=United States Army|location=[[Fort Sill]]}}
*{{Cite sign |title=U.S. Army Artillery Museum |year=2014 |type=Plaque inside museum |publisher=United States Army|location=[[Fort Sill]]}}

== Further reading ==
;Vehicle material
* TM 9-2300 military vehicles
* TM 9-751 operators
* TM 9-1750
* TM 9-1750B
* TM 9-1750D
* TM 9-1751
* SNL G158 parts catalog
;Gun material
* TM 9-2300 standard artillery and fire control material
* TM 9-345 155-mm M1918MI [http://www.easy39th.com/files/TM_9-345_155-mm_Gun_Materiel,_M1917,_M1918_and_Modifications_1942.pdf]
* TM 9-1345
* SNL D36


==External links==
==External links==
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[[Category:155 mm artillery]]
[[Category:155 mm artillery]]
[[Category:Tracked self-propelled howitzers]]
[[Category:Tracked self-propelled howitzers]]
[[Category:Military vehicles introduced from 1940 to 1944]]

Latest revision as of 20:16, 20 October 2024

155 mm gun motor carriage M12
M12 firing across the Moselle River in France, 1944.
TypeSelf-propelled artillery gun
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service1942–1945
Used byUnited States
WarsWorld War II
Production history
Designed1942
ManufacturerPressed Steel Car Company
ProducedSeptember 1942 – March 1943
No. built100
VariantsM30 cargo carrier
Specifications
Mass59,000 pounds (27 metric tons)
Length22 ft 1 in (6.73 m) hull, spade retracted
22 ft 2.5 in (6.769 m) including gun
Width8 ft 9 in (2.67 m) without sand shields
Height9 ft 5.5 in (2.883 m) over gun shield
Crew6 (Commander, driver, 4 gun crew) with remaining gun crew in M30
Armor0.5–2 inches (13–51 mm)
Main
armament
155 mm (6.1 in) M1917, M1918, or M1918M1 gun in Mount M4
10 rounds
EngineWright R975 C1
350 horsepower (260 kW) at 2,400 rpm
Power/weight13.06 hp/metric ton
SuspensionVertical volute spring suspension (VVSS)
Operational
range
140 miles (230 km)
Maximum speed Road: 21–24 miles per hour (34–39 km/h)

The 155 mm gun motor carriage M12 was a U.S. self-propelled gun developed during the Second World War. It mounted a 155 mm gun derived from the French Canon de 155 mm GPF field gun.

Development

[edit]

The idea for the M12 was first proposed in 1941 and the pilot - T6 GMC - built and tested in early 1942. The Army Ground Forces initially rejected the design as unnecessary, but after the Artillery Board supported the Ordnance Department in asking for 50 units, 100 were authorized and built by March 1943. These vehicles were at first used for training.[1]

Description

[edit]

The M12 was built on the chassis of the M3 Grant tank. The engine was moved forward to the center of the vehicle to allow room for the gun mount, and most vehicles used later M4-style bogies with trailing return rollers.[1] The armored compartment at the front was occupied by the driver and commander. The gun crew were located in an open-topped area at the back of the vehicle. It mounted a 155 mm gun M1917, M1917A1 or M1918 M1, depending upon availability, a weapon derived from the nearly identical French 155 mm GPF gun of World War I vintage. The main armament had a traverse of 14° and elevation limits of +30° to -5°.[2] Limited storage space meant that only 10 155 mm projectiles and propellant charges could be carried on the vehicle.

An earth spade (similar to a bulldozer blade) at the rear was employed to absorb recoil. This layout (large gun mounted in an open mount at the rear, with a spade) was the pattern adopted for many years by other pieces of heavy self-propelled artillery.

Production

[edit]

Only 100 vehicles were built: 60 in 1942 and a further 40 in 1943.

Production of M12[3]
Month M12
September 1942 1
October 1942 37
November 1942 12
December 1942 10
January 1943 16
February 1943 19
March 1943 5
Total 100

M30 cargo carrier

[edit]
T14/M30 cargo carrier

Given the limited ammunition carried in the M12, a support vehicle based on the same chassis was produced as the cargo carrier M30 to transport the rest of the gun crew, battery stores, and ammunition. Identical to the M12 except for the gun and recoil spade, it could carry 40 rounds of 155 mm ammunition, and was armed with a .50-caliber (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine gun[1] in a ring mount for self-defense. In operational conditions, the M12 and M30 would serve in pairs.[1]

Use

[edit]

During 1943, the vehicles were used for training or put into storage. From February to May 1944, before the invasion of France, 74 M12s were overhauled in preparation for combat operations overseas.[1] They were assigned to six armored field artillery battalions (the 258th, 557th, 558th, 987th, 989th, and 991st) and employed successfully throughout the campaign in North-West Europe.

Although designed primarily for indirect fire, during assaults on heavy fortifications, the M12s were sometimes employed in a direct-fire role, such as in the Allied assault on the Siegfried Line, where the M12 earned its nickname "Doorknocker" thanks to the 155mm cannon's ability to fire armour piercing rounds through seven feet of concrete at ranges up to 2,000 yards (1,830 meters).[4] The vehicle was also dubbed "King Kong" by American operators due to the raw power of its gun.[citation needed]

In 1945, the M12 was complemented in Europe by the M40 gun motor carriage, designed on a late-war M4A3 Sherman chassis with the 155 mm gun M1 the successor to the 155mm M1918. Postwar, the M12 was retired from service and replaced by the M40.

Surviving vehicle

[edit]
"Adolph's Assassin" on display at the U.S. Army Artillery Museum, Fort Sill, Oklahoma

The sole surviving M12 GMC is displayed at the Fort Sill museum in Oklahoma.[5] It had previously been stored at the United States Army Ordnance Museum in Aberdeen, Maryland, United States, before being transferred to Fort Sill in November 2010.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e Chamberlain & Ellis British and American Tanks of World War II p144
  2. ^ Chamberlain, P. & C. Ellis (1969) British and American Tanks of World War II, Arms and Armour Press, London, p. 145
  3. ^ Official Munitions Production of the United States, by Months, July 1, 1940 – August 31, 1945 (War Production Board and Civilian Production Administration, 1 May 1947) p. 231
  4. ^ The same epithet was given by German troops to their 3.7 cm Pak 36s due to its inability to penetrate heavily armored vehicles
  5. ^ "U.S. Army Field Artillery Museum | Home". Archived from the original on 31 August 2010.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Leland Ness (2002) Janes World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles, Harper Collins, ISBN 0-00-711228-9
  • U.S. Army Artillery Museum (Plaque inside museum). Fort Sill: United States Army. 2014.
[edit]
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