Christie M1931
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| Christie M1931 / T1 Combat Car / T3 Medium Tank | |
|---|---|
 Christie M.1931 during a demonstration | |
| Type | Cruiser Tank Medium Tank |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1932-1936 |
| Used by | United States |
| Production history | |
| Designer | US Wheel Track Layer Corporation |
| Designed | 1930 |
| Manufacturer | US Wheel Track Layer Corporation |
| Unit cost | $34,500 (without the armament, turret, engine, muffler, or radio) |
| Produced | 1930-1931 |
| No. built | 9 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 22,220 lb (10 tonnes) [1] (Combat weight) |
| Length | 5.55 m (18 ft 3 in) |
| Width | 2.23 m (7 ft 4 in) |
| Height | 2.28 m (7 ft 6 in) |
| Crew | 2 (Gunner, driver) [1] |
| Armor | 5⁄8 in (16 mm) maximum[a] [1] |
Main armament | 37mm M1916 (T3 Medium) 12.7mm M2 (T1 Combat Car) |
Secondary armament | 7.62 mm M1919A4 |
| Engine | Liberty L-12 12-cylinder gasoline engine; 449 hp (334.8 kW) at 2,000 rpm |
| Suspension | Christie suspension |
| Maximum speed | 40 mph (64 km/h) Governed, on wheels 25 mph (40 km/h) Governed, on tracks [1] |
The Christie M1931, known as the Combat Car, T1 in US Cavalry use and Medium Tank, Convertible, T3 in Infantry branch, was a wheel-cum-track tank designed by J. Walter Christie for the United States Army using Christie's own ideas of an aero-engine and his novel suspension to give high mobility.
The M1931 was Christie's first tank to be accepted for production by the US Army, and was used briefly by the US Cavalry and US Infantry, as part of the 1st Mechanized Cavalry Corps and the 2nd Tank Regiment. Christie's design had more influence in Europe with USSR and UK developing Christie's ideas in the form of Bystrokhodny ("fast") tanks and cruiser tanks respectively.
Developmental History
The Christie M.1931 originated as the M.1928,
The first M1931 was delivered in March 1931. An order for seven more was placed in June; these were delivered by 1932. Initially officially designated as "Convertible Medium Tank T3", four were passed to the cavalry. With the gun replaced by a heavy machine gun they were renamed "Combat Car T1". [2]
Notes
- ^ on hull front
References
- Hunnicutt, Richard Pearce (1978). Sherman: A History of the American Medium Tank. Presidio Press. ISBN 978-1-62654-862-6.
- Neal, R. J. (2009). A Technical & Operational History of the Liberty Engine: Tanks, Ships and Aircraft 1917-1960. United States: Specialty Press.
- Ellis, C., Chamberlain, P. (1972). Pictorial History of Tanks of the World, 1915-45. United States: Stackpole Books.
- Steven Zaloga, 2015 Armored Champion: The Top Tanks of World War II