AC70081 US ARMY TRACKED VEHICLES

The M4 High Speed Tractor was an American tracked artillery tractor from the Second World War. The first prototypes of the vehicle were created in 1942, and serial production continued in the years 1942-1945, ending with the production of approximately 5,500 vehicles of this type. The M4 High Speed Tractor was powered by a single engine Waukesha 145GZ with a power of 210 hp. It was armed with 1 machine gun: Browning M2, cal. 12.7 mm. The M4 High Speed Tractor was built on the chassis of the M3 Stuart light tank, which significantly shortened the analytical work and the implementation of the vehicle into serial production. The vehicle was characterized by good off-road mobility, reliability and easy operation in field units. It was also relatively cheap to produce. In the US Army, it was used primarily as a tractor for heavy cannons and field howitzers (e.g. the M1 / M2 Long Tom) or heavy anti-aircraft artillery (e.g. the 90mm M1 AA Gun). The vehicle could also take up to 10 gun crew members. The main development version was the M4A1, which had a reinforced suspension. The M4 High Speed Tractor was used by American troops both in the Pacific region and - above all - during the fighting in France and West Germany in 1944-1945. After the end of World War II, many of this type of vehicles found their way to the US allies, including Greece, the Netherlands, Japan and Pakistan. The M4 High Speed Tractor cars were withdrawn from the US Army in the 1960s.