M-2 Conestoga APC
During the development of the M-18 Hellcat tank destroyer, consideration was being given to a fully tracked vehicle to replace the M-3 halftrack series as an armored carrier for troops. Due to the high speed of the M-18, a decision was made to design an APC based on the same chassis. As one of the major drawbacks of the current halftracks was the open top, a decision was made to replace the turret with a fixed and fully enclosed superstructure. This provides the passengers with better protection from the elements and, most importantly, enemy artillery. The M-2 entered production shortly after the M-18 and first saw service in Italy in late 1943.Unfortunately, there is no proper heating/air conditioning system installed, making the passenger compartment an icebox in winter and an oven in summer; the Army considers this an acceptable trade-off.
The intention is to have M-2's completely replace all M-3 halftracks used as APCs in one battalion in each armored division by the end of 1944. The replaced M-3's are either converted to other roles or sent to regular (foot) infantry units.
The M-2 has a crew of three. The commander sits in the superstructure and mans the open-mount A/A machine gun. The radio operator is also in the superstructure and fires the LMG. The driver is in the hull. Twelve troops are carried. The M-2 uses 11.43 gallons per hour at routine usage.
M-2 Conestoga
Subassemblies: Large Tank chassis with mild slope +4, Medium
TD superstructure [Body:T] +3, full-rotation Mini Weapon open mount
[Tur:T]
+0, tracks +3.
Powertrain: 254-kW gas engine w/ 254-kW tracked drive train
and 164 gallons fuel in standard fuel tank [body]; 16,000-kWs
batteries.
Occupancy: 1 CS Body, 2 CS Superstructure, 10 PS Both
Cargo: 0.5 Body, 14.5 Superstructure.
A rmor
Body: F 5/90, RLB 4/60, T 4/40, U 4/20
Tracks: 4/45
Superstructure: F 4/90, RLB 4/60, T 4/40
Weaponry
Very Long Ground HMG/M-2HB [Mini:F] (500).
Ground LMG/M-1919A4 [Sup:F] (2,500).
Equipment
Body: Fire extinguisher, medium radio receiver and transmitter. Supertructure: 10-VSP cargo
Statistics
| Size: 21'x10'x9' | Payload: 1.99 tons | Lwt: 20.7 tons |
| Volume: 163 | Maint.: 59 hours | Price: $11,600 |
HT: 12
HP: 1800 [Body], 360 [Superstructure], 600 [Each Track], 30
[Open Mount]
| gSpeed: 53 | gAccel: 4 | gDecel: 20 | gMR: 0.25 | gSR: 6 | GP: Very Low (4/5) |
Design Notes
The design purchased 162 gallons of fuel tanks; the historical value
has been used instead. Like the M-18, design weight was decreased 10%.
Design gAccel was 3 and gSpeed was 37. gAccel was increased by 50% (as was the M-18).
Like the M-18, the M-2 has an advanced suspension system which partly accounts for it's high speed.