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User:Fat yankey · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Resized · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Source ↗ · Modified
FORCETALLY
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At a glance
True scale
Side by side. From every angle. A human reference for perspective.
3.16 MB · Loads when you open it| Model | Length | Width / span | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 | ≈ 4.98 m | ≈ 2.32 m (Width) | ≈ 2.96 m |
| M109 howitzer | ≈ 9.75 m | ≈ 3.15 m (Width) | ≈ 3.81 m |
Scaled uniformly to the sourced length of 4.98 m. The width was fitted to the sourced 2.324 m. Not an official model or a measured survey.
ForceTally · All rights reserved
Scaled uniformly to the sourced length of 9.7536 m. The width was fitted to the sourced 3.15 m. Not an official model or a measured survey.
ForceTally · All rights reserved
The human reference is a generic 1.75 m figure. Models describe external size, not combat performance.
Measured figures
with sand shields
Single source16 ft 4 in (4.98 m) with sand shields[source]
Configuration
| Specification | Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 | M109 howitzer |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Self-propelled artillery[source] | Self-propelled artillery[source] |
| Place of origin | United States[source] | United States[source] |
| In service | 1942–1962[source] | M109: 1963–present M109A1: 1973–present M109A2: 1979–present M109A6: 1994–present M109A7: 2015–present[source] |
| Used by | See Users[source] |
Length
length with gun forward of
Single sourceM109A1/A2/A3/A4/A5/A6/A7: hull length of
Single sourceM109: hull length of and length with gun forward of
Single sourceM109: hull length of 20.3 ft and length with gun forward of 30 ft M109A1/A2/A3/A4/A5/A6/A7: hull length of 20.3 ft, length with gun forward of 32 ft[source]
combat weight
Single source34,600 lb (15.4 long tons; 15.7 t) combat weight[source]
) and combat weight of
Single sourceand combat weight of
Single sourceM109A1/A2/A3/A4/A5: empty weight of and combat weight of
Single sourceM109A6: non-combat weight of
Single source) M109A7: non- combat weight of
Single sourceMass · source measurement 4
Single sourceMass · source measurement 6
Single sourceMass · source measurement 8
Single sourceM109A1/A2/A3/A4/A5: empty weight of 52,000 lbs (23.6 metric tons) and combat weight of 55,000 lbs (24.95 metric tons) M109A6: non-combat weight of 56,400 lbs (25.6 metric tons) and combat weight of 62,000 lbs to 63,615 lbs (28.1 metric tons to 28.9 metric tons) M109A7: non- combat weight of 74,000 to 78,000 lbs (33.6 metric tons to 35.4 metric tons) and combat weight of 84,000 lbs (38 metric tons)[source]
32 Tons[source]M109A6 Paladin · combat loaded
Commander, gunner, driver, assistant driver/loader
Single source4 (Commander, gunner, driver, assistant driver/loader)[source]
Operational; On road
Single source100 mi (160 km) on road[source]
Effective; Excalibur
Single sourceEffective; M109A1–A4
Single sourceEffective; M109A1–A4 M107, HE
Single sourceEffective; M109A1–A4 (M549A1, RAP/HE) M109A5–A7: HE
Single sourceEffective; RAP
Single sourceM109A6 Paladin · cruising range · Range
Single sourceOperational; M109A7
Single sourceOperational; Operational range
Single sourceM109A1–A4: 18.1 km (11.2 mi) (M107, HE) 23.5 km (14.6 mi) (M549A1, RAP/HE) M109A5–A7: HE: 21 km (13 mi) RAP : 30 km (19 mi) Excalibur : 40 km (25 mi)[source]
216 mi (350 km) M109A7: 186 mi (300 km)[source]
214 miles[source]M109A6 Paladin · cruising range
22/30 (km)[source]M109A6 Paladin · High Explosive / Rocket Assisted Projectile
Twin Cadillac Series 42 inline 6 cylinder 4-stroke gasoline engine total at 3,400 rpm
Single sourceTwin Cadillac Series 42 inline 6 cylinder 4-stroke gasoline engine 220 hp (160 kW) total at 3,400 rpm[source]
@ 2.300 rpm M109A5–A6: Detroit Diesel 8V71T 8-cylinder water-cooled supercharged diesel engine
Single sourceM109A7
Single sourceM109: Detroit Diesel 8V71T 8-cylinder water-cooled turbocharged diesel engine @ 2,300 rpm M109A1–A4: Detroit Diesel 8V71T 8-cylinder water-cooled supercharged diesel engine
Single sourceV903
Single sourceM109: Detroit Diesel 8V71T 8-cylinder water-cooled turbocharged diesel engine 390 hp @ 2,300 rpm M109A1–A4: Detroit Diesel 8V71T 8-cylinder water-cooled supercharged diesel engine 405 hp @ 2.300 rpm M109A5–A6: Detroit Diesel 8V71T 8-cylinder water-cooled supercharged diesel engine 440 hp M109A7: V903 675 hp[source]
Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.
See Operators[source] |
| Wars | World War II First Indochina War Laotian Civil War Algerian War[source] | Vietnam War Cambodian Civil War Yom Kippur War Western Sahara War Iran–Iraq War 1982 Lebanon war South Lebanon conflict (1985–2000) Persian Gulf War Iraq War Gaza War 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict War in Iraq (2013-2017) Yemeni Civil War (2014–present) , Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen Syrian Civil War Russian invasion of Ukraine Gaza war 2025 Cambodian–Thai clashes[source] |
|---|
| Designer | U.S. Army Ordnance Department[source] | — |
|---|
| Designed | 1942[source] | 1952–1962[source] |
|---|
| Manufacturer | Cadillac division of General Motors[source] | Cadillac General Motors Chrysler BMY Harsco , formerly Bowen & McLaughlin York (1974–1994) United Defense (1994–2005) BAE Systems Inc. (2005–present) Samsung (1985–2015) Hanwha (2015–present)[source] BAE Systems[source] |
|---|
| Produced | September 1942–January 1944[source] | — |
|---|
| No. built | 1,778[source] | — |
|---|
| Variants | M8, M8A1 (not produced)[source] | — |
|---|
| Armor | 0.374–1.75 in (9.5–44.5 mm)[source] | Aluminum alloy[source] |
|---|
| Main armament | 75 mm Howitzer M2/M3 in Mount M7 46 rounds[source] | M109: M126 155 mm 23 caliber, 28 rounds M109A1–A4: Watervliet Arsenal M185 155 mm 39 caliber, 28 rounds (A1) or 36 rounds (A2–A4) M109A5–A7: M284 155 mm 39 caliber[source] |
|---|
| Secondary armament | .50 caliber (12.7 mm) Browning M2HB machine gun 400 rounds[source] | .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 machine gun[source] |
|---|
| Power/weight | 14.02 hp (10.45 kW)/metric ton[source] | — |
|---|
| Transmission | Twin Hydramatic , 4 speeds forward, 1 reverse[source] | Allison Transmission XTG-411-2A, 4 forward, 2 reverse M109A6: Allison Transmission XTG-411-4 M109A7: HMPT-800[source] |
|---|
| Suspension | Vertical volute spring suspension (VVSS)[source] | torsion bar[source] |
|---|
| Ground clearance | 14 in (360 mm)[source] | M109A7: longitudinal slope: 60 % lateral slope: 40 % trench: 72 in (1.8 m) fording: 42 in (1.07 m)[source] |
|---|
| Fuel capacity | 89 US gal (340 L)[source] | — |
|---|
| Steering system | Controlled differential, steering levers[source] | — |
|---|
| Role | self-propelled howitzer vehicle of the United States in use during World War II[source] | — |
|---|
| Source measurement | The 75 mm howitzer motor carriage M8 "Scott" was a self-propelled howitzer vehicle of the United States in use during World War II . It was developed on the chassis of the M5 Stuart tank and was equipped with a M116 howitzer in an M7 mount. The vehicle is also known by the nickname General Scott , or just Scott , which was originally assigned to the vehicle by the Ordnance Department in November 1944 for publicity purposes, such as in newspapers, but does not appear to have been used by troops in the field during the war.[source]Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Experiments with a close-support version of the M3 Stuart began with the T18 howitzer motor carriage . This essentially combined an M3 light tank chassis with the gun mount of a M3 Grant medium tank mounting the much smaller 75mm pack howitzer . This produced a tall design with the gun well forward, which led to the tank being nose-heavy. They also found the fighting compartment was too cramped and the cut-down sides provided no protection to the crew for shots anywhere but the front.[source]Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 · Development and design / Prototypes; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The T18 was cancelled in 1942 in favor of a new design, the T41. This moved to the updated M5 chassis, differing from the M3 mostly in its engine, while introducing a new fighting compartment with a well-sloped front that provided more room and much better protection. However, the new layout also moved the gun even further forward and produced wear on the front wheels that was considered unacceptable. A further revision moved the gun to one side to free up room and change the balance, which was successful enough to consider production on surplus M3 chassis. By this time a competing concept had proved superior and production was cancelled in favor of the new T47. Some further work was carried out on a T41 with the 105 mm M2A1 ; this work was later spun off as the T82 project.[source]Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 · Development and design / Prototypes; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The T47 was also developed on the basis of the M5 chassis, but replaced the fixed fighting compartment with a new manually-turned turret mounting the same gun. This not only provided much better protection for the crew, but also offered far better tactical freedom than any fixed-mount system. The prototype was designated the 75 mm howitzer motor carriage T17E1 .[source]Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 · Development and design / Prototypes; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage After a mock-up had been produced, it was ordered into production as the 75 mm howitzer motor carriage M8 . Like the M5, the M8 had a crew of four; commander, gunner, driver, and assistant driver/loader. When the M8 was in action, the commander positioned himself at the antiaircraft machine gun and directed his crew, the gunner sat in the turret on the right side of the howitzer, the assistant driver/loader moved up from his seat in the right front hull, and the driver stayed at his position.[source]Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 · Development and design / Production; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The M8 HMC was based upon the light tank M5 (itself a descendant of the light tank M3), and so had relatively thin armor. The lower hull armor ranged from 1 in (25 mm) to 1.125 in (28.6 mm) on the sides to 1.75 in (44 mm) on the lower front and 1.0 in (25 mm) on the lower rear. The lower hull sides were vertical, while the lower hull front was sloped at 18 degrees from the vertical, and the lower hull rear, which protected the engine and radiator, was sloped at 17 degrees from the vertical. The hull floor ranged from 0.5 in (13 mm) thick at the front to 0.375 in (9.5 mm) thick at the rear. The glacis plate of the M8 was sloped at 45 degrees from the vertical and was 1.125 in (28.6 mm) thick. The upper hull sides, like the lower hull sides, were vertical and 1.125 in (28.6 mm) thick at the front, thinning to 1 in (25 mm) thick at the rear. The upper rear hull was a vertical plate, 1 in (25 mm). The plate sloped at 50 degrees for a short distance before it met the hull roof, which was uniformly 0.5 in (13 mm) thick, and flat.[source]Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 · Development and design / Armor; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The turret of the M8 was of cast steel. It was 1.5 in (38 mm) thick at the front, which was rounded, sloping from 0 to 63 degrees from the vertical. The sides and rear were 1 in (25 mm) thick and sloped at 20 degrees from the vertical. The cast gun shield , which covered the barrel of the 75 mm Howitzer M2/M3, was 1.5 in (38 mm) thick and rounded.[source]Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 · Development and design / Armor; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The armament of the M8 HMC consisted of a new open-topped turret armed with a 75 mm M2 howitzer, later a 75 mm M3 howitzer. The M8 carried 46 rounds of 75 mm ammunition; 11 rounds at the right rear of the fighting compartment, 20 rounds at the left rear of the fighting compartment, 9 rounds in the left hull sponson, and 6 "ready" rounds stored between the driver and assistant driver's positions. The most common types of ammunition carried were the M89 white phosphorus shell and the M48 high explosive shell. Unlike the standard M5 light tank, the M8 featured no hull-mounted or coaxial Browning M1919A4 .30 caliber machine gun. A Browning M2HB .50 caliber machine gun with 400 rounds was mounted on the right rear corner of the turret for local defense and anti-aircraft purposes. For self-defense, the vehicle driver was provided with a Thompson submachine gun , while the other three crew members were issued M1 carbines .[source]Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 · Development and design / Armament; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage 1,778 of the 77 mm howitzer motor carriage M8 were produced by the Cadillac division of General Motors from September 1942 to January 1944.[source]Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 · Production; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage M8 HMCs were issued to Headquarters companies in medium tank battalions. Starting in early 1944 they were replaced by the 105 mm howitzer variant of the M4 Sherman tank. The 75 mm howitzer motor carriage M8 was assigned to the Assault Gun Troops of Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadrons in order to give them close support against enemy fortified positions. The high elevation (+40/−20 degrees) of the howitzer was useful for hitting enemies emplaced on the sides of hills.[source]Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 · Combat service; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage | — |
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| Shell | — | separate loading, bagged charge[source] |
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| Breech | — | interrupted screw[source] |
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| Traverse | — | 360°[source] |
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| Barrel length | — | 23 caliber[source]M109 original; M126 155 mm cannon |
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| Reported operators |
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