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M19
M19A1

Twin 40mm Gun Motor Carriage M191-6

M19: General
Date of first acceptance April 1945 Total acceptances 300
Manufacturer Cadillac Motor Car Division of General Motors Corp. Crew
6 men:
  • Squad leader in turret right
  • Gun pointer in turret left
  • 2 Cannoneers in turret right/left rear
  • Driver in hull left front
  • Section leader in hull right front
M19: Dimensions
Combat weight 39,000lbs
18,000kg		 Height over gun shield 116.7"
296.4cm
Length with sandshields and rear stowage 228.8"
581.2cm		 Gun overhang forward 0"
Width with sandshields 115.4"
293.1cm		 Tread 96.0"
244cm
Ground clearance 17.8"
45.2cm		 Fire height 78"
200cm
Turret ring diameter 85"
216cm		 Ground pressure, zero penetration with T72 tracks 9.8psi
.69kg/cm²
M19: Armament
Type Mount Ammunition Traverse Max traverse rate Elevation Max elevation rate
40mm Dual Automatic Gun M2 M4 on rear of chassis 352 rounds 360°
(manual and hydraulic)		 40°/sec +85° to -3°
(manual and hydraulic)		 25°/sec
Aiming equipment
Computing sight M13 or M13A1 with reflex sights M23 and M24 or M24C
M19: Armor
Assembly
Welding
Hull
Rolled homogeneous steel
Location Thickness Angle from vertical
Upper front .5"
1.3cm		 60°
Lower front .5"
1.3cm		 45°
Sides .5"
1.3cm		 12°
Upper rear .5"
1.3cm		 0°
Lower rear .375"
.953cm		 0°
Front top .5"
1.3cm		 90°
Rear top Open
Front floor .5"
1.3cm		 90°
Rear top .375"
.953cm		 90°
Turret
Rolled homogeneous steel
Location Thickness Angle from vertical
Front gun shield .5"
1.3cm		 0° to 45°
Side gun shield .25"
.64cm		 0°
Sides .31"
.79cm		 0°
Rear .31"
.79cm		 0°
Top Open
M19: Automotive
Engine Twin Cadillac Series 44T4; 16 cylinder (8/engine), 4 cycle, 90º vee gasoline
Horsepower Net: 220@3,400rpm (110/engine)
Gross: 296@3,200rpm (148/engine)		 Torque Net: 480 ft-lb@1,200rpm (240/engine)
Gross: 560 ft-lb@1,200rpm (280/engine)		 Fuel capacity 110gal
416L
Transmission Twin Hydramatic, 8 speeds forward, 4 reverse
Steering Controlled differential, steering levers
Brakes Mechanical, external contracting
M19: Suspension
Type Road wheels Track return rollers
Torsion bar 5 individually sprung dual/track 4 dual/track
Drive sprockets Idlers Shock absorbers
13-tooth front drive Dual compensating at rear of track On first 2 and last 2 road wheels/track
M19: Track
T72
Center guide, single pin, rubber bushed, steel, parallel grouser
Width 16"
41cm		 Pitch 5.5"
14cm		 Shoes/track 80 Ground contact length 124"
315cm
T85E1
Center guide, double pin, rubber bushed, rubber, chevron
Width 14"
(16.5" with extended end connectors)
36cm
41.9cm with extended end connectors)		 Pitch 5.5"
14cm		 Shoes/track 80 Ground contact length 124"
315cm
M19: Performance
Max level road speed 35mph
56kph		 Max trench 108"
274cm
Max grade 60% Max vertical obstacle 40"
100cm
Min turning diameter 46'
14m		 Max fording depth 42"
107cm
Cruising range ~100mi, roads
~160km, roads

The self-propelled anti-aircraft gun M19 was based on a lengthened M24 Chaffee chassis. The engine was moved to behind the drivers' compartment, and the 40mm gun turret was placed at the rear of the vehicle. The 40mm guns were fed by four-round clips into an automatic loader with a maximum capacity of seven rounds, and the dual guns could be fired in rapid bursts at 240 rounds per minute. The M19 could tow an ammunition trailer M28 with a further 320 rounds of 40mm ammunition, raising the total available to 672.

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Twin 40mm Gun Motor Carriage M19A11,3-8

M19A1: General
Manufacturers Cadillac Motor Car Division of General Motors Corp. Crew
6 men:
  • Squad leader in turret right
  • Gun pointer in turret left
  • 2 Cannoneers in turret right/left rear
  • Driver in hull left front
  • Section leader in hull right front
M19A1: Dimensions
Combat weight 41,000lbs
19,000kg		 Height over gun shield 116.7"
296.4cm
Length with sandshields and rear stowage 228.8"
581.2cm		 Gun overhang forward 0"
Width with sandshields 115.4"
293.1cm		 Tread 96.0"
244cm
Ground clearance 17.8"
45.2cm		 Fire height 78"
200cm
Turret ring diameter 85"
216cm		 Ground pressure, zero penetration with T72 tracks 10.3psi
.723kg/cm²
M19A1: Armament
Type Mount Ammunition Traverse Max traverse rate Elevation Max elevation rate
40mm Dual Automatic Gun M2 M4 on rear of chassis 352 rounds 360°
(manual and hydraulic)		 40°/sec +85° to -3°
(manual and hydraulic)		 25°/sec
Rangefinder
Computing sight M13 or M13A1 with reflex sights M23 and M24 or M24C
M19A1: Armor
Assembly
Welding
Hull
Rolled homogeneous steel
Location Thickness Angle from vertical
Upper front .5"
1.3cm		 60°
Lower front .5"
1.3cm		 45°
Sides .5"
1.3cm		 12°
Upper rear .5"
1.3cm		 0°
Lower rear .375"
.953cm		 0°
Front top .5"
1.3cm		 90°
Rear top Open
Front floor .5"
1.3cm		 90°
Rear top .375"
.953cm		 90°
Turret
Rolled homogeneous steel
Location Thickness Angle from vertical
Front gun shield .5"
1.3cm		 0° to 45°
Side gun shield .25"
.64cm		 0°
Sides .31"
.79cm		 0°
Rear .31"
.79cm		 0°
Top Open
M19A1: Automotive
Engine Twin Cadillac Series 44T4; 16 cylinder (8/engine), 4 cycle, 90º vee gasoline
Horsepower Net: 220@3,400rpm (110/engine)
Gross: 296@3,200rpm (148/engine)		 Torque Net: 480 ft-lb@1,200rpm (240/engine)
Gross: 560 ft-lb@1,200rpm (280/engine)		 Fuel capacity 110gal
416L
Transmission Twin Hydramatic, 8 speeds forward, 4 reverse
Steering Controlled differential, steering levers
Brakes Mechanical, external contracting
M19A1: Suspension
Type Road wheels Track return rollers
Torsion bar 5 individually sprung dual/track 4 dual/track
Drive sprockets Idlers Shock absorbers
13-tooth front drive Dual compensating at rear of track On first 2 and last 2 road wheels/track
M19A1: Track
T72
Center guide, single pin, rubber bushed, steel, parallel grouser
Width 16"
41cm		 Pitch 5.5"
14cm		 Shoes/track 80 Ground contact length 124"
315cm
T85E1
Center guide, double pin, rubber bushed, rubber, chevron
Width 14"
(16.5" with extended end connectors)
36cm
41.9cm with extended end connectors)		 Pitch 5.5"
14cm		 Shoes/track 80 Ground contact length 124"
315cm
M19A1: Performance
Max level road speed 35mph
56kph		 Max trench 108"
274cm
Max grade 60% Max vertical obstacle 40"
100cm
Min turning diameter 46'
14m		 Max fording depth 42"
107cm
Cruising range ~100mi, roads
~160km, roads

The M19A1 was equipped with an auxiliary generator powered by a two-cylinder gasoline engine which was placed on the right fender behind the battery box, to the right of the turret front. Another visual difference between M19 and M19A1 was the exhaust pipes: on the M19, an exhaust pipe traced around each side of the turret front, but the auxiliary generator forced a redesign so that both pipes extended to the left of the vehicle.

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References

  1. Hunnicutt, R.P. Stuart: A History of the American Light Tank, volume 1. Navato, CA: Presidio Press, 1992. Reprinted with permission from Stuart, R.P. Hunnicutt ©1992, available from Presidio Press, 505B San Martin Drive, Suite 160, Navato, CA 94945.
  2. TM 9-757 Twin 40-mm Gun Motor Carriage M19. Washington, DC: War Department, 7 July 1945.
  3. FM 44-62 Service of the Piece, Twin 40-mm Gun Motor Carriage M19. Washington, DC: War Department, September 1947.
  4. Tank Data, vol. 3. Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD: US Army Ordnance School, Jul 1958.
  5. Chamberlain, Peter, and Chris Ellis. British and American Tanks of World War Two. Frome, England: Cassell & Co., 2000.
  6. Siemers, Cary. "USA's Self Propelled Guns." World War II Tanks & Vehicles and Advanced Squad Leader. 4 Feb 2001. 12 Feb 2001 <http://www.shadowsfolly.com/WWII/USA/SelfPropelled.htm>.
  7. TM 9-761 Twin 40-mm Gun Motor Carriage M19A1. Washington, DC: Department of the Army, 3 March 1953.
  8. TM 9-2800-1/TO 19-75A-89 Military Vehicles (Ordnance Corps Responsibility). Washington, DC: Depts. of the Army and Air Force, 13 Feb 1953.
Last updated 8 May 2024.
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© Copyright 2001-24 Chris Conners