Combat Car M2.
Although similar to the combat car M1A1E1, the combat car M2 featured a trailing idler suspension similar to that found on the light tank M3. The drivers' upper doors are open on this machine, and windshields with wipers have been installed. These would not be used in combat areas. (Picture from FM 30-40 C1 Military Intelligence Identification of United States Armored Vehicles.)
The trailing idler is immediately apparent when the vehicle is seen from the side. The turret pistol ports were a new design compared to those found on the combat car M1. (Picture from FM 30-40 C1 Military Intelligence Identification of United States Armored Vehicles.)
The rear hull armor consisted of a plate extending down from the engine deck and a larger plate sloping inward that contained two outside-hinged engine access doors. (Picture from FM 30-40 C1 Military Intelligence Identification of United States Armored Vehicles.)
The folding roof plates of the octagonal turret can be seen from above, along with the long air cleaner pipes on the rear hull (although the right-hand air cleaner pipe is partially obscured by the antiaircraft machine gun). The vision slots found in the combat car M1's folding roof were eliminated. (Picture from FM 30-40 C1 Military Intelligence Identification of United States Armored Vehicles.)
The exterior of the caliber .50 turret mount D34956 is shown here. An armor shield was bolted to the rotor, and a hinged armor shield protected the opening at the bottom of the rotor. Two smaller hinged shields could protect the openings for the telescope and direct vision. (Picture from Weapon Mounts for Secondary Armament.)
When the D34956 mount is viewed from the inside, the cradle extension is obvious, and the pin that secured the machine gun is visible near the opening. Elevation was accomplished by pivoting the rotor on horizontal trunnions, and a pintle socket permitted limited traverse. The rear traverse bar was scaled with traverse readings to assist with aiming. An elevation mechanism connected the gun to the traverse bar of the cradle extension. An equilibrator rod assembly is on the extreme left, and under this is a lever that could lock the mount in a desired elevation. A telescopic sight and an ammunition tray would also be mounted. The levers for deploying the armor shields for the telescope and direct vision slots are visible to each side of the sighting aperture. (Picture from Weapon Mounts for Secondary Armament.)
The .30cal mount was similar to the .50cal D34956, but the handlebar had only a single crossbar, and no equilibrator rod assembly was present. (Picture from Weapon Mounts for Secondary Armament.)
An experimental setup for the turret interior is seen from above. The folding roof hatch is just visible at the top of the frame, and both the .50cal mount D34956 and the .30cal mount have guns and telescopes installed. Note the pistol port in the left-hand turret wall. (Picture from Weapon Mounts for Secondary Armament.)
