Armored Car T18E2 Boarhound1-5

T18E2: General
Date of first acceptance December 1942 Total acceptances 30
Manufacturer General Motors Truck and Coach Division Crew
5 men:
  • Commander in turret left rear
  • Gunner in turret left front
  • Loader in turret right
  • Driver in hull left front
  • Assistant driver in hull right front
T18E2: Dimensions
Combat weight 53,000lbs
24,000kg
Height 103.25"
262.26cm
Length 246"
625cm
Width 121"
307cm
Tread 102.5"
260.4cm
Wheelbase Front to second axle: 51"
Front to third axle: 146"
Front to rear axle: 197"
Front to second axle: 130cm
Front to third axle: 371cm
Front to rear axle: 500cm
Ground clearance 13.5"
34.3cm
Fire Height 84.25"
214.0cm
Turret ring diameter 64"
160cm
T18E2: Armament
Type Mount Ammunition Traverse Max traverse rate Elevation
57mm Gun M1 Combination mount T63 in turret 64 rounds 360°
(manual and hydraulic)
18°/sec +60° to -10°
(manual)
.30cal M1919A4 MG Coaxial to 57mm gun 5,000 rounds 360°
(manual and hydraulic)
18°/sec +60° to -10°
(manual)
.30cal M1919A4 MG Ball mount D72206 in right bow 45°
(20° left and 25° right;
manual)
-- 30°
(+20° to -10°;
manual)
Aiming equipment
Periscope M4 and telescope M57 for gunner
Stabilizer
Elevation only
T18E2: Armor
Assembly
Welding
Hull
Rolled and cast homogeneous steel
Location Thickness Angle from vertical
Upper front 2.0"
5.1cm
15°
Middle front 1.25"
3.18cm
18° to 57°
Lower front 2.0" to 1.0"
5.1cm to 2.5cm
0° to 18°
Sides 1.25"
3.18cm
Rear 1.0"
2.5cm
Front top .75"
1.9cm
90°
Rear top .50"
1.3.cm
82°
Floor .375"
.953cm
90°
Turret
Cast homogeneous steel
Location Thickness Angle from vertical
Gun shield 2.0"
5.1cm
0° to 45°
Front 1.5"
3.8cm
23°
Sides 1.5"
3.8cm
23°
Rear 1.5"
3.8cm
10°
Top .75"
1.9cm
90°
T18E2: Automotive
Engine Twin GMC 329; 6 cylinder, 4 cycle, in-line gasoline
Horsepower Net: 250@3,000rpm
(125/engine)
Torque Net: 490 ft-lb@1,000rpm
(2450/engine)
Fuel capacity 90gal
340L
Transmission Spicer torque converter, 3 speeds forward, 1 reverse
Steering Recirculating ball with hydraulic power, steering wheel
Brakes Hydraulic, internal expanding
T18E2: Suspension
Type Road wheels
Articulated leaf spring 2 bogies/side;
2 wheels/bogie
T18E2: Performance
Max level road speed 50mph
80kph
Max trench 18"
46cm
Max grade 60% Max vertical obstacle 21"
53cm
Min turning diameter 80'
24m
Max fording depth 40"
100cm
Cruising range ~300mi, roads
~480km, roads

The T18E2 heavy armored car emerged from the same British procurement request that spawned the T17 Deerhound and T17E1 Staghound. The T18E2 rode on eight wheels contained in four two-wheel bogies. The right-hand engine's transfer case drove the rear wheels of each bogie, with the left-hand engine powering the opposite wheels. Steering was by the front four wheels, and drive was normally provided by the rear four. When the rear wheels slipped and rotated faster than the front wheels, however, automatic pick-up drives that connected the front axles to the engines' transfer cases supplied power to the front bogies, enabling 8x8 drive. The turret was based on that of the light tank T7E2 (which was developed into the medium tank M7), and also featured a 2" smoke bomb thrower in the turret roof in front of the loader. Two jettisonable 25-gallon (95L) fuel tanks could be fitted to the hull rear, increasing the fuel capacity to 140 gallons (530L). Four 6-volt batteries were connected in series for the vehicle's 24-volt electrical system. A 10lb (4.5kg) fixed CO2 fire extinguisher protected the engine compartment, and a portable 4lb (1.8kg) CO2 extinguisher was carried as well. All thirty T18E2s were issued to Great Britain, but saw little use as the North African fighting for which they had been intended was cooling down at that point.

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References

  1. Hunnicutt, R.P. Armored Car: A History of American Wheeled Combat Vehicles. Novato, CA: Presidio Press, 2002. Reprinted from Armored Car, R.P. Hunnicutt ©2002, available from Presidio Press, 505B San Martin Drive, Suite 160, Novato, CA 94945.
  2. AGF Board No. 2. Development of Armored Vehicles, volume II: Armored Cars, Scout Cars, and Personnel Carriers.
  3. Crismon, Fred W. U.S. Military Wheeled Vehicles. Minneapolis: Victory Publishing, Ltd., 2001.
  4. Haugh, David R. "T18E2 Boarhound Armored Car Index." WarWheels.net. Ed. Patrick Keenan. 8 Jul 2020 <http://warwheels.net/T18E2BoarhoundArmoredCarINDEX.html>.
  5. Sola, Samuel, Vincent Bobkowski, and Kara Crocker. Weapon Mounts for Secondary Armament. Santa Monica, CA: G. O. Noville & Associates, Inc., April 1957.
Last updated 9 Dec 2023.
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