M18 Hellcat GMC and M39 AUV Family of Vehicles

[General Zod]

A few days back,Jeffry Fontaine and I were on MSN IM. He gave me the idea of an M18 Hellcat TD armed with a 105mm howitzer. The US Army did come up with that version called the T88. Only one was built.

[dy031101]

The US Army did come up with that version called the T88. Only one was built.

Guess I haven't asked why it was unsuccessful...... recoil problem?  Or something else?

[General Zod]

The US Army did come up with that version called the T88. Only one was built.

Guess I haven't asked why it was unsuccessful...... recoil problem?  Or something else?

The war ended.The M36 90mm TD turret was mounted onto the M18.When the muzzle brake was mounted,the M18 could handle the recoil.

[dy031101]

Since the turret rings of both M18 and M4 are of the same size, I wonder if the Hellcat can handle the Firefly turret (with 76mm M1 gun for use by the US Army or Allies that take American weapons; Firefly turret because of its modification for accommodate weapons with greater recoil distance, and I am under the impression that the T23 turret is heavier)......

[Jacques Deguerre]

I think the biggest "real world" issue with some of these conversion ideas is weight. The 75 mm gun turret from the Sherman could fit but it might make the M18 awfully top heavy. It could possibly create other engine, drive train and suspension problems, depending on how much flexibility the real components had.

HOWEVER, I would never suggest that you avoid model conversions because of trifling real world engineering concerns. Perhaps your model could represent a vehicle based on the design of the Hellcat but with heavier armor and more robust mechanical components that would place it in the medium tank range. Fake it out a bit with tracks, road wheels, drive sprockets and such from a later, heavier US tank (anything that'll fit from the M26 to the M48), a heavier turret of your choice and possibly a bow machine gun to justify the fifth crew member.

[ysi_maniac]

Heavy Halftrack  :icon_fsm:



High Hellcat 

[Joe C-P]

I dare someone to build that halftrack! 

[ysi_maniac]

What if some cooperation after WWII: 2 reccon possibilities.



IMHO: first one is quite plausible.

[NARSES2]

IMHO: first one is quite plausible.

It is and an attractive looking vehicle 

[Weaver]

A Hellcat recce vehicle with a Greyhound turret would be plausible. Better off-road that the Greyhound and about as much space. Since you'd have to put a plate over the original turret ring to reduce it to Greyhound size anyway, you might as well use the M39 style hull with it's raised roof. That way the "M39-.50cal" and the "M39-37mm" would mirror the M20 Utility Car and M8 Greyhound respectively.

What a pity, and what a strange omission, that there's no 1/72nd or 1/76th model of the Hellcat...

[NARSES2]

What a pity, and what a strange omission, that there's no 1/72nd or 1/76th model of the Hellcat...

Which Japanese ? company did the small diorama sets - Nitto ? Didn't they ? Swear I saw one back in the days ?

[rickshaw]

What a pity, and what a strange omission, that there's no 1/72nd or 1/76th model of the Hellcat...

Which Japanese ? company did the small diorama sets - Nitto ? Didn't they ? Swear I saw one back in the days ?

Not that I am aware of, Chris.   There are resin 1/72 or 1/76 M18s but no injection moulded ones that I am aware of.  I once scratch built one, way back in the 1980s, so it isn't hard to do it.  I used Airfix Leopard 1 roadwheels with a plasticard hull and turret. 

[jcf]

Chris, you may be thinking of Nitto's M36 kit.

[ysi_maniac]

I assume this is made of poliestyrene, but already built:  https://hlj.com/product/HBM38863

Wargame config, odd scale (1/56), but a nice model anyway:  http://www.italeri.com/scheda.asp?idProdotto=2585

[NARSES2]

Chris, you may be thinking of Nitto's M36 kit.

That's the one Jon  . Thank you. Strangely it's the bike I remember most.