Landships II

Date: Nov 29, 2005

WWI Christie Tank

Date: Nov 29, 2005

It is (probably) this flipping weird thing (near the bottom of a fantastic page full of weird and wonderful stuff):

http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/selfpropelledguns.html

Christie Motor Carriage for the 8" Howitzer

Presented in 1918, this was, probably, the strangest track arrangement ever tested by the Army. The test was a miserable failure and Christie went on to use components of the carriage for his 155mm model.

What an amazing page!

Date: Nov 29, 2005

WoW!!!

Not only is that thing absolutely bonkers, but I had --no idea-- there were that many USA Self Propelled Guns made in 1918-19!

They are all placed seemingly sporadically through that page... But let's see just how many there were...

The Mark VIII
Built on a Holt chassis, this vehicle was tested in 1918 using the popular French 75mm gun. The rounds weighed between 12 and 16pounds with a delivery of 1693 - 1742fps and a range of up to 5.5miles. The vehicle was clumsy and top heavy as can be seen. The suspension was rigid.
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/usspg-mark8-andre.jpg
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/usspg-75mm-mkVIIIa.jpg

Mystery Gun
This was America's second attempt to incorporate the M1916 75mm gun into a self propelled chassis once again using Holt components. This vehicle was built in 1918. The suspension was rigid.
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/usspg-m1916-75mm.jpg

The Mark VII
Designed and built at the Rock Island Arsenal in 1919. The M1916 75mm gun was mated to a specifically built Holt 2.5 ton chassis, though many of the components were available commercially on their standard 2.5 ton tractor. The pictures in the center and the right are of how the vehicle appeared in the early 1930s. Only 2 vehicles were built.
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/usspg-mkVIIb.jpg
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/usspg-mkVII.jpg
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/usspg-mkVIIa.jpg
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/usspg-Mark7-IonFonosch.jpg

The Holt 55-I
This was the United States Army's first attempt to develop a self propelled gun. Shown at APG in 1917. The gun had a muzzle velocity of 2600fps and a range of 5.5miles using the mark 1 anti-aircraft shell.
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/usspg-Holt-55I.jpg
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/usspg-Holt-55Ia.jpg

Mark II 155mm
10 of these units were built during WW1 in 1918 at Rock Island Arsenal. It carried a model 1918 Filloux 155mm gun that could send a 95 pound projectile out of the muzzle at 2410fps.
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/usspg-MarkII-155.jpg

55-I 8" SPG
This is the earliest example of a test to mount an 8" cannon to a carriage. This test used a British 8" cannon on the 55-I chassis mentioned above. The whole application was crude, using wooden planks to support the cannon. This picture was taken around 1917.
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/usspg-8inch.jpg

Self Propelled Caterpillar Mark 1 for the 8" Howitzer
Three of these units were built sometime during WW1.
Specifications
Weight 58,000 pounds
Length 23' 8"
Width 9' 10.5"
Height 9'
Engine Holt 4cyl, 75hp
Performance 4.1mph
Armament British Mk VIII.5
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/usspg-Mark1-8inch.jpg

Christie Motor Carriage for the 8" Howitzer.
Presented in 1918, this was, probably, the strangest track arrangement ever tested by the Army. The test was a miserable failure and Christie went on to use components of the carriage for his 155mm model.
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/usspg-Christie-8inch.jpg
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/usspg-Christie-8inch-a.jpg
http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/usspg-Christie-8inch-b.jpg

I think thats all of the 1918-19 ones...

Man... That's 8 Self Propelled Guns! That's about how many tanks were designed by the USA in that time period. So it almost seems like the interest was split 50-50 between SPGs and Tanks, unlike France, and Britain where there were very few SPG designs.

VERY interesting.

---Vil.

Date: Nov 30, 2005

And not forgetting this:

http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/usspg-MarkIV-240mm.jpg

http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/usspg-MarkIV-240mm-a.jpg

http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/usspg-MarkIV-240mm-b.jpg

http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/selfpropelledguns/usspg-MarkIV-240mm-c.jpg

Which is basically the French St Chamond, with the 240mm barrel (French, the US Army used the Schneider 240mm gun before developing their own of that calibre - it's the gun in the 'Mystery French Field Gun' thread here http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=63528&subForumID=169814&action=viewTopic&commentID=4421348&topicPage=2).

The Americans went absolutely mad for SPGs around 1918 to 1920-odd. I suppose it's because their doctrinal emphasis on the war of manoeuvre found a wonderful nuts & bolts embodiment in the SPG.

As you say, there's an enormous number on that page, but they are actually in a logical order - ascending calibre size.

I think we should all sign that site's creator's guest book, he's done a sterling job!

Date: Nov 30, 2005

Hello Guys

Mr.Christie did produce some strange vehicles, But in my book he was a genius!!!!. As far as the TANKS site goes, it is sadly not updated any more. But it is still packed full of some great information.

All The Best

Tim R.