M6 Tractor

M6 High-Speed Tractor
300px Wartime photo of a M6 Tractor
Type	Artillery tractor
Place of origin	United States
Service history
Used by	US Army
Wars	World War II
Production history
Manufacturer	Allis-Chalmers
Produced	February 1944 – 45
Specifications
Weight	76,000 lbs / 34.5 t
Length	21 ft 6 in / 6.55 m
Width	10 ft / 3.07 m
Height	8 ft 8 in / 2.64 m
Crew	11
Main armament	.50 cal M2 machine gun
Engine	2 × Waukesha 145GZ 6-cylinder gasoline engine 2 × 190 hp at 2100 rpm (141.68 kW)
Suspension	HVSS (Horizontal Volute Spring Suspension)
Operational range	110 mi / 177 km
Speed	21 mph / 34 km/h

The M6 High-Speed Tractor was an artillery tractor manufactured by Allis-Chalmers and used by the US Army during World War II to tow heavy artillery pieces, such as the 8-inch Gun M1 and 240 mm howitzer M1. Its G-number was (G-184).

History

Background

Although in the late 1930s the US Army lacked a clear mechanization policy, the success of the Blitzkrieg in 1939-40 highlighted the need of motorized vehicles for both tactical and strategic maneuver, which meant that towed artillery would need to move at a speed comparable to that of the armored fighting vehicles.

To achieve this, a series of “high speed tractors” was planned, which would tow the different artillery pieces existing (or planned) in the US Army inventory. The “high” speed was considered in comparison with horse-drawn artillery rather than that obtainable with wheeled prime movers or ballast tractors. The models considered in the series included: 7 ton, 18 ton, 13 ton, and 38 ton.

Description

Intended to tow heavy artillery pieces as the 240 mm howitzer M1 and the 8-inch Gun M1, the M6 artillery tractor was larger and heavier than the M4 Artillery Tractor, although they had a similar layout. The main differences between both were in the following areas:

• Running Gear (6 running wheels in the M6, instead of 4 wheels in the M4)
• Dimensions
• Weight
• Towing capacity
• Engine

It was powered by two six-cylinder, in-line, Waukesha 145GZ gasoline engines, each of which gave 190 HP at 2,100 rev/min, with an engine displacement of 13,400 cm³. The running gear consisted on six rubber-rimmed wheels per side, with the drive wheel located at the front and a large tensioning wheel at the rear; a layout similar to the one used in the M3 light tank and later in the M4 Tractor.

Combat use

European front

The tractor M6 was used in the European theater only in the last months of World War II.

In the meanwhile, the movement of large caliber artillery was done by vehicles based on existing hulls, among them:

• T16 Heavy tractor, based on the M3A5 tank. It did not pass prototype stage, as the rear engine location prevented even a minimum load of ammunition.
• M33 Heavy tractor, based on the M31 recovery vehicle, which in turn was based on the medium tank M3.
• M34 Heavy tractor, based on the M32B1 recovery vehicle, which in turn was based on the medium tank M4.
• M35 Heavy tractor, based on the M10 tank destroyer

Pacific front

Use of this tractor in the Pacific theater seems to have been limited to training at Oahu, (Hawaii).

Post-war

In the Korean War no heavy artillery was used that required being towed by these tractors.

Some vehicles were sold to Israel after being replaced by self-propelled artillery.

Users

• US Army

Surviving vehicles

• Liberty Park, Overloon, Netherlands

Gallery

• M6 High Speed Tractor pic3.JPG

  M6 tractor, Overloon

• M6 High Speed Tractor pic1.JPG

  Side view, M6 tractor, Overloon

• M6 High-Speed Tractor Front.JPG

  Front view, M6 Tractor, Overloon

• M6 High Speed Tractor Rear.JPG

  Rear view, towing an 8-inch howitzer M1, Overloon

See also

• List of U.S. military vehicles by model number
• List of U.S. military vehicles by supply catalog designation (G184)

Comparable vehicles

• M4 Tractor
• M5 Tractor

Further reading

Technical manuals

• SNL G184
• TM 9-2800 1943 Military vehicles
• TM 9-2800 1947
• TM 9-2800-1 1953
• TM 9-788
• TM 9-1785A
• TM 9-1788
• TM 9-1825A
• TM 9-1826C
• TM 9-1827A
• TM 9-1828A
• TM 9-1829A

Books and publications

External links

• Olive-Drab website, Highspeed M4 (accessed 2014-03-02)

Media related to at Wikimedia Commons