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M53 SPH

1952 COLD WAR SELF-PROPELLED ARTILLERY VIETNAM WAR

History

The M53 self-propelled assault gun was developed using auto parts derived from the existing M46 and M47 Patton medium tanks that emerged during the Cold War. Equipped with a 155mm main gun, the M53 provided long-range fire support to Allied positions, and its self-propelled, tracked nature ensured it could keep up with mechanized formations and provide off-road capability. The series was adopted in 1952 and is in service with the U.S. Army and Marine Corps.

This type of production is handled by Pacific Car & Foundry Company.

Unlike the M46/M47 MBT series, the interior of the M53 has been rearranged to make room for the turret superstructure. This means that the engine and drivetrain are no longer installed at the rear of the vehicle, but at the front of the vehicle.

In addition, the driver moved from the left front hull position to the left front side of the boxy turret superstructure. The entire crew consists of six people, including the driver, commander, gunner and ammunition handler. The main gun is a 155mm M46 series mounted on an M86 mount and fires 20 rounds. One.

The 50cal Browning M2HB heavy machine gun received 900 rounds of ammunition as a measure of self-defense (the gun was mounted on top of the commander's cupola turret). Armor protection consists of a rolled homogeneous steel hull with welded components to protect against small arms fire and artillery jets. The airframe uses a number of flat vertical and horizontal surfaces, with a very flat glacis plate above the power pack. The tower consists of several vertical panels and a flat square-backed roof.

The 155mm barrel is exceptionally long without any recoil damping muzzle compensator. A large toothed shovel was mounted to the rear of the turret structure for stability while firing. The tower is accessed through a rectangular door mounted on the right, which also features a skylight.

One of the main limitations of the M53's design was its turret, which only allowed the manual/hydraulic powertrain to move 30 degrees to the right or left. Altitudes range from +65 to -5 degrees.

The vehicle is powered by an 810 hp Continental AV-1790-5B 12-cylinder gasoline engine mated to a General Electric CD-850-4 transmission with 2 forward and 1 reverse gears. Steering was initially via a "rocker" mechanism. Top road speed is 35 mph and range is 150 miles. As the M46 and M47 designs improved, the M53 in turn inherited some of their improvements. This includes the use of Continental's AV-1790-7B series engine and CD-850-4B series drivetrain.

The steering wheel eventually replaced the rocker steering.

The basic undercarriage of the M53 contains seven twin-tire wheels on one track side, with the drive sprocket at the front. There is no dedicated chain idler at the rear of the vehicle, which makes the chain linkage appear "slack" at the rear.

Three track deflection rollers guide the upper track area.

The US Army upgraded its fleet of M53s to standard (from 1956) with the arrival of the updated M55 (with a 203mm gun). However, the US Marine Corps decided to keep their small-caliber M53 systems for now.