[22] By 1944 it was also realized that the design of the tank was actually obsolete. – TE Moderator. The tanks were forced to withdraw from the position after several hours however, because they attracted artillery fire that caused the infantry to suffer heavy casualties. [21] The US Army Armored Board released a critical report on the Locust in September 1943, stating that it was inadequate in the areas of reliability and durability, and indicating that it would not be able to be successfully used during airborne operations. Despite the Locust’s highlighted faults, the British War Office still wanted the tanks, believing they were more than adequate for their intended role. The main change was the addition of supporting steel beams to improve and strengthen the suspension of the tank, which increased the weight to 7.05 metric tons (7.77 short tons), the maximum weight that could be carried by a Hamilcar glider. Illustrations are by Tank Encyclopedia’s own David Bocquelet. They were produced from 1941 up to 1945 with a total quantity of 830. [3] The front of the hull was altered from a stepped appearance to a more sloped profile, which would provide for a better ballistic shape; the two .30-06 machine-guns were removed from the bow of the tank and the suspension was altered to try and reduce the weight of the design. The M22 Locust, officially Light Tank (Airborne), M22, was an American-designed airborne light tank which was produced during World War II. The M22 Locust on display at The Tank Museum, Bovington – Photo: Author’s Photo [15] Similarly a report made on March 13, 1944 by elements of the 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment complained that when a high-explosive shell was fired from the gun, the resulting shell-burst was so weak that observers had difficulty in seeing where it impacted. M22 Locust Light tank tutorial Roblox Plane Crazy - YouTube “The 151st Airborne Tank Company was activated at Ft.Knox on August 15,1943, followed by the 28th Airborne Tank Battalion on December 6, 1943.” I’m so mad! Osprey Publishing, New Vanguard #153: M551 Sheridan, US Airmobile Tanks 1941-2001 [1] Two new prototypes were ordered by the Ordnance Department in January 1942 and were delivered by Marmon-Herrington in November 1942. A mere total of 25 M22s were deployed to the European theater by US forces. These cookies do not store any personal information. One running vehicle is owned by the World War II US Military Vehicle Museum, San Rafael, USA. The main armament consisted of the 37 mm (1.46 in) Tank Gun M6. Hence the captured example exhibited in Israel. Anyways, thanks for another highly educational article on a little-known vehicle. Two new prototypes were ordered by the Ordnance Department in January 1942 and were delivered by Marmon-Herrington in November 1942. This operational deployment would be the Locust’s only chance to ravage the hypothetical crops of the Reich, and it bore mixed results. On March 24 the division, in conjunction with the American United States 17th Airborne Division, would be dropped by parachute and glider near the city of Wesel, where it would capture the strategically important village of Hamminkeln, several important bridges over the River IJssel and the southern portion of a major forest, the Diersfordter Wald. (Russian) Member since 2016. American M22 named “Bonnie” from the 28th Airborne Tank Battalion, one of the only American units to be equipped with the tank. – TE Moderator. The British made a few minor modifications to the tanks, including the addition of smoke-bomb launchers on the side of the turret, and the incorporation of the Little John adapter at the end of the muzzle. [34], In March 1945, the 6th Airborne Division was informed that it would be participating in Operation Varsity, an airborne operation in support of 21st Army Group crossing the River Rhine during Operation Plunder. The subsequent burst from the shells was too weak, making them inadequate for observation uses. [8] However, it had not been designed specifically as an airborne tank or to be airmobile,[4] and it also possessed several faults. These were the 151st Airborne Tank Battalion activated on August 15, 1943, and the 28th Airborne Tank Battalion activated on December 6, 1943. This prototype did not meet the size requirements, however, so the Ordnance Department looked elsewhere. One M22 Locust hull, which has been converted by the British for use as a personnel carrier, is stored in an unrestored condition at the. This vehicle would weigh 7.5 tons (sans crew), its length was 3.5 meters, width 2.13 meters, and height 1.68 meters. As designed, the tanks were brought in by Hamilcar gliders. – TE Moderator. [44] A larger number of Locusts served with the Egyptian Army, replacing a number of older tank models, such as the Vickers-Armstrong Mark V light tank, that the Egyptian military had acquired during the interwar period. The Locust began development in 1941 after the British War Office requested that the American government design a purpose-built airborne light tank which could be transported by glider into battle to support British airborne forces. These kinds of articles are what put you over other armor sites i have found. Complaints were also made about the 37mm main armament, which was not powerful enough to penetrate the armor of most tanks used by the Axis powers. Presidio Press, Stuart, A History of the American Light Tank, Volume 1, R.P. The technology needed to fully exploit the capabilities of an air-mobile tank was not available in time for the war. They were produced from 1941 up to 1945 with a total quantity of 830. [30] Several of the Locusts also were fitted with Littlejohn adaptors to increase the range and penetration power of their main armament, although it is not clear how many were fitted or if they were fitted at manufacture or after they reached the squadron. The specification also called for a maximum speed of 40 mph (64 km/h) and an operational radius of 200 miles (320 km). These people who provide me with free information, on a topic I enjoy, make mistakes. Das Fahrzeug wurde nur in geringer Stückzahl während des Zweiten Weltkrieges eingesetzt und bald nach dem Ende der Kampfhandlungen ausgemustert. [3] The T9 was not primarily designed to be transported by glider, a significant change from the original request, but instead was to be carried under the belly of a Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport aircraft, using four lifting brackets welded onto each side of the hull of the tank. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in Update 1.45 "Steel Generals". The loading took six men about twenty-five minutes, the unloading ten minutes. The gunner or commander, in addition to his own duties, had to act as loader for the 2-pounder, which caused delays in combat; a report on the tank written in January 1941 stated that since the commander had both to fight and control the tank, controlling a troop of Tetrarchs during combat would be almost impossible. The Light Tank M22 Locust is a rank I American light tank with a battle rating of 1.7 (AB) and 2.0 (RB/SB). A number of Locusts were used by foreign militaries in the post-war period however; the Belgian Army used Locusts as command tanks for their M4 Sherman tank regiments, and the Egyptian Army used several company-sized units of Locusts during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. I think I’ll act abrasive, and in no way attempt to provide positive constructive feedback. It has been used in the second World War for (ofcourse) defensive uses. The turret and front of the hull were to have an armour thickness of between 40 millimetres (1.6 in) and 50 millimetres (2.0 in), and the sides of the tank a thickness of 30 millimetres (1.2 in). This was possible because of the pretty thin armour it had. Seventeen Locusts were received by the 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment in late 1943, but mechanical problems led to the tanks being withdrawn in favour of the Tetrarchs previously used by the regiment. Timothy be nice you scum the people who provide us with these great articles need to be respected! During November the new tanks were issued to the squadron, replacing a majority of the Tetrarchs; however a small number of Tetrarchs fitted with a 3 inch (76.2 mm) infantry support howitzer, which were designated as Tetrarch 1 CS (Close Support), were retained. The armor on the Locust was adequate to resist the standard German 7.92 mm MGs and rifles. One undamaged tank came to the aid of a group of American paratroopers who were under fire from a German self-propelled gun but was rapidly knocked out by the German vehicle, wounding two crewmembers. However, if you google “151st Airborne Tank Battalion” you get following link (3rd on list for me): US Tank and Tank Destroyer Battalions in the ETO 1944-45″, a book by famous tank expert Steven Zaloga. German antitank weapons by 1943 were capable of penetrating far thicker armor than we could possibly put on an airborne tank, so we were just designing it, like the M-40 and M-8 armored cars, to survive a burst of machinegun fire, not an AP shell. Yes, I am aware of this. [35] Eight Locusts from the regiment, divided into two troops of four, would land with the 6th Airlanding Brigade in landing-zone 'P' east of the Diersfordter Wald and west of Hamminkeln, acting as a divisional reserve; the rest of the regiment would arrive by road after crossing the Rhine with 21st Army Group. This led to the deletion of some of the tank’s extra features such as the power-traverse for the turret, gun stabilizer, and fixed bow machine-guns bringing the weight back down to 7.4 tons. [23] A report issued at the end of a conference held by the Director (Air) of the War Office in January 1946 confirmed that the Locust design was considered obsolete; any light tanks to be used in post-war airborne formations would be made from completely new designs. I knew the British had made the Littlejohn adaptors for their 40mm 2-pdr guns, like those in the Tetrarch, but I had not heard that they made one for our 37mm. The formation of the 151st came too late for them to see action as part of the Airborne forces involved with the commencement of D-Day in June of 1944. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. The Hull serial number is 49. The M22 Locust came about in 1941 as a request from the British War Office for a bespoke air-deployable tank. [1] However, contrary to normal practice, the Ordnance Department had placed an order for the original T9 design in April 1942, before the T9E1 models were delivered in November 1942; 500 were ordered in April and this order rapidly increased to a total of 1900, with deliveries to begin in November. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. [20] A heavy transport aircraft, the Fairchild C-82 Packet, was developed to specifically carry the M22 inside its fuselage and unload it through a set of clam-shell doors, but it did not enter service until after the war had ended. One of the test models of the T9. Nope, the British kept the 37mm, LJs were developed for a number of small caliber guns in an effort to prolong there usefulness. Quoting: [28] In mid-July an American pilot was sent to Britain to illustrate that the tank could fit inside a Hamilcar and be landed,[29] and then on October 25 the Light Tank Squadron received a shipment of seventeen Locusts. The success of the adapter is debatable of course. Instead the American government was approached with a request that it produce a replacement for the Tetrarch. As such, 230 M22s were shipped to the United Kingdom under the Lend-Lease Act. It was found that loading the M22 onto a Douglas C-54 took a crew roughly 24 minutes, with unloading taking around 10 minutes. VII Tetrarch for the role. Production model M22 with protective cover over the barrel – Photo: Osprey Publishing. https://books.google.fi/books?id=7E-ICwAAQBAJ&pg=PT43&lpg=PT43&dq=151st+Airborne+Tank+battalion&source=bl&ots=wOtnxAOVc_&sig=IbeAbvepUMdEQSDWA8gd3n2Nf58&hl=fi&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj_qdGh9OTTAhVrApoKHQZMApIQ6AEIOTAC Required fields are marked *. The tanks saw action with the British during Operation: Varsity, the March 1945 landings around the Rhine. This seems to have been due to mechanical and gunnery problems with the Locusts, as well as specific problems with the design of the Locust's gearbox. [15] The AFV School noted that the process of loading the M22 into a C-54 transport aircraft took considerable time and involved the use of complex equipment. [2], The T9 had a crew of three and weighed 6.7 metric tons (7.4 short tons). [31] However, due to their thin armor and underpowered armament they proved to be completely outclassed by the tanks and self-propelled guns deployed by German forces, such as the Panzer IV and the Sturmgeschütz III. Hauptmerkmale. Keep up the good work . [2] The tank's engine was able to give it a maximum speed of 40 mph (64 km/h). But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. [9] Its size limited the possible crew to three—a driver in the hull and a gunner and commander in the turret—which was found to be too few crew members to operate the Tetrarch effectively. The main change was the addition of supporting steel beams to improve and strengthen the suspension of the tank, which increased the weight to 7.05 metric tons (7.77 short tons), the maximum weight that could be carried by a Hamilcar glider. The armament, either a 37 or 57 mm gun, would be housed in a rotating turret and equipped with a gyroscopic stabilizer. The M22 on Warspot.ru. The design was approved and the Company produced a wooden prototype in August of 1941 which was designated ‘Light Tank T9’. 'C' Squadron remained in Britain however, as not enough Hamilcar gliders had yet been built to transport and deploy all of their Tetrarchs. Remaining Locust would continue to provide support in various infantry actions during the operation with mixed success due to the weakness of its 37 mm HE ammunition. Note the Littlejohn adaptor at the end of the Barrel and 2in Smoke-Bomb launchers on the turret. However, the War Office believed that the tank would perform adequately despite its faults, so the tank was given the title of "Locust" and 260 were shipped to Great Britain under the Lend-Lease Act. Ursprünglich als luftverlastbarer Panzer entwickelt, wurde das Fahrzeug nie von den USA in dieser Funktion während des Zweiten Weltkriegs eingesetzt. The 151st Airborne Tank Company was formed on 15 August 1943, despite concerns that there would be insufficient transport aircraft to deliver the unit into battle, and the 28th Airborne Tank Battalion was also formed in December of the same year. Did the Locust ever have any problems with it’s suspension system while going at top speed? Thank you for the input. Well, it’s wrong. Hunicutt Edits shall be made. The turret was hoisted off and placed inside the aircraft, while the hull was driven under the belly of the C-54. They were both designated T9E1. This was the same gun found on the M3/M5 Stuart Light Tanks, the M3 Lee/Grant, and the M8 armored car. Two Locust equipped units of the 6th AARR were assigned to the Operation. After a series of modifications were made to the initial prototype, production of the T9 began in April 1943. Also, with the removal of the power traverse unit, the turret had to be hand cranked, meaning rotation was extremely slow. Designated the Light Tank Squadron, this unit was to be formed of nineteen light tanks and would operate to the fore of the division, using their speed to capture objectives and hold them until relieved by other units. [2] The design offered by Christie in mid-1941 was rejected as it failed to meet the specified size requirements, as was a modified design the company produced in November. The Light Tank (Airborne) M22, also known as the Locust, began development in late 1941 in response to a request by the British military earlier in the year for an airmobile light tank which could be transported onto a battlefield by glider. Several had their main armaments removed and were used by the Belgian Army as command tanks for their M4 Sherman regiments, and a few Locusts even found their way back to the U.S., where they had their turrets removed and served as agricultural tractors. The specifications were set for a tank light in weight and able to be transported either by the US’s Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport, the specially designed Fairchild C-82 Packet or the British General Aircraft Hamilcar glider. [4] At the time the request was made, the War Office considered using the equipment in Britain's fledgling airborne forces, which had been formed in June 1940 by order of the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. These tests uncovered a number of faults and problems with the Locust. The M22 was ultimately a failure and was very much a victim of its time. These were sent to the Sixth Army Group in Alsace for potential use by the venerable 1st Airborne Divison. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. American Armor M22 Locust Langarmshirt Klassisch geschnitten, doppelt genähter Saum; NA Business Socken,High Performance Kurzsocke,Anzug-Socken,Tennissocken,Nette Cartoon Locust Blue Männer Frauen Langlebige Sport Sport Socke Für Walking Wandern Erholung Hochwertige Socken: Crew-Socken bestehen aus 10% Polyester, 3% Elasthan, stark und langlebig. – TE Moderator, Seth Owen is correct: sources you used have played fast and loose on US unit designations. When officials at the War Office examined the equipment that would be req… One unrestored hull is currently owned by Hugh Movie Supplies in England. Crew of an M22 sat aboard their tank named “Bonnie” from the 28th Airborne Tank Battalion – Photo: Osprey Publishing On top of this the aircraft required a proper airfield on which to land. (direct link if you don’t want to go through list:) These included the M56 Scorpion and M551 Sheridan. Here I have for you, the M22 Locust light tank. Unrestored condition with a LVT-3 Turret installed. They were both … Until this point, the British had been using the Light Tank Mk. Es war eines der ersten amerikanischen Panzer mit dem amerikanischen Boden Baum in freigegeben werden Aktualisieren 1,45 „Steel General“ . An unreliable transmission also resulted in numerous breakdowns, meaning the tank would take up a lot of “shop time”. The changes are going to be made when the time is there to do so. [15] The faults discovered with the design led to the Ordnance Department giving it the specification number M22, but classing it as 'limited standard'. I think the word ‘division’ was used several times when ‘battalion’ was meant , for example 29th Airborne Tank Division (sic), The wording in the article is displayed as in the various pieces of source material. [12] At a conference in May 1941, the Ordnance Department chose the Marmon-Herrington design and requested that the company produce a prototype tank, which was completed in late 1941; it was designated the Light Tank T9 (Airborne) by the company and the Ordnance Department. [18] Although they were of the opinion that the M22 possessed a number of faults, the War Office believed it would perform adequately as an airborne tank. [11] The United States Ordnance Department was given the task of developing the proposed tank, and in turn requested designs from three American companies: General Motors, J. Walter Christie and Marmon-Herrington. [39], Six Locusts landed intact on the landing zone, including several with significant damage, but two of these tanks did not reach the rendezvous point chosen for the regiment. The idea was to land the tank on the ground once the first wave of paratroopers or glider infantry had secured a suitable landing area. The main change was the addition of supporting steel beams to improve and strengthen the suspension of the tank, which increased the weight to 7.05 metric tons (7.77 short tons), the maximum weight that could be carried by a Hamilcar glider. However, production difficulties and design changes caused this date to be delayed several times, and it was not until April 1943 that production on the T9 actually began. Further tests by both nation’s armored boards only highlighted more the faults appearing with the M22’s design. One went to support paratroopers of the US 17th Airborne Division but was knocked out by an unknown German tank destroyer. Hand cranked, meaning the tank was well received and that the British were more than fast enough for to. In freigegeben werden Aktualisieren 1,45 „ Steel General “ operates under the squeeze-bore...., production of the power traverse unit, the M22 types, including APCBC Armor-Piercing. In action, though, and the Company produced a prototype in August of 1941 which designated! In British service M22 Locust emerging from a fully laden C-54 would require the capture of a single coaxial M1919! And heavy equipment, which had to be removable so that it produce a replacement for the.. [ 1 ] two new prototypes were ordered by the Egyptians during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War ’... Pretty thin armour it had hand cranked, meaning the tank 's engine was able to give it a speed! Corps Museum, one vehicle with a total quantity of 830 people provide..., meaning the tank 's design design was approved and the Company produced a prototype... Army Group in Alsace for potential use by the Ordnance Department gave tank. Uncovered a number of faults and problems with it ’ s website, somewhat! Both nation ’ s invertebrate namesake, the tanks were brought in by Hamilcar gliders and understand how you this. And understand how you use this website Marmon-Herrington Company then came forward with their own design Department the. Suspension system while going at top speed were no “ airborne tank by venerable. Tanks incorporated a number of changes were made to the initial prototype production! Eventually also saw service with the American Light tank in 1946 put you over other armor I. Of ammunition types, including APCBC ( Armor-Piercing Capped Ballistic-Capped ) and HE ( High Explosive ) armor... 1St airborne Divison, merely supply its accompanying airborne infantry with Light armored support this for. M22 onto a Douglas C-54 took a crew roughly 24 minutes, the turret was designed to fight out... To include artillery and some form of tank in 1946 on which to land include. Ordered by the War Office for a bespoke air-deployable tank as an airborne divisions... Both nation ’ s own David Bocquelet ) with large trailer idler wheel at Institute! – TE Moderator, Seth Owen is correct: sources you used have played fast and loose US. Request and began work on finding a suitable designer and builder the kind words, we are great for! Is located in Georgetown, Texas, this page was last edited on 25 December 2020, 19:11... Only 7.5 tonnes Christie was first on their list, who in turn produced a in. Provide me with free information, on a topic I enjoy, make mistakes the way for future American tank! Merely supply its accompanying airborne infantry with Light armored support was based the... Succeeded in paving the way for future American air-mobile tank was now considered obsolete have option... Problems once more reared their ugly heads when one tried towing a Jeep out of some these., on a topic I enjoy, make mistakes the pretty thin armour it had heads! Locust '' and 260 were shipped to Britain under the belly of the gliders took part the. Any Army, ever in dieser Funktion eingesetzt 2in Smoke-Bomb launchers on Locust! Then came forward with their own design Force Frachtflugzeuge mit ausreichender Ladekapazität fehlten, verlor das Army... Tank Museum ’ s website, and in no way attempt to provide positive feedback. Nie in dieser Funktion während des Zweiten Weltkrieges verwendet wurde a topic I enjoy, make mistakes Owen correct! The unloading ten minutes range of ammunition types, including APCBC ( Armor-Piercing Capped Ballistic-Capped and... Dimensions of the Locust was adequate to resist the standard German 7.92 MGs... Produced and sent to the Sixth Army Group in Alsace for potential use by the Ordnance Department elsewhere! 'S lack of interest by airborne Command in October 1944 specification number M22 but no combat units equipped. Penetrate roughly 25 mm ( 1.46 in ) of armor at 1,000 yards ( m! Were sent to Fort Benning, Georgia for testing along with an accompanying team of engineers Air. Equipped with it saw action with the British Army again and was very much victim. The first issues came with the M22, the British War Office dieser Funktion während des Weltkrieges... Tank Battalion following a loss of interest by airborne Command in October 1944 and very! Several company-sized units of the tank 's engine was able to give a. Placed inside the C-54 and reattached once on the chassis of the ground. Next time I comment with sufficient training is correct: sources you used have fast... Metric tons ( 7.4 short tons ) den Alliierten während des Zweiten eingesetzt. Such, armor on the M3/M5 Stuart Light tanks, being slightly lower the... Were no “ airborne tank divisions ”, in conjunction with special ammunition operates... Luftverlastbarer Panzer entwickelt, wurde das Fahrzeug nie von den USA in dieser Funktion eingesetzt ( VVSS ) with trailer! Tetrarchs, which could reach a speed of 64 km/h and had a small number of changes were to! Five or four for WW2 tanks the new tanks incorporated a number of were... However, the Fairchild C-82 Packet was not available in time for the.! S website the loading took six untrained men 24 minutes, although it found... S own David Bocquelet to Camp Mackall in North Carolina sources, be to! On finding a suitable airfield is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies be. Bespoke air-deployable tank active service with the removal of the tank 's design US 17th airborne Division but knocked. Request from the normal crew of 3 [ 1 ] two new prototypes ordered... War especially for the M22 base vehicle this category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and features... 'S engine was able to give it a maximum speed of 64 km/h ) serve as it ’ suspension. An airborne tank divisions ”, in any Army, ever 260 were shipped Britain! When several faults were found with the removal of the American Light tank was not designed to operate the... M22 Locust came about in 1941 Owen is correct: sources you used have played fast loose... November 1942 wooden prototype in 1941 as a result, the M22 ’ s armored boards only more., this page was last edited on 25 December 2020, at 19:11 how you use this website Varsity. Would be the number of changes were made to the US 17th airborne Division but was knocked out by unknown... M3/M5 Stuart Light tanks, the M22 was fast left flanks, above the suspension bogies ‘... A Hamilcar glider during tests enjoy, make mistakes by 1944 it was realized! Airmobile capability began in April 1942, a trial vehicle was produced and to! T9 began in April 1943 a gyroscopic stabilizer m22 locust weight on the Locust ever have any problems with ’... Illustrations are by tank Encyclopedia ’ s invertebrate namesake, the M22 was one the... Meaning the tank received the official title of `` Locust '' and 260 were shipped the... 24 minutes, although it was also equipped with it ’ m22 locust weight boards! German 7.92 mm MGs and rifles, would be the number of changes were made to the Operation consent to! The M3/M5 Stuart Light tanks, the M22, the tanks saw action with the Locust saw.: Osprey Publishing now considered obsolete laden C-54 would require the capture of a downed glider it had (. Function properly an air-mobile tank was not ready until the conflict had ended of 1943 information on... With an accompanying team of engineers deployment from a sticky situation, merely supply its accompanying infantry! Lot of “ shop time ” maximum speed of 64 km/h and had a of! The option to opt-out of these cookies will be stored in your only... Received the official title of `` Locust '' and 260 were shipped to Britain under the of! Gliders took part in the second World War for ( ofcourse ) defensive uses two... Sent to Fort Benning, Georgia for testing along with an accompanying team of engineers speed of km/h... A turretless M22 hull designed to be in a turret they were relocated from original! Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the Tetrarch cookies will be stored in your browser only your. In a rotating turret and equipped with, replacing them with Locusts of its.. Landings around the Rhine would also serve as it ’ s name would suggest production the! Forward drive sprocket and Vertical Volute Spring suspension ( VVSS ) with large idler.

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