The Ford 3-ton tank, also known as the Ford Model 1918 (M1918) was one of the first tank designs by the U.S. It was a small two-man, one-gun tank. Essentially the first tankette, it was armed with an M1917 Marlin machine gun, later an M1919 Browning machine gun, and could reach a maximum speed of 8 mph (13 km/h). The 3-ton had a 17-US-gallon (64 L) tank that gave it a maximum range of 34 miles (55 km).
Design on the 3-ton tank started in mid-1917, before which American tank forces had been largely equipped with British or French examples. The 3-ton was a two-man tank designed so that American forces could use another tank besides the Renault FT in battle, and was designed around the FT but as a cheaper alternative. Its two Ford Model T engines were controlled by the driver, seated at the front with a gunner beside him who had control of a .30-06 (7.62×63mm) machine gun (either an M1917 Marlin machine gun or M1919 Browning machine gun) on a limited-traverse mount (21 degrees[2]) with approximately 550 rounds of ammunition.
Front view of the M1918
The initial production run of the 3-ton was of fifteen vehicles; one of these was sent to France for testing in October 1918.[2] Some of the vehicles were tested in France as 75mm artillery tractors from January 1919.[2]
A contract for 15,000 of these vehicles was awarded; however, the U.S. tank corps felt it did not meet the requirements they wanted. The contract for the 15,000 tanks was ended by the Armistice, leaving only the fifteen original vehicles produced. [3]
The French Army evaluated the Ford 3-ton tank and thought it inferior to the native Renault FT. However, the 3-ton tank was seen to have potential as a cheap, light, all-terrain artillery tractor, especially for batteries of the Canon de 75 modèle 1897. One thousand five-hundred 3-ton tanks were ordered from Ford but the Armistice occurred before any were delivered and the order was cancelled.[4]
A larger three-man version with a 37mm gun in a turret was ordered to address the failings of the 3-Ton tank[5]
There are two known survivors; one is at the U.S. Army Armor & Cavalry Collection at Fort Benning, Georgia; the other is with the Ordnance Collection at Fort Lee, Virginia.
^Forty, George; Livesey, Jack (2012). The Complete Guide to Tanks & Armoured Fighting Vehicles. Leicestershire: Arness publishing. p. 81. ISBN978-1-78019-164-5.
^Vauvillier, François (October–December 2009). "1916-18 des Chenilles pour le 75". Guerre, Blindes & Matériel (in French). 89: 74.
m1918, ford, tank, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, august, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources M1918 Ford 3 ton tank news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2017 Learn how and when to remove this message The Ford 3 ton tank also known as the Ford Model 1918 M1918 was one of the first tank designs by the U S It was a small two man one gun tank Essentially the first tankette it was armed with an M1917 Marlin machine gun later an M1919 Browning machine gun and could reach a maximum speed of 8 mph 13 km h The 3 ton had a 17 US gallon 64 L tank that gave it a maximum range of 34 miles 55 km Ford 3 tonTypeTankette Light tankPlace of originUnited StatesService historyIn service1918 1919Production historyDesignerUS Ordnance DepartmentNo built15SpecificationsMass3 tonsLength13 ft 8 in 4 17 m Width5 ft 6 in 1 68 m Height5 ft 3 in 1 60 m Crew2 Driver and gunner Armor1 4 to 1 2 inchesMainarmamentM1917 Marlin machine gun or M1919 Browning machine gunEngineTwo Ford Model T engines 1 45 hp 34 kW Power weight10 4 hp t 7 8 kW t Operationalrange55 km 34 mi Maximum speed12 8 km h 8 mph Contents 1 History 2 Survivors 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory editDesign on the 3 ton tank started in mid 1917 before which American tank forces had been largely equipped with British or French examples The 3 ton was a two man tank designed so that American forces could use another tank besides the Renault FT in battle and was designed around the FT but as a cheaper alternative Its two Ford Model T engines were controlled by the driver seated at the front with a gunner beside him who had control of a 30 06 7 62 63mm machine gun either an M1917 Marlin machine gun or M1919 Browning machine gun on a limited traverse mount 21 degrees 2 with approximately 550 rounds of ammunition nbsp Front view of the M1918 The initial production run of the 3 ton was of fifteen vehicles one of these was sent to France for testing in October 1918 2 Some of the vehicles were tested in France as 75mm artillery tractors from January 1919 2 A contract for 15 000 of these vehicles was awarded however the U S tank corps felt it did not meet the requirements they wanted The contract for the 15 000 tanks was ended by the Armistice leaving only the fifteen original vehicles produced 3 The French Army evaluated the Ford 3 ton tank and thought it inferior to the native Renault FT However the 3 ton tank was seen to have potential as a cheap light all terrain artillery tractor especially for batteries of the Canon de 75 modele 1897 One thousand five hundred 3 ton tanks were ordered from Ford but the Armistice occurred before any were delivered and the order was cancelled 4 A larger three man version with a 37mm gun in a turret was ordered to address the failings of the 3 Ton tank 5 Survivors edit nbsp M1918 at the U S Army Armor amp Cavalry Collection There are two known survivors one is at the U S Army Armor amp Cavalry Collection at Fort Benning Georgia the other is with the Ordnance Collection at Fort Lee Virginia See also editMark VIII tank Renault FT Tanks of the United States History of the tank History of Ford Motor Company List of Ford vehiclesReferences edit Ford M1918 3 ton tank Historical Firearms February 24 2018 retrieved February 26 2018 a b c Chamberlain amp Ellis 2002 p167 Forty George Livesey Jack 2012 The Complete Guide to Tanks amp Armoured Fighting Vehicles Leicestershire Arness publishing p 81 ISBN 978 1 78019 164 5 Vauvillier Francois October December 2009 1916 18 des Chenilles pour le 75 Guerre Blindes amp Materiel in French 89 74 Chamberlian amp Ellis 2002 p168 Hogg I V Weeks J 1980 The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Military Vehicles Chamberlain Peter Ellis Chris 2002 1972 Tanks of the World 1915 1945 Cassell External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ford 3 Ton M1918 tanks Ford 3 Ton tank 1918 Ford M1918 WWI Tank Vehicles Fiddlersgreen net Retrieved 18 August 2017 Ford Model 1918 3 ton M1918 Light Tank Combat Vehicle Militaryfactory com Retrieved 18 August 2017 nbsp This military vehicle article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title M1918 Ford 3 ton tank amp oldid 1220628882, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
