[烛光生存狂]-M22空降坦克及空降坦克营

The US Army considered forming special airborne tank units after the successful use of German paratroops at Eben in 1940 and Crete in 1941. With the development of the T9 airborne tank underway ,in February 1943,the develop suitable training and doctrine in cooperation with the Airborne a battalion-sized formation due to the airlift problem,so the first unit was trimmed down to a company.The 151st Airborne Tank Company was activated at Ft.Knox on August 15,1943,followed by th 28th AirbornTank Battalion on December 6,1943.

在德军把空降部队成功的运用于1940年的艾本·艾迈尔堡垒、1941年的克里特岛的作战后，美军决定组建一支特别空降坦克部队。T9型空降坦克亦开始研制，1943年2月，在逐渐进行的训练当中和在理论上发现，配合空降营级规模的部队会引起运输机的问题，所以，第一个组建的部队降为一个连。第151空降坦克连于1943年8月15日在诺克斯堡组建完成，紧接着，于1943年9月6日组建了第28空降坦克营。

In spite of considerable enthusiasm within the army for the concept, the Marmon Herrington T9 airborn tank proved to be so disappointing from a technical standpoint,that enthusiasm soon wanded.The 151st Airborn Tank Company was not available in time for deployment with airborn units on D-Day,and in July 1944 was transferred from Ft.Knox to Camp Mackall,Noth Carolion, where in was quickly forgotten. The 28th Airborn Tank Battlion was reorganized as a conventional tank battalion in October 1944,The T9E1 airborn tank was finally accepted for servise as the M22 airborn tank, and apparently a small number were sent to the 6th Army Group in 1944 in Alsace for potential use. However,no airborn tank unit was deployed in combat during the war.

陆军内部对这样的构想有相当大的热情，但是从技术角度来看，马尔蒙-赫灵顿T9型空降坦克非常令人失望，热情很快就消退了。第151空降坦克连没有及时有效的作为一支空降部投入到D日的作战当中，在1944年的6月从诺克斯堡运到了北卡罗来纳（Carolion）的麦考尔训练营并很快的在那里被遗忘。第28空降坦克营在1944年10月被重编为一个常规的坦克营。T9E1型空降坦克最终被定型为M22型空降坦克，并且可能有少数在1944年被送往位于阿尔萨斯的第6集团军并可能使用过。但是，在战争当中，没有一支空降坦克部队被部署过。

The battalion was lighter than a conventional light tank battalion, having no service company and very few supporting vehicles. It was presumed that the unit would be used on short-duration missions and that the battalion could be supported at least in part by the airboren divisions it was supporting.

这个营比普通的轻型坦克营装备轻量化，没有后勤保障连和非常少的支援车辆。这个假设是这个单位将投入于短期的战斗任务。以及，坦克营至少是空降师的一部分，并且由其支援（还是支援空降师，不清楚主语，不好意思）

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The Germans in 1940 had proven authoritatively the effectiveness of the airborne units. Taking account of these successes, the Americans decided to work out a light tank able to provide direct fire support to these units.

In February 1941, Ordnance Department (ministry for the Armament) will organize a conference joining together the general staff and the members of the air and armoured forces. The purpose of this meeting was to define the specifications of the future model. To make possible its air transport, the future tank was to weigh to the maximum 6.8 tons. This data was increased later to 7.2 tons. Three firms were contacted and it was the project of the Marmon-Herrington firm which gained the setting. This firm had good experience in the light tanks since it produced some since 1935 for the Marines Corps and export. The last models produced by this firm were the CTLS armed only with machine-guns and the CTMS and MTLS armed for the first of a gun of 37 mm and for the second of two twinned guns of 37 mm. Some CTLS under T16 name were used like tanks of training by US Army. Marmon-Herrington then adopted for its tanks the suspension with vertical helical springs which was extended to the airborne vehicles.

This suspension included two bogie trucks and a idler with drawn arm to increase the distribution of the weight. This provision had weaknesses and it was reinforced initially by a large member and then by a smaller bar to gain the maximum of weight. The front sprocket-wheels were pulled by a Lycoming engine of 6 cylinders developing 162 hp and cooled by air. The hull was made up of plates welded between them whose shielding did not exceed 25 mm. The turret was moulded and was with assisted command. The armament was made up of the gun of 37 mm M6 and a coaxial machine-gun of 7.62 mm. Two other 7.62 mm machine-guns were assembled on the front-right part of the hull. The shielding of the turret also did not exceed the 25 mm. The first prototype baptized T9, presented at the end of 1941, was considered to be too heavy and a reduced version was produced at once, the T9E1. Two pilot models were finalized in January 1942. On this new model, the hull and the turret were refitted to improve their ballistic profile and the assisted command of the turret. The two bow machine-gunswere removed. The chassis was also reduced and the tank weighed now only 7.4 tons, which was considered to be acceptable. These tanks were tested within the 28th Airborne Tank Battalion. A first order of 500 specimens was carried out in April 1942 before the tests begin! On the whole 1900 specimens were envisaged.

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DESIGN CONCEPT AND DEVELOPMENT

World War II strategists in the U.S. became aware of the effectiveness of airborne assault forces by studying German victories achieved in Europe. They were also aware of the vulnerability of lightly armed airborne infantry alone and behind enemy lines without direct support from a main force. Because of increasing interest in an air delivered light tank by experienced field commanders and the British, the Ordinance Department formulated a design concept requiring the development of a light tank that would aid airborne units during critical mission phases and be sufficiently light in weight to be delivered by airborne means. The light tank would support the airborne infantry until reinforcements from the main force arrived. In May of 1941 design began on the M22 Locust light tank at the Marmon-Herrington Company. Production began in April 1943 and ended in February 1944 with a total production of 830 tanks. Under lend-lease, 260 Locusts were given to the British.

ENGINEERING CHARACTERISTICS

The M22 was constructed of steel plate using welding as opposed to riveting technology. Riveted construction methods had long since fallen from favor because of the disastrous propensity of rivets to bounce around inside the vehicle when the outside rivet head was sheared by anti-tank munitions. The front armor was 1 inch thick with the sides being approximately 1/2 inch plate. The sloped front and sides added additional protection by helping deflect projectiles upward. The armor is minimal because of stringent weight requirements limiting the vehicle to less then 16000 lbs. Weapons included a single 37mm main gun and coaxial 30 caliber machine gun. Original models of the vehicle had more machine guns which were abandoned in the final design because of weight limitations.

The box structure on the left front of the vehicle is the driver's hatch and vision port. The vehicle was equipped with M6 periscopes on the driver's hatch and the turret. The front drive sprocket was powered by the transmission unit and engaged a steel track. Four road wheels connected to a volute spring suspension provided support for the vehicle. The rear idler wheel provided minimal vehicle support and was used to control track tension. Ground contact pressure was 6.41lbs/sq.in., quite low for a tank. The vehicle dimensions are: length 12ft. 11in., width 7ft. 3.

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