Long before the end of World War II, the American command realized that the existing half-track armored personnel carriers did not meet modern requirements and therefore needed to be replaced. It was supposed to build a new technique of this purpose using different ideas and solutions, as well as on the basis of completely different concepts. As part of the first attempt to create such a technique, the M44 armored personnel carrier was created, which was built in a relatively small series and was used to a limited extent by the troops.
The existing armored personnel carriers had a number of serious shortcomings. The bulk of such equipment was a fairly old machine with a half-track undercarriage. Such armored personnel carriers did not have a high level of protection, and also had restrictions on mobility and capacity. As a result, by the fall of 1944, the need to create new technology of this class ceased to be a subject of controversy, the issue of launching new projects was resolved. On November 9, the military department issued an order to start the development of the project with the symbol T13. In the future, such a machine, which differs from the existing ones in most of the features, could become the main means of transporting personnel.
Experienced M44 armored personnel carrier in a training battle. Photo Afvdb.50megs.com
The T13 armored personnel carrier was supposed to take on board from 18 to 22 soldiers with weapons, not counting the crew, and have a combat mass of 17.7 tons. It was proposed to equip the vehicle with a power plant borrowed from the M24 Chaffee light tank. Thus, she had to receive two Cadillac V-8 engines and a Hydramatic transmission. The maximum speed of the armored vehicle on the highway was supposed to reach 55 km / h, the cruising range was 400 km. The car was to be driven by a crew of two. Protection was assigned to armor up to 12.7 mm thick. Armament - one heavy machine gun on a turret. On the basis of such a machine, it was also necessary to make a tracked unarmored transport. This version of the technique received the designation T33.
Over the next few months, army and industry specialists worked together on various points of promising projects. By the beginning of the spring of 1945, conclusions were drawn that determined the further fate of the development. Calculations showed that the proposal to use the power plant of the light tank M24 does not allow obtaining the required mobility. On March 22, an order was received to terminate work on the T13 / T33 project. This order also indicated the need to continue the development of armored personnel carriers, but now in such projects it was necessary to use the power units from the M18 Hellcat self-propelled artillery unit.
The E13 car as seen by the artist. Figure Hunnicutt, R. P. "Bradley: A History of American Fighting and Support Vehicles"
On April 5, 1945, a new project was officially launched. Taking into account the updated requirements, a new version of the armored personnel carrier called T16 should have been created. The development of the project was entrusted to the Cadillac Motor Car Division of General Motors Corp. In the near future, she should have presented a finished project of a promising vehicle for transporting soldiers, and then build a number of prototypes. In addition to the original task of transporting soldiers with weapons in the new project, it was required to take into account the possibility of using the machine in new qualities. So, until a certain time it was supposed to make the T16 the basis for a promising self-propelled mortar.
Using the basic developments on the already finished, but canceled project, the contractor company created a new machine in the shortest possible time. At the same time, some ideas were used in the T16 project aimed at improving the main characteristics. In particular, it was possible to increase the capacity of the troop compartment and improve some other parameters. Despite a slight increase in size and weight, the mobility of the armored personnel carrier had to meet the requirements due to the power plant used.
General view of one of the experienced M44. Photo Afvdb.50megs.com
Already on April 12, the military department approved the assembly of experimental equipment. The first batch of six vehicles was to be taken out for testing in June. In the future, the construction of new prototypes was not ruled out, which could be followed by a full-fledged mass production in the interests of rearmament of the army.
The technical requirements for the original T13 project stipulated the need to transport 18-22 soldiers with weapons. Within the framework of the T16 project, the possibility was found to increase the number of paratroopers to 24. Such results were achieved through the correct layout of the hull and the optimization of the use of its internal spaces. It is noteworthy that similar ideas of the new project, affecting the placement of the internal units of the hull, were later used in the course of creating a number of other machines of a similar purpose. It can even be argued that the T16 BTR was the first such vehicle of a modern appearance, created in the United States.
Diagram of an armored personnel carrier. Figure Hunnicutt, R. P. "Bradley: A History of American Fighting and Support Vehicles"
A promising armored personnel carrier received a welded body made of armored steel, which has a characteristic shape. The frontal projection was protected by several sheets with a thickness of 9, 5 to 16 mm, placed at different angles to the vertical. There were also vertical sides with a thickness of 12.7 mm. The maximum thickness of the stern parts was 12.7 mm. The hull had an inclined upper frontal part that mated with the roof. The latter was distinguished by a reduced width and was connected to the vertical sides by means of side inclined sheets. The main means of increasing the internal volume of the car were the developed fenders, which run along the entire length of the hull.
The layout of the T16 armored personnel carrier hull was determined in accordance with the intended role on the battlefield, as well as taking into account the maximum safety of the crew and troops. The front part of the hull was supposed to accommodate a large engine compartment, next to which the control compartment was located. All other volumes of the hull were given over to an oversized troop compartment. Under the upper habitable volume, a smaller lower one was provided, located at the level of the chassis. There were fuel tanks, batteries, a generator, etc.
View to the starboard side. Photo by Hunnicutt, R. P. "Bradley: A History of American Fighting and Support Vehicles"
The T16 project was supposed to use the power units of the M18 self-propelled gun. For installation in a new case, the existing systems had to be significantly modified. In particular, this was due to the placement of all devices in a single compartment. In the front part of the hull was placed a radial nine-cylinder Continental R-975-D4 gasoline engine with a capacity of 400 hp. It was mated to a 900AD Torqmatic transmission that provided three forward speeds and one reverse. As in the case of the serial self-propelled gun, the transmission provided torque to the front drive wheels. However, the engine and transmission were no longer connected by a propeller shaft underneath the habitable compartment.
The undercarriage of the armored personnel carrier was based on units of serial equipment. On each side of the hull there were six double road wheels. The rollers had independent torsion bar suspension. In addition, four rollers on each side (with the exception of the two middle ones) received additional shock absorbers. The driving wheels of the lantern gearing were placed in the front of the hull, and in the stern there were track tension mechanisms with guide wheels. Each side also housed four supporting rollers.
View from above. Photo by Hunnicutt, R. P."Bradley: A History of American Fighting and Support Vehicles"
In front of the hull of the T16 armored vehicle, the crew's workplaces were located. Due to the placement of the engine in the center of the hull, the driver and the shooter had to be on opposite sides of the motor casing. At the left side there was a driver who had a full-fledged control post at his disposal. Near the starboard side, in turn, was placed the shooter. He could use a machine gun in a course setting. The driver and the shooter had to get into their places using their own hatches in the roof. Three fairly large viewing devices were provided next to the hatches. The commander was placed in a separate place in front of the troop compartment. A hexagonal turret with optical devices on all faces was installed above its place. The turret roof was hinged and served as a hatch.
Most of the internal volume of the hull was given to the troop compartment. On the bottom sheet of the fenders, it was proposed to install the seats of long benches. For greater convenience, these benches had a narrow long back, fixed on the side of the hull. Two more landing shops were in the center of the squad. Thus, the armored personnel carrier could carry 24 paratroopers, located in four rows. The T16 project provided for advanced boarding and escaping facilities. In the rear of the hull there were two doors located at the aisles between the shops. For greater convenience, there were folding steps under the aft hatches. Two more hatches were located in the central part of the fenders. The hatches were covered with two covers: the upper one folded up to the center of the car, the lower one - forward in the direction of travel. On the bottom hatch cover there was a structure that held a part of the bench back. Thus, the presence of side hatches did not affect the comfort of the paratroopers while on the move.
Fenders niches ran along the entire length of the hull. Photo by Hunnicutt, R. P. "Bradley: A History of American Fighting and Support Vehicles"
A promising armored personnel carrier received machine-gun armament, necessary for self-defense and fire support for the dismounted movement. In the frontal sheet of the hull, on the starboard side, there was a ball mount with an M1919A4 machine gun of rifle caliber. Machine gun ammunition consisted of 1000 rounds. The gun was controlled manually by the shooter. The course machine gun was supplemented with a 12.7 mm anti-aircraft M2HB. The heavy machine gun was mounted on a T107 turret. It was placed in the aft part of the roof above its own hatch. If necessary, the hatch cover was folded to the right, allowing the shooter to rise and control the machine gun.
The paratroopers had the opportunity to fire from their personal weapons. For this, a set of embrasures was provided in the sides of the troop compartment. One such device, equipped with a sliding cover, was located in front of the side hatches, three behind them. Two more embrasures were mounted in the stern sheet at the sides, on the sides of the doors. Actually, the doors did not receive such equipment.
Port side and stern. Photo by Hunnicutt, R. P. "Bradley: A History of American Fighting and Support Vehicles"
The new T16 project differed from the previous T13 in a number of characteristic features, primarily in the increased size of the troop compartment. This led to a noticeable increase in the size and weight of the equipment. The length of the armored personnel carrier reached 6, 51 m, width - 2, 44 m, height on the roof - 2, 54 m. Height, taking into account the commander's cupola - 3, 03 m. The combat weight reached 23 tons against 17, 7 tons, set by the initial technical requirements customer.
The 400-horsepower engine was supposed to provide a power-to-weight ratio of 17.4 hp. per ton, which made it possible to count on high mobility. The maximum speed on the highway was supposed to reach 51 km / h, the cruising range was determined at the level of 290 km. The machine could climb a slope with a steepness of 30 ° or a wall with a height of 61 cm. It was possible to overcome a trench with a width of 2.1 m. The turning radius was at least 13 m.
Inhabited compartment. On the left - a view of the stern, on the right - forward. Photo by Hunnicutt, R. P."Bradley: A History of American Fighting and Support Vehicles"
In April 1945, the American military department ordered the construction of an experimental batch of six armored vehicles with the delivery of equipment until June inclusive. The Cadillac Company easily coped with this task and provided all the required armored personnel carriers on time. Soon, the equipment entered the landfill and confirmed the calculated characteristics. The T16 BTR, even in the very first version, could indeed transport a whole platoon of soldiers along the highway or rough terrain, protect it from small arms and support it with machine gun fire. At the same time, the arrows could attack two targets at the same time, which could give certain advantages in a combat situation.
Tests of new technology continued until the very end of World War II. After the surrender of Japan, the tests were continued. Around this time, the experienced T16 armored personnel carrier received the new designation Armored Utility Vehicle M44. Interestingly, the promising armored personnel carrier was designated as "General purpose armored vehicle" or "Auxiliary armored vehicle". Testing of six prototypes continued at the Aberdeen and Fort Knox test sites. In the course of these works, the capabilities of the new technology were tested, and the methods of its combat use in certain conditions were determined. Taking into account the experience of these events, the military planned to develop strategies for the operation of new equipment on the battlefield.
Armored personnel carrier with open side hatches. Photo by Hunnicutt, R. P. "Bradley: A History of American Fighting and Support Vehicles"
Experienced T16 / M44 armored personnel carriers performed well, but the adoption of such equipment for service was considered impossible. For certain reasons, one of the main advantages of the car has become a fatal flaw. By the fall of 1945, the US command had updated the requirements for armored vehicles intended for the transport of soldiers. An armored personnel carrier with the ability to transport an entire platoon did not meet the updated requirements: now the military wanted to operate vehicles that took only one squad on board. Nevertheless, the car was accepted for trial operation, although it was not accepted into service as a full-fledged model. Vehicles with the status of Limited standart were used only at landfills and were not going to be put into series. The transfer of machines to combat units was also excluded.
Tests of six combat vehicles continued until the fall of 1946, when a proposal appeared to carry out modernization, taking into account the accumulated experience. On October 31, an order was issued to finalize the existing project in order to correct the identified deficiencies and improve some of the characteristics. This version of the "general purpose armored vehicle" was named M44E1. The purpose of the new project was to improve the existing technology for some research and testing. The adoption of the armored vehicle for service was still not planned.
One of six prototypes during testing. Photo Military-vehicle-photos.com
In the front engine compartment, it was now proposed to mount the Continental AOS-895-1 engine with 500 hp. The existing transmission was replaced with the CD-500 system. The undercarriage received a new wider track. An updated hatch appeared in the roof, which, as was supposed, made it possible to abandon the side ones. The anti-aircraft heavy machine gun was also removed from the roof. The customer considered that such changes would to some extent improve the usability and the basic characteristics of the machine.
At least one prototype of the basic version was converted according to the M44E1 project and subsequently tested. Indeed, some of the characteristics of the technique have improved. First of all, the mobility of technology has increased slightly. However, the rest of the updated design of the armored personnel carrier did not differ much from the original vehicle. All the main characteristics remained almost unchanged, which did not give noticeable advantages over the base M44.
M44 and its troops. Photo from Life magazine
The promising tracked armored personnel carriers M44 and M44E1 had rather high characteristics and could be of interest to the army. However, during the testing of this technology, a potential customer in the person of the US Army changed his views on new armored personnel carriers. An armored vehicle capable of carrying a platoon of infantrymen was no longer of interest to the military. Now they wanted a smaller sample that could accommodate a smaller number of soldiers, namely an infantry squad. No modifications to existing projects allowed the T16 / M44 to meet such requirements. As a result, it could not be put into service and go into mass production.
After the completion of the tests, six built armored vehicles were decommissioned, and soon went for disassembly. Some sources mention the use of such a technique during the Korean War, but there is no confirmation of this. Most likely, the M44 simply did not survive until the beginning of this conflict, since they were disassembled by the beginning of the fifties.
Experienced M44E1. Photo by Hunnicutt, R. P. "Bradley: A History of American Fighting and Support Vehicles"
The further development of the American tracked armored personnel carriers went with the use of some developments on the M44 project, but now the equipment was created taking into account the updated requirements. All new American armored personnel carriers were smaller than their predecessor and accommodated a different number of soldiers. Thus, the first project of a modern look in this area did not give real results and did not lead to the beginning of the immediate rearmament of the army, but made it possible to determine the prospects for certain solutions that were subsequently used to create new equipment.
