Gun Motor Carriage M18 (Hellcat)

Designation: Gun Motor Carriage M18 (Hellcat)
Classification Type: Tank Destroyer / Gun Motor Carriage
Contractor: General Motors Company - USA
Country of Origin: United States
Initial Year of Service: 1943
Number Built: Not Available

The M18 Hellcat was one of the most successful tank destroyers of World War 2.

The M18 "Hellcat" (or known officially as the "Gun Motor Carriage M18") was a classical example of American tank destroyer efforts in World War 2. The system, much like the M10 Wolverine that preceded it, featured a powerful main gun and an open-topped turret. Where it differed from previous designs was that the M18 Hellcat had amazing speed for a tank of this type, a more powerful version of the main gun found in the Wolverine and a lower silhouette than its predecessor - making it a hard target to kill outright.

The M18 developed as a true tan destroyer from the start, where as the M10 Wolverine was merely a conversion of the M4A2 Sherman tank chassis. The Hellcat could be seen fitted with the M1A1 or the M1A2 gun barrels - the latter differentiated by a muzzle break attachment - and were further developments of the base 76mm armament found on the M10. Additional self-defense and anti-aircraft firepower came from a single pintle-mounted .50 caliber heavy machine gun. The crew operated in an open top turret and thusly were vulnerable to incoming enemy fire and the elements. Armor protection all around was inadequate and thus the M18 had to depend on complimentary battlefield support and its own speed to avoid destruction.

The fast-moving M18 (becoming the fastest tracked vehicle of war) was powered by a single air-cooled Continental R-975 C1 radial actually based on a pre-existing aircraft engine development. The powerplant provided a flat road speed of up to 55 miles per hour and a range of 105 miles.

Production of the M18 Hellcat ran for just over one year to which some 2,500 examples were in circulation. As the was dwindled down, so did the need for dedicated tank destroyers and, as such, new developments stemmed from the M18 chassis including fast reconnaissance vehicles and people movers. Additional experimentation led to moot models such as the 105mm howitzer gun carriage. A distinct production model to emerge in the M18 Hellcat line was the flamethrower platform designated as the Flame Tank T65.