M7 Priest 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage

Suite à l' expérience de l' installation d' obusier de 105 mm sur des véhicules semi-chenillés, l' US Army décida de réaliser une version entièrement chenillée. Le projet de l' obusier de 105 mm automoteur débuta en 1941. L' obusier de campagne standard US M1A2 fut installé au centre (un peu décalé vers la droite) d' une superstructure ouverte montée sur le châssis du Medium Tank M3.

Following the experiment of the installation of howitzer of 105 mm on half-tracked vehicles, US Army decided to realize an entirely tracked version. The project of the motorized howitzer of 105 mm began in 1941. The standard field howitzer US M1A2 was installed in the center (a little shifted towards the right) of an open superstructure assembled on the chassis of Medium Tank M3.

Baldwin présenta deux prototypes T32, qui après l' ajout d' une coupole pour une mitrailleuse antiaérienne de 12.7 mm furent standardisés en tant que M7 HMC en février 1942.

Baldwin presented two T32 prototypes, which after the addition of a cupola for an anti-aircraft machine-gun of 12.7 mm were standardized as M7 HMC in February 1942.


M7 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage (Patton Museum)
Copyright 1993-2004 Masa Narita

M7 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage
(Patton Museum)

Le M7 HMC fut produit par les firmes American Locomotive Co. (Alco) et Federal Machine et Welder Co. Alors que le M7B1 fut produit par Pressed Steel Car.

M7 HMC was produced by the firms American Locomotive Co (Alco) and Federal Machine and Welder Co. Whereas the M7B1 was produced by Pressed Steel Car.

Un total de 3314 M7 furent produits entre avril 1942 et 1944 alors que 826 M7B1 furent produits entre mars 1944 et février 1945.

On tenta d' installer sur un M7B1, le canon britannique de 25-pdr Mark II (88 mm). Mais avant que le prototype T32 ne fut finalisé, des meilleures conceptions avaient vues le jour.

A total of 3314 M7 were produced between April 1942 and 1944 whereas 826 M7B1 were produced between March 1944 and February 1945.

One tried to install on a M7B1, the British gun of 25-pdr Mark II (88 mm). But before the T32 prototype was finalized, best designs had been born.

Prototype T32

src: site US WWII Vehicles