Quadmount
Encyclopedia
The M45 Quadmount was a weapon mounting consisting of four M2 Browning machine guns mounted in pairs on each side of an electrically powered turret. It was built by the Maxon Manufacturing Co. of New York to replace the earlier M33 twin mount.
during World War II. These battalions provided invaluable air defense to much larger units, particularly field artillery. The Quad-50 units served as a very strong deterrent to strafing runs by enemy warplanes as, in addition to their gross firepower, the four 50 caliber barrels were capable of being "tuned" to converge upon a single point at distances which could be reset 'on the fly'.
The M45 found use throughout the war as a land-based weapon, particularly during the Battle of the Bulge
. But contrary to popular belief the Germans maintained a viable air presence until and even after the Allies entered Germany, albeit only for the most critical missions, such as the massive Operation Bodenplatte
New Year's Day 1945 attack. At Oppenheim, when the Allies were gathering to make a massive push after crossing the River Rhine, 248 German warplanes were used in an effort to destroy the bridge first. U.S. Army anti-aircraft artillery battalions massed, shot down 30% of the attacking force mainly with Quad-50s and prevented the bridge from being touched before Patton led the U.S. Third Army into Germany.
The TCM-20 was a postwar Israeli development of the M45 mount, equipped with two 20mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404
cannon in lieu of machine guns. In frontline Israeli service, it was replaced by the M163 Vulcan Air Defense System
in the 1970s, but some reserve units still had TCM-20s in the 1980s. The weapon was also exported to several third-world countries.
The M45 can be combined with a variety of towed or self-propelled mounts. It can be combined with the M20 trailer, a light single axle trailer, or with the M17 trailer, a heavier tandem axle trailer based on a searchlight platform. When combined with the M17 trailer it was called the M51 Multiple Machine Gun Carriage, and when combined with the M20 trailer it was called the M55 Machine Gun Trailer Mount.
It can also be combined with the M3 Halftrack for greater mobility, in which it was called the M16 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage.
The "tombstone" ammunition cans hold 200 rounds apiece.
History
The Quad-50 was the principal weapon, along with the 40mm Bofors gun, of the many hundreds of highly mobile anti-aircraft artillery battalions deployed in the European Theater of OperationsEuropean Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...
during World War II. These battalions provided invaluable air defense to much larger units, particularly field artillery. The Quad-50 units served as a very strong deterrent to strafing runs by enemy warplanes as, in addition to their gross firepower, the four 50 caliber barrels were capable of being "tuned" to converge upon a single point at distances which could be reset 'on the fly'.
The M45 found use throughout the war as a land-based weapon, particularly during the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
. But contrary to popular belief the Germans maintained a viable air presence until and even after the Allies entered Germany, albeit only for the most critical missions, such as the massive Operation Bodenplatte
Operation Bodenplatte
Operation Bodenplatte launched on 1 January 1945, was an attempt by the Luftwaffe to cripple Allied air forces in the Low Countries during the Second World War. The goal of Bodenplatte was to gain air superiority during the stagnant stage of the Battle of the Bulge, to allow the German Army and...
New Year's Day 1945 attack. At Oppenheim, when the Allies were gathering to make a massive push after crossing the River Rhine, 248 German warplanes were used in an effort to destroy the bridge first. U.S. Army anti-aircraft artillery battalions massed, shot down 30% of the attacking force mainly with Quad-50s and prevented the bridge from being touched before Patton led the U.S. Third Army into Germany.
TCM-20
Hispano-Suiza HS.404
The Hispano-Suiza HS.404 was an autocannon widely used as both an aircraft and land weapon in the 20th century by British, American, French, and numerous other military services. The cannon is also referred to as Birkigt type 404, after its designer. Firing a 20 mm caliber projectile, it delivered...
cannon in lieu of machine guns. In frontline Israeli service, it was replaced by the M163 Vulcan Air Defense System
M163 VADS
The M163 Vulcan Air Defense System is a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun that was used by the United States Army. The M168 gun is a variant of the General Dynamics 20 mm M61 Vulcan rotary cannon, the standard cannon in most US combat aircraft since the 1960s, mounted on either an armored...
in the 1970s, but some reserve units still had TCM-20s in the 1980s. The weapon was also exported to several third-world countries.
Mountings
It can also be combined with the M3 Halftrack for greater mobility, in which it was called the M16 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage.
Operation
The M45 is operated by two loaders and one gunner. The mount is capable of traversing a full 360 degrees around, with an angle elevation between -10 and +90 degrees. Traverse, and elevation are electrically driven, powered by two 6 volt batteries that can be recharged by a generator.The "tombstone" ammunition cans hold 200 rounds apiece.
See also
- G-numbers
- DTM-4
- M3 Half-trackM3 Half-trackThe Carrier, Personnel Half-track M3 was an armored vehicle used by the United States, the British Empire and the other Allies during World War II and the Cold War. Nearly 43,000 were produced, and supplied to the U.S...
- Flakvierling 38, on a Sd.Kfz. 7/1 half-track
External links
- M45 Quadmount
- http://www.100thww2.org/support/898/898equ.html
- http://www.antiaircraft.org/M13.htm
- http://www.skylighters.org/quad50/index.html
- http://www.rt66.com/~korteng/SmallArms/50quad.htm
- http://www.airdefenseartillery.com/online/Antiaircraft%20Command%201946/Antiaircraft%20Journal/AAA%20Jounnal%20Homepage.htm
- http://www.footnote.com/image/55724004/#48492825 on m-17 trailer