T55E1 Motor Carriage
Encyclopedia
The T55E1 3-inch Gun Motor Carriage was a prototype
vehicle developed by the Allied Machinery Manufacturing Company in 1943 for the US Army. An eight wheel drive vehicle, the T55E1 was armed with one three-inch gun in a limited traverse mounting and a supporting .50 caliber machine gun.
with two engines at the rear.
There was sufficient interest from the Army for a contract for development as the T55. Testing led to modifications to the pilot as the T55E1. Further testing confirmed that it was not suitable and the T55EI was cancelled.
Power was from two Cadillac
eight-cylinder water-cooled engines. Production began in 1943, however by this time preference had shifted to anti-tank vehicles, and the T55E1 was cancelled.
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
vehicle developed by the Allied Machinery Manufacturing Company in 1943 for the US Army. An eight wheel drive vehicle, the T55E1 was armed with one three-inch gun in a limited traverse mounting and a supporting .50 caliber machine gun.
Development
Cook Brothers had developed an unusual vehicle for desert conditions. This had two four-wheel-drive bogies each with its own engine. Steering was by pivoting the front bogie. They then developed their design into a tank destroyerTank destroyer
A tank destroyer is a type of armored fighting vehicle armed with a gun or missile launcher, and is designed specifically to engage enemy armored vehicles...
with two engines at the rear.
There was sufficient interest from the Army for a contract for development as the T55. Testing led to modifications to the pilot as the T55E1. Further testing confirmed that it was not suitable and the T55EI was cancelled.
Power was from two Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
eight-cylinder water-cooled engines. Production began in 1943, however by this time preference had shifted to anti-tank vehicles, and the T55E1 was cancelled.