Categories: Photogaleries

T-18E2 BOARHOUND gallery

Yellow Coach Division of General Motors was the creator of this “monster on wheels” as it was called after its public appearance. The appearance of the vehicle was overwhelming, but arrived too late for the theater of operations for which it had been designed. Only 30 examples were delivered and carried out minor missions of convoy escort or reconnaissance, not being able to face in combat against the Afrika Korps.
This is the only Boarhound that has survived and belongs to the Bovington Tank Museum’s collection. Although the British Army placed an order of about 2,500 units, finally and due to high production costs and poor mobility in difficult terrain, only 30 vehicles entered service at the end of 1942, too late to prove their worth in combat over the Desert.
T-18E2 Boarhound was one of the first armoured car with 8×8 layout, and despite this wheel drive arrangement, its mobility was not as good as expected. On the other hand the protection and armament was on the same level as the medium tanks of that moment. The turret was hydraulically traversed and the gun was the 57mm M-1 Mk.III, an American version of the British QF 6-pdr 7 cwt anti-tank gun.
The mobility of this heavy vehicle was entrusted to two 125 hp GMC engines located at the rear. Drive was through a selective speed transmission with torque converter, and both front axles were steered, but the 250 hp was not enough to easily move such a mass through the huge wheels of 14.00 x 20 inches.
Javier

Share
Published by
Javier