M1921 (U.S. Ordnance M1921 Medium Tank)

History of the M1921 (US Ordnance M1921 Medium Tank)

American tank doctrine and its design/development principles were largely influenced by British leadership in the field. Thus, the tanks that appeared in the decade following the First World War (1914-1918) were largely influenced by the British. In 1919, the U.S. Army began theoretical research that included tanks based on weight classes, each with a specific role on the battlefield.

Lightly armored, lightly armed and armored for reconnaissance and infantry support work. The heavy tank type would form the bulk of the armored force, responsible for engaging directly with enemy positions and armor.

The medium tank was then envisioned as an attack aircraft capable of breaking through enemy lines and attacking along the exposed sides and rear of enemy positions.

The British adopted this doctrine as early as World War I, when they paired the heavier diamond heavy tank with the more agile Mk A "Whippet" medium tank to outsmart the enemy. This gave rise to the concept of WWII British "cruiser" and "infantry" tanks, from which many types developed to fill these roles.

Cruiser tanks are lighter development vehicles, while infantry tanks are tasked with traversing the enemy.

With this, Army engineers began work on an indigenous medium tracked combat vehicle that later became the "M1921", a one-off 23-ton test vehicle (prototype) built at Rock Island Arsenal. This model was used in a developmental sense, but was seen as a long-term replacement for the old foreign-born French and British tanks that were heavily adopted during the First World War. Unlike the early British tanks, the Americans took the French route and adopted a turret-style main gun weapon design.

The main armament is a 57mm anti-tank gun based on the British 6-pounder. Secondary armament includes 2 x .30 caliber Browning machine guns for infantry defense. The armor protects the riveted steel structure up to 25 mm, and the operator is 2 people.

Power is provided by a 250-horsepower Murray & Tregurtha engine that can reach speeds of up to 10 mph on ideal surfaces.

The vehicle was tested at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland in 1922 under the designation "US Ordnance M1921 Medium Tank".

Also in 1922 came the "M1922", a slightly improved design based on the M1921 but with a British suspension system. Other changes include a raised rear fuselage structure and an overall elongated fuselage. Efforts are aimed at improving off-road performance as well as cross-ditch initiatives.

Although both of these efforts proved their worth during the interwar period, the world's armies remained in a massive military retreat mode that hampered many plans thereafter. A decade on, the U.S. Army's appetite for new and expensive armored vehicles has waned as remaining war products remain readily available and prospects for another year-long war in Europe are limited.

Therefore, the M1921 and M1922 programs were reduced to zero.

Before the official history of the M1921 was written, Army engineers fitted the chassis with a Packard engine in 1925, designed to upgrade the weaker original gasoline unit with a more dedicated powerplant. This change gave birth to the developing "Medium Tank T1".

The product was subsequently cancelled as well and continued to work in other possible ways.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

for everyone else in our database)

Armor

Not available.

Changes