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M18 RR

History of the M18 RR

As enemy tanks became more powerful and protective in the late World War II (1939-1945), war planners began to develop a new type of armor - piercing. Classic conflict designs like the German series "Panzerschreck" and "Panzerfaust" proved their worth, while the British went into battle with their "PIAT".

The Americans had notable success with their signature "bazooka," and work on replacement weapons systems continued even before it was over.

The M18 became a product of that era. It was designed as a 57mm static weapon with inherent recoilless action for improved accuracy. Its special design provides the infantry with a low-velocity artillery weapon with good long-range penetration.

It started as an auxiliary program while continuing to develop a large-caliber 105mm recoilless gun influenced by the German 105mm Leichtgeschutz 40 infantry weapon (detailed elsewhere on this site). The new 57-meter American crew-operated gun, designated "T15", was completed and tested by the end of 1943. Since the T15 performed so well, work on the 105mm recoilless gun design was suspended and a new recoilless gun was introduced in 1944, called the "M18".

In early 1945, production increased.

The design of the M18 is attributed to two men whose surnames "Kroger" and "Musser" were used as the weapon's name (ie "Kromuskit") during its development.

The M18 functions best with a crew of two - one as the gunner/operator and the other as a dedicated loader/support. Ammo processors will also be part of the weapon's full functionality.

It is usually fired from a standard M1917 (A1) machine gun tripod, but operators can find other, perhaps more desperate, ways to carry the M18 - even from the shoulder, like more modern anti-tank weapons. Transporting a 44.5-pound system typically requires the service of two people, and the overall length of 61.6 inches doesn't help.

Interrupted rotating breech for loading/reloading helps with the action. Mounting hardware provides an altitude range of +65 to -27 degrees, giving the operator some tactical flexibility. The traversal is a full 360 degrees.

Fired projectiles exit the tube at 1,200 feet per second, have an effective range of 500 yards, and can hit targets up to 4,340 yards with reduced accuracy. Aiming was performed with the M86C 2.8 powered telescopic sight.