Year | April 1942 |
Vehicle Type | [@type] |
Origin & Designer | [@designer] |
Numbers Produced | 3.490 |
Crew | 7 (Commander, Gunner, Aimer, Three Loaders & Driver) |
Main Armament | 1 x 105mm L/22.5 M1A1 Howitzer |
Main Armament | [@sponson_traverse] |
Elevation | -5° to +35° |
Turret Traverse | 15° Left & 30° Right (Manual) |
Gun Traverse | [@gun_traverse] |
Gun Mount | [@gun_mounts] |
Maximum Range | [@maximum_range] |
Armour Penetration | [@armour_penetration] |
Gun Sight | 6.02m |
Secondary Armament | 1 x .50 cal M2HB Heavy Machine Gun (AA Mount) |
Smoke Discharger | [@smoke_discharger] |
Ammunition Carried | 69 x 105mm & 300 x .50 cal |
Height | 3.90m |
Width | 2.87m |
Length | 6.02m |
Combat Weight | 23.000 kg |
Ground Clearance | 0.43m |
Fording Depth | 1.0m |
Trench Crossing | 2.30m |
Obstacle Clearance | 0.61m |
Climbing Ability | 30° |
Radio | SCR 610 |
Armour | Upper Hull Front: 13mm. Lower Hull Front: 51mm. Upper Hull Sides: 13mm. Lower Hull Sides: 38mm. Hull Rear: 13mm. Open Gun Compartment.
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Engine | Continental R975 C1 (Petrol) |
Transmission | 5 Forward & 1 Reverse |
Maximum Road Range | 119 miles (193 km) |
Maximum Cross Country Range | 87 miles (140 km) |
Maximum Water Range | [@maximum_water_range] |
Maximum Road Speed | 25 mph (40 kph) |
Maximum Cross Country Speed | 15 mph (24 kph) |
Maximum Water Speed | [@maximum_water_speed] |
Variants | M7B1: Based on the M4 Chassis and introduced in 1943 and standardised in 1945 M7B2: increased elevation to +65° and mounting either the 105mm M1A2, M2 or M2A1 Howitzer. Redesigned gun mount for .50 cal. The M7B2 served in Korea
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Notes | After the events in Europe the US Army saw the need for a motorised self-propelled Howitzer to keep pace armoured units, the result was the M7 HMC. Based on the M3 chassis the M7 carried a standard 105mm howitzer, this was mounted in an open superstructure. The name “priest” came from the pulpit that mounted the .50 cal HMG. In 1943 a variant utilising the M4 chassis was issued and this was made standard in 1945. The M7 first saw action in 1942 and continued through World War Two and finally in Korea. |