M38 Wolfhound
Encyclopedia : M : M3 : M38 : M38 Wolfhound
| M38 Wolfhound | |
|---|---|
| General characteristics | |
| Crew | 4 |
| Length | 5.11 m |
| Width | 2.44 m |
| Height | 1.98 m |
| Weight | 6.9 t |
| Armour and armament | |
| Armour | 6 to 12 mm |
| Main armament | 37 mm M6 |
| Secondary armament | .30 Browning M1919A4 MG .50 Browning M2 MG |
| Mobility | |
| Power plant | Cadillac 42, V-8, gasoline 148/110 hp (110/82 kW) |
| Suspension | wheels, 6 x 6 |
| Road speed | 97 km/h |
| Power/weight | 19.3/14.3 hp/tonne |
| Range | 483 km |
The M38 Wolfhound was a 6x6 US armoured car produced in 1944 by the Chevrolet division of the General Motors. It was designed as a replacement for the M8 Greyhound series, but the end of the war in 1945 led to the cancellation of the project after the completion of a handful of prototype vehicles.
The Wolfhound had a crew of 4 and was armed with a 37 mm gun in a rotating open-topped turret, with ammunition load of 93 rounds. Secondary armament consisted of two machine guns; one mounted coaxially with the main weapon, the other on an AA pintle mounting. It was powered by a Cadillac, 8-cylinder, water-cooled engine. The vehicle displayed a low profile and graceful lines. Each side featured three large tires on symmetrically placed axles, with distinctive curved mudguards. The frontal glacis plate was sharply sloped to improve protection. A radio antennae was mounted on the front right of the glacis. One M38 was modified to take the turret of an M24 Chaffee tank and went through a series of tests to check a possibility of upgunning the vehicle.
The layout of the M38 was to influence later vehicles such as the Alvis Saladin, a post war British armoured car.
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