| M44: General | |||
| Date of first acceptance | 1952 | Total acceptances | 250+ |
| Manufacturer | Massey Harris Co. | Crew |
|
| M44: Dimensions | |||
| Combat weight | 64,000lbs 29,000kg |
Height over canvas top | 122.5" 311.2cm |
| Length without howitzer | 242.5" 616.0cm |
Howitzer overhang forward | 0" |
| Width | 127.5" 323.9cm |
Tread | 102.5" 260.4cm |
| Ground clearance | 18.8" 47.8cm |
Fire height | ~84" ~210cm |
| Turret ring diameter | 65¼" 165.7cm |
Ground pressure, zero penetration | 10.2psi .716kg/cm² |
| M44: Armament | ||||||
| Type | Mount | Ammunition | Traverse | Max traverse rate | Elevation | Max elevation rate |
| 155mm Howitzer M45 | M80 in turret | 24 rounds | 60° (30° left or right; manual and hydraulic) |
10°/sec | +65° to -5° (manual and hydraulic) |
15°/sec |
| .50cal M2HB MG | Flexible on mount 6580030 on ring assembly 7345651 | 900 rounds | 360° (manual) |
-- | Manual | -- |
| Aiming equipment | ||||||
| Panoramic telescope M12A7K and telescope M93 for gunner | ||||||
| M44: Armor | ||
| Assembly | ||
| Welding | ||
| Hull | ||
| Rolled homogeneous steel | ||
| Location | Thickness | Angle from vertical |
| Upper front | .5" 1.3cm |
52° and 81° |
| Lower front | .5" 1.3cm |
40° and 66° |
| Sides | .5" 1.3cm |
0° |
| Rear | .5" 1.3cm |
0° |
| Top | Open | |
| Floor | .375" .953cm |
90° |
| Gun shield | .5" 1.3cm |
0° |
| M44: Automotive | |||||
| Engine | Continental AOS-895-3; 6 cylinder, 4 cycle, opposed, supercharged gasoline | ||||
| Horsepower | Net: 446@2,400rpm Gross: 500@2,800rpm |
Torque | Net: 890 ft-lb@2,200rpm Gross: 955 ft-lb@2,400rpm |
Fuel capacity | 150gal 570L |
| Transmission | Allison CD-500-3, 2 ranges forward, 1 reverse | ||||
| Steering | Mechanical, T-bar | ||||
| Brakes | Multiple disc | ||||
| M44: Suspension | ||
| Type | Road wheels | Track return rollers |
| Torsion bar | 5 individually sprung dual/track | 4 dual/track |
| Drive sprockets | Idlers | Shock absorbers | 12-tooth front drive | Trailing at rear of track | On first, second, and fifth road wheels/track |
| M44: Track | |||||||
| T91E3 | |||||||
| Center guide, single pin, steel with detachable rubber pad | |||||||
| Width | 21" 53cm |
Pitch | 6" 15cm |
Shoes/track | Left side: 74 Right side: 75 |
Ground contact length | 149.4" 379.5cm |
| M44: Performance | |||
| Max level road speed | 35mph 56kph |
Max trench | 72" 180cm |
| Max grade | 60% | Max vertical obstacle | 30" 76cm |
| Min turning diameter | Pivot | Max fording depth | 42" 110cm |
| Cruising range | ~75mi, roads ~120km, roads |
||
The M44 was based on components of the 76mm gun tank M41, and its designation was changed from a "howitzer motor carriage" to "self-propelled howitzer" on 30 April 1951. The howitzer was mounted in a limited-traverse turret inside an open-topped fighting compartment surrounded by a demountable, partly-armored cab, and all crew members were in this superstructure as well. The driver's position was at the front of the cab to the left of the howitzer. Its automotive and suspension layout was similar to that of the 105mm SPH M52, with the power train at the front driving through front sprockets, and a trailing idler at the rear. The trailing idler was larger than the standard road wheels by 2.5" (6.4cm), and the rear track return roller was larger than the others as well.
When powered by the AOSI-895-5 engine, which was an AOS-895-3 fitted with fuel injection kits, the M44 was known as M44A1. The M44A1's road range increased to around 82 miles (130km).
