Armored Infantry Vehicle M75, late production1-6

M75: General
Date of first acceptance 1952 Total acceptances 1780
Manufacturers
  • International Harvester Co.
  • FMC Corp.
Crew
12 men:
  • Commander in vehicle center
  • Driver in hull left front
  • 10 Passengers
M75: Dimensions
Combat weight 41,500lbs
18,800kg
Height over cupola 108.5"
275.6cm
Length 204.5"
519.4cm
Width over sandshields 112.0"
284.5cm
Tread 97.0"
246cm
Ground clearance 18.0"
45.7cm
Ground pressure, zero penetration 8.5psi
.60kg/cm²
M75: Armament
Type Mount Ammunition Traverse Elevation
.50cal M2HB MG Flexible on concentric ring cupola mount M2 1,800 rounds 360°
(manual)
Manual
Night vision
Infrared periscope M19 for driver
M75: Armor
Assembly
Welding
Hull
Rolled and cast homogeneous steel
Location Thickness Angle from vertical
Upper front .5"
1.3cm
73°
Middle front .625"
1.59cm
33°
Lower front .625"
1.59cm
27°
Sides .625"
1.59cm
Rear .625"
1.59cm
Top .5"
1.3cm
90°
Sponson floor .5"
1.3cm
90°
Floor 1.0"
2.5cm
90°
M75: Automotive
Engine Continental AO-895-4; 6 cylinder, 4 cycle, opposed gasoline
Horsepower Net: 295@2,800rpm
Gross: 375@2,800rpm
Torque Net: 640 ft-lb@1,800rpm
Gross: 775 ft-lb@2,100rpm
Fuel capacity 150gal
570L
Transmission Allison CD-500-4, 2 ranges forward, 1 reverse
Steering Mechanical, T-bar
Brakes Multiple disc
M75: Suspension
Type Road wheels Track return rollers
Torsion bar 5 individually sprung dual/track 3 dual/track
Drive sprockets Idlers Shock absorbers
12-tooth front drive Dual compensating at rear of track On first and last road wheels/track
M75: Track
T91E3
Center guide, single pin, steel with detachable rubber pad
Width 21"
53cm
Pitch 6"
15cm
Shoes/track 70 Ground contact length 115.75"
294.01cm
M75: Performance
Max level road speed 44mph
71kph
Max trench 66"
170cm
Max grade 60% Max vertical obstacle 24"
61cm
Min turning diameter Pivot Max fording depth 48"
120cm
Cruising range ~115mi, roads
~185km, roads

The M75 armored infantry vehicle was based on the chassis of the cargo tractor T43E1, which used the same suspension as the 76mm gun tank M41. M75 resembled a box on tracks, as many armored personnel carriers do, and its exhaust pipe emerged from the front of the vehicle's roof and vented the engine exhaust to the right. Two large hinged rear roof doors opened towards the center of the vehicle over the passenger compartment, and infantry access was provided by two large doors in the rear of the hull. The brush guard for the right headlight cluster was extended to also protect the exhaust pipe later in the production run. Starting with International Harvester vehicle serial number 377 and FMC vehicle serial number 1327, changes were instituted into production. Early M75s had thinner roof armor at .375" (.953cm) and thicker floor armor at 1.25" (3.18cm), and the first two and last two road wheels on each track were damped with shock absorbers on early vehicles. When the changes commenced, the center two shock absorbers were eliminated; sandshields were deleted; the bump stops for the center three wheels on each track were changed to solid steel from the earlier volute spring version; the taillights, external fire extinguisher handles, and auxiliary generator and engine side access door handle had their niches in the hull removed, leaving them mounted on the face of the armor; the rear fuel filler gained an armored cover; the auxiliary engine was eliminated, and its access cover on the hull roof was replaced by a flat plate; the twin 75-gallon (280L) rubber fuel tanks were replaced by a single metal 150-gallon (570L) tank; the hull drain valves were replaced by plugs; riveting on the hull interior was overtaken by welding; new rear door and roof hatch handles were designed; the fire extinguisher system was improved; and the driver received a new instrument panel with the addition of a tachometer. The driver and commander each had a vision cupola, and the driver's could be equipped with an infrared periscope in late vehicles.

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References

  1. TM 9-755B Full-Track Armored Infantry Vehicle T18E1. Washington, D.C.: Department of the Army, 20 May 1952.
  2. TM 9-7418 C2 Armored Full Tracked Personnel Carrier M75. Washington, DC: Department of the Army, 11 December 1961.
  3. Hunnicutt, R.P. Bradley: A History of American Fighting and Support Vehicles. Navato, CA: Presidio Press, 1999. Reprinted with permission from Bradley, R.P. Hunnicutt ©1999, available from Presidio Press, 505B San Martin Drive, Suite 160, Navato, CA 94945.
  4. TM 9-1755BB/TO 19-100AD-1 6-Cylinder, Horizontally-opposed, Air-cooled Gasoline Engine (Continental Model AO-895-4). Washington, D.C.: Departments of the Army and Air Force, 23 March 1953.
  5. Sola, Samuel, Vincent Bobkowski, and Kara Crocker. Weapon Mounts for Secondary Armament. Santa Monica, CA: G. O. Noville & Associates, Inc., April 1957.
  6. Crismon, Fred W. U.S. Military Tracked Vehicles. Osceola, WI: Motorbooks International, 1992.
Last updated 17 May 2023.
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