Landing Vehicle, Tracked, Mark 41-12

LVT4: General
Date of first acceptance mid-1944 Total acceptances 8,348
Manufacturers
  • Food Machinery Corp.
  • Graham-Paige
  • St. Louis Car Co.
Crew
27 men:
  • Commander passenger compartment
  • Driver in hull left front
  • Assistant driver in hull right front
  • 24 passengers
LVT4: Dimensions
Combat weight 36,400lbs
16,500kg		 Height 98"
250cm
Length 313"
795cm		 Width 128"
325cm
Ground clearance 18"
46cm		 Ground pressure 9.9psi
.69kg/cm²
LVT4: Armament
Type Mount
Two .50cal M2HB MG Fixed mounts at front of cargo area
Two .30cal M1919A4 MGs Pivot mount on each side of cargo area
LVT4: Armor
None
LVT4: Automotive
Engine Continental W-670-9A; 7 cylinder, 4 cycle, static radial gasoline
Horsepower Net: 250@2,400rpm
Gross: 262@2,400rpm		 Torque Net: 584 ft-lb@1,800rpm
Gross: 590 ft-lb@1,700rpm		 Fuel capacity 163gal
617L
Transmission Spicer Mfg. Corp. No. 89, synchromesh, 5 speeds forward, 1 reverse
Steering Controlled differential, steering levers
Brakes Mechanical, external contracting
LVT4: Suspension
Type Road wheels Track return rollers
Torsilastic 10 independently sprung and 1 fixed/track 2/track
Drive sprockets Idlers Shock absorbers
37-alternate-engaged-tooth front drive 33-tooth adjustable sprocket at rear of track None
LVT4: Track
Outside guide, dry pin, steel link, extruded grousers
Width 14.25"
36.20cm		 Pitch 8"
20cm		 Shoes/track 73 Ground contact length 126.5"
321.3cm
LVT4: Performance
Max level road speed 15mph
24kph		 Max water speed 7mph
11kph
Max trench 60"
150cm		 Min turning diameter 30', land
48', water
9m, land
15m, water
Max vertical obstacle 36"
91cm		 Max grade 60%
Angle of approach 35° Angle of departure 30°
Max fording depth Floats Cruising range ~150mi, roads
~100mi, water
~240km, roads
~160km, water

LVT4 was a remodeled LVT2, where the engine was moved from the rear of the vehicle to behind the driver's cab, yielding a larger cargo area and allowing a rear loading ramp to be installed. Applique armor could be attached to the LVT4: .5" (1.3cm) armor on the front and .25" (.64cm) on the sides, but this reduced the LVT4's payload by 3000lbs (1360kg). The LVT4's cab had two large glass windows and two roof hatches, and three armored cabs could be installed as well, with .5" (1.3cm) armor to the front and .25" (.64cm) armor on the top and sides. The front panel of the early cab was solid, with the driver's hatch on the front plate opening outward for observation (much like the LVT2's). A periscope was installed in each roof hatch, and these were originally covered by a plastic hemisphere, but these plastic covers were eliminated later. Later armored cabs were fitted with a ball-mounted .30cal machine gun at the assistant driver's position, and the final armored cabs had the ball-mounted MG as well as vision blocks for the driver and assistant driver in place of the driver's earlier vision panel. This final version also lacked the driver's periscope.

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References

  1. Hunnicutt, R.P. Stuart: A History of the American Light Tank, volume 1. Navato, CA: Presidio Press, 1992. Reprinted with permission from Stuart, R.P. Hunnicutt ©1992, available from Presidio Press, 505B San Martin Drive, Suite 160, Navato, CA 94945.
  2. TM 9-776 Landing Vehicle, Tracked, Mk.IV LVT(4). Washington, DC: War Department, 1 June 1944.
  3. TM 9-775 Tracked Landing Vehicle Mk 4 (LVT(4)) Tracked Landing Vehicles (Armored) Mk 4 (LVT(A)(4)) and Mk 5 (LVT(A)(5)). Washington, DC: Departmemt of the Army, 14 June 1951.
  4. Research, Investigation and Experimentation in the Field of Amphibian Vehicles. Kalamazoo, MI: Ingersoll Kalamazoo Division, Borg-Warner Corporation, December 1957.
  5. TM 9-2800-1/TO 19-75A-89 Military Vehicles (Ordnance Corps Responsibility). Washington, DC: Deptartments of the Army and Air Force, 13 February 1953.
  6. ORD 7-8-9 SNL G-209 Service Parts Catalog for Vehicle, Landing, Tracked, Mk. IV, LVT (4). Washington, DC: Headquarters, Army Service Forces, 25 March 1945.
  7. Sola, Samuel, Vincent Bobkowski, and Kara Crocker. Weapon Mounts for Secondary Armament. Santa Monica, CA: G. O. Noville & Associates, Inc., April 1957.
  8. Chamberlain, Peter, and Chris Ellis. British and American Tanks of World War Two. Frome, England: Cassell & Co., 2000.
  9. Crismon, Fred W. U.S. Military Tracked Vehicles. Osceola, WI: Motorbooks International, 1992.
  10. Siemers, Cary. "USA's Landing Vehicle Tracked." World War II Tanks & Vehicles and Advanced Squad Leader. 25 Nov 2000. 16 Jan 2001 <http://www.shadowsfolly.com/WWII/USA/LandingVehicleTracked.htm>.
  11. Alexander, Joseph H. "Marine Corps Armor Operations in World War II." Camp Colt to Desert Storm: The History of U.S. Armored Forces. Eds. George F. Hofmann, Donn A. Starry. USA: University Press of Kentucky, 1999.
  12. FM 17-34 Amphibious Tank and Tractor Battalions. Washington, D.C.: Deptartment of the Army, 1 June 1950.
Last updated 27 May 2023.
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