CMC 1919

There is very little information available about these "Christie Motor Carriage" SPGs. In 1919, Christie delivered a new SPG for testing at the Aberdeen Proving Ground. Like most Christie designs, this tank was a wheel-cum-track design, meaning it could either travel on its conventional flat-track design, or on the road wheels themselves which drove the tracks. The center two roadwheels would be raised when running on wheels. The engine was the same from Christie's previous 1918 design: a 6-cylinder Christie-built, 120 hp engine.

The vehicle could reach a maximum speed of 9 mph forward while on tracks, and 15 mph forward while on wheels (where it could also reach 12 mph in reverse). However, it was also reported to reach a sustainable speed of 21 mph. Like Christie's other SPG designs, the driver's position was facing the opposite direction of the gun.

Note the direction of the driver's seat in relation to the gun.

Tests of the SPG showed promise and two more prototypes were built. Testing continued into 1922, where it was finally recommended to be put into production. However, a declining defense budget and hostility met by the Field Artillery Branch mean this never happened.

Compared to the new Holt Mk. IX, this SPG is considerably faster and has similar gun characteristics. However, it has a worse power-to-weight ratio. I would also like to give the tank its wheels rather than its tracks, just for some added uniqueness among its peers.

Guns: 155 mm Gun M1918

Engines: Christie 120 (120 hp)

Suspensions/Alternate Hulls, Total Weight (metric tons): Christie 1919 SPG (19.96)

Hull Armor (mm): ??/??/??

Top Speed: 34 km/h

Crew: 6 (Driver; Gunner; Loader; Loader; Commander; Radio)



See Also: CMC 1918, CMC 1920

Sources:

http://landships.info/landships/tank_articles.html?load=tank_articles/Christie_SPGs.html#