M-VI-Y

Although none of the proposals from the first Questionmark conference were selected for development, the conference served a very useful purpose in exchanging ideas. To obtain alternate design concepts from the industry, a research and development program was initiated in April 1952. Under this program, contracts were awareded to the H. L. Yoh Company, Inc.. The company presented a report on June 1, 1953 outlining seven preliminary design concepts for a new medium tank. The tank concepts ranged from conventional to outlandish. All seven tanks used the AOSI-1195-5 engine and mounted the 105 mm T140 gun.

The sixth concept featured a small oscillating turret supported by trunnions on a yoke mount, with a 63 inch diameter ring. The loader was located inside the turret with the gunner and commander. A semiautomatic loader was provided with 16 ready rounds in a magazine. The design permitted a narrow turret front with good ballistic protection.

16 rounds is, of course, way too much. So I'm proposing to contrast this tank to the Bat-Chat 25 t, where the M-VI-Y exchanges mobility for armor. However, gun handling should remain similar. I think if the gun were to have the same number of rounds in its magazine as the Bat-Chat does, it could shave a few seconds off the total reload speed based on the nature of the branch. Given the nature of the design, however, it should be very prone to damage to its ammo rack, turret ring, and gun.

Guns: 105 mm Gun T140M2 (autoloader); 105 mm Gun T140M3 (autoloader)

[Note: the M# designations simply refer to different drum capacities and reload speeds. Their handling and performance should otherwise be identical. Personally, I would like to see the following:

1. T140M2 - 5 rounds, 35~ second reload
2. T140M3 - 6 rounds, 45~ second reload

I know there's concern about clip potential. However, more rounds require more time to dump the ammunition, a longer time to reload, and discourages reloading with unspent shells.]

Engines: Continental AOSI-1195-5 (675 hp)

Turrets (Turret Armor (mm)): M-VI-Y (??/??/??)

Suspensions/Alternate Hulls, Total Weight (metric tons): M-VI-Y (41.73)

Hull Armor (mm): 127/??/??

Top Speed: 48 km/h

Crew: 4 (Driver; Gunner; Loader; Commander/Radio)

Parent: M-7/6
See Also: M-I-Y, M-IV-Y

Sources:

Hunnicutt, R. P. Abrams, 2015