TS-8/32

Cross-sectional drawing of the TS-8 

The limited range and excessive weight of the M41 Bulldog were considered to be its greatest shortcomings. Shortly after it entered production in 1951, there were already motions being made to replace it. During the third Questionmark Conference in June 1954, six light tank proposals were put forth that emphasized an increased range and reduced weight. In order to fulfill this, the armor protection of all six tanks was reduced to a thickness of 1/2 inch. The front plates were highly sloped, but the sides were vertical.

Cross-sectional drawing of the TS-32

This tank, the TS-8/32, is a combination of two of these proposals: the TS-8 and TS-32. Both tanks utilized the same 76 mm gun in conventional turrets, both tanks had their engines mounted in the same frontal position, they had the same turret ring diameter, and they assumingly had the same top speed. So the TS-32 turret should be able to be mounted on the TS-8 hull. However, the TS-32 had a noticeably shorter profile than the TS-8. We can also easily borrow the AO-470 engine from the TS-10 for a third engine option.

This tank should be fairly similar to the revised M41 Bulldog. Differences between the two should be minimal. The most obvious change is having thinner armor than the M41 Bulldog, but that could easily be compensated for with improved mobility. Top speed and most of the armor is unknown, so that will also need to be a balance decision. Likewise, I don’t know what the actual 76 mm gun is. However, being ballistically equivalent to the M32, I think we can get away with bringing over both M32 guns from the M41 Bulldog, in addition to the T185. The T185 was the 76 mm gun in development at the time and, presumably, it was the one intended. This gun does not have an automatic loader.

Guns: 76 mm Gun M32 Early; 76 mm Gun M32 Late; 76 mm Gun T185

Engines: AO-470 (225 hp); AOI-470 (250 hp); AOI-628 (340 hp)

Turrets (Turret Armor (mm)): TS-8 (??/??/??); TS-32 (??/??/??)

Suspensions/Alternate Hulls, Total Weight (metric tons): TS-8 (14.97); TS-32 (15.88)

Hull Armor (mm): 13/13/13 (TS-8); 13/13/13 (TS-32)

Top Speed: ?? km/h

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

Parent: T21
Children: TS-10
See Also: TS-26

Sources:

Hunnicutt, R. P. Sheridan, 2015.