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| T92 HMC with the 240 mm Howitzer M1. |
The effective use of the M12 in Europe spurred interest in even heavier weapons on self-propelled mounts. In January 1945, concepts were proposed for the 8-Inch Gun M1 and the 240 mm Howitzer M1. T26E3 components were utilized for the design, including the power train and suspension. Lessons learned from the T84 HMC project would also be applied here. The versions with the 240 mm howitzer and 8-inch gun were designated as the T92 HMC and T93 GMC, respectively.
Five pilot T92s and two T93s were constructed, with the intent to ship several of the pilot vehicles to the Pacific Theater for combat testing. It was believed their powerful armaments would be necessary for dealing with the heavy bunkers, caves, and other fortifications expected on the Japanese mainland and the immediate area surrounding it. However, the war ended before any combat trials could be executed.
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| T93 GMC. Notice the long barrel of the 8-Inch gun. |
Once the war was over, interest in the two vehicles declined. Testing revealed the need for a more powerful engine for such heavy vehicles, and it was recommended future self-propelled artillery be based on the components of the T29, T30, and T32 which were then under test.
Guns: 8-Inch Gun M1; 240 mm Howitzer M1
Engines: Ford GAF (500 hp)
Suspensions/Alternate Hulls, Total Weight (metric tons): T92/T93 TBS (60.14)
Hull Armor (mm): 25/13/13
Top Speed: 32 km/h
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