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Marmon-Herrington
Tanks
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work in progress -
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Introduction
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| Between 1935
and 1942 the Marmon-Herrington Company built various light tank types based
on commercial components, for sale to foreign countries and the U.S. armed
forces. It is not very well known that a small number was tested and acquired
by the U.S. Marine Corps and also exported to various countries. |
| The first
models, known as the CTL (Combat Tank, Light) series, were turretless vehicles
mounting machine guns in raised superstructures. In the late 1930s the
U.S. Marine Corps funded the development of a number of these turretless
light tanks and nicknamed them "Betties" after Rear-Admiral Harold "Betty"
Stark, who had authorized their purchase. Read more about the USMC's Marmon-Herringtons
in The 'Marine Tank' of 1936 by Kenneth
W. Estes. |
| Early models
used leaf-spring suspension and continuous rubber tracks, but in 1938/39
a vertical volute spring suspension and track type similar to those used
on the M2/M3 Light Tank were adopted on the CTL-3M. Short pitch Carden-Loyd
type steel manganese tracks were adopted in conjunction with this suspension
on the CTL-6. In 1940/41 the first turreted design, the CTM-3TBD, was produced
to meet a Marine Corps demand; this was a three man tank with two .50 cal
MGs in the turret and three .30 cal MGs in the hull front. Like the CTL-3M
it also had the rubber block track type (as on M2 and M3 Light and Medium
Tanks). |
| The largest
order for commercial tanks came from the Netherlands
Purchasing Commission for the Netherlands East Indies Army. The
order totalled 628 tanks. Only a handful could be delivered by the time
the Netherlands East Indies were overrun by the Japanese in 1941. Some
other were delivered to another Dutch colony but the rest was scattered
around the world. |
| The best
known tank built by Marmon-Herrington is the M22 Locust. It was used as
an airborne tank during WW2. |
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Technical
Characteristics
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Types
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CTL-3
[USMC: 1941]
Turretless tank; prototype
fitted with 1 .50 and 2 .30 Cal. MG; band track. Five built; Five
more CTL-3A delivered in 1939 with 10.5 in. track and reinforced suspension.
The CTL-3s were rebuilt in 1941 as CTL-3M, fitted with track and suspension
components similar to M2A4 Light Tank.
Equipped 1st tank Company,
FMF, later the tank platoons of 1st and 2d Scout Companies. All discarded
in 1943.
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CTL-3 |
CTL-3A |
CTL-3M |
| Crew |
two |
two |
two |
| Armament |
3 .30 Cal. MG |
3 .30 Cal. MG |
3 .30 Cal. MG |
| Engine |
Lincoln V-12 110 hp. |
Hercules 6 cyl. 124 hp. |
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| Dimensions |
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| Weight |
9,500 lb. |
10,900 lb. |
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| Armour |
¼ inch |
¼ inch |
¼ inch |
| Speed |
33 mph |
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| Range |
125 miles |
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| Fording |
40 in. |
40 in. |
40 in. |
| Trench crossing |
50 in. |
50 in. |
50 in. |
| Vertical step |
climb 22 in. [only 18 in.
in trials] drop 48 in. |
climb 22 in. [only 18 in.
in trials] drop 48 in. |
climb 22 in. [only 18 in.
in trials] drop 48 in. |
Note: the CTL-3M modification
is believed to have been simply a rebuild to CTL-3A standards, perhaps
done only to the first five CTL-3s built. All 9 CTL-3/3A were redesignated
CTL-3M. |
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CTL-6
Marmon-Herrington CTL-6 (1941)
Turretless tank; improved
version of CTL-3, fitted with track and suspension components similar to
M2A4 Light Tank. Only 20 built, discarded in 1943 on Samoa.
Contract cost: $20,837.50
| Crew |
two |
| Armament |
3 .30 Cal. MG |
| Engine |
Hercules WXLC-3 6
cyl. 124 hp |
| Dimensions |
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| Weight |
14,775 lb. |
| Armour |
7/16", except for ¼
inch engine louvers |
| Speed |
33 mph |
| Range |
125 miles |
| Fording |
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| Trench crossing |
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| Vertical step |
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CTLS-4TAC
(Light Tank T14)
Built
for Netherlands Purchasing Commission: 25 are believed to have been delivered
to the KNIL in the Dutch East-Indies of which only 7 were confirmed to
have been used in action. A shipment of 52 for same was diverted to Australia
while another shipload was sunk by the Japanese. 28 CTLS-TAC/-TAYs were
sent to Dutch troops in Surinam. Some 240 were delivered to U.S. Ordnance
Department: these were used for training and in Alaska.
Reportedly
China also ordered a quantity; it is not probable that any of these were
delivered.
| Crew |
two:
driver (on the right) and commander/gunner |
| Armament |
one
0.30" Browning MG in a turret (rotating through 240o) offset to the left.
Two 0.30" Browning MGs in hull.
Photos
show Dutch examples with only one hull MG. |
| Engine |
Hercules
6-cylinder liquid-cooled petrol engine delivering 124 bhp. at 2,200 rpm. |
| Dimensions |
11'6"
long, 6'10" wide and 6'11" high (3505.2 x 2082.8 x 2108.2 mm).
8.4
US tons (7,621 kg.). Also stated: 18,816 lb. (8,535 kg.) |
| Weight |
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| Armour |
12
mm minimum; 25 mm maximum. |
| Speed |
30
mph (48 km/h) |
| Range |
100
km (60 miles) |
| Fording |
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| Trench crossing |
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| Vertical step |
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CTLS-4TAY
(Light Tank T16)
Identical
to CTLS-4TAC except for the fact that it had its turret offset to the right;
the driver sat on the left. |
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CTMS-1TBI:
"Dutch Three Man Tank"
Similar
to CTLS-4TAC/TAY series, but larger; e.g. wider tracks, bogies have two
vertical volute springs instead of one. Built for N.P.C.: delivered to
Dutch troops in Surinam. Some to various Latin-American forces via U.S.
Ordnance Department (or possibly directly from Marmon-Herrington?).
| Crew |
three |
| Armament |
20
mm Bofors QF gun (Also stated: 37 mm)
one
coaxial and two hull 0.30" Browning MGs |
| Engine |
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| Dimensions |
13'9.5"
long, 7'8" wide and 8'0.5" high (4203.7 x 2336.8 x 2451.1 mm.) |
| Weight |
12.5
US tons (11,340 kg.) |
| Armour |
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| Speed |
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| Range |
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| Fording |
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| Trench crossing |
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| Vertical step |
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CTM-3TBD
(Click
on image to view full size scan)
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Hull
identical to CTMS-1TBI, turret almost the same. M2/M3 Light Tank series
tracks. Built in 1942 for U.S. Marine Corps.
Turreted version of CTL series
tank; with double pin rubber block tracks and vertical volute spring suspension
(similar in design to M2A4 track and suspension components). Only 5 built,
discarded in 1943 on Samoa.
Contract cost: $29,780 |
| Crew |
three |
| Armament |
2 .50 Cal. in turret,
3 .30 Cal. MG in front hull |
| Engine |
Hercules DRXBS diesel, 123
hp. |
| Dimensions |
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| Weight |
20,800 lb. |
| Armour |
increased to 7/16", except
for 1/4" engine louvers |
| Speed |
30 mph |
| Range |
125 miles |
| Fording |
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| Trench crossing |
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| Vertical step |
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MTLS-1GI4:
"Dutch Four Man Tank" or "Virgie"
Hull
almost identical to CTMS-1TBI. Built for N.P.C.: delivered to Dutch troops
in Surinam. Some to various Latin-American forces via U.S. Ordnance Department
(or directly from Marmon-Herrington?).
| Crew |
four |
| Armament |
twin
20 mm gun (Also stated: 37 mm)
oe
MG in an eye-ball mounting on the right-hand side of the turret; two further
0.30" Browning MGs (also stated: up to eight) |
| Engine |
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| Dimensions |
16'1"
long, 8'8" wide and 9'2.5" high (4902.2 x 2641.6 x 2806.7 mm.). |
| Weight |
22
(US ?) tons (19,958 kg.) |
| Armour |
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| Speed |
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| Range |
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| Fording |
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| Trench crossing |
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| Vertical step |
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M22
Light Tank M22 Locust
| Crew |
Four |
| Armament |
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| Engine |
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| Dimensions |
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| Weight |
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| Armour |
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| Speed |
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| Range |
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| Fording |
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| Trench crossing |
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| Vertical step |
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Sources
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Crismon, Fred.
U.S.
Military Tracked Vehicles. Osceola: Motorbooks International, 1992.
ISBN 0 87938 672 X
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Crow & Icks,
Encyclopedia
of Tanks. Barrie & Jenkins Ltd., 1975.
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Estes, Kenneth
W. Marines Under Armor: The Marine Corps and the Armored Fighting Vehicle,
1916-2000. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 2000.
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Zaloga, Steven
J., US Marine Tanks in World War Two. (Tanks Illustrated series
no.29). London: Arms & Armour Press, 1988.
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