The M4 High Speed Tractor was an American tracked artillery tractor from the Second World War. The first prototypes of the vehicle were created in 1942, and serial production continued in the years 1942-1945, ending with the production of approximately 5,500 vehicles of this type. The M4 High Speed Tractor was powered by a single engine Waukesha 145GZ with a power of 210 hp. It was armed with 1 machine gun: Browning M2, cal. 12.7 mm.
The M4 High Speed Tractor was built on the chassis of the M3 Stuart light tank, which significantly shortened the analytical work and the implementation of the vehicle into serial production. The vehicle was characterized by good off-road mobility, reliability and easy operation in field units. It was also relatively cheap to produce. In the US Army, it was used primarily as a tractor for heavy cannons and field howitzers (e.g. the M1 / M2 Long Tom) or heavy anti-aircraft artillery (e.g. the 90mm M1 AA Gun). The vehicle could also take up to 10 gun crew members. The main development version was the M4A1, which had a reinforced suspension. The M4 High Speed Tractor was used by American troops both in the Pacific region and - above all - during the fighting in France and West Germany in 1944-1945. After the end of World War II, many of this type of vehicles found their way to the US allies, including Greece, the Netherlands, Japan and Pakistan. The M4 High Speed Tractor cars were withdrawn from the US Army in the 1960s.
The M59 gun (previously designated as M1 or M2) is an American 155 mm towed howitzer from the Second World War and the post-war period. The initial velocity of the demolition shell from this gun was up to 853 m / s, with a maximum range of about 23,700 meters. Serial production was carried out in 1940-1945 and led to the creation of about 1,880 pieces of this weapon.
Design work on a new heavy cannon for the US Army began in 1918, but was interrupted, slowed down by the Great Depression, and only ended in 1938! Their main goal was to create a cannon that would replace the long-serving Cannon de 155 mm GPF in the line, dating back to World War I. Compared to its predecessor, the new gun was easier to transport, it also had a significantly greater range and the initial velocity of the shell. The M59 gun (still under the designation M1-M2) entered production in 1940 and was used on a large scale during World War II - both in Europe and in the Far East. It underwent its baptism of fire in North Africa in December 1942. It was very often towed by an M4 tracked tractor. The M59 gun turned out to be a successful weapon and was also used in the Korean (1950-1953) and Vietnamese (1964 / 1965-1975) wars. The gun was also exported to many countries, including South Korea and Turkey.