Difference between revisions of "M8A1 GMC"

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{{Specs-Card|code=us_m8a1}}
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{{About
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| about = premium American light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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|other
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|usage-1 = other vehicles of the family
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|link-1 = M8 General Scott (Family)
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|usage-2 = other uses
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|link-2 = M8 (Disambiguation)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=us_m8a1
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
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|market=75mm Gun Motor Carriage M8
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''
+
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 +
 
 +
Sometime in 1943, a project was underway to investigate how far light tank firepower could be improved. This culminated with the installation of a 75 mm gun from the M4 Sherman into the [[M8 Scott|75 mm HMC M8]], which originally held a howitzer for infantry support. The modification proved successful, to the extent that both Armored Board and the Tank Destroyer Branch requested the conversion for evaluations. The modified M8, considered as the ''75 mm GMC M8'' or the '''"M8A1"''' in the evaluations, was determined to be a sufficient modification, carrying and firing the gun without detriment to the vehicle, with the downsides being the expedient nature of the modification, small ammo stowage, and crew discomfort due to the smaller internal space. While Armored Board had no interest in procuring the vehicle, the Tank Destroyer Branch found the M8 GMC suitable as an expedient design prior to the fielding of their newest [[M18 GMC|M18 Hellcat]] tank destroyer, but this ultimately went nowhere when it was determined that the M8A1 could not be produced any sooner than the projected M18, and so the vehicle project was ended by June 1943.
 +
 
 +
Introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]], the M8A1 is a Stuart light tank package with a medium tank firepower not too unlike the [[M24|M24 Chaffee]]. Although its armour and crew survivability is poor, the emphasis on firepower and mobility allows players to use it as a light tank destroyer to flank and destroy enemy tanks with its firepower. Though the open-top design makes the vehicle vulnerable to aircraft strafing, a M2 machine gun is available to try and fight back against enemies, hopefully warding them off enough to avoid outright destroying the M8A1.
 +
 
 +
The M8A1 is one of the rarer American vehicles to acquire, being made available in a Winter 2014 event as an unlockable gift in the [[wt:en/news/2736-holiday-war-thunder-marathon-en|"War Thunder Christmas Special"]]. After that, the M8A1 became available again as a Warbond shop reward as part of [[wt:en/news/4312-shop-how-can-you-get-premium-vehicles-warbonds-en/|War Thunder's 4th anniversary]].
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
−
''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpfull for survival in combat?''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
 +
 
 +
'''Armour type:'''
 +
 
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour
 +
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 28.5 mm (49-50°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 44.1 mm (15-45°) ''Lower glacis'' || 28.5 mm ''Top'' <br> 28.5 + 5 mm ''Bottom'' || 28.5 + 5 mm (2-46°) ''Top'' <br> 25.4 mm (2-21°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 38.1 mm (6-32°) ''Turret front'' <br> 38.1 mm (13-62°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 25.4 mm (20°) || 25.4 mm (1°) || N/A
 +
|}
 +
'''Notes:'''
  
−
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
+
* Suspension bogies and wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 10 mm thick.
 +
* Tracks laid out on the turret side give an additional 10 mm of armour where they are stacked.
 +
* Sandskirts on the bottom hull give additional 5 mm thickness.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
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''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
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<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
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 +
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=459|rbMinHp=262}}
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
 +
 
 +
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 +
=== Main armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 +
<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
 +
{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 +
|-
 +
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 +
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
|-
 +
! ''Arcade''
 +
| rowspan="2" | 46 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+30° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 11.4 || 15.8 || 19.2 || 21.2 || 22.6 || rowspan="2" | 8.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.70 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
 +
|-
 +
! ''Realistic''
 +
| 7.1 || 8.4 || 10.2 || 11.3 || 12.0
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
−
== Weaponry ==
+
==== Ammunition ====
−
=== Main weaponry ===
+
{{:M3 (75 mm)/Ammunition|M72 shot, M48 shell, M61 shot, M89}}
−
''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibilty of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''
 
  
−
=== Additional weaponry ===
+
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
−
''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
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[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 +
<!-- '''Last updated: 1.101.1.14''' -->
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! Full<br>ammo
 +
! 1st<br>rack empty
 +
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 +
! 3rd<br>rack empty
 +
! 4th<br>rack empty
 +
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 +
|-
 +
| '''46''' || 35&nbsp;''(+11)'' || 15&nbsp;''(+31)'' || 12&nbsp;''(+34)'' || 0&nbsp;''(+46)'' || Yes
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
−
''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft, but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
 +
<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
 +
{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}
  
−
== Usage in the battles ==
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
−
''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''
+
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Pintle || 1,000 (200) || 576 || -5°/+70° || ±180°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
== Usage in battles ==
 +
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 +
This vehicle plays along with the American concept of the tank destroyers, fast and powerful, but lacking in armour. Using the terrain for cover is necessary to survive against the enemy shells, plus constant repositioning is needed to keep the enemy guessing where the M8A1 is located. However, if able to get the jump on the enemy, the 75 mm gun on this vehicle can destroy the vehicles at its rank and the addition of the .50 cal M2 Browning on top aids its versatility against lightly armoured vehicle and aircraft.
 +
 
 +
The main tactic for this vehicle is ''Shoot and Scoot'', constant repositioning after every shot as the armour on the M8A1 is rather thin for its battle rating. If hiding behind a rock, pop up from one side then the other rather than just from one side to force the enemy to spend milliseconds reacquiring the M8A1 in their sights, milliseconds that can put the favour of the battle to the M8A1. This involves many trick and will take some time to learn, but once learned, the M8A1 will be a huge assist to the team. Be careful to not get greedy and trigger-happy, the exposure trying to get a target may result in a loss, so play conservatively and know full well when that sometimes there will only be assist and move on. An M8A1 that is used properly is such a powerful tool that it can single handily swing the game. That being said one unlucky second and it is a pile of charred metal, due to the huge amount of ammo crammed into such a small area.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''
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<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Deadly firepower at its BR, penetrating the toughest tanks with ease, such as the [[B1 bis|B1]], [[Matilda Mk II|Matilda]] or even the early [[KV-1 (Family)|KV-1]] in an uptier. Other tanks like the [[T-80]] will easily get one-shot.
 +
* Great gun depression allows hull-down shots on hills
 +
* Multirole capacity (tank destroyer/light tank) allows flexible and fun gameplay
 +
* Great mobility: reaches top speed relatively fast, and it doesn't lose speed drastically upon turning, allowing it to perform flanking manoeuvres easily.
 +
* .50 cal machine gun can eliminate low flying aircraft & soft targets such as [[BT-7]], [[Marder III]], [[SU-76M]]. Also its low profile makes it easier to hide.
 +
* No ammunition is stored inside the turret, decreasing the chance of ammo detonation which increases survivability
 +
* Commonly misidentified as short-gunned M8 Scott
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
 
  
−
== Historical part ==
+
* Thin armour plus the cramped crew gives it poor survivability. Can get destroyed easily by vehicles like [[ZiS-30]], [[SU-76M|SU-76]], [[StuG III A]]
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''
+
* Gun breech is often damaged when turret is penetrated, making it defenceless
 +
* Prone to drifting when cornering at high speeds
 +
* Rather slow turret traverse speed (around 11 deg/s)
 +
* Open-topped turret (exposing the crew & ammo rack) makes it vulnerable to artillery strikes and air attacks
 +
* Although the gun is powerful, it still struggles to frontally penetrate the [[StuH 42 G]] especially with add-on tracks, while the StuH usually knocks out the M8 with a single shot
 +
* All of its ammunition are stacked in every corner inside center compartment, single explosion in the middle of the hull can explode the ammo racks.
 +
 
 +
== History ==
 +
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 +
 
 +
===Development===
 +
In United State's entry into World War II, the troops in the front lines require a support vehicle similar to those in use by the German forces in the form of the [[StuG III A|StuG III]]. The project for such vehicle began as a design submitted in late 1941, which was a [[M5A1|M5 Light Tank]] mated with a howitzer on the hull front, designated the ''T41''. This design didn't pass as the howitzer on the hull sacrificed crew protection. The design was revised on the same M5 light tank and instead had the M5 turret removed and replaced with an open-topped turret similar to the US tank destroyers [[M10 GMC]] and [[M18 GMC]], which mounted a 75 mm howitzer. This change caused the hatches for the driver and assistant driver to be placed on the glacis front rather than the hull roof. This design, called the ''T17E1 HMC'' was approved and put into production under the designation ''75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8'', or the [[M8 Scott]]. The 75 mm M2 howitzer was the initial armament of the M8 before switching to the updated 75 mm M3 howitzer on the [[M8A1|M8A1]] variant. The howitzer was capable of firing [[Smoke screen|smoke]] M89 or high-explosive M48 rounds, the vehicle could hold 46 of these 75 mm rounds. The M8 does not have any machine guns on the coaxial or hull-mounted area, but a .50 cal Browning was mounted on the rear right corner of the turret for infantry defense. The vehicle was put into production in April 1942 and continued until January 1944, of which a total of 1,778 units were produced by Cadillac only.
 +
 
 +
===Combat usage===
 +
These vehicles would go on to serve in the Italian Campaign, European Campaign, and in the Pacific in the hands of the US Army. The M8 saw use in American service until the M7 Priest 105 mm self-propelled gun could be fielded in large numbers, which stopped the M8 production and service in American units. After being phased out of American service, the M8 was then given to the Free French forces that use them in the Western Front of the European operations. The French continue to use them all the way to 1954 in the French-Indochina conflict in use by South-Vietnamese forces. Other users of the M8 included the Khmers national army, Laos, China, and the Philippines.
  
−
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guids, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
== Media ==
 +
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
  
−
== Read also ==
+
;Skins
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''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
+
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m8a1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|1yg1DAEbG8A|'''The Stuart Family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 5:01 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|xF4-TcnyWw0|'''Best tank destroyers''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:24 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|6Ylny9Yy68k|'''{{PAGENAME}}- Fast and furious''' - ''Oxy''}}
 +
 
 +
== See also ==
 +
<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
−
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
−
''ETC.''
 
  
−
== Sources ==
+
;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
−
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+
 
 +
* [[M8 General Scott (Family)]]
 +
 
 +
== External links ==
 +
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''page on the Wikipedia;''
+
* ''other literature.'' -->
−
* ''other literature.''
+
 
 +
* [[wikipedia:Howitzer_Motor_Carriage_M8|[Wikipedia] Howitzer Motor Carriage M8]]
 +
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/75-mm-gun-m3-on-howitzer-motor-carriage-m8-chassis/ <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> 75 mm Gun M3 on 75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 Chassis]
 +
 
 +
{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Department}}
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{{USA light tanks}}
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{{USA premium ground vehicles}}
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{{Winter Event}}

Latest revision as of 20:30, 3 July 2024

Rank VII | Premium | Golden Eagles
Challenger DS Pack
This page is about the premium American light tank M8A1 GMC. For other vehicles of the family, see M8 General Scott (Family). For other uses, see M8 (Disambiguation).
M8A1 GMC
us_m8a1.png
GarageImage M8A1 GMC.jpg
M8A1 GMC
USA flag.png USA
II Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
2.7 2.7 2.7
Class:
PREMIUM
Purchase:Bundle or Gift
Show in game
MARKET

Description

Sometime in 1943, a project was underway to investigate how far light tank firepower could be improved. This culminated with the installation of a 75 mm gun from the M4 Sherman into the 75 mm HMC M8, which originally held a howitzer for infantry support. The modification proved successful, to the extent that both Armored Board and the Tank Destroyer Branch requested the conversion for evaluations. The modified M8, considered as the 75 mm GMC M8 or the "M8A1" in the evaluations, was determined to be a sufficient modification, carrying and firing the gun without detriment to the vehicle, with the downsides being the expedient nature of the modification, small ammo stowage, and crew discomfort due to the smaller internal space. While Armored Board had no interest in procuring the vehicle, the Tank Destroyer Branch found the M8 GMC suitable as an expedient design prior to the fielding of their newest M18 Hellcat tank destroyer, but this ultimately went nowhere when it was determined that the M8A1 could not be produced any sooner than the projected M18, and so the vehicle project was ended by June 1943.

Introduced in Update 1.45 "Steel Generals", the M8A1 is a Stuart light tank package with a medium tank firepower not too unlike the M24 Chaffee. Although its armour and crew survivability is poor, the emphasis on firepower and mobility allows players to use it as a light tank destroyer to flank and destroy enemy tanks with its firepower. Though the open-top design makes the vehicle vulnerable to aircraft strafing, a M2 machine gun is available to try and fight back against enemies, hopefully warding them off enough to avoid outright destroying the M8A1.

The M8A1 is one of the rarer American vehicles to acquire, being made available in a Winter 2014 event as an unlockable gift in the "War Thunder Christmas Special". After that, the M8A1 became available again as a Warbond shop reward as part of War Thunder's 4th anniversary.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull28 / 28 / 25
Turret38 / 25 / 25
Crew4 people
Visibility79 %

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)
Armour Front Sides Rear Roof
Hull 28.5 mm (49-50°) Front glacis
44.1 mm (15-45°) Lower glacis 		28.5 mm Top
28.5 + 5 mm Bottom 		28.5 + 5 mm (2-46°) Top
25.4 mm (2-21°) Bottom 		12.7 mm
Turret 38.1 mm (6-32°) Turret front
38.1 mm (13-62°) Gun mantlet 		25.4 mm (20°) 25.4 mm (1°) N/A

Notes:

  • Suspension bogies and wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 10 mm thick.
  • Tracks laid out on the turret side give an additional 10 mm of armour where they are stacked.
  • Sandskirts on the bottom hull give additional 5 mm thickness.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB71 / 19 km/h
RB and SB64 / 17 km/h
Number of gears8 forward
2 back
Weight15.6 t
Engine power
AB565 hp
RB and SB296 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB36.2 hp/t
RB and SB19.0 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 71 19 15.6 459 565 29.42 36.22
Realistic 64 17 262 296 16.79 18.97

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
AB240 Sl icon.png
RB252 Sl icon.png
SB337 Sl icon.png
Crew training2 300 Sl icon.png
Experts15 000 Sl icon.png
Aces115 Ge icon.png
Research Aces320 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
Talisman.png 2 × 30 / 30 / 30 % Sl icon.png
Talisman.png 2 × 112 / 112 / 112 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Mods tank reinforcement us.png
Crew Replenishment
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_usa_APCBC_ammo_pack
Mods airstrike.png
Airstrike
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_us_M89_Smoke_ammo_pack
Mods scouting.png
Improved optics

Armaments

Main armament

75 mm M3 cannon
Ammunition46 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
8.7 → 6.7 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 30°
Main article: M3 (75 mm)
75 mm M3 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 46 -10°/+30° ±180° N/A 11.4 15.8 19.2 21.2 22.6 8.71 7.70 7.10 6.70
Realistic 7.1 8.4 10.2 11.3 12.0

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
M72 shot AP 91 88 78 67 57 49
M48 shell HE 10 10 10 10 10 10
M61 shot APCBC 104 102 93 84 75 68
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
M72 shot AP 619 6.3 - - - 47° 60° 65°
M48 shell HE 463 6.3 0.2 0.1 666 79° 80° 81°
M61 shot APCBC 618 6.79 1.2 14 63.7 48° 63° 71°
Smoke shell characteristics
Ammunition Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Screen radius
(m) 		Screen deploy
time (s) 		Screen hold
time (s) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
M89 259 3 9 5 20 50

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the M8A1 GMC
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
46 35 (+11) 15 (+31) 12 (+34) 0 (+46) Yes

Machine guns

12.7 mm M2HB machine gun
Ammunition1 000 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate575 shots/min
Vertical guidance-5° / 70°
Main article: M2HB (12.7 mm)
12.7 mm M2HB
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 1,000 (200) 576 -5°/+70° ±180°

Usage in battles

This vehicle plays along with the American concept of the tank destroyers, fast and powerful, but lacking in armour. Using the terrain for cover is necessary to survive against the enemy shells, plus constant repositioning is needed to keep the enemy guessing where the M8A1 is located. However, if able to get the jump on the enemy, the 75 mm gun on this vehicle can destroy the vehicles at its rank and the addition of the .50 cal M2 Browning on top aids its versatility against lightly armoured vehicle and aircraft.

The main tactic for this vehicle is Shoot and Scoot, constant repositioning after every shot as the armour on the M8A1 is rather thin for its battle rating. If hiding behind a rock, pop up from one side then the other rather than just from one side to force the enemy to spend milliseconds reacquiring the M8A1 in their sights, milliseconds that can put the favour of the battle to the M8A1. This involves many trick and will take some time to learn, but once learned, the M8A1 will be a huge assist to the team. Be careful to not get greedy and trigger-happy, the exposure trying to get a target may result in a loss, so play conservatively and know full well when that sometimes there will only be assist and move on. An M8A1 that is used properly is such a powerful tool that it can single handily swing the game. That being said one unlucky second and it is a pile of charred metal, due to the huge amount of ammo crammed into such a small area.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Deadly firepower at its BR, penetrating the toughest tanks with ease, such as the B1, Matilda or even the early KV-1 in an uptier. Other tanks like the T-80 will easily get one-shot.
  • Great gun depression allows hull-down shots on hills
  • Multirole capacity (tank destroyer/light tank) allows flexible and fun gameplay
  • Great mobility: reaches top speed relatively fast, and it doesn't lose speed drastically upon turning, allowing it to perform flanking manoeuvres easily.
  • .50 cal machine gun can eliminate low flying aircraft & soft targets such as BT-7, Marder III, SU-76M. Also its low profile makes it easier to hide.
  • No ammunition is stored inside the turret, decreasing the chance of ammo detonation which increases survivability
  • Commonly misidentified as short-gunned M8 Scott

Cons:

  • Thin armour plus the cramped crew gives it poor survivability. Can get destroyed easily by vehicles like ZiS-30, SU-76, StuG III A
  • Gun breech is often damaged when turret is penetrated, making it defenceless
  • Prone to drifting when cornering at high speeds
  • Rather slow turret traverse speed (around 11 deg/s)
  • Open-topped turret (exposing the crew & ammo rack) makes it vulnerable to artillery strikes and air attacks
  • Although the gun is powerful, it still struggles to frontally penetrate the StuH 42 G especially with add-on tracks, while the StuH usually knocks out the M8 with a single shot
  • All of its ammunition are stacked in every corner inside center compartment, single explosion in the middle of the hull can explode the ammo racks.

History

Development

In United State's entry into World War II, the troops in the front lines require a support vehicle similar to those in use by the German forces in the form of the StuG III. The project for such vehicle began as a design submitted in late 1941, which was a M5 Light Tank mated with a howitzer on the hull front, designated the T41. This design didn't pass as the howitzer on the hull sacrificed crew protection. The design was revised on the same M5 light tank and instead had the M5 turret removed and replaced with an open-topped turret similar to the US tank destroyers M10 GMC and M18 GMC, which mounted a 75 mm howitzer. This change caused the hatches for the driver and assistant driver to be placed on the glacis front rather than the hull roof. This design, called the T17E1 HMC was approved and put into production under the designation 75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8, or the M8 Scott. The 75 mm M2 howitzer was the initial armament of the M8 before switching to the updated 75 mm M3 howitzer on the M8A1 variant. The howitzer was capable of firing smoke M89 or high-explosive M48 rounds, the vehicle could hold 46 of these 75 mm rounds. The M8 does not have any machine guns on the coaxial or hull-mounted area, but a .50 cal Browning was mounted on the rear right corner of the turret for infantry defense. The vehicle was put into production in April 1942 and continued until January 1944, of which a total of 1,778 units were produced by Cadillac only.

Combat usage

These vehicles would go on to serve in the Italian Campaign, European Campaign, and in the Pacific in the hands of the US Army. The M8 saw use in American service until the M7 Priest 105 mm self-propelled gun could be fielded in large numbers, which stopped the M8 production and service in American units. After being phased out of American service, the M8 was then given to the Free French forces that use them in the Western Front of the European operations. The French continue to use them all the way to 1954 in the French-Indochina conflict in use by South-Vietnamese forces. Other users of the M8 included the Khmers national army, Laos, China, and the Philippines.

Media

Skins
Videos
The Stuart Family discusses the M8A1 GMC at 5:01 - War Thunder Official Channel
Best tank destroyers discusses the M8A1 GMC at 4:24 - War Thunder Official Channel
M8A1 GMC- Fast and furious - Oxy

See also

Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

External links


U.S. Army Ordnance Department/Corps*
Light tanks  T18E2 · M24 (Designed in collaboration with Cadillac)
M3 Stuart  M3 · M3A1 Stuart · M3A1 (USMC)
M5 Stuart  M5A1
Medium tanks  M3 Lee
M4 Sherman  M4 · M4A1 · M4A2 · M4A3 (105) · Calliope
  M4A1 (76) W · M4A2 (76) W · M4A3 (76) W
M26 Pershing  T20 · T25 · M26 · M26E1 · M26 T99
Patton Series  M46 · M46 "Tiger" · M47
Prototypes  T54E1 · T95E1
Heavy tanks  M103
M4 Jumbo  M4A3E2 · Cobra King · M4A3E2 (76) W
M6 Heavy  M6A1 · M6A2E1 · T1E1
M26 Pershing  T26E1-1 · T26E5
Prototypes  T14
T29  T29 · T30 · T34
T-32  T32 · T32E1
Tank destroyers  M3 GMC · M10 GMC · M56
M8 GMC  M8 HMC · M8A1 GMC
M36 GMC  M36 GMC · M36B2
Prototypes  T28 · T95
SPAAGs 
Production  M19 MGMC · M42
Export/Captured  ␗M8 HMC · SU-57
Stuart  Stuart I · Stuart III · ␗M3A3 Stuart · ␗M3A3 (1st PTG) · ▄M3A3 · ▄M3A3 Stuart · ▃Stuart VI (5th CAD) · ␗M5A1
Lee/Grant  ▂M3 Medium · ▃Grant I · Grant I
M4 Sherman  Sherman II · ▄M4A1 · ␗M4A1 (75) W · ▀M4 748 (a) · ▂M4A2 · ▄M4A3 (105) · ▅M4A3 (76) W · ▄M4A3E2
  ␗M4A4 · ␗M4A4 (1st PTG) · ▄Sherman V · ▄M4A4 · ▄Sherman I Composito
M26 Pershing  M26 "D.C.Ariete" · M26A1
M47 Patton  mKPz M47 G · ▅M47
M10 GMC  ␗M10 GMC · ▄M10 GMC
M36 GMC  ␗M36 GMC · M36B1 · ▅M36 · ▄M36B2
M19 MGMC  ▅M19A1
M42 MGMC  ▅M42 · ␗M42
  *The Ordnance Department was renamed to the Ordnance Corps after the Army Reorganization Act of 1950.

USA light tanks
LVT  LVT(A)(1) · ○LVT(A)(1) · LVT(A)(4)
M2  M2A2 · M2A4 · M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.)
M3/M5 Stuart  M3 Stuart · M3A1 Stuart · M3A1 (USMC) · M5A1 · M5A1 TD · ▃Stuart VI (5th CAD)
M22 Locust  M22
M24 Chaffee  M24 · M24 (TL)
M18 Hellcat  M18 GMC · M18 "Black Cat" · Super Hellcat
M41 Walker Bulldog  M41A1
M551 Sheridan  M551 · M551(76)
M3 Bradley  M3 Bradley · M3A3 Bradley
Wheeled  M8 LAC · T18E2 · M1128 · M1128 Wolfpack
Other  M8A1 GMC · T92 · T114 · HSTV-L · CCVL · XM8 · XM800T · AGS

USA premium ground vehicles
Light tanks  LVT(A)(4) · M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.) · M3A1 (USMC) · ▃Stuart VI (5th CAD) · M8 LAC · M8A1 GMC
  M18 "Black Cat" · Super Hellcat · T18E2 · M551(76) · T114 · M1128 Wolfpack
Medium tanks  ▃Grant I · M4A5 · Calliope · T20 · M26 T99 · M26E1 · M46 "Tiger" · T54E1 · T54E2 · ▃Magach 3 (ERA) · M728 CEV
  XM1 (GM) · XM1 (Chrysler) · M1 KVT · M1A1 Click-Bait
Heavy tanks  T14 · Cobra King · M6A2E1 · T29 · T30
Tank destroyers  T28 · T55E1

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