Difference between revisions of "M8A1 GMC"
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| + | {{About | ||
| + | | about = premium American light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}''' | ||
| + | |other | ||
| + | |usage-1 = other vehicles of the family | ||
| + | |link-1 = M8 General Scott (Family) | ||
| + | |usage-2 = other uses | ||
| + | |link-2 = M8 (Disambiguation) | ||
| + | }} | ||
{{Specs-Card | {{Specs-Card | ||
|code=us_m8a1 | |code=us_m8a1 | ||
| + | |images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}} | ||
|market=75mm Gun Motor Carriage M8 | |market=75mm Gun Motor Carriage M8 | ||
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}} | }} | ||
== Description == | == Description == | ||
| − | <!--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. | + | <!-- ''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.'' --> |
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| − | + | 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. | |
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| + | 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. | ||
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| + | 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 helpful 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.'' --> | |
| − | If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.--> | ||
'''Armour type:''' | '''Armour type:''' | ||
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{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | ! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof | + | ! 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 | | 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 | ||
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=== Mobility === | === Mobility === | ||
| + | {{Specs-Tank-Mobility}} | ||
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' --> | <!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' --> | ||
| − | {{tankMobility|abMinHp= | + | {{tankMobility|abMinHp=459|rbMinHp=262}} |
| + | |||
| + | === Modifications and economy === | ||
| + | {{Specs-Economy}} | ||
== Armaments == | == Armaments == | ||
| + | {{Specs-Tank-Armaments}} | ||
=== Main armament === | === Main armament === | ||
| − | <!--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.--> | + | {{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)}} | {{main|M3 (75 mm)}} | ||
| − | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center | + | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%" |
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| − | | | + | ! 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 | |
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| − | | 8. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
| − | + | ==== Ammunition ==== | |
| − | { | + | {{:M3 (75 mm)/Ammunition|M72 shot, M48 shell, M61 shot, M89}} |
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| − | | M72 shot | ||
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| − | + | ==== [[Ammo racks]] ==== | |
| − | [[File: | + | [[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]] |
| − | {| class="wikitable | + | <!-- '''Last updated: 1.101.1.14''' --> |
| + | {| 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 ''(+11)'' || | + | | '''46''' || 35 ''(+11)'' || 15 ''(+31)'' || 12 ''(+34)'' || 0 ''(+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)}} | {{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}} | ||
| − | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | + | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%" |
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|- | |- | ||
| − | ! colspan="7 | + | ! 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 == | == 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).--> | + | <!-- ''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. | 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 | + | 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. |
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=== Pros and cons === | === Pros and cons === | ||
| − | <!--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".--> | + | <!-- ''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 |
| − | * | ||
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| − | * .50 cal machine gun can eliminate low flying aircraft & | ||
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| − | * No ammunition is stored inside the turret | ||
* Commonly misidentified as short-gunned M8 Scott | * Commonly misidentified as short-gunned M8 Scott | ||
'''Cons:''' | '''Cons:''' | ||
| − | * | + | * 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]] |
| − | * Gun | + | * Gun breech is often damaged when turret is penetrated, making it defenceless |
| − | + | * Prone to drifting when cornering at high speeds | |
| − | * Prone to drifting | + | * 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 | |
| − | * Open topped turret ( | ||
* 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. | * 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 == | == History == | ||
| − | <!--Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the | + | <!-- ''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=== | ===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 | + | 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=== | ===Combat usage=== | ||
| Line 267: | Line 151: | ||
== Media == | == Media == | ||
| − | ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' | + | <!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' --> |
| + | |||
| + | ;Skins | ||
| + | |||
| + | * [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 == | == See also == | ||
| − | ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:'' | + | <!-- ''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;'' | ||
| + | * ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' --> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis | ||
| − | * | + | * [[M8 General Scott (Family)]] |
| − | |||
== External links == | == External links == | ||
| − | ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:'' | + | <!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:'' |
| + | * ''topic on the official game forum;'' | ||
| + | * ''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] |
| − | |||
| − | {{USA | + | {{TankManufacturer Ordnance Department}} |
| + | {{USA light tanks}} | ||
{{USA premium ground vehicles}} | {{USA premium ground vehicles}} | ||
| + | {{Winter Event}} | ||
Latest revision as of 20:30, 3 July 2024
| 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). |
Contents
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 
RB252
SB337
Crew training2 300
Experts15 000
Aces115 
Research Aces320 000 
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
2 × 30 / 30 / 30 % 2 × 112 / 112 / 112 % | Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
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Armaments
Main armament
75 mm M3 cannon
Ammunition46 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
8.7 → 6.7 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 30°
| 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
Ammunition1 000 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate575 shots/min
Vertical guidance-5° / 70°
| 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
- [Wikipedia] Howitzer Motor Carriage M8
- [Tanks Encyclopedia] 75 mm Gun M3 on 75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 Chassis
| 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 |
