Difference between revisions of "M50"

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(Updated template w/ new design)
(→‎Pros and cons: there nothing here so i thought something would be better than nothing)
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|}
 
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'''Notes:'''
 
'''Notes:'''
 +
 
* Suspension wheels and torsion bars are 20 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
 
* Suspension wheels and torsion bars are 20 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
  
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
−
!colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
+
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Weight (tons)
 
! Weight (tons)
−
!colspan="1" | Add-on Armour<br>weight (tons)
+
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armour<br>weight (tons)
−
!colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
+
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
 
|-
 
|-
−
|rowspan="2" | 8.6 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 52 (AB)  
+
| rowspan="2" | 8.6 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 52 (AB)  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|48 (RB/SB)
 
|48 (RB/SB)
 
|-
 
|-
−
!colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
+
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
 
|-
 
|-
−
!colspan="1" | Mode
+
! colspan="1" | Mode
 
!Stock
 
!Stock
 
!Upgraded
 
!Upgraded
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|___
 
|___
 
|-
 
|-
−
!colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
+
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
 
|-
 
|-
−
!colspan="1" | Mode
+
! colspan="1" | Mode
 
!Stock
 
!Stock
 
!Upgraded
 
!Upgraded
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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".-->
 
<!--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:'''
 +
 
*Six recoilless 106mm rifles
 
*Six recoilless 106mm rifles
−
*The guns can be fired within 0.5 seconds of each other, allowing rapid fire on one hapless target
+
*The guns can be fired within 0.5 seconds of each other, allowing rapid fire on one helpless target
 
*Stock shells of HEAT and HESH
 
*Stock shells of HEAT and HESH
−
*4 heavy MGs - Spotting and anti-air
+
*The HEAT shell is really effective , literally point and shoot.
 
*33 mph/53 kph nice speed, can get to ambush or sniping positions early game or rush cap
 
*33 mph/53 kph nice speed, can get to ambush or sniping positions early game or rush cap
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
 +
 
*No armour whatsoever (can be easily destroyed by heavy MG rounds or via air strafing)
 
*No armour whatsoever (can be easily destroyed by heavy MG rounds or via air strafing)
 
*Only 18 rounds - can't miss and be wasteful
 
*Only 18 rounds - can't miss and be wasteful
 
*Only 2 crew members - One shot is most likely to put you out of action
 
*Only 2 crew members - One shot is most likely to put you out of action
−
*Ammo is nicely grouped in the back for any [[Ru 251|Ru 251]] or other flanker
+
*Coaxial machine guns attached to the recoilless rifles are fired only while firing recoilless rifles...which is useless.
 +
*Pintle mounted machine gun is useless as well.
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''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 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></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. 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).''
+
'''Ontos''', officially the '''Rifle, Multiple 106 mm, Self-propelled, M50''', was a U.S. light armored tracked anti-tank vehicle developed in the 1950s.
 +
 
 +
It mounted six 106 mm manually loaded M40 recoilless rifles as its main armament, which could be fired in rapid succession against single targets to guarantee a kill. Although the actual caliber of the main guns was 105 mm it was designated 106 mm to prevent confusion with the ammunition for the 105 mm M27 recoilless rifle, which the M40 replaced.
 +
 
 +
It was produced in limited numbers for the U.S. Marines after the U.S. Army cancelled the project. The Marines consistently reported excellent results when they used the Ontos for direct fire support against infantry in numerous battles and operations during the Vietnam War. The American stock of Ontos was largely expended towards the end of the conflict and the Ontos was removed from service in 1969.
 +
 
 +
'''<u>SERVICE</u>'''
 +
 
 +
While the M50 was designed as a tank destroyer, during the Vietnam War most M50s did not engage enemy armor as the North Vietnamese Army deployed few tanks. The Ontos was therefore more widely used by the US Marines for direct fire support for the infantry in combat, a role that was never emphasized in training or doctrine. Its light armor was effective against small arms but vulnerable to mines and rocket-propelled grenades. Consequently, many Ontos were deployed in static defense positions.
 +
 
 +
The relatively light weight of the M50 made it exceptionally mobile for the amount of firepower it carried. In one operation, the Ontos was the only tracked vehicle light enough to cross a pontoon bridge. In the Battle of Hue, Colonel Stanley S. Hughes felt the Ontos was the most effective of all Marine supporting arms. At ranges of 300 to 500 yards (270 to 460 m), its recoilless rifles could knock holes in or completely knock down walls. The appearance of an Ontos was sometimes enough to make the enemy break and run, and anecdotal accounts describe the enemy fleeing occupied buildings when an Ontos's spotting round entered a window. In Operation Desoto, the introduction of the large CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter made possible moving a platoon 25 miles (40 km) south of Quan Ngai City carrying Ontos in slings underneath the aircraft.
 +
 
 +
The Ontos units were deactivated in May 1969, and some of the vehicles were handed over to an Army light infantry brigade. They used them until they ran out of spare parts, and then removed the turrets and used them as fixed fortifications. Both these and the rest of the vehicles returned from Vietnam in 1970 and were cut up for scrap, with some of the chassis being sold off to be converted into construction vehicles. Some of the Ontos that were sold to construction companies were later acquired by collectors for restoration.
 +
 
 +
The Ontos did see use as an anti-tank weapon during the American involvement in the Dominican Civil War: on 29 April 1965 an M50 Ontos and an M48 Patton of the 6th MEU engaged and destroyed two rebel L/60L light tanks, each destroying one. In another instance, an Ontos destroyed an AMX-13.
 +
 
 +
'''<u>VARIANTS</u>'''
 +
 
 +
Several variants were also studied. The '''Utility Vehicle, Tracked, Infantry, T55''' was a light Armored personnel carrier (APC), but only two versions of the prototype were built. It proved impractical due to the limited room inside, carrying only five infantry and forcing the driver to lie prone. A "stretched" version known as the '''Utility Vehicle, Tracked, Infantry, T56''' was also built, and while it held a complete eight-man team, their equipment had to be carried on the outside. Neither was considered very useful.
 +
 
 +
In 1960 there was a brief study made to replace the Ontos's 106 mm rifles with a new 105 mm design that included a revolver-style autoloader. This project was not accepted.
 +
 
 +
Another proposed upgrade was replacing the GMC engine with a newer Chrysler 361 cu in V8 engine. This upgrade was implemented and the variant was named '''Rifle, Multiple 106 mm, Self-propelled, M50A1'''. However of the 297 vehicles initially accepted by the Marines, only 176 were converted between 1963 and 1965 to this standard.
 +
[[File:M50 Ontos .jpg|thumb|310x310px]]
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
 
  
 
== 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;''
 
* ''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.''
Line 240: Line 267:
 
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
 
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
 
* ''other literature.''-->
 
* ''other literature.''-->
 +
 
* [[wt:en/news/4905-gamescom-m50-ontos-something-out-of-the-ordinary-en|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> M50 Ontos - Something Out of The Ordinary]]
 
* [[wt:en/news/4905-gamescom-m50-ontos-something-out-of-the-ordinary-en|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> M50 Ontos - Something Out of The Ordinary]]
  
 
{{USA tank destroyers}}
 
{{USA tank destroyers}}

Revision as of 15:19, 17 October 2019

Rank VI USSR | Premium | Golden Eagles
Su-25K Pack
M50
us_m50_ontos.png
M50
USA flag.png USA
IV Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
6.7 6.7 6.7
Class:
Research:63 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:200 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

GarageImage M50.jpg


The Rifle, Multiple, 106-mm, Self-Propelled, M50, also known by the nickname Ontos, is a rank IV American tank destroyer with a battle rating of 6.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.71 "New E.R.A".

The M50 "Ontos" is pretty much a bulky carrier of recoilless rifles, carrying a payload of six shells of devastating HEAT and HESH shells. With six launchers pointing forwards, a well-emplaced M50 can point itself downrange and once a target comes into its sights, unleash all shells until the target is annihilated.

A stealthy and pouncing game style is needed to make the most of the hard-hitting guns and the thin armour of the Ontos.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 10-13 (70°) Front glacis
13 mm (45-66°) Lower glacis 		13 mm (43°) Top
13 mm Bottom 		13 mm (36°) Top
13 mm Bottom 		13 mm
Armour Sides Roof
Cupola 13 mm 13 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels and torsion bars are 20 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.

Mobility

Mobility characteristic
Weight (tons) Add-on Armour
weight (tons) 		Max speed (km/h)
8.6 N/A 52 (AB)
48 (RB/SB)
Engine power (horsepower)
Mode Stock Upgraded
Arcade 206 ___
Realistic/Simulator 128 ___
Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Mode Stock Upgraded
Arcade 23.95 __.__
Realistic/Simulator 14.88 __.__

Armaments

Main armament

Main article: M40A1C (106 mm)
106 mm M40A1C
Capacity (Belt capacity) Vertical
guidance 		Horizontal
guidance 		Stabilizer
18 (6) -10°/+20° ±40° N/A
Turret rotation speed (°/s)
Mode Stock Upgraded Prior + Full crew Prior + Expert qualif. Prior + Ace qualif.
Arcade __.__ __.__ __.__ __.__ __.__
Realistic 10.7 12.6 15.3 16.9 18.0
Reloading rate (seconds)
Stock Prior + Full crew Prior + Expert qualif. Prior + Ace qualif.
16.90 14.95 13.78 13.00
Ammunition
Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration in mm @ 90°
10m 100m 500m 1000m 1500m 2000m
M344A1 HEAT 381 381 381 381 381 381
M361A1 HESH 152 152 152 152 152 152
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
in m/s 		Projectile
Mass in kg 		Fuse delay

in m:

Fuse sensitivity

in mm:

Explosive Mass in g
(TNT equivalent): 		Normalization At 30°
from horizontal: 		Ricochet:
0% 50% 100%
M344A1 HEAT 502 10 0.0 0.1 1,650 +0° 62° 69° 73°
M361A1 HESH 498 10 0.4 0.1 5,040 +0° 73° 77° 80°
Ammo racks
Ammo racks of the M50.
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
18 10 (+8) 0 (+18) No

Six shells are loaded per reload.

Machine guns

Main articles: M8C (12.7 mm), Browning (7.62 mm)
12.7 mm M8C
Coaxial mount (x4)
Capacity (Belt capacity each) Fire rate
(shots/minute) 		Vertical
guidance 		Horizontal
guidance
480 (4) 300 N/A N/A
7.62 mm M1919A4
Pintle mount
Capacity (Belt capacity) Fire rate
(shots/minute) 		Vertical
guidance 		Horizontal
guidance
1,000 (250) 500 -5°/+50° ±70°

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).

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Six recoilless 106mm rifles
  • The guns can be fired within 0.5 seconds of each other, allowing rapid fire on one helpless target
  • Stock shells of HEAT and HESH
  • The HEAT shell is really effective , literally point and shoot.
  • 33 mph/53 kph nice speed, can get to ambush or sniping positions early game or rush cap

Cons:

  • No armour whatsoever (can be easily destroyed by heavy MG rounds or via air strafing)
  • Only 18 rounds - can't miss and be wasteful
  • Only 2 crew members - One shot is most likely to put you out of action
  • Coaxial machine guns attached to the recoilless rifles are fired only while firing recoilless rifles...which is useless.
  • Pintle mounted machine gun is useless as well.

History

Ontos, officially the Rifle, Multiple 106 mm, Self-propelled, M50, was a U.S. light armored tracked anti-tank vehicle developed in the 1950s.

It mounted six 106 mm manually loaded M40 recoilless rifles as its main armament, which could be fired in rapid succession against single targets to guarantee a kill. Although the actual caliber of the main guns was 105 mm it was designated 106 mm to prevent confusion with the ammunition for the 105 mm M27 recoilless rifle, which the M40 replaced.

It was produced in limited numbers for the U.S. Marines after the U.S. Army cancelled the project. The Marines consistently reported excellent results when they used the Ontos for direct fire support against infantry in numerous battles and operations during the Vietnam War. The American stock of Ontos was largely expended towards the end of the conflict and the Ontos was removed from service in 1969.

SERVICE

While the M50 was designed as a tank destroyer, during the Vietnam War most M50s did not engage enemy armor as the North Vietnamese Army deployed few tanks. The Ontos was therefore more widely used by the US Marines for direct fire support for the infantry in combat, a role that was never emphasized in training or doctrine. Its light armor was effective against small arms but vulnerable to mines and rocket-propelled grenades. Consequently, many Ontos were deployed in static defense positions.

The relatively light weight of the M50 made it exceptionally mobile for the amount of firepower it carried. In one operation, the Ontos was the only tracked vehicle light enough to cross a pontoon bridge. In the Battle of Hue, Colonel Stanley S. Hughes felt the Ontos was the most effective of all Marine supporting arms. At ranges of 300 to 500 yards (270 to 460 m), its recoilless rifles could knock holes in or completely knock down walls. The appearance of an Ontos was sometimes enough to make the enemy break and run, and anecdotal accounts describe the enemy fleeing occupied buildings when an Ontos's spotting round entered a window. In Operation Desoto, the introduction of the large CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter made possible moving a platoon 25 miles (40 km) south of Quan Ngai City carrying Ontos in slings underneath the aircraft.

The Ontos units were deactivated in May 1969, and some of the vehicles were handed over to an Army light infantry brigade. They used them until they ran out of spare parts, and then removed the turrets and used them as fixed fortifications. Both these and the rest of the vehicles returned from Vietnam in 1970 and were cut up for scrap, with some of the chassis being sold off to be converted into construction vehicles. Some of the Ontos that were sold to construction companies were later acquired by collectors for restoration.

The Ontos did see use as an anti-tank weapon during the American involvement in the Dominican Civil War: on 29 April 1965 an M50 Ontos and an M48 Patton of the 6th MEU engaged and destroyed two rebel L/60L light tanks, each destroying one. In another instance, an Ontos destroyed an AMX-13.

VARIANTS

Several variants were also studied. The Utility Vehicle, Tracked, Infantry, T55 was a light Armored personnel carrier (APC), but only two versions of the prototype were built. It proved impractical due to the limited room inside, carrying only five infantry and forcing the driver to lie prone. A "stretched" version known as the Utility Vehicle, Tracked, Infantry, T56 was also built, and while it held a complete eight-man team, their equipment had to be carried on the outside. Neither was considered very useful.

In 1960 there was a brief study made to replace the Ontos's 106 mm rifles with a new 105 mm design that included a revolver-style autoloader. This project was not accepted.

Another proposed upgrade was replacing the GMC engine with a newer Chrysler 361 cu in V8 engine. This upgrade was implemented and the variant was named Rifle, Multiple 106 mm, Self-propelled, M50A1. However of the 297 vehicles initially accepted by the Marines, only 176 were converted between 1963 and 1965 to this standard.

File:M50 Ontos .jpg
310x310px

Media

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;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links


USA tank destroyers
M10  M10 GMC
M36  M36 GMC · M36B2
T95  T28 · T95
M109  M109A1
ATGM  LOSAT · M901
Wheeled  M3 GMC · T55E1
Other  M8 HMC · M50 · M56
China  ▃LVT(A)(4) (ZIS-2)

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