M19A1
Contents
Description
The Twin Gun Motor Carriage M19 is a Rank IV American self-propelled anti-aircraft gun with a battle rating of 5.0. It is one of the first American vehicles to be released with the American ground tree in Update 1.45 "Steel Generals". Armed with a dual-mounted Bofors 40 mm gun system, the M19 provides a substantial firepower upgrade over the standard .50 caliber machine guns and 37 mm autocannon used in its predecessors M16 MGMC and M15 CGMC.
The M19 TGMC is a Self Propelled Anti-Air vehicle. Not much more to say. Stay behind and close to allies, but outside the enemies view-range and with clear line of sight to the horizon for low aircraft.
General info
Survivability and armour
Armour type:
- Rolled homogeneous armour
| Armour | Front (Slope armour) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 12.7 mm (59°) | 12.7 mm | 12.7 mm | 12.7 mm |
| Turret | 12.7 mm | 8 mm | 8 mm | N/A |
Notes:
- Suspension wheels and tracks are 10 mm thick.
Mobility
| Mobility characteristic | ||
|---|---|---|
| Weight (tons) | Add-on Armor weight (tons) |
Max speed (km/h) |
| 17.5 | N/A | 61 (AB) |
| 56 (RB/SB) | ||
| Engine power (horsepower) | ||
| Mode | Stock | Upgraded |
| Arcade | 420 | 518 |
| Realistic/Simulator | 262 | 296 |
| Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | ||
| Mode | Stock | Upgraded |
| Arcade | 24.00 | 29.60 |
| Realistic/Simulator | 14.97 | 16.91 |
Armaments
| 40 mm Bofors (x2) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity (Belt capacity each) | Fire rate (shots/minute) |
Vertical guidance |
Horizontal guidance |
Stabilizer | |
| 352 (8) | 120 | -5°/+85° | ±180° | N/A | |
| Turret rotation speed (°/s) | |||||
| Mode | Stock | Upgraded | Prior + Full crew | Prior + Expert qualif. | Prior + Ace qualif. |
| Arcade | 23.8 | 32.9 | 40.0 | 44.2 | 47.0 |
| Realistic | 23.8 | 28.0 | 34.0 | 37.6 | 40.0 |
| Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||
| Stock | Prior + Full crew | Prior + Expert qualif. | Prior + Ace qualif. | ||
| 0.65 | 0.58 | 0.53 | 0.50 | ||
Ammunition
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Penetration in mm @ 90° | |||||
| 10m | 100m | 500m | 1000m | 1500m | 2000m | ||
| Mk.II | HEFI-T* | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| M81A1 | AP-T | 76 | 74 | 62 | 45 | 33 | 24 |
| 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% | ||||||||
| Mk.II | HEFI-T* | 874 | 0.86 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 63 | +0° | 79° | 80° | 81° |
| M81A1 | AP-T | 874 | 0.88 | N/A | N/A | N/A | -1° | 47° | 60° | 65° |
Belt types
| Belts | Shell composition | Combat usage |
| Default | AP-T / HEFI-T* | These work fine, a hit on an aircraft means certain death for it and still is able to hurt ground vehicles, especially if it is side into the side of a enemy tank. These seem like a good "I don't know what I will run into" belt. |
| Mk.II | HEFI-T* | These mean certain death for aircraft, what should be used for AA work. |
| M81A1 | AP-T | These are the worst belts against airplanes. however, they are able to hurt ground vehicles especially if it is side into the side of a enemy tank. If you plan on killing tanks load this and flank, since side shots are almost a necessity. |
Ammo racks
| Ammo Part |
Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
5th rack empty |
6th rack empty |
7th rack empty |
8th rack empty |
9th rack empty |
10th rack empty |
11th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magazines Rounds |
44 352 |
22 (+22) 176 (+176) |
20 (+24) 160 (+192) |
18 (+26) 144 (+208) |
16 (+28) 128 (+224) |
14 (+30) 112 (+240) |
12 (+32) 96 (+256) |
10 (+34) 80 (+272) |
8 (+36) 64 (+288) |
6 (+38) 48 (+304) |
4 (+40) 32 (+320) |
2 (+42) 16 (+336) |
Yes |
Notes:
- There are 8 rounds loaded into each magazine. The second row merely translate the number of magazine into the number of rounds.
Usage in the battles
With the dual 40mm Bofors the TGMC has an excellent tool versus bombers and armoured attackers. The ammo is limited though. Reserve the fire for certain hits. Against fighters the same tactic should be applied.
Compared to certain other SPAAs (ZSU-37, Wirbelwind, Multiple Gun Motor Carriage M13, etc.), the M19 cannot be used effectively in an anti-vehicle role. The average battle-rating is too high and the penetration value of the AP shells to low. While it does have increased armour compared to earlier models, it is still not strong enough against the devastating tank HE shells. However the armour performs well versus the average aircraft armament. Thankfully the fuzes of most APHE shells coming at you are not very sensitive, rendering the HE content useless and the entire shell into a mere AP solid shot. The damage can still destroy major components and render you immobile for more shots.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Heavy anti-air fire power.
- Good effect on aircraft if 40 mm HE shells hit.
- Good mobility.
Cons:
- Open top, exposing loaders and gunners.
- Compared to some other SPAA's at the rank, poor anti-vehicle performance.
- Little armour.
- Decreased mobility off-road.
History
Development
The development of this vehicle began from the T65 project. The T65 was classified as the 40 mm Gun Motor Carriage T65 and was based off the chassis of the M5 Stuart as requested by US Army Armored Force for a light anti-aircraft vehicle. The T65 was a successful vehicle and went on for about 1,000 units produced, however it stopped because the production line for the Stuart chassis was phased out as well. As a replacement, the Armored Force peered into the new light tank entering production, the M24 Chaffee, as the basis of their new light anti-aircraft vehicle. This project was called the T65E1 and was being developed at the same time with the M24 (still in development as the T24). The layout for the T65E1 on the new chassis was similar to the one used with the Stuart's chassis, with the gun turret at the rear and engine at the middle, and only a few changes were made like changing the original vertical gun shield into an angular one.
The T65E1 was accepted in May 1944 and designated as the Twin Gun Motor Carriage M19. An order of 904 of these vehicles were sent to Cadillac, but production didn't start until August and the factory was only able to make 285 units before the war ended due to diversion in parts to creating full M24 Chaffees. An upgrade made during its production life was designated the M19A1 and had an auxiliary engine and generator to operate the 40 mm cannons in case the main engine is disabled, plus an extra compartment to hold two spare barrels for the gun should they be damaged or overheated.
Combat usage
The M19 TGMCs that were produced were sent to Europe and used by the US Army. However, by the time the M19 was available for use, the German Luftwaffe had been decimated by the Allied air superiority, thus the M19 use as an anti-aircraft gun has been diminished greatly. The M19, like its many anti-aircraft vehicle designs made before it, found great service as an assault gun, where its 40 mm twin cannons can deliver much more firepower than its predecessors with either only .50 caliber machine guns (M16 MGMC), or a 37 mm autocannon (M15 CGMC). The M19 was never exported to America's allies in the Lend-Lease Act, and not even after the war with the Military Aid Program. Despite that, the M19 still saw use in America up to the Korean War for nearly the same purposes it was given for in World War II as a ground support weapon. It was used as a defensive turret against charging North Korean and Chinese forces when they try to overrun infantry positions, to which it served with devastating effect. Its effect against enemy aircraft is dubious during the war.
When the M24 Chaffee and its chassis derivatives were finally phased out of service in 1956 for newer tanks in production, the M19 was no exception. However, the M19 40 mm turrets were removed from the chassis and was simply put onto the next light tank chassis that was to take over the role the M24 Chaffee was built for. This light tank was the M41 Walker Bulldog and the M19 turret-mounted chassis was named the M42 Duster.
Media
Camouflages, skins and paint patterns for the M19 Twin Gun Motor Carriage from live.warthunder.
Read 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.
ETC.
Sources
Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
- topic on the official game forum;
- other literature.
| USA anti-aircraft vehicles | |
|---|---|
| M3 Half-track derivatives | M13 MGMC · M15 CGMC · M16 MGMC |
| M24 derivative | M19A1 |
| M41 derivative | M42 |
| Radar SPAAG | M163 · M247 |
| Missile SPAA | ADATS · Imp.Chaparral · LAV-AD · XM975 |
