57mm Antitank Gun M1

57mm Antitank Gun M1. . Even before the United States entered World War II, it became apparent to the Army that their 37mm antitank gun was inadequate against the newest Axis (German and Italian) tanks. Looking for the fastest way to get an operational gun in service, they decided to copy the British six-pounder antitank gun. In February 1941, British six-pounder gun diagrams were converted to incorporate American production methods. The gun entered into production in May 1941 as the 57mm Antitank Gun M1., First used in North Africa in 1942, more than 16,000 Ml guns were built between 1942 and early 1944. The gun became the standard U.S. antitank gun of World War Il and was widely used in the European Theater of Operations. While effective against Axis tanks, Army troops disliked the gun because of its strong recoil. , When production ceased for the 57mm gun in early 1944, its previous success was proving inadequate against late model German armor. Considered obsolete by the end of World War Il, the Army discontinued its use. However, the gun continued to be sold to our Allies., This American-made 57mm Antitank Gun Ml was produced in 1942. The gun carriage, an M1A2 model, was made by International Harvester Company the same year. The M1A2 designation indicated that the split trail carriage had combat tires and a wheel-operated traverse. This artillery piece was typically pulled by a halftrack., Specifications: , Weight: 2,700 pounds , Range: 10,860 yards (6.2 miles) maximum, 1,000 yards antitank , Rate of fire: 10 rounds/minute in burst, 5 rounds/minute prolonged fire , Projectile weight: 6.3 to 7.3 pounds , Muzzle velocity: 2,800 feet per second, (captions) , The 57 mm antitank gun M1 continued to be used by other countries and during the Korean War. Here, a camouflaged 57mm antitank gun is moved into position by South Korean artillerymen on 1 August 1950. (Department of Defense), Members of the Anti-aircraft and Antitank Battalion load a 57mm antitank gun into a CG4a WACO Glider prior to the invasion of Holland during Operation Market Garden. (Department of Defense), An American 57mm antitank gun crew in action and under fire during the battle for Aachen, Holland, on October 15, 1944, during Operation Market Garden. (Department of Defense), This World War Il era photograph was used for propaganda and recruiting. caption read, "Bad news for Axis tanks. The crew of a 57mm anti-tank gun, one of many in training at Fort Benning, Georgia, already handle their piece with the snap and precision of an old timer." (Library of Congress), In 1944, Army gunners struggled in the mud to piace their 57mm M1 antitank gun in Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge. (Department of Defense), This rare color photograph from World War II shows U.S. Army troops loading and firing a 57mm antitank gun in a captured German bunker near Saint-Malo, Bretagne. (Department of Defense)