105 mm gun T8

105mm gun T8 on carriage T19
105mm gun T8 on carriage T19
Type	Anti-tank gun
Place of origin	United States
Service history
Used by	United States
Production history
Designed	1944–46
No. built	2 pilot models
Specifications
Mass	about 8 tons
Barrel length	65 calibers
Shell weight	17.7 kilograms (39 lb)
Caliber	105 mm (4.13 in)
Breech	vertical block
Carriage	Split trail
Muzzle velocity	945 metres per second (3,100 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	26,690 m (29,188 yds)

105mm gun T8 was an anti-tank gun developed in the United States in mid-1940s. This gun's design was influenced by German 88 mm Pak 43/41 anti-tank guns captured by the U.S. Army in France. The development started in October 1944; the gun reached trials in February 1946. Soon afterwards the project was cancelled.[1]

Design

In December, 1942, Allied forces reported that new German armored vehicle designs were resistant to 57 mm anti-tank guns, the largest anti-tank gun available. The US Ordnance Department began preliminary studies on a gun design similar to the German 88 mm Pak 43/41 anti-aircraft gun which was then successfully being used as an anti-tank gun. The first proposal was a combination of the 90 mm M1 Anti-aircraft gun mated to the M2 recoil mechanism from the M2A1 105 mm howitzer. The example was designated 90 mm anti-tank gun T8 on carriage T5.[2]

The T5 gun carriage proved unacceptable due to structural weaknesses found while towing off-road. After two redesigned carriages were tested, the T5E2 was classified as limited standard. After additional trials at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, the T8 gun was found to be too heavy. Alternative carriages were tested, with no carriage found acceptable.[2]

Two new gun/carriages were proposed and tested. The final design selected was the T20E1 gun with the T15 carriage. Three T8 guns were completed in 1944, and a production batch of 400 was ordered. One of the three guns was sent to Europe with the Zebra mission in February, 1945. The Zebra team was sent to the ETO to respond to the criticism of the inadequate anti-tank guns that were then in service.[2]

In early 1945 the entire anti-tank gun issue was re-examined to evaluate the need for large-bore anti-tank guns, as the need in the Pacific did not exist as Japanese armor could easily be penetrated by 37 mm and 57 mm M1 anti-tank guns then available. The Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B (King Tiger) and Panzerjäger Tiger Ausf. B (Jagdtiger) were found to be armored beyond the anti-tank guns then in use or proposed. Work was started on a 105 mm version of the T8 using the T19 split trail carriage in October 1944.[2]

The T8 105 mm anti-tank gun weighed about eight tons. It had a split trail carriage and magnesium wheels with synthetic rubber tires. In transportation, the mount could be rotated 180 degrees in order to reduce the length of the piece. The gun fired a 17.7 kg (39 lbs) armor-piercing projectile at 945 m/s (3,100 ft/s), resulting in the penetration of 210 mm (8.26 in) at 1,000 m (1,093 yds), 0 degrees.[2]

Display

Two pilot guns and carriages were built; one of those is on display in the United States Army Ordnance Museum, Aberdeen, Maryland, United States.

Prototype 105 mm T8 Anti-tank gun with carriage T17 in travel mode, with early style combat wheels prior to change to magnesium wheels.

References

Notes

Hogg, Ian V. (1998). Allied Artillery of World War Two. Crowood Press, Ramsbury. ISBN 1-86126-165-9.
Zaloga, Steven J. (2005). US Anti-tank Artillery 1941-45. New Vanguard 107. illustrated by Brian Delf. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-690-9. pp 40-42

Bibliography

Hogg, Ian V. Allied Artillery of World War Two (1998). Crowood Press, Ramsbury. ISBN 1-86126-165-9
Zaloga, Steven J. US Anti-tank Artillery 1941-45. New Vanguard 107. Illustrated by Brian Delf. (2005). Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-690-9.

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[1] Hogg, Ian V. (1998). Allied Artillery of World War Two. Crowood Press, Ramsbury. ISBN 1-86126-165-9.

[zaloga-2] Zaloga, Steven J. (2005). US Anti-tank Artillery 1941-45. New Vanguard 107. illustrated by Brian Delf. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-690-9. pp 40-42

United States artillery of World War II
Tank guns	37 mm gun M5/M6 75 mm gun M2/M3/M6 76 mm gun M1 3 inch gun M7 90 mm gun M3 105 mm howitzer M4
Anti-tank guns	37 mm M3 57 mm M1 75 mm M1897 3 inch M5 90 mm T8 105mm T8
Field, medium and heavy guns	75 mm M1897 75 mm howitzer M1 105 mm howitzer M2 105 mm howitzer M3 4.5 inch gun M1 155 mm howitzer M1918 155 mm howitzer M1 155 mm gun M1918MI 155 mm gun M1/M2 "Long Tom" 8 inch howitzer M1/M2 8-inch gun M1 240 mm howitzer M1
Mortars	60 mm mortar M2 81 mm mortar M1 4.2 inch mortar M2 Little David
Other vehicle-mounted	75 mm howitzer M2/M3 75 mm gun M1897 105 mm howitzer M2 155 mm gun M1917MI 155 mm gun M2 8 inch howitzer M1/M2
Anti-aircraft guns	37 mm M1 40 mm M1 3-inch gun M1917 3-inch gun M1918 3-inch anti-aircraft gun M3 90 mm M1 120 mm M1
Coast artillery guns	3-inch gun M1903 90 mm M1 6-inch gun M1903 155 mm gun M1918MI 7"/45 caliber gun 8-inch Mk. VI 8-inch gun M1888 10-inch gun M1895 12-inch coast defense mortar 12-inch gun M1895 14-inch gun M1907 16-inch gun M1895 16-inch gun M1919 16-inch Marks 2 and 3 16-inch howitzer M1920
Railway artillery	8-inch Mk. VI 8-inch M1888 12-inch coast defense mortar 14-inch M1920