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Evaluating the M16 stateside. This
photo shows the halftrack's full complement of five soldiers.
The gunner's head is visible in the M45
turret, since he has tipped forward the hinged armor plates at the top of
the turret shield.
The track's hinged armor sides are in the up
position in this photo.
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It can be forcefully argued
that the Multiple Gun Motor Carriage M16 is the defining weapon of World
War II Antiaircraft Artillery. It is easy to see how the
carriage's classic lines would resonate with aesthetic tastes.
Certainly, the exploits of the soldiers that served this piece still echo
across the decades. Whatever the reason, the M16 endures to this day
in countless scale models, while surviving full scale versions remain a
favorite for preservation among military vehicle collectors. The M16
carriage has become synonymous with its weapon - the quad fifty machine
gun. This halftrack can justifiably be dubbed a legend.
The M16 was simply a
standard M3 halftrack adapted to carry the Maxon M45 quadruple mount for
the .50 caliber M2 heavy barrel machine guns. The halftrack was
modified by the installation of a pedestal for the gun mount and by the
use of hinged armor panels along the sides and rear that could be
dropped to allow the guns to depress
for low-angle fire without interference from the halftrack's sides.
Cutaways along the top edge of these hinged panels permitted the lower machine
gun ammo chests to clear the sides when the panels were in the raised position.
The M17 was an alternate
version of this vehicle that used the M5 halftrack manufactured by
International Harvester as a carriage, instead of the White M3. The M16 and M17
were nearly identical in appearance, with the major differences being the
engine and drive train. Both models had a maximum speed of about 40
mph on level ground.
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M16 of the 489th AAA Bn on watch near Bastogne
during the Bulge.
The aircraft they appear to be
observing are obviously friendly, as
this crew is definitely not preparing to
engage.
Wintry weather was a real threat to the M16.
The weight of the quad turret when combined
with a heavy snow or ice accumulation had a tendency to snap the halftrack's rear axle.
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Standardized on 31 December
1942, the M16 carriage quickly became the staple of self-propelled
automatic weapons battalions, where they were partnered with the
M15 halftrack.
Additional ammo chests
were carried in addition to those mounted on the turret. A total of
5,000 rounds in 10 boxes and 15 belts were carried on the M16.
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M16 in the Ground Battle
The M16 halftracks were kept very busy in Europe, even if the
Luftwaffe didn't show up. The German ground troops first felt
the bite of this halftrack in Normandy. If an infantry
commander felt there was something suspicious behind a hedgerow,
he'd call up an M16 to spray .50 caliber fire into the growth.
Problem solved. Often a few bursts from an M16's quad turret were all that
was needed to eliminate points of stubborn German resistance.
This trend continued throughout the war in all theaters of operation, and Allied infantrymen grew
very fond of the M16 track.
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M16
halftrack crew preparing to engage Japanese ground troops in the
campaign for Luzon. A track like this could move quickly into
position and deliver a devastating blow to Japanese soldiers taking
refuge in the many caves found in this area.
With the
armor folded down, the M45 quad turret is easily able to depress
10º
below horizontal, allowing this unit to place fire on ground
targets. Note how chains were used on the halftrack's front
tires to cope with the mud. |
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An M16A1 version of the
halftrack was produced devoid of hinged side armor and retaining the
standard M3 halftrack's door at the rear of the compartment.
Consequently, the M45 turret needed to be mounted a little higher in these
tracks to prevent the solid sides from interfering with the lower ammo
chests when the turret was traversed.
A very similar M16B was
created by First Army Antiaircraft who became frustrated with their bulky, trailer-mounted quad
- the M51 carriage. These units, primarily led by the legendary 49th
AAA Brigade, procured additional M2 and M3 halftracks and modified them in
theater to
carry quad turrets stripped from their M51 trailers. Although not officially
authorized for their automatic weapons mobile battalions, the customized half-breed halftracks proved
very valuable in First Army's march across Europe.
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Korean War era M16A1 circa 1952. Note
how the turret sits higher in the halftrack due to the lack of hinged
armor panels and cutaways on the sides.
The extra armor plating straddling the guns
was a post World War II addition designed to give the carriage's cannoneers more
protection from enemy fire. While the gunner in the M45 turret was
fairly well shielded, the two soldiers that assisted him were exposed.
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Third Army M16 on antiaircraft duty, properly dug in to lower its
profile and gain more protection from enemy fire. The sloped ramp will allow the
halftrack to quickly vacate this position, provided the weather cooperates
and this pit doesn't turn to mud
or ice. Mobility was the primary
advantage of the M16 tracks.
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