Talk:M4 tractor

Military history: Land vehicles / Technology / Weaponry / North America / United States / World War II

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Origins?

Can anyone explain the claim, both here and at M2 Light Tank that the M4 suspension was based on that of the M2? Most obviously, the M4 has the trailing ground-running idler that wasn't on the M2 and didn't appear until the M3 Stuart. The chronology of the two is such that M2 production had ended by the time the M4 development work began, although the earlier T2 tractor did overlap and used the M2 idler. The suspension units of both tractors were also AFAIK unique, having horizontal volute springs, rather than the M2 or M3 vertical units. Andy Dingley (talk) 00:56, 28 January 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Actually, the M2 Tank was still used up in 1943, when the M4 Tractor was beginning its use, and the M4 was designed a year before, when the tank's production was still going before stopping.184.186.4.209 (talk) 17:40, 11 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Still used (only ever a handful in combat), but not in production AFAIK (I haven't checked the precise dates). Not that it matters though: the M2 obviously preceded the M4 tractor, but my point is that the M4 tractor was based on the M3 running gear, not just the M2. And again quite obviously, the M3's development and introduction clearly preceded the M4 tractor. Andy Dingley (talk) 18:05, 11 May 2019 (UTC)[reply]