M114 pansret kampvogn – Billeder og video

Fotogalleri af en M114, The M114 Command and Reconnaissance Carrier is a Vietnam War-era tracked armored fighting vehicle, used by the United States Army. It was manufactured by the Cadillac Division of General Motors in the early 1960s. The M114 was designed to be fast and stealthy. Like the larger M113, it was amphibious and could be deployed by parachute. However unlike the M113 which became one of the most successful armoured vehicles, it quickly proved unsuited to use in the Vietnam war, and was replaced in the reconnaissance role by the M551 Sheridan light tank. By 1973, it had been branded a failure and retired by the US Army, but some released as surplus continue to be used by police departments.

Kilde: M114 på Wikipedia

Den M114 pansret kampkøretøj was a command and reconnaissance carrier that served in the Vietnam War with the United States Army. It was produced by the Cadillac Division of General Motors in the early 1960s, and was intended to be a fast and stealthy vehicle that could scout ahead of the main force and report enemy positions and movements. The M114 was based on the M113 armored personnel carrier, but was smaller, lighter and lower in profile. It had a three-man crew and was armed with a .50-caliber machine gun and a 7.62 mm machine gun. The M114 was also amphibious and air-droppable, making it versatile for different terrains and missions.
M114 viste sig dog hurtigt at være upålidelig, underpowered og sårbar i kamp. Det havde dårlig off-road ydeevne, især i junglemiljøet i Vietnam, og var tilbøjelig til mekaniske sammenbrud. Det manglede også tilstrækkelig beskyttelse for besætningen, der blev udsat for fjendtlig ild og landminer. M114 var ikke i stand til let at krydse grøfter eller vandløb og havde svært ved at svømme på grund af sit lave fribord. M114 blev trukket tilbage fra Vietnam i 1964 og erstattet af den mere kapable M551 Sheridan lette kampvogn. M114 blev officielt pensioneret fra den amerikanske hær i 1973 efter at være blevet betragtet som en fiasko af general Creighton Abrams.