M114 pansrede kampkjøretøy - Bilder &; Video

Bildegalleri av 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 armored fighting vehicle 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.
Imidlertid viste M114 seg snart å være upålitelig, underpowered og sårbar i kamp. Den hadde dårlig terrengytelse, spesielt i jungelmiljøet i Vietnam, og var utsatt for mekaniske sammenbrudd. Det manglet også tilstrekkelig beskyttelse for mannskapet, som ble utsatt for fiendtlig ild og landminer. M114 var ikke i stand til å krysse grøfter eller bekker lett, og hadde problemer med å svømme på grunn av det lave fribordet. M114 ble trukket tilbake fra Vietnam i 1964, og erstattet av den mer kapable M551 Sheridan lette tanken. M114 ble offisielt pensjonert fra US Army i 1973, etter å ha blitt ansett som en fiasko av general Creighton Abrams.