M42A1 Duster – Zdjęcia & wideo

Galeria zdjęć M42A1 Duster, The M42 40 mm Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun, or “Duster,” is an American armored light air-defense gun built for the United States Army from 1952 until December 1959, in service until 1988. Production of this vehicle was performed by the tank division of the General Motors Corporation. It used components from the M41 light tank and was constructed of all-welded steel.

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Tthe M42A1 Duster was a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun developed by the United States Army in the 1950s. It was based on the chassis of the M41 Walker Bulldog light tank and armed with two 40 mm Bofors guns mounted in an open-topped turret. The M42A1 was designed to provide air defense for ground forces against low-flying aircraft and helicopters. It was also capable of engaging ground targets with its high-explosive shells.
The M42A1 entered service in 1953 and saw combat in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. It was effective against enemy aircraft in Korea, but faced more challenges in Vietnam, where the terrain and weather limited its visibility and mobility. The M42A1 also suffered from a lack of armor protection and a high silhouette that made it vulnerable to enemy fire. Despite these drawbacks, the M42A1 proved to be a valuable asset for supporting infantry and artillery units with its rapid-fire guns.
Tthe M42A1 w latach 60. i 70. był stopniowo zastępowany przez bardziej zaawansowane systemy obrony powietrznej, takie jak M163 Vulcan i MIM-72 Chaparral. Ostatnie egzemplarze M42A1 zostały wycofane z US Army w 1988 roku. Niektóre M42A1 były eksportowane do innych krajów, takich jak Tajwan, Korea Południowa i Tajlandia, gdzie pozostały w służbie do lat 90. M42A1 jest obecnie rzadkim i kolekcjonerskim pojazdem wśród entuzjastów wojskowości i historyków.