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Holt gas–electric tank
Place of origin	United States
Specifications
Mass	25.4 t (25.0 long tons; 28.0 short tons)
Length	5.03 m (16 ft 6 in)
Width	2.76 m (9 ft 1 in)
Height	2.37 m (7 ft 9 in)
Crew	6
Armor	6–15 mm
Main armament	75 mm Vickers mountain howitzer
Secondary armament	two 7.62 mm (0.300 in) M1917 Browning machine guns
Engine	4-cylinder Holt gasoline 90 hp (67 kW)
Power/weight	3.5 hp/tonne
Transmission	G.E.C. generator powering one electric motor per track
Suspension	vertical coil springs
Operational range	50 km (31 mi)
Maximum speed	10 km/h (6.2 mph)

The Holt gas–electric tank was the first prototype tank built in the United States in a collaboration between the Holt Manufacturing Company (now Caterpillar Inc.) and the General Electric Company. The tank, built during 1917–1918, was the only one of its kind built, as testing proved it lacked the agility and maneuverability required. The crew number is often given as six, on the assumption there would be two machine gunners, a gunner and loader for the main gun, a driver and a commander.

Construction

The tank was based on a lengthened and modified version of the suspension of the Holt Model 75, with pivoting track frames. There were ten road wheels at each side. The tank was 7 feet 9.5 inches (2.375 m) tall, 16 feet 6 inches (5.03 m) long, and 9 feet 1 inch (2.77 m) wide. The vehicle had a Holt 90 horsepower (67 kW), 4-cylinder engine fitted with a General Electric generator driving an electric motor for each track; a comparable petro-electric system had earlier been used for the French Saint-Chamond that also was fitted with a lengthened Holt suspension. To prevent overheating the transmission—a constant problem with electrical types—a complicated water cooling system had been installed.

Weapon systems

Like the French tank, the Holt gas–electric had a 75 mm gun placed low in the V-shaped nose; two removable Browning 7.62 mm machine guns in sponsons on each side. The engine and transmission were in the rear, next to a corridor leading to the only door. Only one was built as tests showed its climbing performance was unsatisfactory, and it was much heavier than planned, about 25 short tons (23 t).

References

1. "The Holt Gas-Electric Tank – The first American tank". Landships. Archived from the original on May 1, 2008. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
2. "Holt Caterpillar". Archived from the original on 2009-12-04. Retrieved 2010-02-27.
3. Steven J. Zaloga, vol. 245, Oxford, Osprey Publishing, coll. « New Vanguard », 2017 (ISBN 978-1-4728-1807-2).
4. Christopher F. Foss, , dans Christopher F. Foss, , Staplehurst, Spellmount, 2003 (ISBN 1-86227-188-7), p. 18.

See also

• Gas–electric transmission

External links

• The Holt Gas-Electric Tank
• Model 1917 Holt Gas-Electric

• World War I tanks
• Tanks of the United States
• Abandoned military projects of the United States
• Trial and research tanks of the United States
• Caterpillar Inc. vehicles
• Holt Manufacturing Company
• History of the tank