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MilitaryFactory > Armored Vehicles > M50 Ontos
 
 
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M50 Ontos

The impressive-looking M50 Ontos had to be reloaded from outside of the vehicle.
By Staff Writer

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The impressive-looking M50 Ontos (in the Greek meaning "The Thing") was built to a United States Marine Corps tank destroyer specification. With five prototypes built, and each fitted with differing calibers of recoilless rifles, the T156 design was born. No fewer than 24 of the type were ordered for further trials, each armed with six of the powerful 106mm recoilless rifle type. From the T156 trials emerged the T156E2 which gave rise to the production M50 - each slightly modified from the predecessor. A switch to a Chrysler-based petrol engine produced 294 models of the M50A1 series, which in itself included evermore modifications to the system.

At it's core, the M56 was fitted with a common turret mounting six of the M40A1C recoilless rifles. Additionally, the top four 106mm mounts were fitted with 4 x 12.7mm (.50 caliber) heavy machine guns to act as spotters when aligning the main guns. The use of the spotting machine guns was directly after optical sighting was completed. The spotter machine guns were then fired to accurize contact. Shortly thereafter, the recoilless rifles could be fired with some degree of accuracy.

All weapon systems on the M50 were limited in ammunition-carrying capacities. The 106mm recoilless rifles were limited to just 18 projectiles spread across the six guns. The 12.7mm spotting machine guns were limited to just 80 rounds of ammunition. Not to be left high and dry against advancing enemy infantrymen, an additional 7.62mm machine gun was mounted to the top of the turret for self-defense.

Besides the limited ammunition situation, crew quarters once inside the machine were cramped at best. Additionally the weapon systems could only be reloaded from outside the vehicle, exposing the crew to dangerous enemy fire. The system saw action in South Vietnam and in the hands of the United States Marines. No longer in service with the Marine Corps, no replacement vehicle was selected to succeed the M50 Ontos on the modern battlefield, the assumption being that other weapon systems are more likely up to the task of tank destroyer than a similar self-propelled recoiless rifle design like the Ontos.

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Last Updated: 7/25/2008

 

  Specifications for the M50 Ontos
arrow downDimensions:
Length: 12.53ft (3.82m)
Width:8.53ft (2.60m)
Height: 6.99ft (2.13m)

arrow downStructure:
Accommodation: 3
Weight:9.5US Short Tons (8,618kg; 18,999lbs)

arrow downPerformance:
Speed: 30mph (48km/h)
Range: 149miles (240km)

arrow downSystems:
NBC Protection: None
Nightvision: None

arrow downPower:
Engine(s): 1 x General Motors Corporation Model 302 petrol engine generating 145hp.

arrow downArmament Suite:

6 x 106mm Recoiless Rifles
4 x 12.7mm Machine Guns

AMMUNITION:
18 x 106mm projectiles
80 x 12.7mm machine gun rounds.


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flag of United States
1955
Designation: M50 Ontos
Classification Type: Tank Destroyer
Contractor: Allis Chalmers - USA

Country of Origin: United States
Number Built: 294

Operators: South Vietnam, Dominican Republic and the United States of America


  Variants
T165 - Trial Vehicles of which 24 were produced; fitted with 6 x 106mm recoiless rifles.

T165E2 - Modified and improved T165 models.

M50 - Production Model Designation

M50A1 - Modified M50 Variant; fitted with Chrysler petrol engine over the original General Motors.

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