M1 AT (57mm Gun M1)

Towed Anti-Tank Gun [ 1943 ]

Despite over 15,000 M1 57mm AT guns produced, the U.S. military quickly retired the line following the close of World War 2.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/14/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]

When Britain required manufacturing muscle in World War 2 (1939-1945) it turned to American factories and relied on Lend-Lease for its supply as it faced the might of the Axis powers on battlefields across the world. In February of 1941, the United States Army set about adopting the British 6-pounder Anti-Tank (AT) gun using American production lines and this gave birth to the "57mm Gun M1". Manufacture of the gun began a year later and all of this early supply was shipped overseas.

The effectiveness of the design was not lost on American warplanners who found themselves requiring an effective tank-killing weapon all their own as the existing 37mm models were beginning to show their limitations against stouter enemy armor. Changes were introduced to the 57mm M1, mainly in the carriage component that utilized American wheels and tires, and this gave rise to the "M1A1" model. An improved "free-traverse" capability added in mid-1942 generated the "M1A2" designator and an all-new carriage design greeted the "M1A3" of 1943. This model featured a new towing hook and became the initial M1 version to be officially taken into service by the U.S. Army. The carriage component saw further changes to produce the "M2" of 1944 and "M2A1" of 1945 - the former had caster wheels on the right trail arm, relocated trail handles and an all-new utility box while the latter introduced an improved elevation gear arrangement.

The series eventually superseded the existing stock of 37mm M3 guns still in service with the U.S. Army and saw their first combat actions in North Africa. AP projectiles were the only ammunition available to M1 crews and this limited the flexibility of the armament against softer targets. It proved only marginally effective against most of the frontline German armor which had graduated from light-and-medium tanks to medium-and-heavy tanks as the war rolled into 1944-1945.

Nevertheless, the weapon saw service through to the end of the war with about 15,000 of the type produced in all. After the war, the 57mm M1 line was quickly retired as more effective measures for stopping enemy tanks became available.©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications

Service Year

1943

Origin

United States

Crew

6
CREWMEN

Production

15,637
UNITS

State Factories - USA

(View other Vehicle-Related Manufacturers)

Brazil; Canada; France (Free French); Ireland; Israel; Netherlands; Pakistan; South Korea; Soviet Union; Taiwan; United Kingdom; United States

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

Length

8.4 ft
2.55 m

Weight

2,513 lb
1,140 kg

Tonnage

1.3 tons
LIGHT

(Showcased structural values pertain to the base M1 AT (57mm Gun M1) production variant. Length typically includes main gun in forward position if applicable to the design)

Powerplant: None. This is a towed artillery piece.

Range

2.8 mi
(4.5 km)

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base M1 AT (57mm Gun M1) production variant. Compare this entry against any other in our database)

1 x 57mm Gun Barrel.

Supported Types

(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)

Dependent upon ammunition carriers.

57mm Gun M1 - Base Series Designation

Ordnance QF 6-Pounder - British military designation on which the M1 was based on.

M1A1 - With American wheels and tires

M1A2 - Model of 1942; improved traversal system (free traverse now standard).

M1A3 - Model of 1943; revised towing hook

M2 - Caster wheel along right trail arm; relocated traverse handles; utility box.

M2A1 - Improved elevation system.

Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of the Bulge

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Kursk

Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War

Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War

Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War

Military lapel ribbon for experimental military vehicles

Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.