M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.)

M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.)

M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.)

USA

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.0	1.0	1.0

Class:

PREMIUM

Light tank

Purchase:250

This page is about the premium American light tank M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.). For other uses, see M2 (Disambiguation).

Description

The Light Tank M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.) is a rank I premium American light tank with a battle rating of 1.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.45 "Steel Generals".

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour
• Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	25.4 mm (19°) Front plate 15.8 mm (69°) Front Glacis 25.4 mm (20°) Lower glacis	25.4 mm	25.4 mm Top 25.4 mm (18°) Bottom	6.35 mm
Turret	25.4 mm (11°) Turret front 25.4 mm (12-65°) Gun mantlet	25.4 mm	25.4 mm	6.35 mm
Armour	Sides	Roof
Cupola	25.4 mm	6.35 mm

Notes:

• Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, tracks are 10 mm thick.

Mobility

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	64	8	11.5	406	500	35.3	43.48
Realistic	58	7		232	262	20.17	22.78

Armaments

Main armament

37 mm M5
Capacity				Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
103				-6°/+19°	±180°
Turret rotation speed (°/s)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded	Prior + Full crew	Prior + Expert qualif.	Prior + Ace qualif.
Arcade	19.52	27.01	__.__	__.__	38.59
Realistic	12.20	14.35	17.42	19.27	20.50
Reloading rate (seconds)
Stock	Prior + Full crew	Prior + Expert qualif.	Prior + Ace qualif.
3.77	3.33	3.07	2.90

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration in mm @ 0° Angle of Attack
		10m	100m	500m	1000m	1500m	2000m
M74 shot	AP	66	65	55	46	38	31
M51 shot	APC	66	65	55	46	38	31

Shell details
Ammunition	Velocity in m/s	Projectile Mass in kg	Fuse delay in m:	Fuse sensitivity in mm:	Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):	Normalization At 30° from horizontal:	Ricochet:
							0%	50%	100%
M74 shot	792	0.87	N/A	N/A	N/A	-1°	47°	60°	65°
M51 shot	792	0.87	N/A	N/A	N/A	+4°	48°	63°	71°

Ammo racks

Ammo rack of M2A4.

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	Visual discrepancy
103	69 (+34)	35 (+68)	1 (+102)	No

Machine guns

7.62 mm M1919A4
Coaxial mount
Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
5,250 (250)				500	N/A	N/A
Pintle mount
Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
3,000 (250)				500	-10°/+45°	±90°
Hull mount (#1)							Hull mount (#2)							Hull mount (#3)
Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance	Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance	Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
5,250 (250)				500	N/A	N/A	5,250 (250)				500	N/A	N/A	5,250 (250)				500	N/A	N/A

Usage in battles

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Pros and cons

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Pros:

Cons:

History

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In-game description

"The M2 series traced its family tree back to the experimental T2s, with the M2A4 ending up the largest and most successful modification. Development began in 1939 after running trials for light tanks designed for infantry support as well as the M1 series. The M2 infantry tank was used as the base for construction, a model that was to undergo significant modification. The turret armor as well as the front end were thickened to 25 mm, capable of withstanding hits by light cannons and high-caliber machine guns. The tank's weaponry was also improved with the installation of an M5 37 mm cannon paired with a 7.62 mm machine gun in the single turret.

Another 7.62 mm machine gun was mounted in the front hull plate, with two more on the sides. An antiaircraft machine gun could be mounted on the top of the turret, and additional viewing slits were cut out of the turret and cupola. Most tanks featured the 360 hp Continental W-670-9A engine, which pushed their top speed to 56 km/h. Several tanks in the series were equipped with Guiberson T1020 diesel engines.

Given that September 1939 saw a spike in orders, the Rock Island Arsenal was no longer able to keep up on its own with the demand being placed on it by the US army. A tender for an additional batch was announced and won by American Car & Foundry. In October 1939 a contract for 329 tanks was signed, though it was soon expanded to 365. The last ten were assembled in April 1941 by Baldwin Locomotive Works, meaning that 375 M2A4s were produced in 1940.

The tanks only saw action on Guadalcanal and other Pacific islands. A few others were shipped to the UK via Lend-Lease and used there to train M3 medium tank crews."

Media

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See also

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• reference to the series of the vehicles;
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External links

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