Thanks Galvars for the idea!
Photos and vehicle description via Olive Drab.
The Howitzer, Self-propelled 105mm M52 / M52A1 was developed starting in 1948 as one of a set of post-WW II self-propelled artillery weapons. It replaced the M-7 Priest 105mm SP and M37 105mm HMC. With the advent of the Cold War with the Soviet Union, the Army specified that the new artillery platforms would be fully enclosed to provide not only protection from conventional weapons, but also for the NBC protection required by the nuclear battlefield.This is the granddaddy of the M-109.
The M-52 was based on components of the M41 Walker Bulldog Light Tank. The rear track idler wheel was lowered to the ground to resist firing shock and no recoil spade was provided. The engine and transmission were in the front section of the hull, while the rear hull was the base of a large turret with a 60° traverse left or right of center. The turret had access doors and hatches for the driver, gunner, and commander. An anti-aircraft .50 cal. machine gun was mounted at the commander's hatch. During development, the vehicle was known as the T98, then the T98E1 which was standardized as the M-52.
The main gun of the M-52 was the 105mm M49 Howitzer.
A total of 684 M-52 105mm Self-propelled Howitzers were built by Allis-Chalmers Mfg. Co. in Milwaukee, WI starting in 1954.
What will be interesting is what happens on a modern battlefield. A battlefield where we receive counter battery fire in the form of 122mm rockets hitting us with the Chinese/Russian version of steel rain.
Marine Corps leadership preached killing Iraqi artillery in the first Gulf War. They told every pilot over and over again that we (meaning the ground forces) could handle Iraqi Tanks, AFVs and Infantry. Artillery was a different matter. Even then, Russian guns out ranged our own.
Future artillery doctrine isn't talked about a lot but it will be as interesting any other development on the battlefield.
