The M1 Combat Car was an American light tank, which was developed and produced in the 1930s. It would see limited combat action in the first two years of World War II. It was mostly deployed, as an infantry fire support armored vehicle, in the Pacific Theater of Operations. On Guadalcanal and New Guinea, it was fielded along the M2 light tank. Although it was part of the US Army cavalry units armament, it was employed to provide fire support to the infantry.
Below, the Combat Car M1 during military drills before the war.
The M1 Combat Car was made of riveted steel plates. Its hull glacis (front part) had an inclination angle of about 35°, but the 2/3 (two third) back portion was raised, built about 40 cm higher. On top of the raised part of hull, there was the rotating turret, which featured a .50-caliber (12.7mm) Browning and a .30-caliber machine gun. A third machine gun was mounted on the hull front. The tank was powered by a Continental, 7-cylinder, 225-HP gasoline engine, which was mounted in the rear part of vehicle.
Below, the Combat Car M1 in the United States in 1939.
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