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Weird wheels! The Howie Motor Gun Carriage: A Forgotten Tank Destroyer Experiment
Hey everyone, I wanted to share a bit about a fascinating but obscure piece of U.S. armored history—the Howie Motor Gun Carriage. This was an experimental American tank destroyer concept from the early 1940s that never made it past the prototype stage, but it’s an interesting look at unconventional vehicle design.
A Low-Profile Design with a Unique Approach
The Howie MGC was named after Major Robert Howie and was built around the idea of extreme mobility and a low silhouette. The crew was positioned in a prone or reclining position, which helped keep the vehicle incredibly low to the ground—making it harder to spot and hit. The thinking was that a smaller target was a harder target, but in practice, this design created a lot of issues.
Armament & Performance
• Main Gun: A 37mm anti-tank gun (other weapons were considered, but this was the primary choice).
• Armor: Minimal—this thing relied on stealth and speed rather than protection.
• Speed & Mobility: Lightweight and maneuverable, but at the cost of crew comfort and overall survivability.
Why It Never Made It to the Battlefield
Despite its innovative concept, the Howie Motor Gun Carriage never entered production. The major drawbacks:
• The prone crew position was awkward and made operating the vehicle difficult.
• Lack of armor meant that any hit would be devastating.
• Firepower was limited, especially as enemy tanks became more heavily armored.
Ultimately, the U.S. Army decided to go in different directions with tank destroyer development, leading to more practical designs like the M10 and M18 Hellcat.
The Howie Motor Gun Carriage remains a cool “what-if” in military history—an example of early war experimentation that didn’t quite work out. Would love to hear what you all think! Could a modernized version of this concept work today, or was it doomed from the start?
