Anti-aircraft self-propelled installation T249 Vigilante
In the mid-fifties, the American army formulated requirements for a promising self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (ZSU). Ground forces needed an effective anti-shock weapon aviation the enemy, and existing anti-aircraft systems like the 40-mm Bofors guns could no longer cope with such threats. The rapid development of rocketry affected this program: in the very beginning of the sixties, all work on anti-aircraft self-propelled guns with artillery weapons was discontinued. A few years later, the Pentagon again initiated the development of new ZSU, however, this program ended without much success. In both competitions, the T249 Vigilante project took part.
The development of the project T249 Vigilante ("The Avenger") was engaged in the staff of the Springfield arsenal. It should be noted that the development of new anti-aircraft self-propelled guns was carried out at a time when the United States switched to a new system of designation of equipment for the ground forces. Because of this, the Vigilante project in various sources is referred to as T249 and XM249. Accordingly, after adopting the promising ZSU was supposed to be called M249.
T249 self-propelled self-propelled gun was proposed to build on the "classical" scheme. A pivotal turret with an artillery gun was to be located on the base armored chassis. After analyzing various weapon options, a six-barreled T250 X-gun caliber 37 mm was selected. It is noteworthy that this weapon should have used its own projectile 37x219 mm with the index T68. The T250 ammunition for the gun was equipped with a projectile based on existing 37-mm projectiles. In this case, the T68 projectile had a sleeve made on the basis of the sleeve of the 40-mm projectile to the Bofors cannon. For use in the new ammunition sleeve had a different shape.
The basis for the T249 combat vehicle was the modified chassis of the M113 armored personnel carrier. To accommodate all the necessary units, the armored personnel carrier chassis was extended and strengthened in some places. At the same time, the common features of the chassis remained the same: the ZSU, like the BTR, had five road wheels on board and drive wheels in the front of the hull. The overall height of the hull has been reduced. Apparently, some internal units of the chassis remained in place, because of which the workplace of the driver had the same height and therefore was equipped with a characteristic turret with observation devices.
On the roof of the hull, in its middle part with a shift to the stern, placed a large tower with weapons and ammunition. In the center of the frontal part of the tower there were fastening mechanisms and vertical guidance of the gun, covered with a square mask. According to some information, members of the crew of the combat vehicle were located on the right side of the tower. A large cylindrical casing of the gun shop was located to the left of the gun. The store was able to place ammunition from 192 shells. Probably, this placement of ammunition allowed relatively quickly reload weaponby replacing an empty store with a new one.
The 37-mm T250 cannon had six shafts 68,6 long in caliber (2540 mm). A hydraulic actuator with two modes of operation was used to rotate the stem block. When firing at air targets, the barrel unit was supposed to make 500 revolutions per minute, while firing at ground targets - 20 revolutions per minute. Thus, the T250 cannon rate of fire was 3000 or 120 rounds per minute. Relatively long gun barrels allowed to bring the initial velocity of the shells to 915 m / s.
According to some reports, the T249 Vigilante self-propelled self-propelled gun was supposed to use several types of projectiles: high-explosive fragmentation and armor-piercing. Both types of ammunition had similar dimensions and weight. The characteristics of the projectiles, with the exception of the initial velocity, are unknown.
Precise data on the applied guidance equipment is missing. According to some data, the ZSU T249 was supposed to be equipped with a semi-automatic guidance system with a radar station capable of determining the location of the target and producing the necessary corrections for firing, as well as implementing automatic guidance of the gun. It should be noted that on the prototype of the T249 self-propelled gun that has survived to the present day, there are no aggregates that can definitely be considered as a radar antenna. However, on the right cheekbone of the tower there is a certain casing with a sloping front surface, in which a certain element of electronic equipment could be located.
The prototype of the T249 Vigilante anti-aircraft self-propelled unit was built in the 1960 year. The first firing showed a fairly high efficiency of the new anti-aircraft complex, but the military reacted to it without interest. At that time, active work was carried out on promising anti-aircraft missile systems with higher performance and greater flexibility of use. The result of such views on the future of anti-aircraft systems was the cessation of all work on the T249 project. It was assumed that the functions of anti-aircraft artillery will take over the new MIM-26 Mauler SAM system. The project T249 Vigilante was closed for lack of prospects.
In the early seventies, the T249 project again took part in the development program of the promising ZSU. The new version of the anti-aircraft self-propelled guns presented at the DIVAD competition was supposed to be equipped with a modernized six-barreled gun, modified to use standard NATO 35x228 mm shells. The basis of this machine was proposed to make the chassis tank M48. However, this time the Avenger was not able to interest the military. Based on a comparison of proposed projects, the Pentagon chose the XM247 Sergeant York ZSU. It is noteworthy that the self-propelled gun M247 did not have much success - only 50 of these machines were built. The only ZSU T249 Vigilante instance soon became an exhibit in the Springfield Museum.
On the materials of the sites:
http://quarry.nildram.co.uk/
http://primeportal.net/
http://military-today.com/
The development of the project T249 Vigilante ("The Avenger") was engaged in the staff of the Springfield arsenal. It should be noted that the development of new anti-aircraft self-propelled guns was carried out at a time when the United States switched to a new system of designation of equipment for the ground forces. Because of this, the Vigilante project in various sources is referred to as T249 and XM249. Accordingly, after adopting the promising ZSU was supposed to be called M249.
T249 self-propelled self-propelled gun was proposed to build on the "classical" scheme. A pivotal turret with an artillery gun was to be located on the base armored chassis. After analyzing various weapon options, a six-barreled T250 X-gun caliber 37 mm was selected. It is noteworthy that this weapon should have used its own projectile 37x219 mm with the index T68. The T250 ammunition for the gun was equipped with a projectile based on existing 37-mm projectiles. In this case, the T68 projectile had a sleeve made on the basis of the sleeve of the 40-mm projectile to the Bofors cannon. For use in the new ammunition sleeve had a different shape.
The basis for the T249 combat vehicle was the modified chassis of the M113 armored personnel carrier. To accommodate all the necessary units, the armored personnel carrier chassis was extended and strengthened in some places. At the same time, the common features of the chassis remained the same: the ZSU, like the BTR, had five road wheels on board and drive wheels in the front of the hull. The overall height of the hull has been reduced. Apparently, some internal units of the chassis remained in place, because of which the workplace of the driver had the same height and therefore was equipped with a characteristic turret with observation devices.
On the roof of the hull, in its middle part with a shift to the stern, placed a large tower with weapons and ammunition. In the center of the frontal part of the tower there were fastening mechanisms and vertical guidance of the gun, covered with a square mask. According to some information, members of the crew of the combat vehicle were located on the right side of the tower. A large cylindrical casing of the gun shop was located to the left of the gun. The store was able to place ammunition from 192 shells. Probably, this placement of ammunition allowed relatively quickly reload weaponby replacing an empty store with a new one.
The 37-mm T250 cannon had six shafts 68,6 long in caliber (2540 mm). A hydraulic actuator with two modes of operation was used to rotate the stem block. When firing at air targets, the barrel unit was supposed to make 500 revolutions per minute, while firing at ground targets - 20 revolutions per minute. Thus, the T250 cannon rate of fire was 3000 or 120 rounds per minute. Relatively long gun barrels allowed to bring the initial velocity of the shells to 915 m / s.
According to some reports, the T249 Vigilante self-propelled self-propelled gun was supposed to use several types of projectiles: high-explosive fragmentation and armor-piercing. Both types of ammunition had similar dimensions and weight. The characteristics of the projectiles, with the exception of the initial velocity, are unknown.
Precise data on the applied guidance equipment is missing. According to some data, the ZSU T249 was supposed to be equipped with a semi-automatic guidance system with a radar station capable of determining the location of the target and producing the necessary corrections for firing, as well as implementing automatic guidance of the gun. It should be noted that on the prototype of the T249 self-propelled gun that has survived to the present day, there are no aggregates that can definitely be considered as a radar antenna. However, on the right cheekbone of the tower there is a certain casing with a sloping front surface, in which a certain element of electronic equipment could be located.
The prototype of the T249 Vigilante anti-aircraft self-propelled unit was built in the 1960 year. The first firing showed a fairly high efficiency of the new anti-aircraft complex, but the military reacted to it without interest. At that time, active work was carried out on promising anti-aircraft missile systems with higher performance and greater flexibility of use. The result of such views on the future of anti-aircraft systems was the cessation of all work on the T249 project. It was assumed that the functions of anti-aircraft artillery will take over the new MIM-26 Mauler SAM system. The project T249 Vigilante was closed for lack of prospects.
In the early seventies, the T249 project again took part in the development program of the promising ZSU. The new version of the anti-aircraft self-propelled guns presented at the DIVAD competition was supposed to be equipped with a modernized six-barreled gun, modified to use standard NATO 35x228 mm shells. The basis of this machine was proposed to make the chassis tank M48. However, this time the Avenger was not able to interest the military. Based on a comparison of proposed projects, the Pentagon chose the XM247 Sergeant York ZSU. It is noteworthy that the self-propelled gun M247 did not have much success - only 50 of these machines were built. The only ZSU T249 Vigilante instance soon became an exhibit in the Springfield Museum.
On the materials of the sites:
http://quarry.nildram.co.uk/
http://primeportal.net/
http://military-today.com/
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