Post by ukron on Sept 18, 2023 16:42:06 GMT
This experimental model was designed to improve the mobility of towed artillery weapons. The Terra-Star major/minor wheel running gear was fitted to a standard M2A2 105MM howitzer. When moving on hard surfaces, the two small wheels would rotate as on any normal wheeled vehicle. When moving on soft surfaces, the drive is transferred to the central axle and the whole three-wheeled assembly rotates. Lockheed and Rock Island Arsenal tested this weapon from 1969 to 1977, when the project was terminated. This howitzer has a carriage manufactured at Rock Island Arsenal in 1954, and a recoil mechanism manufactured in 1945.