Today in WW II: 21 May 1942 Sinking of the Mexican tanker Faja de Oro by German submarine U-160, off Key West, precipitates Mexican declaration of war against Nazi Germany.

M-18 Hellcat Tank Destroyer

The M18 Hellcat Tank Destroyer was used during World War II in Europe, 1944-1945. It featured high speed and a low silhouette giving its crews an advantage over the slower and heavier German Panzers. U.S. units with the Hellcat adopted hit and run tactics to knock out German tanks before they could respond.

The M18 Hellcat (also called the M18 Gun Motor Carriage) was armed with a 76mm M1A1C main gun and a .50 cal. machine gun, able to penetrate the armor of almost any German tank. The 18.5 ton vehicle was powered by a Continental R975-C4 400hp radial engine that gave the M18 Hellcat a road speed of up to 55 mph. About 2,507 M18 Hellcats were produced.

The M18 Hellcat Gun Motor Carriage chassis was the basis of the M-39 Armored Utility Vehicle (AUV).

M-18 Hellcat Tank Destroyer at 4th Infantry Division Museum, Ft. Hood, TX, 2 December 2005. Photo: Courtesy of Bob Pettit.

M-18 Hellcat Tank Destroyer on its way to a demonstration at open house, Camp Edwards, MA, 23 Oct 2010.