Chrysler XM1

As the lore shares with GM XM1, I just copied and pasted the lore with some changes.

XM803<==============>GM XM1 and Chrysler XM1

The US Army were frustrated about the XM803 program; itself is a supossed better choice than the MBT-70, where XM803 poorly able to meet the Army's demand. XM803 was still complicated, prone to failure and most important of all, its still way overbudget for each unit. Instead of continuing by developing again the XM803, they abandoned the program, and start a new one.

In early 1972, its decided to create a new program under Major General William R. Desobry with the project name of XM815. Few characteristics that had to be fulfilled for the project were as follows:
- Weight between 42 to 47 tons;
- No armor best armor (relied on speed, agility and low silhouette);
- No more autoloader;
- No more hydropneumatic suspension
- And no coffee maker for some reason?; and
- No more big gun, the project will use the weaker M68 105 mm from M60.
But later Creighton Abrams (what a foreshadowing) decided to upscale the maximum weight to 53 tons.

In January 1973, the program officially named XM1. TACOM decided the new tank have to bounce Soviet sabots and HEATs within 800 m and 30° to either side. The tank would use the already mentioned M68. GM and Chrysler submitted their tank proposal with diesel engine from MBT-70 and XM803 and AGT15000 gas turbine engine, respectively. In May 1973 they also sent representitives to the UK for inspecting chobham armor.

Chrysler XM1 firing its M68 cannon during trial.

In June 1973, they both won 3 year contract where prototypes were delivered in 1976. GM design was generally superior over Chrysler's with better armor, FCS and stabilizer. Worth to mention that Leopard 2AV was used as an insipration for these designs.

In a fierce competition with GM where they had a high chance of losing the contract, Chrysler decided to change expensive parts with cheaper ones, at the same time the Army preferred their gas turbine engine. GM also integrated gas turbine to their design, but it was too late and the Army was impressed with Chrysler's cost saving methods. In the end, Chrysler was chosen to produce the future of US MBT.

The competition will eventually made a tank that is one of the most important piece of military equipment in the American history.

Family photos

DESIGN

Armaments

Main gun; M68

The M68 is the most used US tank gun during cold war. The original characteristics of M1 was to have 105 mm with the turret could integrating larger 120 mm later, so you can call the M68 on M1 as a stop gap. The cannon has -10 and +20 elevation, with 55 rounds on bustle and turret basket racks.

Machine guns; M85, M60D and M240

GM XM1 have plenty of machine guns, 3 to be exact. M85 can be found on commander hatch. In-game he actually controls the M85 and swings around as you turn the turret. The M60D is placed on the port of the turret that was inteded to be operated by loader. But I am not sure how he operate it as its pretty far from his hatch, and M240 as co-axial machine gun placed on the port of the cannon breech.

Protection

The most distinctive feature that found on Abrams is its shallow UFP angled at 80°, with upper, LFP is narrower and fitted with chobham armor, and lower, LFP is shallower and fitted with chobham halfway from top. Inside the front part of the hull, the driver surrounded by fuel tank to slows down projectiles. Turret cheeks and mantlet are slightly rounded for some reason. Turret cheeks are fitted with chobhams while its wide mantlet is just a single plate of RHA.

Mobility

The engine is the AGT1500 gae turbine that found on modern M1 Abrams. The engine produces 15000 hp at 3000 RPM. The reason Chrysler choose turbine because it was was smaller and lighter than diesel, quieter, does not produce smoke, and accelerated faster. Chrysler's roadwheel placement are asymmetrical due to its torsion bar suspension made it like that. It also have 7 roadwheels instead of 6 found on GM design as they know the mass will increase in the future.

In-game features, systems and controls

Interior;

Engine compartment and turret at 6 o'clock.

Asymmetry of the turret

I decided that the commander took control of his machine gun to make the gun works, in exchange the hatch can not be closed.

Controls

Mobility
•Pitch; 17.9 m/s forward and 10.3 m/s reverse;
•Roll, steering;
•Yaw, turret and commander rotation;

SLIDER
•Slider 1 for gun elevation.

ACTIVATION GROUPS
• AG 1, engine, along with gun optic cover on turret starboard;
• AG 2, hatches;
•AG 3, headlights.

FOR MORE EXPLANATIONS, HELPS AND/OR INFOS COMMENT DOWN BELOW