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| M22 Locust | |
|---|---|
| Name | M22 Locust |
| Type | Light tank |
| Origin | United States |
| Length | 4.14 m |
| Width | 2.36 m |
| Height | 2.34 m |
| Weight | 7.8 tonnes |
| Armament | 37 mm M6 gun, .30 cal Browning machine guns |
| Armour | up to 25 mm |
| Engine | Franklin O-335-5 air-cooled horizontally opposed |
| Power | 190 hp |
| Speed | 56 km/h |
| Suspension | Vertical volute spring suspension |
| Designers | United States Army Ordnance Department, General Motors, Continental Motors Company |
| In service | 1944–1946 |
| Wars | World War II |
M22 Locust The M22 Locust was a United States-designed airborne light tank developed during World War II for use by airborne forces and intended for airborne operations, parachute assault and airlanding operations. Conceived to be air-transportable and parachute-droppable, it reflected interwar and wartime experimentation in mechanized infantry support and rapid-reaction doctrine promoted by proponents such as Omar Bradley and organizations including the United States Army Air Forces and the British Army. The project was shaped by cross-national collaboration, industrial constraints, and evolving tactical concepts culminating in limited operational use by British Army units in late-war and postwar settings.
The M22 originated from requirements issued by the British War Office and the United States Army Ground Forces after discussions at Combined Chiefs of Staff and liaison between Soviet Union-era concepts and Western airborne planning. Initial impetus derived from the Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment and advocates within the US Army Airborne Command who sought a light, air-portable tank similar in role to the Soviet T-60 and contemporary experiments with armoured glider delivery used by Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces planners. Design work involved the United States Army Ordnance Department, with prototypes built by General Motors and powerplants from Continental Motors Company and Franklin Engine Company. The vehicle used thin, welded armour, a 37 mm M6 gun adopted from M3 Stuart practice, and a compact four-man crew arrangement influenced by studies at Aberdeen Proving Ground and WATC (Wheeled and Tracked Vehicles Committee).
The M22's air-transport requirements constrained armour, armament and range; it adopted a lightweight steel hull, vertical volute spring suspension derived from M3 Stuart heritage, and an engine tuned for high power-to-weight ratio. Survivability trade-offs were debated among officials from War Department bureaus and ministers in London during Combined Operations planning for potential operations in Western Europe and Southeast Asia. Prototypes underwent trials at Fort Benning and Proving Ground, with feedback from airborne officers including contact with leaders from 1st Airborne Division (United Kingdom) and U.S. 82nd Airborne Division.
Small numbers of M22s were produced in 1944 and issued primarily to units preparing for Operation Varsity and other late-war airborne missions. The British 1st Airborne Division and elements of the British 6th Airborne Division evaluated the vehicle for use in Operation Market Garden aftermath planning, though most operational employment occurred in secondary theaters. Deployments saw M22s assigned to Royal Armoured Corps detachments and British airborne squadrons training at Aldershot and Netley.
The only notable combat-related use was by British forces in Operation Varsity planning and limited postwar occupation duties in Germany and Palestine Mandate-era disturbances where airborne units required mobile firepower. Operational limitations—especially vulnerability to anti-tank weapons fielded by formations such as the Wehrmacht and logistical difficulties associated with airborne delivery via Glider Pilot Regiment operations—reduced their frontline impact. After Victory in Europe Day, many M22s were declared surplus, with remaining examples relegated to training units, evaluation by Ordnance Corps teams, and eventual disposition.
Several prototypes and experimental modifications were produced during development, including early mock-ups incorporating alternate transmissions and powerpacks from Lycoming Engines and suspension adjustments inspired by M5 Stuart components. Proposed armament upgrades considered a 57 mm gun influenced by British 6-pounder practice and compatibility studies with British ammunition types, but weight penalties and carriage limitations precluded widespread adoption. Post-production proposals included armored recovery variants, communications command versions with enhanced radio suites similar to SCR-193 systems, and trials of flotation devices reflecting investigations by the US Navy and Royal Engineers into amphibious airborne capability. None of the heavier-armed prototypes reached mass production before cancellation.
The standard M22 combined a welded steel hull with maximum armour thickness around 25 mm and a crew of four—commander, gunner, loader, and driver—reflecting practices established at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Primary armament was the 37 mm M6 gun, supplemented by coaxial and hull-mounted .30 cal Browning machine guns used extensively across United States Armed Forces light armoured vehicles. Propulsion used a Franklin O-335 air-cooled horizontally opposed engine producing circa 190 hp linked to a manual transmission; top road speed reached about 35 mph on-road with range constrained by fuel capacity and airborne configuration. The vehicle’s compact dimensions were dictated by glider and transport aircraft fits, notably trials for carriage in General Aircraft Hamilcar gliders and loading under Douglas C-47 Skytrain constraints. Suspension and running gear shared lineage with earlier M3 Stuart designs adapted to the light chassis.
Field evaluations by British and American airborne formations emphasized mobility and strategic lift advantages while criticizing thin armour and limited anti-armor capability against contemporaneous threats from formations like the German Panzer IV and StuG III. Reports filed to the War Office and US Army Ordnance highlighted mechanical fragility under parachute and glider stresses and limited cross-country endurance in contested terrain such as the Arnhem area and lowlands encountered in Western Europe. Postwar analyses in United Kingdom Ministry of Defence and United States Army studies concluded the vehicle’s concept was sound for certain niche roles but that doctrinal shifts toward airlanding heavier armour and improved logistics made the type obsolete. Lessons influenced later developments in airborne armour doctrine within NATO and rearmament programs in the early Cold War.
Surviving M22s are held in military collections and museums including exhibits in the United States Army Ordnance Museum, private collections associated with Military Vehicle Preservation Association, and displays at regimental museums tied to the Royal Armoured Corps. Preservation efforts have included restoration projects overseen by volunteers coordinating with national historic trusts such as Imperial War Museums affiliates, and some restored examples appear at public military vehicle shows and memorial events honoring airborne units like the 82nd Airborne Division Association and commemorations of D-Day anniversaries. Several chassis remain in international collections due to interwar surplus sales and postwar disposals by United States Department of Defense surplus programs.
Category:Light tanks Category:Armoured fighting vehicles of the United States