Weight: 32-tons (29,029-kg)

Length: 20' 2”(6.14-m)

Width: 10' 7” (3.22-m)

Height: 10' 2” (3.09-m)

Crew: 5

Armor:

Hull front: .5” (13-mm)

Cab front: .5” (13-mm)

Weapons:

-Primary

1x 155-mm Howitzer M45

-Secondary

1x .50-cal M2HB machine gun

-Ammunition

24x 155-mm

900x .50-cal

Engine: Continental AOS-895-3, 6-cylinder gasoline, 446-hp

Power/weight: 13.9-hp/ton

Fuel Capacity: 150-USG (567-l)

Range: 75-miles (120-km)

Speed: 35-mph (56-km/h)

The vehicle for offer here, 155-mm Self-propelled Howitzer M44, serial number 581, is in a condition of needing a complete restoration, inside and out. This vehicle is currently inoperable.

At the end of World War II, the U.S. Army was well-equipped with self-propelled artillery pieces based on the M4 medium and M24 light tanks. In 1946, the Stillwell Board specified new requirements for future self-propelled artillery which included overhead protection from air bursts, something the wartime designs lacked.

In 1946-47 development of a self-propelled 155-mm howitzer based on the T41 light tank started. The new self-propelled howitzer was designated T99 and it included a fully-enclosed gun mount. The start of the Korean War in June 1950 led to a “crash” program to get the vehicle into production. At the time it entered production in 1951, it was redesignated T99E1. The crash program resulted in many deficiencies in the vehicle including poorly designed fire control equipment and heavy build up of toxic fumes in the enclosed howitzer compartment.

In order to address the problems found during testing, production of the T99E1 ended after 250 vehicles were built. Changes to the T99E1 included a newly designed 155-mm howitzer, elimination of the fighting compartment roof, new ammunition using bagged charges instead of a metal cartridge case and other smaller items. Production restarted in 1953-1954 with the T99E1 being redesignated as the T194. It was later standardized at the 155-mm self-propelled howitzer M44. The original 250 T99E1's were all rebuilt to M44 standards.

Some vehicles of this type were exported to NATO countries.

Transport Cost to Storage: $3,696