M1918 Ford 3-ton tank
| Ford 3-ton | |
|---|---|
| Type | Tankette / Light tank |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1918-1919 |
| Production history | |
| Designer | US Ordnance Department |
| No. built | 15 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 3 tons |
| Length | 13 ft 8 in (4.17 m) |
| Width | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
| Height | 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) |
| Crew | 2 (Driver and gunner) |
| Armor | 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inches |
Main armament | M1917 Marlin machine gun or M1919 Browning machine gun |
| Engine | Two Ford Model T engines 45 hp (34 kW) |
| Power/weight | 10.4 hp/t (7.8 kW/t) |
Operational range | 55 km (34 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 12.8 km/h (8 mph) |
The Ford 3-ton tank, also known as the Ford Model 1918 (M1918) was one of the first indigenous tank designs by the U.S. It was a small two-man, one-gun tank. Essentially the first tankette, it was armed with an M1917 Marlin machine gun, later an M1919 Browning machine gun, and could reach a maximum speed of 8 mph (13 km/h). The 3-ton had a 17-US-gallon (64 L) fuel tank that gave it a maximum range of 34 miles (55 km).