Specification Crew : 4 Engine power : 220 bhp Combat weight :16,330 kg (36,007 lb) Max speed : road 60 km/h (37.26 mph) Length : 4.84 m (15.88 ft) Range : 160 km (99.36 miles) Width : 2.24 M (7.36 ft) Main gun : 75 mm(2.96 in) Height : 2.33 m (7.32 ft) Armour : 12 mm (0.47 in)to 67 mm(2.64 in)

The Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 was developed following a request for a light close support vehicle to operate within tank battalions.The Light Tank M5 fitted with a 75 mm(2.96 in)Pack Howitzer in a lager open-topped fully-traversable turret with the elevation angle of up to +40 degrees.This was adapted as the Howitzer Mounting Carriage M8 and went into mass production under Cadillac supervision 1,778 were produced between September 1942 and January 1944.The M5 hull was employed virtually unchanged.The M8A1 introduced the modifications made for the Light Tank M5A1. The M8 proved to be a highly serviceable fire support vehicle.Virtually all were used only by the US Army served mainly in North-West Europe from June 1944 onwards.The M8s one drawback for the self-propelled howitzer role was that internal ammunition stowage space was limited so M8s were often observed towing ammunition trailers carrying extra rounds.M4 mediums armed with 105 mm(4.14 in)howitzers became available from late 1944 onwards and gradually replaced the M8 but by 1945 the M8 was still in the front line use.A few still serve today with some Third World armed forces.