MOBILE WEAPONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 57, 5 September 1944, Page 7

MOBILE WEAPONS

IMPRESSIVE DISPLAY

NEW YORK, September 4. The army demonstrated at the Aber-» deen ' proving ground in Maryland a wide variety of secret weapons, most of which, are designed for use against the Japanese, says the "New York Times." The most imposing of six mobile ordnance pieces was a lightweight amphibious cargo-carrier known as a "water weasel," which can slither across boggy swampland. It was developed specially for the South-west Pacific, and has been in use for some months. Resembling a cross between a low-slung automobile and a boat, it can climb a grade of 45 degrees. The water, weasel can accommodate two stretchers or three passengers or cargo. The army showed a tiny tank which was flown into Normandy by glider and is known as a "locust," and also the MlB tank destroyer, which is described as the most powerful ground' weapon used in France against the Germans. It has a speed of 50 miles an hour and mounts a new powerful 76mm gun in addition to secondary guns. It is so fast and manoeuvrable that it is difficult to provide reconnaissance vehicles-to keep up with it. Other v/eapons demonstrated were the M 24, a 19-ton tank destroyer, mounting a 75mm gun, a .50 machinegun, a*2in gun, and a mortar, with a speed of 35 miles an hour; also the M3B, a 90mm gun carrier, claimed tq be the world's fastest major-calibre tank destroyer.