T9E1 M22 Locust Light Tank
The M22 Locust light tank was one of the smallest tanks used by the Allies in Europe during WWII. It was the first tank designed by the U.S. primarily for airborne operations.
Early in 1941 GMC, J. Walter Christie, and Marmon Herrington were asked to submit designs for an air transportable tank. The T9E1 by Marmon Herrington won the contract and was standardized as the M22 "Locust" [the name given to this tank by the British - not the Americans]. Americans refered to this vehicle as the M22. Production began in April 1943 and ended in February 1944 with a total production of 830 tanks. Under lend-lease, 260 Locusts were given to the British.
Hoisting the tank hull under a C54 cargo plane and placing the turret in the plane proved cumbersome and time consuming. Because of the lack of a good air delivery system and disappointing performance of the vehicle, the Ordinance Department became less enthusiastic for any further development.
Despite rumors, M22 tanks were not airdropped into Normandy. In fact, the US did not finish designs for the proposed transport plane until after WW2. Twelve of the tanks were landed using the giant Hamilcar glider during the Rhine crossing on March 24, 1945. The M22 was tested on the Fairchild XC-82 in 1945. Other tests were done using a Douglas C-54 in late 1944 and 1945 by hanging the tank under the plane.
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