M53/M55

M53, a self-propelled assault gun, which was built on the basis of US medium tanks M47 and M48. As you know, "Patton" began to appear in large numbers after the Second World War. The designers assured the military that the self-propelled guns, with a 155 mm caliber gun, would cover the advancing troops from distant positions and at the same time “keep up” with the mechanized formations of the army.

M53 was developed in 1953 (according to some sources, in 1952), Pacific Car & Foundry Company was engaged in the development.

Unlike the M46 and M47 tanks, the chassis design for self-propelled guns had to be changed. To add a massive tower, the engine and transmission had to be moved to the front of the car. This was not some kind of innovation, as they often did in other countries, for example, the same thing happened with “Object 261” and “Object 263”. In connection with the moving of the power plant, the location of the drive wheels also changed, they moved forward, and the rear wheels