Twin 40mm Self-propelled Gun, M42A1 Duster

Twin 40mm Self-propelled Gun, M42A1 Duster (HMII3)

Location: Boalsburg, PA 16827 Centre County
Buy Pennsylvania State flags at Flagstore.com!
Country: United States of America
Buy United States of America flags at Flagstore.com!

N 40° 46.891', W 77° 47.81'

  • 0 likes
  • 0 check ins
  • 0 favorites
  • 518 views
Inscription

Pennsylvania Military Museum

By the time the M42 "Duster" anti-aircraft weapon system was deployed in 1953, the Soviet Union had developed high-speed aircraft that were too fast for the Duster to track. The Duster, however, found its role in the dense jungles of Vietnam. Its awesome firepower proved effective in suppressing enemy ground fire on convoy duty and in fixed defensive positions. ACF industries of Berwick, Pennsylvania, built M42 Dusters in the 1950s.

About the M42A1 Duster
First accepted: 1951
Manufacturers: Cadillac Motor Car Division of General Motors and ACF Industries, Inc.
Total Built: 3,700
Crew: 6 men (Commander and Driver in vehicle; Gunner, Sight Setter, and two Loaders in turret)
Armament: 40mm Dual Automatic Gun M2A1 "Bofors" in turret, and .30 caliber M1919A4 machine gun mounted at front or rear of turret
Armor: Between .3" and 1" all around vehicle
Engine: Continental AOS-895-3; 6 cylinder, 4 cycle, opposed supercharged gasoline
Horsepower: 446@2400 rpm
Maximum road speed: 45 mph

The name "Duster" came from the huge clouds of dust raised by the vehicles as they moved at 45 mph over crude dirt roads in the Mekong Delta. The gun turret could rotate 360? and elevate to 85? when deployed against aircraft. However, it was its ability to depress the guns as low as -5? that made it invaluable in close jungle warfare.

Twin Swedish Bofors 40mm cannons fired a blistering 240 rounds per minute. Crewmen loaded the guns by hand with four-round clips. Storage boxes on the vehicle's hull kept 100 clips within close reach.
Details
HM NumberHMII3
Tags
, ,
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Sunday, September 7th, 2014 at 2:58pm PDT -07:00
Pictures
Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.
Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)18T E 263993 N 4518267
Decimal Degrees40.78151667, -77.79683333
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 40° 46.891', W 77° 47.81'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds40° 46' 53.46" N, 77° 47' 48.60" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)814
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 205 Old Boalsburg Rd, Boalsburg PA 16827, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

Is this marker missing? Are the coordinates wrong? Do you have additional information that you would like to share with us? If so, check in.

Nearby Markersshow on map
Check Ins  check in   |    all

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.

Comments 0 comments

Maintenance Issues
  1. Is this marker part of a series?
  2. What historical period does the marker represent?
  3. What historical place does the marker represent?
  4. What type of marker is it?
  5. What class is the marker?
  6. What style is the marker?
  7. Does the marker have a number?
  8. What year was the marker erected?
  9. Who or what organization placed the marker?
  10. This marker needs at least one picture.
  11. Can this marker be seen from the road?
  12. Is the marker in the median?
© 2024  Historical Marker Project.  All Rights Reserved.
All registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
HMP is owned and operated by 3RiverDev (Fort Wayne, Indiana).
Terms and Conditions   |   Privacy Policy   |   Disclaimers   |   About   |   Contact Us