Background
Christie was born in the Campbell-Christie House in New Milford, New Jersey on May 6, 1865.
Christie was born in the Campbell-Christie House in New Milford, New Jersey on May 6, 1865.
The innovative tank designer first created the wheel-and-track carriage for an 8-in gun during WWI. This experience led him to design the first postwar tank built in America, the 3-man, 13.5-ton Christie Medium Tank M1919. Its removable tracks could be stowed around the hull for road running, an important feature of subsequent Christie designs. (Tank tracks tear up roads.)
The turretless Christie M1928 astonished observers with its speed with or without tracks. Its revolutionary suspension featured eight large weight-bearing wheels on torsion bars connected to long, adjustable, vertical springs. After seeing a demonstration on 4 Oct 1930 the US Army ordered five modified M1928s, which ran circles around its outclassed competitors (personal knowledge). The USSR bought two under license to become prototypes of their BT series. The Soviet T-34, which had a Christie suspension, was probably the best tank of WWII.
But the US Army Ordnance Department meanwhile developed its "inverted Y" or "volute" system for the M4 series, the "Grants" and "Shermans," the first of which was standardized in October 1941. The Army rejected other highly innovative, highspeed Christies, including adaptations of the M1932 that made it fast enough to fly short distances or to be dropped from low flying aircraft and hit the ground running. The tank was never tested in the latter model, but the Russians bought the basic M1932. The 6-ton, 2-man Christie M1936 was designed for a sustained cross-country speed of 60mph. Sold in Britain, it evolved into that country's first fast cruiser tank. A modified model, the Christie MI937, was demonstrated to the War Office and adoped by them. Further development, using the same suspension but a roomier hull and making maximum use of aluminum to reduce weight.
Christie had the satisfaction of finding a home abroad for his tanks particularly their torsion-bar suspension. For his own country he created the first standard turret track for battleships, gun mounts, and carriages. His design for an amphibious automobile platform for the 75mm artillery piece led to development of the world's first amphibian tank.