M19A1 "Duster"

The M19A1 "Duster" was a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun motor carriage manufactured by the Cadillac Division of General Motors, weighing 38,500 pounds and armed with twin 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns. Powered by two Cadillac V-8 Model 44T24 engines of 110 horsepower each, it had a maximum speed of 30 mph and a crew of 6. Designed to replace World War II-era half-track-mounted anti-aircraft batteries, it could also use its guns against armored opponents. Its armor-piercing rounds had a range of 9,475 yards when fired at a horizontal target and 7,625 yards when fired at aircraft. Dusters were used by the Louisiana National Guard 105th Anti-Aircraft Battalion after World War II until 1 Jul 1959 and then by the 4th Automatic Weapons Battalion (Support), 141st Air Defense Artillery until May 1963.

Arabi, Louisiana · United States