The M52 began development in 1948 to replace the M37 and M44 Howitzer Motor Carriages with the biggest empahsos being put on a fully enclosed fighting compartment to protect against an NBC environment. Armed with a M49 105mm Howitzer the weapon had a very high elevation angles and a good traverse of 60° to either side, like many Spur of the US at the beginning of the cold war the M52 had ots idler wheel placed on the ground to absorb the shock of firing with no spade being provided. The vehicle was based on the cahssis and parts of the M41 Walker Bulldog and around 860 were built before being replaced by the M53/55