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The T27 81mm Mortar Motor Carriage was an attempt to adapt the fuselage of the M5 Light Tank to carry an 81mm mortar. Two versions were produced, the T27 and T27E1. They both used the same basic layout, with the turret removed and an open fighting compartment created in the centre of the tank. An armoured superstructure was added to build up the height of the fighting compartment by 18in.
On the T27 the mortar was carried quite high, and protruded above the superstructure. On the T27E1 it was lowered and was entirely hidden within the superstructure. In both cases tests showed that there was very little space within the vehicle, both for the crew and to store mortar rounds (this was also a problem with the M5 gun tank). Pictures of the T27 show the mortar taking up most of the space within the fighting compartment. Both the T27 and T27E1 were cancelled in April 1944. Work then moved onto the T29 4.2in Mortar Motor Carriage, but this was no more successful.