M-48/60 Patton Main Battle Tank [War Data - Born in Battle (special) - Armored fighting vehicles №4]

50 Pages·1979·28.37 MB·English

by  T. Eshel

--------­
148-60
atton"'BT
-_ really remarkable fighting machine, the Patton
IVJ ted off as a postwar development, to overcome
e deficiencies experienced by Allied tanks as against
,,_~ superior German Panzer designs.
_-\1 though the Patton series took part in the Korean
-2r. in an earlier version, its main battle test came in
b Yliddle East wars, where it is still very much in
/::'.ice, extensively modified to bling it into line with
_= top AFYs which the Soviet arsenal has to offer.
rz:tons will certainly stay on the front line for a long
b e to come. Here, then, is its fascinating story.
The
pro­
t of
the
ova­
h.ich
- to
000
~er
1951.
eJOn­g
: RMYj
Four types of u.s. army tanks at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Left to right: Ml03, M48, M47 and M41.
(US Army)
PATTON
The Tank
development
By S.Dunstan
At the close of World War II the three main types of The M46 Medium Tank was named the Patton,
tanks in service with the U.S. Army were the M24 following the wartime tradition set by the British of
Light Tank Chaffee, the M4 !vledium Sherman and the naming U.S. tanks in British service after famous
M26 Heavy Tank Pershing. The Pershing had seen American generals. As the majority of the modifica­
only limited action before the end of hostilities; had tions were to the engine compartment, external dif­
the war continued, it would have superseded the ferences between the M26 and M46 were slight. The
Sherman as the standard battle tank of the U.S. Ar­ Patton, however, is identifiable by the following fea­
moured Forces. In May 1946, the M26 was reclassi­ tures: A track tension idler wheel was added between
fied as a medium tank and became the first in a line the final roadwheel and the sprocket to lessen the
that has evolved into the current main battle tank of tendency of track throwing while turning. Two cov­
the U.S . Army - the M60 serie~. ered exhaust silencers (mufflers) were fitted on the
Following the war, funds for research and develop­ trackguards (fenders). The rear hull plate had three
ment of armoured fighting vehicles were greatly re­ round inspection hatches. The M46 mounted an im­
duced. What money was available was devoted to the proved 90mm gun, the M3A I, incorporating a fume
development of components such as engines and extractor (bore evacuator) near the muzzle brake.
transmissions which, when proven, were to be in­ This was also retrospectively fitted to the M26 which
corporated into a family of tanks to replace the war­ became the M26A 1. Many M46s carried pioneer tools
time designs .. on the glacis plate as well as dust shields running the
In 1947, as the world political situation deteri­ length of the trackguards. M46 Pattons were com­
orated into the depths of the Cold War, it became ap­ mitted in substantial numbers in Korea. They proved
parent that the U.S. Armoured Forces were under­ to be reliable and effective and mor~ than a match for
strength. A crash programme was initiated to improve the Communist T34/85s.
the existing fleet of M26 Pershings, including those Concurrently with the M46 programme, a range of
held in storage. In 1948, an 810hp Continental tanks designated the T41 Light, T42 Medium and
A V-1790-SA engine and Allison CD-850-3 trans­ T43 Heavy Tanks was under development. The T42
mission were installed, thus converting the M26 into was a 36-ton design armed with a 90mm gun and
the M46. shared many features with the T41 (later to become
2
The M26 Heavy Tank Pershing was the direct progenitor of post-war American medium tanks up to and including
the M60 series.
the M41 Walker Bulldog) including the concentric gun Heavy Tank, whose crew included two loaders). The
recoil system, four-man crew and 500hp engine with turret was a single casting with a characteristic pro­
a cross-drive transmission. Unfortunately, the new truding rear bustle to counterbalance the weight of
medium tank had one weakness. Being ten tons the 90mm gun and to provide stowage space for the
heavier than the T41, the automotive performance of radios and ventilating fan. The most notable innova­
the T42 was poor and it was not adopted. tion of the M47 was in the fire control system which
With the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, incorporated a stereoscopic optical rangefinder to
there was an urgent need for medium tanks. As an improve tank gunnery at ranges greater than 1000
interim measure, the turret of the T42, which was of yards.
superior ballistic shape to the square turret of the
Pershing, was married to the hull of the M46; the M46 Patton of the 7th Infantry Division painted in the Tiger
resulting vehicle was classified as the M47 Medium markings applied prior to Operation Ripper, 22 February 1951 .
Tank. Production was undertaken by the American These markings were intended to instil terror into the suppo­
sedly superstitious Chinese and North Koreans. The mounting
Locomotive Company and the Detroit Tank Arsenal.
of the commander's heavy machine gun was peculiar to the
Deliveries began in early 1952. Unfortunately, no
M46. (US ARMY)
pilot models had been tested; this was considered un­
necessary, as the hull was proven and the development
of the turret well advanced. In the event, numerous
technical problems arose with the turret, especially
the fire control system. The Army refused to issue
the M47 to troops until the deficiencies were recti­
fied. Consequently, none saw service in the Korean
War.
Early models of the M47 used the basic M46 hull;
this, though, was soon changed to a revised hull of
welded castings and armour plates with a glaciS plate
of improved ballistic protection. The M47 retained
the bow machine gunner/co-driver of the earlier de­
sign but was the last tank in the world to have a five­
man crew (except the contemporary M 10 3 (T43)
3
Turkish troops on winter exercises near the Soviet border. .. (Camera Press)
An M47 of the Italian Army shows the distinctive 'ears' oftheV
Following the war, the principal annour-defeating
stereoscopic rangefinder across the turret roof Many M47
projectile adopted by the U.S. Anny was the HEAT
Pattons were supplied under the Military Aid Programme to
(High Explosive Anti Tank) round. This relatively
NA TO armies including Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Turkey
and West Germany. M47s have also served in the armies of slow-moving round requires precise range assessment;
A ustria, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Pakistan, South Korea, Spain and consequently, development of a ranging system to
Yugoslavia. Between 1949 and 1964, the United States de­ match the long range capability of the 90mm had to
livered 11,274 medium tanks of all types to other countries. be undertaken. Comparative trials were conducted
between stereoscopic and coincidence optical range­
finders, following Gennan experiments towards the
end of the war. The stereoscopic rangefinder was
found to have superior accuracy; many technical
problems arose with the coincidence type, which ab­
sorbed more light and was therefore more difficult to
use at dawn, dusk and in conditions of low visibility.
The M47 mounted a 60" base rangefinder over the
gunner's position with the optics protruding from
each side of the turret. However the integration of
the primary sight, the rangefinder and the automatic
laying of the gun in a single instrument caused many
engineering problems. These difficulties were com­
Turkish Am1Y M47 during manoeuvres north ofAnkara.'V
pounded by the urgency of production due to the
Korean War, the inadequate training programme and
the tank crews' natural suspicion of anything new and
complex. Accordingly, results were poor and the sys­
tern's potential perfonnance was rarely achieved. This
mistrust of the stereoscopic range finder persisted and
was carried over to the M48.
In October 1950, the design of a 45-ton medium
tank, armed with a 90mm gun and designated the
T48, was initiated. The design embodied many of the
features introduced in the T43 Heavy Tank, such as
the elliptically shaped cast hull, the central position
4
100 years ofcavalry. An Indian Chief surveys a different mount, the M48 Medium Tank Patton.
(USARMYj
of the driver, an ellipsoid cast turret and a commend­
ably wide 85" turret ring which would permit future
upgunning. Many components were common to the
M47. On 8 December 1950, the Chrysler Corpora­
tion was commissioned to complete the design work
"Patton" ... 1'·48, 1952.
and construct six prototypes, the first of which was
to be completed by December 1951.
Given the pressing need for tanks in Korea, pro­
duction was authorised before the prototypes were
completed or tested. In March 1951, the Fisher Body
Division of General Motors and the Ford Motor Com­
pany were awarded production contracts, in addition
to that enjoyed by the Chrysler Corporation. Pro­
duction began in April 1952; the first model M48 was
delivered in early 1953. Once again numerous techni­
cal problems delayed deployment. Early vehicles had
the disconcerting habit of shifting into reverse while
in forward motion, track throwing was prevalent, en­
gines frequently caught fire due to inadequate cool­
ing, and petrol consumption was excessive. In addi­
tion, the problems of the stereoscopic rangefinder
remained unresolved. In a report to Congress, the
Comptroller General of the General Accounting Of­
fice stated that 'initial production vehicles were de­
fective to such an extent that they were not accept­
able even as training vehicles'. The Army maintained
5
M67 Flamethrower
Above:
M67A2 ofC Company, 1st Marine Tank Battalion, in opera­
tion south of Da Nang, 14 May 1967. The flamethrower tanks,
nicknamed Zippos, were employed to burn away heavy jungle
growth covering concealed positions; the ready availability of
air-delivered napalm relegated them to a minor role.
Left:
M67A2 of3rd Marine Tank Battalion, Quang Tri Province,
Below:
12 November 1968. When operating in jungle, tanks soon
M48A2C of the West German Army illustrates the redesigned became covered in a mass of vines and vegetation. Although
engine compartment, cooling air louvres and sundry detail this tended to obscure optics and could be a hazard to crews,
changes of the A2 model. The cut out in the louvres is an at­ the foliage was often sufficient to detonate the sensitive fuses
tachment point for a wading kit which permits fording to a ofRPG rockets, thus reducing their effectiveness. Note the
depth ofeight feet. German modifications include the AEG­ headlamps are lower to permit greater depression of the M7 A 1­
infrared searchlight as fitted to the Leopard J, Wegmann smoke 6 flame gun (-12 0 to + 45
0 ).
dischargers and lights conforming to local traffic regulations. (USMC)
M48A2 Rafah, 196 7.A

Jordanian Pattons captured in Samaria. These M47s belonged to the 12th Tank Battalion which fought near Jenin.,.

7
M48 of 1st Armored Division, in exercise "Spearhead","
that the exigencies of the Korean War necessitated Fort Hood, Texas, May 1954. (US ARMY)
the speedy procurement of the M48 and that many of
the problems were due to inadequate maintenance
and poor driving. Though these facts undoubtedly
exacerbated the situation,there remained a number of
fundamental design problems. These were subsequent­
ly rectified between 1953 and 1958 in a series of
costly modification programmes. Unfortunately, this
raised the unit cost from $1 J0, 000 for the initial
tanks, to almost a quarter of a million dollars.
Riot drill. American soldiers train for trouble alongside M48A1S

in riot drill practice. ,

(Camera Press)
T48 with 90mm gun at full elevation (20 0 at Aberdeen
)
Proving Ground, 1952 (US ARMY)