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The M46, '''M47''', '''M48''' and '''M60 Patton''' were the U.S Army 's principal Main Battle Tank s of the Korean and Vietnam War s. The model was named after General George S. Patton , commander of the U.S. Third Army during World War II and one of the earliest American advocates for the use of tanks in battle. It was replaced in US service by the M1 Abrams . THE M46 In May 1946, due to the changing conception of the US Army's tank needs, the M26 Pershing tank was reclassified as a Medium Tank . Designed initially as a Heavy Tank , Pershing was a significant upgrade from the M4 Sherman in firepower and protection. Its mobility, however, was deemed unsatisfactory for a medium tank as it used the same engine that powered the much lighter M4A3. Its underpowered engine was also plagued with an unreliable transmission. Work began in January 1948 on replacing the original powerpack with the Continental AV-1790-3 engine and Allison CD-850-1 cross-drive transmission. The design was initially called M26E2, but modifications continued to accumulate, and eventually the Ordnance decided that the tank "deserved" an index of its own. When the production began in November, 1949 the upgraded M26 received not only a new powerpack and a main gun with Bore Evacuator , but a new designation along with them - M46 General Patton or simply '''Patton'''. M46 combat service The only extensive combat use of the M46 was in the Korean War . The tank proved superior to North Korea n T-34/85 , which was expected from a much newer design. The M46 was exported to some European countries, including Belgium , France and Italy . THE M47 Although the new powerpack corrected the mobility and reliability problems of the M26, the US Army considered the M46 a stopgap solution that would be replaced later by the T42 medium tank. However, after fighting erupted in Korea, the Army decided it needed the new tank earlier then planned. It was deemed that there was likely no time to finish the development of the T42 and then also to fix various problems that were likely to emerge in a new design. The final decision was to produce another interim solution, with the turret of T42 mounted on the familiar hull of the M46. The old-new tank, developed by the Detroit Arsenal, was named M47 Patton and entered production in 1951. The M47 was widely used by NATO allies and other countries, including Austria , Belgium , France , Germany , Greece , Iran , Italy , Japan , Jordan , Netherlands , Pakistan , Portugal , Saudi Arabia , South Korea , Spain , Taiwan , Turkey and Yugoslavia . In the US, however, it was quickly replaced by the M48. Interestingly, the M47s have portrayed German Panzers in many old war films that are set in World War II. THE M48 A year after the M47 entered service, the US Army decided to replace it by yet another product of the evolution of the Pershing/Patton line, the M48, still dubbed Patton. A deeper modernization than the M46 and the M47, the M48 featured a new turret, redesigned hull and an improved suspension. The hull machine gunner position was removed, reducing the crew to 4. Nearly 12,000 M48s were built from 1952 to 1959. The early designs were powered by gasoline engines which gave the tank a short operating range and were prone to catching fire when hit, earning it the unflattering nickname ''Ronson'' (which was also used for the earlier gasoline powered M4 Sherman ), after the popular brand of Cigarette Lighter . This version was considered unreliable and unfit for service, but numerous examples saw combat use in various Arab-Israeli conflicts. In 1959, American M48s were upgraded to the M48A3 model which featured a diesel power plant. In the mid-1970s, the M48A5 upgrade was developed to allow the vehicle to carry the heavier 105 mm gun. This was designed to bring the M48s up to speed with the M60 tanks then in regular use. Most of the M48s were placed into reserve service by this time. By the mid-1990s, the M48s were phased out of U.S. service. However, many foreign countries continue to use the M48 models. On an interesting note, the M48s made an appearance in the Disney/Pixar film The Incredibles . M48 combat service The M48s saw action during the Vietnam War , as did another variant, the M67A1 Flamethrower tank. The M48s performed admirably in Vietnam in the infantry-support role. As there were few actual tank vs. tank battles, the M48s provided adequate shelter for its crew from small arms, mines and RPGs . M47s and M48s were first used in tank warfare by with unimpressive results. In fact there was a place in Khemkaran in India called "Patton Nagar" ("Patton Town") that held 60-odd destroyed or captured tanks before the war trophies were relocated. Analyzing their performance, the Pakistan Army held that the tank was held in unreasonably high esteem by both sides and that tactic were to blame for the debacle at Asal Uttar. {Link without Title} . M48s were also used with mixed results during the 1967 Six-Day War . On the Sinai front, Israel i M48s were used with stunning success against Egypt ian T-54 s and T-34 s supplied by the Soviet Union . However, on the West Bank front, Jordan ian M48s were regularly outclassed by Israeli WWII-era M4 Sherman s, the result of superior Israeli tactics and crews. The Israeli Army captured about 100 of these Jordanian M48 and M48A1 tanks and pressed them into their own service after the war. THE M60
In 1957, it was determined that the Soviet s were in the process of developing a new medium tank, the T-62 , with a 115 mm gun, superior to that of the American M48 tank. In response, an M48 tank was fitted with a new engine and later with a variant of the British 105 mm L7 series gun. This new vehicle (originally designated M68) was put into production in 1959, reclassified as the M60 and entered service in 1960. Over 15,000 M60s (all variants) were constructed. The improved design provided an increased operational range and mobility, required a minimum of refueling and servicing, and incorporated an improved main armament. A Continental V-12 750 hp. air cooled diesel engine powers the vehicle. Power is transmitted to a final drive through a cross drive transmission, which is a combined transmission, differential, steering, and braking unit. The hull of this vehicle is a one piece steel casting and is divided into two compartments, the crew in the front, and the engine at the rear. In 1963, the M60 was upgraded to the M60A1. This new variant, which stayed in production until 1980, featured a larger, better-shaped turret and improvements to the armor protection and shock absorbers. The M60A2 featured an entirely new low-profile turret with a commander's machine-gun Cupola on top, giving the commander a good view and field of fire while under armour but spoiling the low profile. It also featured a 152 mm calibre main gun similar to that of the M551 Sheridan light tank, which fired regular rounds as well as the Shillelagh Anti-tank Guided Missile (ATGM). There were a number of problems with the new gun (such as unburnt propellant from the missile fouling the tube and pre-detonating subsequent rounds), most of which were solved to some extent, but after all the problems the A2 model was abandoned and the turret for the A3 would be based on that of the A1. Most of the M60A2 tanks were rebuilt to M60A3 standard. In 1978, work began on the M60A3 variant. It featured a number of technological enhancements, including smoke dischargers, a new rangefinder and ballistic computer and a turret stabilization system. All American M60s eventually underwent the conversion to the A3 model. M60 combat service .]] The M60 first saw some action in the Vietnam War with the Marine Corps . Later the Marine Corps also used the M60A1 variant in Operation Desert Storm in opposition to the Soviet-supplied Iraq i T-72 tanks which were comparable, if slightly better-gunned than the M60s. The M60A1s supported the effort into Kuwait City . A few M60s and M60A1s also saw action with Israel during the 1973 Yom Kippur War in both the Sinai and the Golan Heights . The United States sent additional M60s to Israel just before and during hostilities. Following the war, the IDF received many more M48s, M60s and M60A1s from the U.S.. Israel further upgraded their stock of M60s prior to their use in the invasion of Lebanon in 1982 as part of Operation Peace For Galilee . The Israeli modifications included new tracks and Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA). This variant was known as the Magach 6B. Further work in Israel has been done on the upgraded Magach 6 models, adding new armor, new fire controls, a thermal sleeve and smoke dischargers. This model, the '''Magach 7''' (with variants A through C) is still in use with the IDF . M60 versions are in service as of 2005 with Brazil , Bosnia , Bahrain , Austria , Bosnia , Egypt , Greece , Israel , Portugal , Spain , Turkey , Taiwan , Thailand and some others to varying degrees. Also, US continues to have significant stockpiles of them waiting to be scrapped, sold-off, or converted, though some versions that use the chassis see some use still. VARIANTS , 1966]] is mounted to the right]] US variants
Specialized variants , May 16, 1996.]]
''Additional equipment'':
Bosnian variants M-60A3-donated by the USA Israeli variants 6 - an Israeli upgraded M60A1 tank with "Blazer" Explosive Reactive Armor .]] Israel created an extensive number of variants of the series from tanks acquired initially from a number of sources, including capturing them in battle, or from other countries such as Germany and the United States.
Jordanian variants
Spanish variants
South Korea
Taiwanese variants
Turkish variants
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