United States' M26 Pershing heavy tank

Aberdeen Tank Museum	M26 Pershing Heavy Tank:	M26 Pershing Heavy Tank:	M26 Pershing Heavy Tank:
M26 Pershing Heavy Tank:	With the 3rd Army in April 1945.	M26 Pershing Heavy Tank:	M26 Pershing Heavy Tank: Aberdeen Tank Museum
M26 Pershing Heavy Tank: Aberdeen Tank Museum	M26 Pershing Heavy Tank at the Patton Museum in Ft Knox, Kentucky Chris Bobo	M26 Pershing Heavy Tank at the Patton Museum in Ft Knox, Kentucky Chris Bobo	M26 Pershing Heavy Tank: Mark Holloway
M26 Pershing Heavy Tank, from the M26 Manual: Mark Holloway	M26 Pershing Heavy Tank, from the M26 Manual: Mark Holloway	M26 Pershing Heavy Tank, from the M26 Manual: Mark Holloway	M45 Pershing Heavy Tank, from the M26 Manual: Mark Holloway
M45 Pershing Heavy Tank, from the M26 Manual: Mark Holloway

1/72 Armor
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Design

Project started in 1942 and it was supposed to be an improvement on the M4 medium. Thirteen models of the T20, T22, and T23 were developed with a variety of weapons, transmissions, and suspensions.

In early 1943 the Armored Command had felt that the war would be concluded with the M4 medium. This resulted in the improvements in crew safety and reliability of the M4. Armored Command also didn't want a heavy tank because of its size and weight.¹ However, after the Battle of the Bulge, they changed their minds.¹ This also had to due with the fact that Army doctrine at the time called for tank destroyers to take care of enemy tanks.⁵

It was designated Limited Procurement in October 1944. Army Ground Forces wanted to delay the standardization until its battle worthiness was proven.⁸ The Secretary of War sent 20 vehicles to Europe in the Zebra Mission in January 1945. It was Standardized in May 1945.

Suspension

The suspension has individually sprung torsion bars, with bumper springs and double acting shock absorbers. A center guided track is used. The drive sprocket is located at the rear.

Hull Crew

The driver and assistant driver each have a hatch over them. There are 2 emergency doors in the floor of the hull.

Turret

The commander's hatch has a vision cupola with 6 laminated glass vision blocks. The commander, gunner, and loader have seats in the rotating turret. There is a hatch over the commander and a smaller hatch over the loader. Periscopes are provided to all the crew.

The turret is reversed and the main gun locked in a traveling lock when traveling in non-combat areas.

Prototype

Here's information on the T25 and T26 prototypes that led to the M26 Pershing.

Production

• M26: 2,432¹
  • Production: November 1944 - June 1945⁸, March - May 1945 (Detroit Arsenal)⁸
  • Manufacturer: Detroit Tank Arsenal (246)⁸, Grand Blanc Tank Arsenal (1,190)^7,8
  • Cost: $81,324⁸
• M45:
• T83: 311⁸
  • Production: February - May 1945⁸
  • Manufacturer: Pressed Steel Car Company⁸

Variants

• T20: Prototype.⁴ Similar suspension to a M4 medium tank.⁴ Had 76 mm main armament.⁴
• T22: Prototype.⁴
• T23: Prototype.⁴
• T25: Prototype.^4,5 Torsion bar suspension.⁵
• T26: Prototype.^4,5 90 mm gun.⁵ Thicker armor.⁵
• T26E2: Prototype. Was standardized as the M45.¹ Had 105 mm howitzer.⁵
• T26E3: Prototype.⁵ Became the M26.⁵
• T26E5: Thicker armor, 279 mm in spots.¹ Only 24 built.¹
• M26: The 90 mm gun could fire a 24.1 lb shell at a muzzle velocity of 2,800'/sec.⁷
• M26A1: Longer 90 mm T15 gun.¹
• M26E1, T26E4: Longer gun, and single-part ammunition.¹ Used the 90 mm T54 gun.⁸
• M26E4: More powerful 90 mm gun.⁵
• T83 Gun Motor Carriage: Carried 155 mm.⁸
• T25 Cargo Carrier: Was to carry 155 mm ammunition.⁸ Not used.⁸
• T30 Cargo Carrier: Was to carry 155 mm ammunition.⁸ Was selected for use.⁸
• T84 Howitzer Motor Carriage: Carried 8" howitzer.⁸ Became the M43.⁸
• T31 Cargo Carrier: Was to be used with the T84.⁸ Shortage of M26 components caused M4 components to be substituted.⁸
• T92 Howitzer Motor Carriage: 240 mm howitzer was carried.⁸
• T93 Gun Motor Carriage: Carried 8" gun.⁸ Used T26E3 components.⁸
• T94 Mortar Motor Carriage: Was to carry a 10" mortar on a T83 chassis.⁸ Project cancelled at end of World War II.⁸
• T12 Armored Recovery Vehicle: Had lighter turret than M26 and carried a winch and boom.⁸
• T15E3 Mine Resistant Vehicle: Was to use the hull of a T26E1 but project was cancelled.⁸
• T95 Gun Motor Carriage: Originally was the T28 Heavy Tank but name was changed as it didn't have a turret.⁸

Usage

First Shipments

The first 20 went into combat near Antwerp.⁶

The first combat occurred in February Was used by the 3rd and 9th Armored Divisions as part of the Zebra Mission.^6,8 A group of civilian and military experts conducted the training on the M26.⁸

The next groups of Pershings were given to the 2nd, 5th, and 11th Armored Divisions.⁶

By VE-Day there were 310 M26s in Europe, not all of which saw combat.^1,8

First Battles

On February 26, 1945, the 3rd Armored Division attacked across the Roer River.⁶

On March 8, 1945, the 14th Tank Battalion (9th Armored Division), commanded by Lieutenant Grimball, took part in the capture of the Remagen Bridge with the 27th Armored Infantry commanded by Lieutenant Timmerman.^6,8

The Pacific

During the battle for Okinawa the tankers were demanding something more powerful than the M4 Sherman.⁸ Twelve were shipped but didn't arrive until August 1945 and thus saw no combat.⁸

The British

The British received some for evaluation before the end of the war and were prepared to order some, however, with the end of the war, the order was cancelled.¹

Specifications

	M26 (T26E3)
Crew	Commander, driver, co-driver, gunner, loader.2,8 51,2,3,4,5,7,7
Radio	SCR-5088
OR	SCR-6088
OR	SCR-5288
Physical Characteristics
Weight	92,000 lb2,3,5, 92,355 lb 41.1 tons6, 41.2 tons1, 41.73 tons4, 46 tons7,8 41,730 kg5, 41,900 kg, 41,891 kg1
Length w/gun	27' 11"8, 28' 10"2,4,5, 28' 5", 28' 3"1 8.65 m, 8.66 m1, 8.788 m5, 8.79 m4
Length w/o gun	20.8'7, 20' 9"6, 20' 9 1/8"3, 21' 2"2,4,5, 22' 4"8 6.452 m5, 6.51 m4
Height	9' 1"1,2,4,5,6,8, 9' 1 3/8"3, 9.1'7 2.769 m5, 2.77 m4, 2.78 m1
Width	11.4'7, 11' 6"1,2,4,5,6,8, 11' 6.25"3 3.505 m4,5, 3.51 m1
Width over tracks
Ground clearance	1' 5 3/16", 1' 5 11/16"8, 1' 5.7'7 0.44 m
Ground contact length	12' 4-8", 148.4"7
Ground pressure	12.5 psi, 12.7 psi8, 12.9 psi7, 13.1 psi
Turret ring diameter	69"
Armament (mm)
Main	1: 90 mm3,4,5,6 90 mm M31,2 90 mm M3, L/537,8
Secondary
MG	3: MG3 1: 12.7 mm (.50 cal)1,4,5 2: 7.62 mm (.30 cal)1,4,5
MG - coaxial	1: .30 cal Browning MG2 1: .30 cal Browning M1919A47,8
MG - bow	1: .30 cal Browning MG2 1: .30 cal Browning M1919A47,8
MG - antiaircraft	1: .50 cal Browning MG2,6 1: .50 cal Browning M2-HB 1: .50 cal M2 MG7,8
Side arms	5: .45 sub machine guns Grenades
Quantity
Main	701,2,5,7,8 (HE, APC, HVAP, Smoke)
Secondary
MG	.30: 5,0002,5,7,8 .50: 5502,5,8, 6007
Side arms	.45: 900 Grenades: 128
Armor Thickness (mm)	12 - 1024, 132, 1022 2" - 4"3 (Actual thickness to horizontal) Front: 4.3"7 Side: 2"7
Hull Front, Upper	101.65, 101.6@46°8 4"5 (6.9")
Hull Front, Lower	76.2@53°8 3" (6.4")
Hull Sides, Upper	50.85, 76.2@0°8 2"5, 2-3"@0°
Hull Sides, Lower
Hull Rear	50.8@10°8 2" (2")
Hull Top	22@90° 7/8"@90°
Hull Bottom	13 & 25@90° 0.5-1"@90°
Turret Front	4"5 (4.4"), 4.3"7 101.65,8, 102@0° mantlet: 114@0°
Turret Sides	76.28 3" (3")
Turret Rear	76@0-5°, 76.28 3" (3")
Turret Top	12, 25@90°, 50.88 1"@90°
Engine (Make / Model)	Ford GAF1,2,3,4,8 Ford7
Bore / stroke
Cooling	Water3,7
Cylinders	V-88
Capacity	1,000 cu in8
Net HP	5005, 500@2,600 rpm7,8
Power to weight ratio	10.81 HP/108
Compression ratio	7.5:17
Transmission (Type)	Torquematic1, Torqmatic7, 900-F2 Torquematic8 3 forward, 1 reverse7,8
Steering	Controlled differential7
Steering ratio
Starter	Electric7
Electrical system	24-volt7,8
Ignition	Magneto7
Fuel (Type)	Gasoline7,8
Octane	808
Quantity	186 gallons, 191 gallons7,8 832 liters
Road consumption	0.5 mpg7
Cross country consumption
Performance
Traverse	360°2, 15°/sec Power and hand7
Speed - Road	20 mph2,3, 30 mph1,4,5,6,7,8 40 kph, 48 kph1,4,5
Speed - Cross Country	5-18 mph7, 5.2 mph2,5 8.4 kph5
Range - Road	60 - 110 miles8, 92 miles2,4,5,7, 100 miles1, 110 miles6 148 km4,5, 161 km1
Range - Cross Country	62 miles7
Turning radius	63'8
Elevation limits	+20° to -10°2
Fording depth	4'2,4,7,8 1.22 m4
Trench crossing	7.9'7, 8', 8' 6"2,4,8 2.44 m, 2.59 m4
Vertical obstacle	3' 10"2,4,7,8 1.17 m4
Climbing ability	31° (60%) slope7, 60% slope8
Suspension (Type)	Torsion bar2,6,7,8
Wheels each side	6 plus 1 compensating7, 12 6 pairs6,8
Return rollers each side	56,7
Tracks (Type)	Cast steel, rubber backed7 T81 Steel8
Length
Width	2'2,5,7,8 0.6096 m5
Diameter
Number of links	787,8
Pitch	6"7,8
Tire tread	Rubber6,8
Track centers/tread	9' 2"2,5,8, 9.2'7 2.794 m5