United States' T23 medium tank

Photos

T23 Medium Tank: Aberdeen Tank Museum
T23E3 Medium Tank: Aberdeen Tank Museum

Design

The first prototype of the T23 was completed in January 1943.⁵ To complete it so quickly it initially had a welded turret, but later prototypes were cast.⁵

It was found that the T23 was overly heavy and thus had poor ground pressure.⁵

T23

Built at Detroit and first to be completed.¹

The gyrostabilized gun could fire a 15.4 lb APC shell at a muzzle velocity of 2,600'/sec.⁴ There was also a 9.4 lb HVAP shell.⁴

T23E3

The 76 mm gun was gyrostabilized and could fire a 15.4 lb APC shell and a 9.4 lb HVAP shell at a muzzle velocity of 2,600'/sec.⁴

In July 1943 the Ordnance Department proposed that the T23E3 would be standardized as the M27 Medium but this was denied.⁵

T80 Gun Mount

The T80 gun mount that was used in the T23s later was designated the M62 and was used in M4 Mediums that had 76 mm guns.⁵

Turret

The hatch for the loader was on the left.⁵ A cupola was installed in the turret top for the commander.⁵

Production

An order for 250 M23s was placed.⁵

• T23: 250¹
  • Production: November 1943 - January 1945⁵
• T23E3: 1⁵
  • Production: August 1944⁵

Variants

• T23:
• T23E2: 3" gun with torsion bar suspension.⁵
• T23E3: Track and suspension same as T25.⁵
• T23E4: Designed with HVS suspension but wasn't built.⁵

Specifications

	T23	T23E3
Crew	Commander, driver, co-driver, gunner, loader.2 52,3,4	Commander, driver, co-driver, gunner, loader.2 52,3,4
Physical Characteristics
Weight	73,500 lb2,3,4	73,000 lb4, 75,000 lb2,3
Length w/gun	19' 8 7/8"2,3, 24' 9.5"4	19' 2 1/8"2,3, 24' 9.5"4
Length w/o gun
Height	8' 4"2,3,4	8' 4"4, 8' 4 5/8"2,3
Width	9' 10.5"2,3, 10 2.5"4	10' 2.5"4, 10' 4"2,3
Width over tracks
Ground clearance	19 5/8"4	19 5/8"4
Ground contact length	147"4	147"4
Ground pressure	15 psi4	15 psi4
Turret ring diameter
Armament
Main	Pilot: 75 mm M13 76 mm M1A12,3,4	76 mm3 76 mm M1A12,4 1: 3"5
Secondary
MG	3: MG3 2: .30 cal Browning MGs2 .50 cal Browning MG AA2 .50 cal M2HB Browning MG4 2: .30 cal M1919A4 MG, coaxial, bow4	3: MG3 2: .30 cal Browning MGs2 .50 cal Browning MG AA2 .50 cal M2HB Browning MG4 2: .30 cal M1919A4 MG, coaxial, bow4
Side arms	12 hand grenades4 12 2" smoke bombs4	12 hand grenades4 12 2" smoke bombs4
Quantity
Main	645, 684	684, 843,5
Secondary
MG	.50 cal: 3004 .30 cal: 5,0004	.50 cal: 3004 .30 cal: 5,0004
Side arms
Armor Thickness (mm)	122, 872 1.5" - 2.5"3	122, 872 1.5" - 3"3
Hull Front, Upper	3"@0°4	3"@0°4
Hull Front, Lower
Hull Sides, Upper	2"@0°4	2"@0°4
Hull Sides, Lower
Hull Rear	1.5"@0°4	1.5"@0°4
Hull Top
Hull Bottom
Turret Front	3.5"@0°4	3.5"@0°4
Turret Sides	2.5"@0°4	2.5"@0°4
Turret Rear
Turret Top
Engine (Make / Model)	Ford GAN2,3,4	Ford GAN2,3,4
Bore / stroke
Cooling	Water3,4	Water3,4
Cylinders	V-82,3,4	V-82,3,4
Capacity
Net HP	4204, 4702,3	4204, 4702,3
Power to weight ratio
Compression ratio
Transmission (Type)	Electric2,4, Gasoline electric5 Infinitely variable4	Electric2,4 Infinitely variable4
Steering	Through electric transmission4	Through electric transmission4
Steering ratio
Starter
Electrical system
Ignition
Fuel (Type)	Gasoline2,4	Gasoline2,4
Octane
Quantity	186 gallons4	186 gallons4
Road consumption	1.8 gallons/mile4	1.8 gallons/mile4
Cross country consumption
Performance
Traverse	360°2,4, manual and hand4	360°2,4, manual and hand4
Speed - Road	35 mph2,3,4	35 mph2,3, 40 mph4
Speed - Cross Country	20 mph2	20 mph2
Range - Road	100 miles2,4	100 miles2,4
Range - Cross Country
Turning radius
Elevation limits	-10° to +25°2,4	-10° to +25°2,4
Fording depth	4'4, 4' 8"2	4'4, 4' 8"2
Trench crossing	8' 3.25"4	8' 3.25"4
Vertical obstacle	2'2,4	2'2,4
Climbing ability	30° slope4	30° slope4
Suspension (Type)	Vertical volute2,4	Torsion bar2,4,5
Wheels each side		6 dual road wheels4
Return rollers each side		3 or 55, 54
Tracks (Type)	Rubber or steel, rubber bushed track pin4	Steel skeleton, rubber bushed track pins4
Length
Width	1' 4.5"2, 1' 4 9/16"4,5	1' 7"2,5
Diameter
Number of links	784
Pitch	6"4	6"4
Tire tread
Track centers/tread	102"4	102"4