T25 and T26 Medium Tank
With encounters with German Tiger tanks in Tunisia, tanks crews were wanting a tank with bigger guns than 75 mm and 76 mm.1
In March 1943 a new turret was fitted with a 90 mm AA gun and put onto a T23 model.1
The Army Service Forces placed an order for 50 of these tanks.1 10 of these were to be T26s.1 The first T25s were completed until early 1944.1
A request for 8,000 T25s and T26s with 75 mm and 76 mm guns was rejected.1
T25:
Aberdeen Tank Museum
Electric transmission.1 Horizontal Volute Spring Suspension (HVSS).1
The 90 mm gun fired a 24.11 lb APC shell at a muzzle velocity of 2,800'/sec.5 It also fire a 16.8 lb HVAP shell.5
T25E1:
Aberdeen Tank Museum
Hydramatic transmission.1 Torsion bar suspension.1
The 90 mm gun fired a 24.1 lb APC shell at a muzzle velocity of 2,800'/sec.4
T26:
100 mm armor.1 Similar to T25.1
T26E1:
Similar to T25E1.1 Designated a heavy tank in June 1944.1
| T25 | T25E1 | T26E1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 53,5 | Commander, driver, co-driver, gunner, loader.2 51,2,3,4 |
53 |
| Physical Characteristics | |||
| Weight | 77,590 lb5, 82,000 lb3 | 77,590 lb2,3 34.6 tons1, 38.3 tons4 35,194 kg 1 |
86,500 lb3 |
| Length w/gun | 18' 6 3/8"3, 26' 11 5/16"5 | 19' 4.5"3, 21.9'4, 22' 11"1, 22' 11.25"2 7 m1 |
22' 4.75"3 |
| Length w/o gun | |||
| Height | 8' 4"5, 8' 10.5"3 | 9' 1"1, 9' 1 3/8"2,3, 10.3'4 2.77 m1 |
9' 1 3/8"3 |
| Width | 10' 6 5/16"5, 10' 11"3 | 10.3'4, 10' 4"1,2,3 3.1 m1 |
11' 2"3 |
| Width over tranks | |||
| Ground clearance | 17 11/16"5 | 17.7"4 | |
| Ground contact length | Left: 148 5/16"5 Right: 152.5"5 |
152.25"4 | |
| Ground pressure | 13.9 psi5 | 13.3 psi4 | |
| Turret ring diameter | |||
| Armament | |||
| Main | 90 mm3 90 mm M35 |
90 mm3 90 mm M31 90 mm T7 (M3)2 90 mm T-7, L/534 |
90 mm3 |
| Secondary | |||
| MG | 3: MG3 .50 cal HBM2 MG, AA5 2: .30 cal M1919A4 MG, coaxial, bow5 |
3: MG3 2: 76.2 mm (.30 cal) MG 12.7 mm (.50 cal) MG 2: .30 cal Browning MG2 .50 cal Browning MG AA2 2: .30 cal M1919A4 MG, bow, coaxial4 1: .50 cal M2, AA4 |
3: MG3 |
| Side arms | 12 hand grenades5 12: 2" smoke bombs5 |
||
| Quantity | |||
| Main | 425 | 481,2, 704 | |
| Secondary | |||
| MG | .50 cal: 5005 .30 cal: 5,0005 |
.30: 5,0002,4 .50: 3002, 5504 |
|
| Side arms | |||
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 1.5" - 3.5"3 | 122, 871,2 1.5" - 3"3 Front: 3"4 Side: 2"4 |
2" - 4"3 |
| Hull Front, Upper | 3"@0°5 | ||
| Hull Front, Lower | |||
| Hull Sides, Upper | 2"@0°5 | ||
| Hull Sides, Lower | |||
| Hull Rear | 1.5"@0°5 | ||
| Hull Top | |||
| Hull Bottom | |||
| Turret Front | 3.5"@0°5 | 3.5"-2.5"4 | |
| Turret Sides | 2.5"@0°5 | ||
| Turret Rear | |||
| Turret Top | |||
| Engine (Make / Model) | Ford GAF3,5 | Ford GAF1,2,3 Ford4 |
Ford GAF3 |
| Bore / stroke | |||
| Cooling | Water3,5 | Water3,4 | Water3 |
| Cylinders | V-85 | V-84 | |
| Capacity | |||
| Net HP | 4705 | 500@2,600 rpm4 | |
| Power to weight ratio | |||
| Compression ratio | |||
| Transmission (Type) | Torqmatic5 3 forward, 1 reverse5 |
Hydramatic1 Combination torque converter and gear4 |
|
| Steering | Controlled differential5 | ||
| Steering ratio | |||
| Starter | Electric4 | ||
| Electrical system | |||
| Ignition | Magneto4 | ||
| Fuel (Type) | Gasoline5 | Gasoline4 | |
| Octane | |||
| Quantity | 200 gallons5 | 191 gallons4 | |
| Road consumption | 0.4 mpg5 | 0.5 mpg4 | |
| Cross country consumption | |||
| Performance | |||
| Traverse | 360°5 Manual and hydraulic5 |
360°2 Manual and hydraulic4 |
|
| Max speed | 25 mph5, 30 mph3 | 30 mph1,2,3,4 48 kph1 |
25 mph3 |
| Cross country speed | 18-20 mph4, 20 mph2 | ||
| Road radius | 90 miles5 | 92 miles4, 100 miles1,2 161 km1 |
|
| Cross country radius | |||
| Turning radius | |||
| Elevation limits | -10° to +25°5 | -10° to +20°2 | |
| Fording depth | 4'5 | 4' 8"2 | |
| Trench crossing | 7' 11"5 | 7' 6"2 | |
| Vertical obstacle | 3' 6"5 | 2'2 | |
| Climbing ability | 30° slope5 | 31° (60%) slope4 | |
| Suspension (Type) | Hotizontal volute5 | Torsion Bar.1,2 Individual torsion rod4 |
|
| Wheels each side | 65 | ||
| Return rollers each side | 55 | ||
| Tracks (Type) | Steel, rubber bushed track pins5 | Cast4 | |
| Length | |||
| Width | 19"5 | 19"4, 23"2 | |
| Diameter | |||
| Number of links | 825 | ||
| Pitch | 6"5 | 6"4 | |
| Tire tread | |||
| Track centers/tread | 105"5 | 8.75'4, 9'2 | |
| Production | Ford4 |
Sources:
- The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
- British and American Tanks of World War Two, The Complete Illustrated History of British, American, and Commonwealth Tanks 1933-1945, Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis, 1969
- Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
- Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?
- Tank Data 2, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, E. J. Hoffschmidt and W. H. Tantum IV, 1969
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