M26 Pershing Tank

World War II American Military
#1

M26 PERSHING TANK:


M26-01


M26-02


M26-03


M26-03A-SPECS-01
From: “British and American Tanks of World War II”, by Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis, Arco Publishing Company, 1975, (p 158 )


M26-03A-SPECS-02
From: “British and American Tanks of World War II”, by Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis, Arco Publishing Company, 1975, (p 159)


M26-03A-SPECS-03
From: “British and American Tanks of World War II”, by Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis, Arco Publishing Company, 1975, (p 160)


M26-03A-SPECS-04
From: “World War II Tanks”, by George Forty, Osprey, 1995, (p 153)


M26-03A-SPECS-05-gun-vs-armor
From “Tank Versus Tank”, by Kenneth Macksey, Salem House, 1988, (p 147)

Notice in the Gun versus Armor comparison that the Pershing 90mm 53 caliber gun could defeat the Panther D armor out to 2000 meters, while the Panther D 75mm 70 caliber gun failed to penetrate the Pershing armor beyond 600 meters. The Pershing 90mm 53 caliber gun could defeat the Tiger II (King Tiger) armor out to 1300 meters, while the Tiger II (King Tiger) 88mm 71 caliber gun could penetrate the Pershing armor out to 1800 meters - a pretty close match, with the Pershing having the edge in mobility.


M26-03-X
From: “German Tanks of World War II in Action”, by George Forty, Blandford Press, 1988, (p 130)

SEE ALSO:

DUEL AT DESSAU
3AD’s “Super Pershing” vs. Germany’s “King Tiger”
WWII’s two most powerful tanks meet in a historic encounter

http://www.3ad.com/history/news/super.pershing.1.htm
http://www.3ad.com/

Only three days before the 3rd Armored Division’s final combat action of WWII, a Super Pershing of the 33rd Armored Regiment met and defeated the most powerful and most heavily armored German tank of the war - the legendary 77-ton King Tiger, also known as the Tiger II or Tiger Royal. It would be the first and only meeting between a King Tiger and the Super Pershing, a modified standard M26 Pershing weighing 53 tons - an almost “secret” tank that, to this day, remains largely an enigma to military historians… (story continues).


M26-03-drawing-1


M26-03-drawing-2
From: “British and American Tanks of World War II”, by Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis, Arco Publishing Company, 1975, (pp 214-215)


M26-03-drawing-3


M26-03-drawing-4


M26-03-drawing-5


M26-04


M26-05


M26-06


M26-07
From: “World War II Tanks”, by George Forty, Osprey, 1995, (p 153)


M26-08


M26-09
From: “World War II Tanks”, by George Forty, Osprey, 1995, (p 154)


M26-10
From: “The U.S. Army in World War II”, by Mark R. Henry, Osprey, (p 118 )


M26-11


M26-12


M26-13
From: “World War II Tanks”, by George Forty, Osprey, 1995, (p 153)


M26-14


M26-15


M26-16
From: “World War II Tanks”, by George Forty, Osprey, 1995, (p 155)


M26-17


M26-18
From: “World War II Tanks”, by George Forty, Osprey, 1995, (p 155)


M26-19


M26-20


M26-21


M26-22


M26-23


M26-24

Earlier Prototypes:


T25-SPECS-01
From: “British and American Tanks of World War II”, by Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis, Arco Publishing Company, 1975, (p 152)
1942-1943


T25-SPECS-02
From: “British and American Tanks of World War II”, by Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis, Arco Publishing Company, 1975, (p 153)
1942-1943


T25-SPECS-03
From: “British and American Tanks of World War II”, by Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis, Arco Publishing Company, 1975, (p 154)
1944

Bigger Heavy Prototypes:


T32-T29-SPECS-01
T32: Longer 90mm gun, 200mm armour max.
T29: 105mm gun T5 High-velocity gun


T30-T34-SPECS-01
T30: 155mm gun
T34: 120mm gun


T28-SPECS-01
T28: 105mm T5E1 High-velocity gun, 300mm armour max.

#2

Excellent post, thanks for all the information. Its a pity this tank couldnt have been in service before D-Day. I loved the 8 inch Howwitser version.

#3

I could cry! They’re so beautiful! I wish I could drive one home despite the really lousy fuel economy…

I all seriousness, this is some good info that is hard to find on the net, especially the extensive development in the US of heavy tanks that would outclass most German and Soviet projects, but that were roundly rejected as too impractical, until the Germans were shooting the hell out of the 1942-vintage M4 Shermans…

Excellent tank if underpowered (which was the real hindrance to WWII US tank design, they seemed to have limited things to basically one engine, due to continuous and easy mass production).

It should be said that, like the Centurion, this tank soldiered on through most of the Cold War, and evolved into what became the M-60A3 and continues in development in Israel today. This is what I believe to be the ultimate testament to a weapons system…

The improved version was renamed the M-46, and given a bigger engine, in time for Korea…

#4

It would have been nice for the US Army to have had this as the center piece of their tank corp, and surrounded them with Easy-8 Shermans the way the Germans used Panthers and a few Tigers surrounded by lessor armor like the Panzer MkIV and Jadpanzer… I wonder how much faster the War would have drawn to a close?

#5

Extensive information! Great tank, that T95 looks a beast!

#6

Hey Guys,

Firefly, Nick, SS Tiger, you are most welcome. It took me a few evenings of my spare time to compile the information - a combination from books that I have and the Internet.

Firefly:

Excellent post, thanks for all the information. Its a pity this tank couldnt have been in service before D-Day. I loved the 8 inch Howwitser version

If the Armored Force Board had not delayed development in September 1943, perhaps it would have been available in some numbers for the Normandy Invasion. I would like to have seen it take part in Operation Cobra or at the very latest the December 1944 Ardennes Offensive.

Nickdfresh:

I could cry! They’re so beautiful! I wish I could drive one home despite the really lousy fuel economy…

I all seriousness, this is some good info that is hard to find on the net, especially the extensive development in the US of heavy tanks that would outclass most German and Soviet projects, but that were roundly rejected as too impractical, until the Germans were shooting the hell out of the 1942-vintage M4 Shermans…

Excellent tank if underpowered (which was the real hindrance to WWII US tank design, they seemed to have limited things to basically one engine, due to continuous and easy mass production).

It should be said that, like the Centurion, this tank soldiered on through most of the Cold War, and evolved into what became the M-60A3 and continues in development in Israel today. This is what I believe to be the ultimate testament to a weapons system…

The improved version was renamed the M-46, and given a bigger engine, in time for Korea…

It would have been nice for the US Army to have had this as the center piece of their tank corp, and surrounded them with Easy-8 Shermans the way the Germans used Panthers and a few Tigers surrounded by lessor armor like the Panzer MkIV and Jadpanzer… I wonder how much faster the War would have drawn to a close?

She is a beauty. You can definitely see a resemblance to many post-war tank designs. Of course especially to the M46, M47, M48 and M60 designs.

The Centurion is my second favorite tank to come out of WWII. As you say, both the Centurion and M48/60 tank designs continue to be upgraded even into the present day by the Israelis. An interesting variation of the Centurion is the heavy armoured personnel carrier version developed by the Israelis for their combat engineers.

Pershing / Sherman and lighter AFV’s land version of a naval task force (battleships and cruisers surrounded by destroyer pickets, etc.) - that would make for an interesting meeting engagement with their German counterparts. I also included a drawing with the Pershing and Sherman together for comparison.

SS Tiger:

Extensive information! Great tank, that T95 looks a beast!

Thanks, it’s my pleasure. Yes, I guess the T95 is an example of how things can get out of hand. I have even seen it in the PC game “Battlefield 1942” expansion “Secret Weapons.”

I am glad to share information like this to so many people on the Internet.

Enjoy. :smiley:

#7

Great info, GeorgeEller …thanks!! :slight_smile:

#8

You’re welcome CrossBones :smiley:

I like that P-47 Thunderbolt in your signature. It’s my favorite fighter of WWII.

#9

Awesome!!! It`s my favorite too… :smiley:

Look this:

This is a brazilian colors of P47 in WW2…

#10

Awesome!!! It`s my favorite too… :smiley:

Look this:

This is a brazilian colors of P47 in WW2…[/quote]

Very cool :smiley:

They look like they were all flown by aces. I count 7, 9 and 10 kills on the three planes. The top two must have been as they appeared late in the war with the aluminum finish.

Wartime operators were Brazil, Free French, Mexico, RAF, Soviet Union, USAAF. After the war P-47’s were also operated by the air forces of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Dominica, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Iran, Italy, Mexico, Nationalist China, Peru, Turkey and Yugoslavia.

#11

Bump!

#12

Thankyou George for your time and effort on the excellent info you’ve shared.
The T-28 was the beastie i was thinking of. It really looked the part if not a bit impractical. Still, it was probably a bit more realistic than a Maus!

Regards to all,
Digger.

#13

Greetings Digger,

You’re welcome and thanks for the compliment. Here are some more pics of the T-28.

T-28-01

http://battletanks.com/articles.htm

T-28-02

http://www.ioh.pl/bron_pancerna/index.php?s=art&art=14

T-28-03

http://www.ioh.pl/bron_pancerna/index.php?s=art&art=14

T-28-04

http://www.ioh.pl/bron_pancerna/index.php?s=art&art=14

#14

More pics of the T-28.

T-28-05

http://www.ioh.pl/bron_pancerna/index.php?s=art&art=14

T-28-06

http://www.ioh.pl/bron_pancerna/index.php?s=art&art=14

T-28-07

http://www.ioh.pl/bron_pancerna/index.php?s=art&art=14

T-28-08

http://www.ioh.pl/bron_pancerna/index.php?s=art&art=14

#15

A few more pics of the T-28.

T-28-09

http://www.ioh.pl/bron_pancerna/index.php?s=art&art=14

T-28-10

http://www.ioh.pl/bron_pancerna/index.php?s=art&art=14

T-28-11

http://www.ioh.pl/bron_pancerna/index.php?s=art&art=14

T-28-12

http://www.ioh.pl/bron_pancerna/index.php?s=art&art=14

Cancelled Heavy Tank PAGE
T-28
http://www.strange-mecha.com/vehicle/track/t28.jpg
http://www.strange-mecha.com/vehicle/track/c-ht.htm

#16

Quiet a big machine, in here I found another america Heavy…

The T1 Project
[LEFT]In 1940, the War Department decided that a heavy tank was again needed for the United States and thus began the T1 Project. The blueprint called for a heavy tank with no less than four turrets in a true land battleship design. Two of them would have carried a 75mm gun a third with a 37mm, a fourth with a 20mm and this does not include multiple machine guns! Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed and the tank looked much different by the time it was off the drawing boards.
The T1 was only an engineering exercise (thank goodness). Actually, the first tank to be produced in this series was the T1E2 (top row). Built at Baldwing Locomotive Works and ready September 1941, the tank was initially unarmed. The T1E1 is shown in the middle row. The T1E3 is the bottom. Due to changing requirements, the T1E4 was never actually built (except on paper). The T1E2 became the M6 (below) and the T1E3 became the M6A1

http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/heavytanks/HeavyTanks.html[/LEFT]

#17

Thanks for the pics and the link Panzerknacker.

Noticed that the site has some more b/w pics of the T-28 as well.

Nice info.

#18

It’s shocking as to how modern the T-28 looks. BTW, I was working at the engineer proving grounds at FT Belvoir where the Tank was found not so long ago…

#19

And what about this…the T-29 or “super Pershing”

In early 1945, the T29 Project was begun to counter the new heavier tanks being fielded in Europe by the Germans. The new Pershing tank, at 45 tons, was not quite “heavy” enough to counter the 70 ton German Tiger II. Not ready when the war ended, it did provide opportunities for testing of engineering concepts in artillery and automotive components. Shown above (from left to right) are the T29, T29E2, and the T29E3. The difference between the T29E1 and T29E2 was the E1 used an Allison 1710ci V12 and the E2 was a upgrade in turret and gun controls. The E3 model had further upgrades in armament and fire control. Most of the basics remained the same in all models. Driving was done by using a “joy stick” as on an airplane. The transmission was GM CD-850-1 which provided steering, braking, and variable power flow to each track. Foot pedals controlled the braking function, not the “joy stick”

#20

[b]Yep, similar to my original post on previous page:

Although according to the information below, the T-29 had a combat weight of 138,000 pounds. This would give it the equivalent weight of 62.7 long tons (69 short tons) or 62.59 metric tons. This would put it closer in weight to the 70 ton Tiger II.[/b]


T32-T29-SPECS-01
T32: Longer 90mm gun, 200mm armour max.
T29: 105mm gun T5 High-velocity gun