The M26 Pershing

As the American army ventured to the gates of Germany, it was realized that the abandonment of the "M6 heavy tank" project (too expensive to produce and send in Europe, too heavy ...) left The USA without tanks really capable of facing the Germans. It was therefore urgent to use a medium / heavy tank in order to limit the damage, even if the task of destroying enemy tanks was the tank destroyers.


The M26 was the right solution to this problem, but it arrived a little late.

Indeed, only 200 tanks of this type fought in the front line until the end of the war. It was armed with a gun of 90 mm assembled on a turret studied for its base ... Note that this turret will be used on the shermans. 


Specifications :
Type: Medium / heavy duty
Production: 1436 units from November 1944 to June 1945
Engine: Ford GAF ​​of 500 HP Conso: 517 liters to 100 (tank of 832 liters)
Maximum speed: 40 Km / h
Autonomy: 161 km
Crew: 5 men
Weight: 41.9 tonnes (Ground pressure: 0.89 kg / cm²)
Length 8.65 m
Height: 2.78 m
Width: 3.51 m
Shielding: Min: 19mm / Max 114mm
Armament: Canon M3 of 90 mm
MG HB M2 Gunsmith caliber .50
2 MG Browning M1919 A4 caliber .30 caliber machine guns

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