M46 Patton

M46 Patton
Name	M46 Patton
Type	Medium tank
Origin	United States
Service	1949–1957 (US)
Used by	United States, France, Turkey, South Korea
Designer	Ordnance Committee
Design date	1948
Manufacturer	Ford, Chrysler
Produced	1949–1953
Number	1,160
Weight	48 tons
Armament	90 mm M3 gun, .30 cal MG, .50 cal MG
Engine	Continental AV1790-5B V12 gasoline
Power	810 hp
Suspension	torsion bar
Speed	30–31 mph

M46 Patton The M46 Patton was an American post‑World War II medium tank that served as an interim replacement for late World War II and early Korean War armored forces. Developed from the M26 Pershing chassis and incorporating improvements influenced by combat experience, the M46 provided enhanced mobility, firepower, and fire control for United States Armored Division units. It formed a bridge between wartime designs and the later M47 Patton and M48 Patton families used during the Cold War.

Development and Design

Development of the M46 traced to post‑war evaluation by the United States Army Ordnance Department and combat lessons from the Korean War and late European Theater of Operations. The program sought to upgrade the M26 Pershing with a more powerful Continental AV1790 engine and revised transmission derived from development work at Packard Motor Car Company and field testing by Ordnance Committee (United States). Design changes included a reworked hull, improved cooling influenced by trials at Aberdeen Proving Ground, and turret modifications informed by reports from units under United States Army Forces in Korea. The project engaged contractors such as Ford Motor Company and Chrysler Corporation for production and component supply.

Production and Variants

Production began in 1949 with initial conversions of existing M26 Pershing hulls before moving to new builds at plants operated by Ford Motor Company and subcontractors. Total output reached roughly 1,160 vehicles, deployed primarily to United States Army armored units and later supplied to allied nations including France, Turkey, and South Korea. Variants included command versions equipped with additional radios to meet requirements from United States Army Signal Corps doctrine, and field conversion kits applied in theater under direction from Ordnance Corps workshop detachments. The M46 lineage directly influenced the design and procurement decisions that produced the M47 Patton and informed armor developments at Tanks and Armoured Vehicles Department facilities.

Technical Specifications

The M46 weighed approximately 48 short tons and carried a five‑man crew: commander, gunner, loader, driver, and assistant driver/radio operator. Propulsion was from a Continental AV1790‑5B V12 gasoline engine producing about 810 horsepower, coupled to an improved cross‑drive transmission adapted from experimental work at Allison Engine Company. Suspension used torsion bars with bogie assemblies similar to those tested at Watervliet Arsenal. Road speed reached roughly 30–31 mph on improved surfaces, with operational range extended by changes to fuel system plumbing recommended by field teams from United States Army Transportation Corps.

Operational History

The M46 saw combat in the early phases of the Korean War after rushed deployments to replace worn M26 Pershing units and to bolster armored formations during major engagements such as the Pusan Perimeter operations and UN counteroffensives. It served with United States Army armored divisions and was fielded with units under Eighth United States Army command in Korea. Post‑Korean War, M46s equipped National Guard and occupation units in Germany and other NATO posting areas influenced by NATO strategic planning. Recipients among allied forces employed M46s through the 1950s until supplanted by newer models like the M48 Patton.

Armament and Fire Control

Primary armament consisted of the 90 mm M3A1 gun mounted in an M46 turret, a direct descendant of late World War II American tank gun development programs overseen by the Ordnance Department. Secondary armament included coaxial and bow mounted .30 caliber machine guns and a .50 caliber anti‑aircraft machine gun on the turret roof, components supplied under contracts with Browning Arms Company and integrated following specifications from Tank Armament Division. Fire control improvements incorporated a stabilized sighting baseline and improved rangefinding influenced by work at Ballistic Research Laboratory and optical suppliers such as Bausch & Lomb. These upgrades increased first‑round hit probability against early Soviet armor encountered in intelligence reports.

Armor and Protection

Armor protection on the M46 featured rolled homogeneous armor panels on the glacis, turret front, and mantlet, following ballistic standards developed at Aberdeen Proving Ground and tested against shaped charges and kinetic projectiles by the Ordnance Ballistic Laboratory. Sloped glacis geometry derived from M26 Pershing lessons provided improved effective thickness, while turret redesign sought to reduce shot traps identified in after‑action reports from Korean War engagements. Crew survivability was further addressed through improved stowage arrangements and NBC placeholder provisions anticipated by planners at U.S. Army Chemical Corps—though full NBC systems were deferred to later designs.

Surviving Examples and Preservation

Several M46 Patton tanks survive in museums and as memorial displays across the United States, France, and South Korea. Notable collections and preservation efforts are found at institutions tied to armored heritage such as the National Armor and Cavalry Museum, regional military museums affiliated with United States Army Center of Military History, and municipal displays maintained by veteran organizations like the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Restoration work frequently involves collaboration with specialist contractors, former Ordnance personnel, and academic conservation programs at museums associated with Smithsonian Institution outreach and technical archives.

Category:United States tanks Category:Cold War tanks