M47 Patton
At the end of World War II, the US Army's armored divisions used mostly M4 Sherman medium tank variants, with a small number of M26 Pershing heavy tanks. The Army began working on a postwar replacement for both, but in the meantime intended to upgrade the Pershing to M26E2 standard: this would upgrade the Pershing's indifferent engine (the tank used the same engine as the Sherman on a much larger chassis) and add improvements to the 90mm gun as well. So many modifications were made that the Army ended up with a new tank, so the M26E2 was redesignated the M46 and named Patton for George S. Patton, the American "tank guru" who had recently been killed in a car accident.
However, the M46 was seen only as an interim until the T42 entered service: this was an entirely new tank that would replace the M4, M26 and now M46 as well. When the Korean War broke out in 1950, however, the US Army found itself short of tanks--in some cases, M26s donated to museums were repossessed and sent overseas. With no time to waste, the Army mated the T42 turret design (which was finished) to the M46 chassis, creating the M47 Patton. These were rushed into production, but only a few reached Korea before the armistice was signed in 1953.
Despite its hurried origins, however, the US Army realized they had a good tank design: the M47 combined the decent armor and 90mm gun of the Pershing, the engine of the M46, and the turret of the T42 prototype. There were still some issues, with the M47's hull design too prone to destructive front hits and the turret cramped for the crew. The M47 still retained the World War II-era and ultimately unnecessary bow-mounted machine gun as well. The Army began an improvement program that would culminate in the M48 Patton, which became the standard Army and Marine tank of the 1950s and 1960s. With over 8500 M47s still in service, most were passed on to foreign allied armies as the M48 entered service. Many of these were later upgraded to near M48 standard, and a few even received M60 Patton 105mm guns and armor upgrades.
This M47 is the other half of a Vietnam veterans' memorial at New Rockford, North Dakota. Where it came from is unknown, as the North Dakota Army National Guard isn't known to have had tanks. It could use some restoration work, as rust has started to appear on the hull. Though I usually get a good amount of tank pictures on my trips, this turned out to be the only one I saw during my August 2022 North Dakota trip.
M47 Patton
At the end of World War II, the US Army's armored divisions used mostly M4 Sherman medium tank variants, with a small number of M26 Pershing heavy tanks. The Army began working on a postwar replacement for both, but in the meantime intended to upgrade the Pershing to M26E2 standard: this would upgrade the Pershing's indifferent engine (the tank used the same engine as the Sherman on a much larger chassis) and add improvements to the 90mm gun as well. So many modifications were made that the Army ended up with a new tank, so the M26E2 was redesignated the M46 and named Patton for George S. Patton, the American "tank guru" who had recently been killed in a car accident.
However, the M46 was seen only as an interim until the T42 entered service: this was an entirely new tank that would replace the M4, M26 and now M46 as well. When the Korean War broke out in 1950, however, the US Army found itself short of tanks--in some cases, M26s donated to museums were repossessed and sent overseas. With no time to waste, the Army mated the T42 turret design (which was finished) to the M46 chassis, creating the M47 Patton. These were rushed into production, but only a few reached Korea before the armistice was signed in 1953.
Despite its hurried origins, however, the US Army realized they had a good tank design: the M47 combined the decent armor and 90mm gun of the Pershing, the engine of the M46, and the turret of the T42 prototype. There were still some issues, with the M47's hull design too prone to destructive front hits and the turret cramped for the crew. The M47 still retained the World War II-era and ultimately unnecessary bow-mounted machine gun as well. The Army began an improvement program that would culminate in the M48 Patton, which became the standard Army and Marine tank of the 1950s and 1960s. With over 8500 M47s still in service, most were passed on to foreign allied armies as the M48 entered service. Many of these were later upgraded to near M48 standard, and a few even received M60 Patton 105mm guns and armor upgrades.
This M47 is the other half of a Vietnam veterans' memorial at New Rockford, North Dakota. Where it came from is unknown, as the North Dakota Army National Guard isn't known to have had tanks. It could use some restoration work, as rust has started to appear on the hull. Though I usually get a good amount of tank pictures on my trips, this turned out to be the only one I saw during my August 2022 North Dakota trip.