| M46 Patton | |
|---|---|
| Type | Main Battle Tank and Medium tank |
| Place of origin |  United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1950 to mid- to late-1950s |
| Wars | Korean War |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant |
| Number built | 800 + 360 M46A1 |
| Variants | M46A1 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 44 metric tons |
| Length | 8.48 m |
| Width | 3.51 m |
| Height | 3.18 m |
| Crew | 5 (commander, gunner, loader, driver, assistant driver) |
| | |
| Armor | 102 mm/4 inches maximum |
| Main armament | 90 mm gun M3A1 70 rounds |
| Secondary armament | 0.5 in (12.7 mm) M2 machine gun 2x .30 cal M1919A4 machine guns |
| Engine | Continental AVDS-1790-5A V12, air-cooled Twin-turbo gasoline engine 810 hp (604 kW) |
| Power/weight | 18.4 hp/t |
| Transmission | General Motors CD-850-3 or -4, 2 ranges forward, 1 reverse |
| Suspension | Torsion bar suspension |
| Ground clearance | 478 mm |
| Fuel capacity | 878 liters |
| Operational range | 130 km |
| Speed | 48 km/h |
The only US combat use of the M46 was in the Korean War. On 8 August 1950 the first M46 Patton tanks belonging to the 6th Tank Battalion landed in South Korea. The tank proved superior to the much lighter North Korean T-34-85, which were encountered in relatively small numbers. By the end of 1950, 200 M46 Pattons had been fielded, forming about 15% of US tank strength in Korea; the balance of 1,326 tanks shipped to Korea during 1950 included 679 M4A3 Shermans, 309 M26 Pershings, and 138 M24 Chaffee light tanks. Subsequent shipments of M46 and M46A1 Pattons allowed all remaining M26 Pershings to be withdrawn during 1951, and most Sherman equipped units were also reequipped.
Known M46 series operators include: 1st Marine Tank Battalion and regimental Antitank Platoons of the 1st Marine Division by 1952, 72nd Tank Battalion of the 2nd Infantry Division by January 1952, 64th Tank Battalion of the 3rd Infantry Division, 73rd Tank Battalion of the 7th Infantry Division by January 1951, 6th Tank Battalion of the 24th Infantry Division, 140th Tank Battalion (took over the tanks of the 6th Tank Battalion) and regimental tank companies of the 40th Infantry Division (CA ARNG) by October 1951, and the 245th Tank Battalion of the 45th Infantry Division (OK ARNG) by 1952. Several other regimental tank companies gained M46/M46A1s by the end of the war, including the 7th and 65th Infantry Regiments of the 3rd Infantry Division.
In the 1950s, small numbers of M46s were leased, at no cost, to some European countries for training purposes, including Belgium, France and Italy, in preparation for the introduction of the M47 Patton. US instruction teams used the vehicles to train European tank crews and maintenance personnel.
Variants
- M26E2/M46 - M26/A1 Pershing upgraded with Continental V-12 engine and cross-drive transmission. Used the same M3A1 90 mm gun as the M26A1 Pershing, and differed mainly in the position of the exhausts.
- M46A1 - Product improved variant with improved braking, cooling and fire suppression systems, as well as, improved electrical equipment, AV-1790-5B engine and CD-850-4 transmission.
- M46 equipped with M3 dozer kit.
