War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

M4A2 (76) W

2022-05-26T19:32:23Z

U116288532: some grammar changes

{{About
| about = American medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other M4 Shermans
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m4a2_76w_sherman
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. The tank is similar to the original [[M4A2]] tank, except with the better [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm M1 gun]] in the T23 turret.

The M4A2 (76) W has an unusually high profile and thus it is difficult to drive around undetected. While playing this tank, the M4A2 is an easy target for [[Jagdpanzer_IV|Jagdpanzers]]. However, if correctly camouflaged, it is possible to get the first shot off. Also, the sides and rear of this tank are very poorly armoured. Thus, Sherman's fuel tanks and engine catch on fire very easily.

One redeeming fact of this model is that the ammo is in the centre of the tank so it's harder to hit than in previous Sherman models ([[M4]], [[M4A1]], [[M4A2]], and [[M4A3 (105)]]), but the more powerful tanks like the [[Tiger H1]] and [[Panther D]] can easily destroy the M4A2 even if it shoots first. In addition, they can easily penetrate the frontal armour at almost all ranges and in most cases, if they are using the correct ammo, the shells' shrapnel will knock out the entire crew. Consequently, the best chance of survival is to fight near allied tanks which allow the 76 mm gun to be effective. With two machine guns, the M4A2 can defend itself and the team from enemy aircraft or clear forested areas where German tank destroyers could be.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Transmission area)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 63.5 mm (47°) || 38.1 mm || 38.1 mm || 19.5 mm
|-
| Turret || 88.9 mm || 63.5 mm || 63.5 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 63.5 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, the bogies are 10 mm thick, and the tracks are 20 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=635|rbMinHp=363}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

The most important modules to research are Parts and FPE. After that, the player may prioritize either mobility or firepower upgrades, depending on playstyle. It should be noted that the stock M62 APCBC shell is superior to the M79 shot in most situations, so researching the M79 shot module is not a priority.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|M1 (76 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm M1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 71 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Vertical|up to 24 km/h}} || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.78 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M62 shell || APCBC || 149 || 146 || 133 || 119 || 106 || 95
|-
| M42A1 shell || HE || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7
|-
| M79 shot || AP || 134 || 132 || 121 || 109 || 99 || 89
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M62 shell || APCBC || 792 || 7.00 || 1.2 || 14.0 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| M42A1 shell || HE || 800 || 5.84 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 390 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M79 shot || AP || 792 || 6.80 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M88 || 274 || 3.44 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks M4A1 (75) W (China).png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M4A1 (75) W (China) (identical)]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''71''' || 66 ''(+5)'' || 31 ''(+40)'' || 1 ''(+70)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear from the rack after having been shot or loaded.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 600 (200) || 577 || -10°/+30° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The M4A2 (76) W is a classic Sherman tank. It requires careful positioning and avoidance of enemy fire, possesses an above-average gun, and works best when played around teammates.

As such, it is well-suited to city brawls in which it can use rubble as cover and protect its flanks effectively. The city environment also suits the tank's below-average mobility. In close quarters, this shortcoming will not be too much of a hindrance. That being said, the M4A2 is also a classic medium tank, and highly adaptable. If needed, it can engage at most, if not all, ranges. It can be used to rush a point, or to defend from an assault. Certainly, the powerful cannon is capable against all but the most heavily armoured enemies.

This vehicle has mediocre armour and a highly visible profile, so it must be played carefully if the player wishes to stay alive for more than a few minutes. It is not uncommon for the M4A2 to be destroyed in a single hit, especially when facing the German cannons. Other enemies to watch out for include enemy aircraft: although the roof armour will protect crew members from strafing runs, the vehicle's above-average size makes it rather visible from the air, and makes it a target for bombing and rocket attacks.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good top speed
* Great rate of fire for the main gun
* Angled frontal slope which may sometimes bounce larger calibers if angled correctly
* 5 crew members, which increases the survivability
* A pintle-mounted heavy machine gun (12.7 mm), which can be used for anti-aircraft and against light armoured vehicles
* Wet ammo storage reduces greatly ammo rack detonations, is indicated by the "W" in its name
* Fast turret traverse

'''Cons:'''

* Tall profile
* Prone to tipping over when travelling across steep inclines
* Armour might not stand up against common guns like the Soviet 85 mm or the German KwK 36.
* Sides and rear are thinly armoured
* Engine compartment is poorly armoured
* Narrow tracks mean poor ground flotation and cross country performance
* Only reaches its top speed on paved surfaces
* Lacks the add-on armour module found on the 76 mm M4A1 and M4A3
* Unlike the earlier M4A1 (76) W, Cruise Control 1 setting is slightly above the maximum speed that the stabilizer operates at

== History ==

=== M4 Sherman ===
The start of World War II and the Battle of France had America find that their current armoured forces were completely inadequate to fight back a German armour assault. With only the [[M2A4|M2 light tanks]] and the [[M2]] available with their 37 mm cannons, the Americans greatly increased their efforts in tank development to bolster their defences but to satisfy demands from Great Britain for adequate tanks to rebuild their decimated armoured forces. The requirements set by the US Army called for a tank armed with a 75 mm gun. While a 75 mm gun was available for use, a turret mounting the gun on a tank was not. Thus, while the turret and tank design underwent development, the 75 mm would be mounted on the stopgap design - the [[M3 Lee|M3 Lee]] tank - in a "sponson" mount. During the M3's development, the designs of the 75 mm armed vehicle were submitted by the Ordnance Department. In April 1941, the Armored Force Board chose the simplest of the designs, which was a redesigned M3 hull and chassis with a turret mounting the 75 mm gun designated the ''T6'', completed in September 1941. This tank would then designated the '''[[M4|M4 Sherman]]'''. The production for the Sherman began in October 1941 and would continue to be produced until the end of the war in 1945 with around than 50,000 units produced, making it the second most-produced tank in World War II before the [[T-34 (1942)|T-34 tank]]. The Sherman first saw service in North Africa in the hands of the British, and the Shermans continued to see service throughout the North African campaign, Tunisian campaign, and the Italian campaign in the British and American armies. However, the 75 mm gun on the Sherman soon found itself saw as inadequate when the Germans began fielding their new generation of heavy tanks, the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]] and the [[Panther D|Panther]], which could defend itself against the 75 mm gun and take out the Sherman at a long range. A desire to up-gun the Sherman grew among Ordnance officers to fight incoming armour threats and started as far back as 1942.

===Development===
The desire for a hole puncher on the Sherman started in the Ordnance department, seen as an improvement to the Sherman tank's overall combat ability to fight future tank threats. It started with the adaption of the 3-inch anti-tank gun, the most powerful American anti-tank weapon at the time, into the M4 Sherman. The gun proved too heavy and too bulky for a straight adaption so a simpler and smaller gun model was created called the 76 mm M1, which could be practically fitted into the M4 Sherman turret. The 76 mm differed from the 3-inch in ammunition as well, using a different propellant case but the same shells. The first guns were trialled in a [[M4A1]] Sherman, but while Ordnance approved the vehicle, Armored Board rejected it as it caused the turret interior to be too cramped for the crew and also the lack of need of such vehicle. This solution was fixed by taking the cancelled T23 project and adapting the turret into the Sherman, which was easy as the Sherman and the T23 used the same turret ring diameter. The larger turret allowed for a more practical mounting of the 76 mm gun and more room for the crew to move around in. This variant was approved and production was to start in early 1944 for the upcoming invasion of Europe in Operation Overlord to counter the German Tiger I and the Panther tanks.

===Design===
Aside from the enlarged T23 turret, the Sherman interior layout was largely unchanged from the original design. The driver and bow gunner still sat in the front, the three-man turret crew in the centre, and the engine compartment in the back. The exterior design of the hull was also largely unchanged with the vertical volute suspension system (VVSS) and sloping front armour.

The '''M4A2 (76) W Sherman''' model ran on a GM 6046 diesel engine. Being built off the original [[M4A2]], the hull construction was welded, which proved simpler to produce than casting. Early M4A2 variants had the front armour plate placed on a 56-degree sloping angle, but this design had protrusions on the driver and assistant driver hatches that created "shot traps" as these protrusions gave less protection than the frontal armour plate. This was fixed on later models with 47-degree angling instead, which eliminated the shot traps and made the frontal armour more effective than before. The M4A2 (76) W variant, as indicated by the name, mounted the 76 mm gun instead of the usual 75 mm. The "W" designation on the Sherman indicated that the vehicle had the wet stowage feature in response to complaints that the Sherman can easily catch fire due to exploding ammunition. The wet stowage encased the ammo containers in a liquid mixture that would douse the flames when penetrated or block flaming shrapnel from penetrating shots from hitting the ammunition. The containers also placed all the ammunition in the bottom centre of the tank, reducing the likeliness of it being hit by a shell as the penetrating shell must go through every armour and obstacle to hit the tank centre. This feature was only present after February 1944 and severely decreased the rate of Sherman fires. Of the 49,234 Sherman produced in World War II, 2,915 M4A2(76)s were produced from April 1944 to May 1945.

===Combat usage===
Despite the stock of 76 mm Shermans now available for them, the commanders opted to not bring any during the invasion of France in June 1944. The issues were logistical, as having a 76 mm armament would mean supplying a different set of ammo to the task forces. Another issue was that the 76 mm gun had a less lethal high-explosive round at hand, meaning combat against infantry or fixed emplacements would be slightly harder. This forced 75 mm armed Shermans to have to compete against the better armed and armoured Panthers and Tigers in the initial period of the invasion. The combat debut of the 76 mm Shermans as the [[M4A1 (76) W|M4A1 (76)]] was during Operation Cobra in July 1944, as a response to the growing German armour threat in Europe. The 2nd and 3rd Armored Divisions received 52 of these Shermans and the rest were distributed among the tank battalions in the infantry divisions. Deliveries of the M4(76) began coming into Europe from August 1944. The M4 (76) and M4 (75) Shermans served alongside each other, though the 75 mm Shermans were around in larger numbers and the opinions of the 76 mm cannon vary from a necessary addition to a burden. Nevertheless, the M4(76) began to be supplied among the tank battalions and armoured divisions to face the intense combat at the Siegfried Line. The 75 mm guns stayed as the primary armament of the armoured forces until the Battle of the Bulge, which had much American armour destroyed by the German onslaught of heavy German tanks such as their [[Panther G|Panther]] and [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger IIs]]. The negative response from both troops and press had Allied commanders, even Eisenhower himself, request only 76 mm Sherman to be delivered instead of 75 mm in response. The new units arriving in Europe after the Battle of the Bulge were all equipped with 76-mm Shermans. Despite their appearance, 75 mm Shermans were still in stock in the armoured divisions and were still held in high regards for their better capacity to destroy soft targets with high-explosive shells.

After the war, the Shermans continued serving America and its allies as the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3E8]] with a new suspension and 76 mm gun. The [[M26|M26 Pershing]] that was introduced late in World War II was phased out for the Shermans due to its unreliability, and the Sherman stayed until the [[M46|M46 Patton]] was introduced. After being phased out of American service, many other countries still used the Sherman as their main tank, mainly Israel where they up-gunned the tank with the much powerful post-war French 75 mm and 105 mm gun as the M-50 and M-51 respectively (nicknamed "Super Shermans"). These proved successful as they were able to fight against the Soviet-supplied [[T-54 (1947)|T-54 tanks]] and [[T-34-85]]s in Middle East service, proving the Sherman as a successful and adaptable design for many years to come.

=== In-game description ===
The new tank modification, based on the M4A1 (76)W, was an upgraded T23 turret and a long-barrelled 76 mm M1A1 cannon, later an M1A2. The turret included a cupola, the turret ventilator moved from the roof to the back wall, and the frontal armour was thickened to 100 mm. Beginning in August 1944 the reloader was given a separate round folding hatch. In March 1945 the M4A2 (76) W's suspension went through a significant change: two road wheels in each bogie turned into four (two paired), the volute springs went from vertical to horizontal, and the balance system was modified accordingly. A hydraulic shock absorber was also installed on every bogie.

Between May 1944 and the end of the war, 2,915 of them were made in total.

A significant number of units, around 2,070, were shipped to the USSR via Lend-Lease.

The Shermans helped liberate Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Austria, also seeing combat in the battle for Berlin.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m4a2_76w_sherman Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|tVuq5a7IGJ4|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Other M4A2 tanks in the game

* [[M4A2]]
* [[M4 748 (a) (Germany)]]
* [[M4A2 (USSR)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/699|[Devblog] Steel Generals: M4A2(76)W]]

{{USA medium tanks}}

M46

2022-05-26T19:25:32Z

U116288532: garmmar

{{About
| about = American medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the premium vehicle
| link = M46 "Tiger"
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m46_patton
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png|ArtImage2_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. As an upgraded version of the [[M26|M26 Pershing]], it features many similarities to its predecessors but is improved with a better gun and engine for increased firepower and mobility.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The researchable add-on armour adds mesh screens around the turret to increase survivability to chemical projectiles.

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Front)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Side, Rear, Roof)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 101.6 mm (42-46°) ''Front Glacis'' 162.5 mm (25-60°) ''Upper front glacis'' 76.2 mm (26-53°) ''Lower Glacis'' || 76.2 mm ''Front'' 50.8 mm (0-9°) ''Rear'' || 50.8 mm ''Top'' 22.2 mm (65°) ''Bottom'' || 22.2 mm
|-
| Turret || 101.6 mm (1-55°) ''Turret front'' 114.3 mm (1-84°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 76.2 mm (3-54°) || 76.2 mm (0-79°) || 25.4 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 76.2 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 25.4 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,255|rbMinHp=716|AoAweight=0.2}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

Get "Parts" and "FPE" like the usual routine to increase the tank's survivability. After that, work towards the APCR and especially the HEATFS round at the Rank III and IV modifications to boost your firepower against enemies.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|M3A1 (90 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3A1 (90 mm)|90 mm M3A1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 70 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 24.3 || 33.6 || 40.8 || 45.1 || 48.0 || rowspan="2" | 9.7 || rowspan="2" | 8.6 || rowspan="2" | 7.9 || rowspan="2" | 7.5
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 15.2 || 17.9 || 21.7 || 24.0 || 25.5
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M318 shot || APBC || 175 || 173 || 161 || 147 || 135 || 123
|-
| M82 shot || APCBC || 185 || 182 || 170 || 155 || 142 || 130
|-
| M304 shot || APCR || 287 || 281 || 259 || 234 || 211 || 191
|-
| M332 shot || APCR || 291 || 286 || 264 || 240 || 217 || 197
|-
| M348 shell || HEATFS || 305 || 305 || 305 || 305 || 305 || 305
|-
| M71 shell || HE || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M318 shot || APBC || 853 || 10.98 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M82 shot || APCBC || 853 || 10.94 || 1.2 || 14 || 137.2 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| M304 shot || APCR || 1,021 || 7.62 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| M332 shot || APCR || 1,165 || 5.7 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| M348 shell || HEATFS || 853 || 6.5 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 926.17 || 65° || 72° || 77°
|-
| M71 shell || HE || 823 || 10.55 || 0 || 0.1 || 925 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M313 || 821 || 10.7 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''70''' || 41 ''(+29)'' || 11 ''(+59)'' || 1 ''(+69)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* As they are modeled by sets of 2, shells disappear from the rack only after you fire both shells in the set.
* Rack 3 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 10 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
* This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 3 - 1 - 2.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 and 2 into rack 3. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+50° || ±120°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,900 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The tank plays almost like the M26 Pershing, it's relatively fast for its size yet has a very powerful gun. In comparison, the M46 Patton features improved maneuverability with increased acceleration, it also has a better gun to combat the foes it will face at its rank. Due to this, the M46 Patton can fit into multiple roles like the Pershing as an offensive or supporting unit. Attack and flank enemy units with the cooperation of allied units to get their more vulnerable sides.

At this rank, the more heavy duty vehicles appears such as the [[IS-3]], [[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|10.5cm Tiger II]], [[T32|T32]], and the [[Maus|Maus]]. These tanks are a menace to not just you, but possibly your entire team. Taking these tanks out in the M46 Patton require close cooperation with other allies in order to get around and hit them in their side armour. More powerful ammunition unlocked in later modifications may improve your attempts at destroying these beasts.

'''Arcade Battles'''

The M46 plays like a light tank in Arcade, because it can reach speeds over 50 km/h in perfect conditions. Furthermore, it's very agile - turning on the spot and maneuvering in close quarters is extremely easy. Altogether, this tank is a pleasure to play in cities in Arcade, because you can escape stand-offs and flank the enemy tank, or you may decide to bait a shot by showing your side, then instantly reversing, or you might want to just leave the encounter altogether and help out a teammate who is relatively nearby. Oh, and your agility can also help you bounce shots - just move your hull and turret around slightly if you think you will get shot.

However, the agility of the tank comes at a cost: the armour is non-existent. In the BR bracket all tanks can penetrate you anywhere. Try not to get shot at, because you're likely to be very crippled, or disabled, with a single shot.

Lastly, in Arcade, your gun is very effective. Use HEATFS rounds and the markers to try to hit as many different enemies as possible - don't try to finish them off, just go for assists. Your round is almost guaranteed to penetrate wherever you hit, and if you don't hit ammunition and take out a tank with a single shot, you are likely to take out a crew member or two, some vital component (e.g. the gun, the transmission, the engine etc.), making it very easy for your teammates to finish the enemy. You don't get a stabilizer, so caution has to be taken when peeking corners or driving around flanks.

'''Realistic Battles'''

The M46 is not as effective in Realistic, due to much slower and focused gameplay, in the sense that a spotted vehicle is often a dead vehicle. The lack of armour doesn't help you here, either, because players take longer to aim at you, reducing any chances of lucky ricochets.

If you can't rely on armour, mobility comes into question, and in Realistic it is dampened. Here, the tank behaves much more like a general medium tank, like the Centurion or the T-34. You are mobile, and quick, but you won't be able to run away from encounters, or flank an enemy in seconds (like you can do in Arcade). Therefore, you should play much more carefully, and avoid being seen at all, which can be easily accomplished because you can still manoeuvre rather easily in close quarters.

In terms of firepower, it's still very reliable, penetration-wise. However, in Realistic it is advised to take your time to learn to identify enemy vehicles and their ammo racks, because you would want to take out enemies with a single shell (if you don't, it's harder to escape from retaliatory shots). Hence why it's advised to flank your enemies and take your time, instead of running around the map like one might do in Arcade. The HEATFS shell has a tendency to cause ammo racks detonations. Also carry some APHE shells, as more often than not, HEATFS shells have a tendency to be a bit unreliable. Even when uptiered, the M46's APHE can deal devastating blows on the enemy's armour, if you know where to aim.

In general, in Realistic, just play calm and try to create a false sense of security for the enemies. Instead of tackling someone head-on, you should retreat and let them move into your ambush, because you don't have a stabilizer, nor armour.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful 90 mm main cannon, especially with HEATFS rounds
* Great overall mobility
* Low profile
* Neutral steering
* Rear mounted transmission
* Excellent gun depression of -10 degrees
* The additional armour (fence around turret) can fend off some HEAT and HESH shells, and even ATGMs

'''Cons:'''

* Turret ring is prone to breaking
* Elevation gear is slow
* Armour can easily be pierced by other tanks at its rank
* Struggles to penetrate many opponents from the front without HEATFS
* Tendency to oversteer at high speeds in arcade battles due to high hp/ton ratio

== History ==

===M26 Pershing Modernization===
[[File:M26_Ready_for_Inspection.jpg|right|thumb|x300px|none|A M26 Pershing awaiting inspection in Germany.]]
At the end of World War II, the US Army's most modern tank design was the [[M26|M26 Pershing]] heavy tank. The M26 was remarkably better than the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3 (76) W HVSS Sherman tank]] in terms of armour and gun, but was deficient in engine power as it was around ten tons heavier than the M4A3, but retained the same 500 horsepower Ford engine.<ref name="Hunnicutt_1984(9-17)">Hunnicutt 1984, 9-17</ref> When tank production was halted in October 1945, the US Army had 2,212 M26s in inventory.<ref name="Zaloga_2000(35)">Zaloga 2000, 35-42</ref> As the US Army reorganized and specified their needs for the post war period, which included the reclassification of the M26 from a heavy tank to a medium tank in May 1946,<ref name="Zaloga_2000(35)" /> the US Army sought the procurement of new tanks to make up the post-war tank fleet. However, the demilitarization and budget cuts with World War II's end heavily constrained the US Army's tank development and procurement programs. Stuck with what they had, the US Army began looking into modernizing the M26s to turn them into their desired postwar tank.<ref name="Hunnicutt_1984(9-17)" />

The ''M26E2'' modernization program began in January 1948.<ref name="Zaloga_2000(35)" /> As the engine was the biggest issue with the M26 Pershing, it and the transmission became the primary focus of the modernization program. Continental Motors Corporation, which was developing an engine specified by Ordnance Committee and the Tank Engine Committee since 22 July 1943, produced the AV-1790-1 engine that has significantly more horsepower than the Ford engine. Continental's AV-1790-1 engine was chosen to become part of the modernization program. The transmission was upgraded to a General Motors (GM) CD-850-1 cross drive design, a transmission design that was considered for US tank designs as far back in April 1943 during trials with the [[T20]] tank.<ref name="Hunnicutt_1971(58)">Hunnicutt 1971, 58</ref> The cross drive transmission was beneficial as it was almost twice as short as the original M26 transmission, yet is able to perform the function of a transmission, steering control, and vehicle brake.<ref name="Hunnicutt_1971(154-156)">Hunnicutt 1971, 154-156</ref> Firepower improvements was also considered, with the [[T54 (90 mm)|90 mm T54]] gun as a possible upgrade option. However, this was cancelled as the 90 mm T54 introduced a new type of ammunition into the logistics train, and focus was put into improving the current [[M3 (90 mm)|90 mm M3]] in the M26. This became upgraded into the [[M3A1 (90 mm)|90 mm M3A1]] which saw the addition of a bore evacuator and a new single-baffle muzzle brake design.<ref name="Zaloga_2000(35)" />

[[File:T40 (M46) at Fort Knox.png|x300px|left|thumb|none|A T40 medium tank prototype at Fort Knox. This vehicle is serial number #4.]]
By May 1948, a complete M26E2 tank (registration number 3012420) was completed and shipped to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds.<ref name="Hunnicutt_1971(154-156)" /> Technical issues led to further improvements in the tank's components. In fiscal year 1948, the US authorized ten M26E2 tanks, with the program now designated as the medium tank ''T40''. Changes were made to the M26 chassis for the modernization, most notably the additions of mufflers on the top of each side's fender for the engine exhaust pipes and a small track tension idler wheel between the rear sprocket and the rear road wheel. By 30 July 1948, the Ordnance Technical Committee Minutes (OTCM or OCM) 32312 designated the T40 tanks as the '''M46''' medium tank, with the nickname "General Patton" after General George S. Patton. A production run of 800 tanks was authorized in 1949 fiscal year, with the hopes of 1,215 M26 tanks being converted to M46 standards in the 1950 fiscal year. The first M46 would roll off the production lines in November 1949, now powered by a Continental AV-1790-5A with a GM CD-850-3 transmission.<ref name="Hunnicutt_1984(9-17)" />

===Korean War Breaks Out===
[[File:USMC M-46 Patton Medium Tank in 1952.jpg|x350px|right|thumb|none|A M46 moves down a hill with its turret traversed over the engine deck. Here the distinctive engine exhausts and mufflers can be seen on the M46's fenders on both sides.]]
As the US Army began ramping up production and conversion programs for the M46 tank, the Korean War began in June 1950. The Korean War's demand for armour caused tanks in all US Army depots and stockpiles to be reactivated and sent to the Korean peninsula. This unfortunately means that the M26 Pershing tanks meant to be converted to M46s were limited. The M46, of which only 319 units were produced by the Korean War's outbreak,<ref name="Zaloga_2000(35)" /> fell into a quagmire within the US Army of not having enough M26s available to convert, but being outdated enough to not warrant the production of new units. To shorten the development time for a new, modern tank, an emergency development program was started in the US known as the ''T42'', which would use the M46 chassis to accommodate a new turret design.<ref name="Hunnicutt_1984(9-17)" /> A version of the M46 used to test the T42 prior to their production is the ''M46E1'', which saw a T42 turret placed directly onto an unmodified M46 hull.<ref name="Hunnicutt_1984(53)">Hunnicutt 1984, 53</ref> The T42 tank will eventually develop into the [[M47]].

Continued field testing with the M46 and the development of the T42 led to more improvements in the M46 design. Initially designated the "M46(New)", this new improvement included a more efficient oil cooling system, new instrument panel, new hull wiring, improved brakes, and a new fire extinguishing system. A new Continental AV-1790-5B and General Motors CD-850-4 transmission was also designed that was interchangeable between the improved M46 and the T42. The "M46(New)" was eventually redesignated to ''M46A1'' when it went into production with a contract for 360 units in 01 April 1951.<ref name="Hunnicutt_1984(9-17)" /> These M46A1 tanks started production from registration numbers 30163849 and up.<ref name="Zaloga_2000(35)" />

===M46 in Service===
[[File:M46_tiger_paint.png|right|thumb|none|x250px|A platoon of M46 Pattons in the 6th Tank Battalion. These tanks have been painted with Tiger faces in a PSYOPS attempt to scare superstitious Chinese soldiers.]]
As the Korean War demanded large numbers of tanks, the M46 Pattons were sent alongside M4A3 Shermans and M26 Pershings into the fray. The first unit with M46 tanks in Korea was the 6th Tank Battalion, which was unloaded into Pusan on 08 August 1950.<ref name="Hunnicutt_1984(25-30)">Hunnicutt 1984, 25-30</ref> The 6th Tank Battalion was soon followed by the 64th Tank Battalion on August 13th that was also equipped with M46s.<ref name="Pike_2021">Pike 2021</ref> Of the 1,326 American tanks sent to Korea, 200 were M46 Pattons while the rest were 309 M26 Pershings, 679 M4A3 (76) W HVSS Shermans and 138 M24 Chaffees.<ref name="Zaloga_2000(35)" />

The M46s benefitted from the more powerful powertrain to be more maneuverable than the M26 Pershing in the theater. However, the rapid development and fielding of the M46 showed technical problems in the field, with breakdowns associated to problems with components like the engine oil cooler fan.<ref name="Connor_1992 (73)">Connor 1992, 73</ref> Nevertheless, the M46s were used effectively before and after the Chinese became involved with the Korean War, with 97 M46s in the Eight Army being involved with the January 1951 counter-offensive against the Chinese.<ref name="Zaloga_2000(35)" /> One feature that was tested with the M46 Pattons was the attachment of a searchlight onto the tank to have better battlefield illumination for night battles. The original idea called for taking a M4A3 Sherman tank to be designed with a special turret accommodating a searchlight and a 75 mm gun, designated the ''T52'' searchlight tank. An alternative solution was devised by attaching searchlights atop tank cannons, which proved to be cheap enough to not warrant a new tank design and convenient enough for any tank to be equipped with a searchlight.<ref name="Hunnicutt_1984(25-30)" />
[[File:M46 with searchlight 1st Tank Batt.png|x250px|left|thumb|none|A M46 with an 18-inch searchlight, a concept that was put in practice in the Korean War.]]

The Korean War would end in a ceasefire brought about by an armistice. Due to the armistice dictating the restrictions of weapon imports into the region, the M46s continued to serve there in American hands as America developed their newer tank models. By 14 February 1957, OTCM 36468 would declare the M46 and M46A1 as obsolete, with the Americans only using the M46 in Korea until they are retired from lack of spare parts.<ref name="Hunnicutt_1984(25-30)" />

After the end of the Korean War, the M46 became part of America's weapon exports to Europe. However, as America's tank productions churn out the M47 Patton II tank, the value of the M26 and M46 for combat-ready units was not high. The M26 and M46 tanks would be exported as training vehicles to prepare crew for the receiving of M47s. Though France, Belgium, and Italy received M26s for this role, Belgium would also receive eight M46A1 that were used as training vehicles at Leopoldsburg tank training center.<ref name="Zaloga_2000(35)" /> Many more M46s would find themselves as range targets.<ref name="Pike_2021" />

=== In-game description ===
The M26, which appeared close to the end of World War II, was an excellent tank. However, power-to-weight ratio, maneuverability, and range were lacking. A special new 12-cylinder, air-cooled engine developed by Continental Motors to take care of the maneuverability issue reached 29,361 cm³, and at 2,800 rpm its 704 hp outstripped the M26's 500 hp. The 6.5-fold compression, which was large for the time, required 80 octane fuel, and the air-cooling system often overheated the engine. Giving the tank a new power plant required a replacement roof for the compartment housing the engine and transmission, resulting in the use of a single grating.

The new automatic CD-850 gearbox and steering mechanism were operated using a single lever that served both as a gearshift and steering wheel. The M46's running gear gained another small roller to keep constant tension on the tracks and prevent them from slipping between the leading wheels and rear road wheels. In addition, the front suspension points were given second shock absorbers. The tank was built for low temperatures and had water-crossing special equipment. As a result, it was heavier, though it did not suffer from reduced speed thanks to its upgraded power plant.

In 1948 the modernized tank was accepted as the M46 Patton and mass produced from 1949 through 1951. A total of 1,168 units spread across two modifications were built.

The M46 medium tank was used by US forces during the Korean War from 1950 to 1953 and also served as part of the American forces in Europe.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m46_patton Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|p6cWlyUnJQA|'''Top 7 off-road beasts''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 0:55 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|Xwid3UCLr5U|'''The Patton Family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 0:29 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|yz92Myi-Anc|'''Tank Chats #85 - M46 Patton''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}

== See also ==


* [[M46 "Tiger"]]

== External links ==


;War Thunder site

* [[wt:en/news/3154--en|[Vehicle Profile] M46 Patton]]

;Third Party sites

* [https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/m46.htm [Global Security<nowiki>]</nowiki> M46 Patton]
* [http://afvdb.50megs.com/usa/m46patton.html [American Fighting Vehicle Data Base<nowiki>]</nowiki> Medium Tank M46 Patton]
* [http://www.massimocorner.com/afv/Surviving_M46_Pattons.pdf Surviving M46 Pattons] (PDF)

===References===

;Citations:
<references />

;Bibliography:

* Connor, Arthur W., Jr. 1992. "The Armor Debacle in Korea, 1950: Implications for Today". ''The US Army War College Quarterly, Parameters'' 22 (1): 66-76. [https://press.armywarcollege.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1620&context=parameters Article]([https://web.archive.org/web/20220114043120/https://press.armywarcollege.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1620&context=parameters Archive])
* Hunnicutt, Richard P. 1971. ''Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank M20 Series''. Berkeley, CA: Feist Publications.
* Hunnicutt, Richard P. 1984. ''Patton: A History of the American Main Battle Tank: Volume I''. Novato, CA: Presidio Press.
* Pike, John. 2021. "M46 Patton." Global Security. Last modified January 07, 2021. [https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/m46.htm Website] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20220114042902/https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/m46.htm Archive]).
* Zaloga, Steven J. 2000. ''M26/M46 Pershing Tank 1943-1953''. Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd.

{{USA medium tanks}}