M50 - Revision history

U38088265 at 13:10, 16 November 2024

2024-11-16T13:10:54Z

Show changes

U91965995: M50 Description / Usage in Battles / Pro&Cons overhaul

2024-11-06T16:59:43Z

M50 Description / Usage in Battles / Pro&Cons overhaul

Show changes

U167614333: /* Armaments */

2024-06-26T06:10:55Z

‎Armaments

U44629479: Undo revision 183650 by U134791152 (talk)

2024-03-18T16:18:03Z

Undo revision 183650 by U134791152 (talk)

U134791152 at 14:46, 18 March 2024

2024-03-18T14:46:49Z

U142055152: /* Pros and cons */

2024-01-26T14:37:21Z

‎Pros and cons

U44629479: Edits

2023-02-18T08:04:10Z

Edits

U134643672: /* Description */

2023-02-18T00:24:53Z

‎Description

U38088265: /* Ammunition */ Converted to transclusion

2023-02-08T17:27:51Z

‎Ammunition: Converted to transclusion

U44629479: Edits

2023-01-10T11:57:23Z

Edits

@@ Line 50: / Line 50: @@
 An aspect to consider is the offset of the guns from the central target sight: at close range its impact is minimal but becomes noticeable when firing at specific weak spots on targets at a distance. Using the scouting MGs can help you assess the off-set but will reveal your position. Given the rifles layout of the Ontos, it is recommended to fire by salvos of 3 shells to guarantee a good balance between rate of fire and accuracy.
-Like for a SPAA belt, you have to fire all 6 rifles before being allowed to start the reloading process. Your ammo capacity of 18 shells total (or 3 belts of 6) is limited, which will impact your combat performance as you're very likely to have to disengage in order to restock during a battle.
+Like an SPAA belt, you have to fire all 6 rifles before being allowed to start the reloading process. Your ammo capacity of 18 shells total (or 3 belts of 6) is limited, which will impact your combat performance as you're very likely to have to disengage in order to restock during a battle.
 {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"

@@ Line 87: / Line 87: @@
 * Individual tube reload is not possible. You have to empty all 6 rifles first in order to reload 6 new projectiles.
 === Additional armament ===
@@ Line 129: / Line 128: @@
 [[File:M50 Ontos at the National Museum of the Marine Corps.jpg|thumb|310x310px|M50 Ontos at the National Museum of the Marine Corps]]
-Obviously the M50 is not a main battle tank, with its thin amour even Reserve units are a threat. Stealth and guile is the tactic, using its high mobility and small size to get in ambush or outflank an enemy push fast. Memorize shooting spots, be it concealed ambush points or sheltered ranged locations overlooking active routes. The most important tactic is learn how to operate it. Define a separate keybind for the trigger of the spotting gun and learn the firing sequence. There is nothing worse than sighting a perfect target, but firing the gun into a rock because it is on the wrong side. Also keep in mind the turret has only 80 degrees of traverse (±40°), a consideration during tactical manoeuvres. Still, compared to other anti-tank guns this traverse is much wider, and also has a respectable -10 depression. Add that -10 degrees and angled position to the already extremely sloped front glacis armour and one could be bouncing large calibre AP rounds. Don't forgot to spot enemies too, make them feel the pressure, not you.
+Obviously the M50 is not a main battle tank, with its thin armour even Reserve units are a threat. Stealth and guile is the tactic, using its high mobility and small size to get in ambush or outflank an enemy push fast. Memorize shooting spots, be it concealed ambush points or sheltered ranged locations overlooking active routes. The most important tactic is learn how to operate it. Define a separate keybind for the trigger of the spotting gun and learn the firing sequence. There is nothing worse than sighting a perfect target, but firing the gun into a rock because it is on the wrong side. Also keep in mind the turret has only 80 degrees of traverse (±40°), a consideration during tactical manoeuvres. Still, compared to other anti-tank guns this traverse is much wider, and also has a respectable -10 depression. Add that -10 degrees and angled position to the already extremely sloped front glacis armour and one could be bouncing large calibre AP rounds. Don't forgot to spot enemies too, make them feel the pressure, not you.
 === Pros and cons ===

@@ Line 87: / Line 87: @@
 * Individual tube reload is not possible. You have to empty all 6 rifles first in order to reload 6 new projectiles.
 === Additional armament ===
@@ Line 128: / Line 129: @@
 [[File:M50 Ontos at the National Museum of the Marine Corps.jpg|thumb|310x310px|M50 Ontos at the National Museum of the Marine Corps]]
-Obviously the M50 is not a main battle tank, with its thin armour even Reserve units are a threat. Stealth and guile is the tactic, using its high mobility and small size to get in ambush or outflank an enemy push fast. Memorize shooting spots, be it concealed ambush points or sheltered ranged locations overlooking active routes. The most important tactic is learn how to operate it. Define a separate keybind for the trigger of the spotting gun and learn the firing sequence. There is nothing worse than sighting a perfect target, but firing the gun into a rock because it is on the wrong side. Also keep in mind the turret has only 80 degrees of traverse (±40°), a consideration during tactical manoeuvres. Still, compared to other anti-tank guns this traverse is much wider, and also has a respectable -10 depression. Add that -10 degrees and angled position to the already extremely sloped front glacis armour and one could be bouncing large calibre AP rounds. Don't forgot to spot enemies too, make them feel the pressure, not you.
+Obviously the M50 is not a main battle tank, with its thin amour even Reserve units are a threat. Stealth and guile is the tactic, using its high mobility and small size to get in ambush or outflank an enemy push fast. Memorize shooting spots, be it concealed ambush points or sheltered ranged locations overlooking active routes. The most important tactic is learn how to operate it. Define a separate keybind for the trigger of the spotting gun and learn the firing sequence. There is nothing worse than sighting a perfect target, but firing the gun into a rock because it is on the wrong side. Also keep in mind the turret has only 80 degrees of traverse (±40°), a consideration during tactical manoeuvres. Still, compared to other anti-tank guns this traverse is much wider, and also has a respectable -10 depression. Add that -10 degrees and angled position to the already extremely sloped front glacis armour and one could be bouncing large calibre AP rounds. Don't forgot to spot enemies too, make them feel the pressure, not you.
 === Pros and cons ===

@@ Line 152: / Line 152: @@
 * Use of spotting gun and main gun needs practice to be proficient and successful
 * Guns are very loud and will bring the enemy's notice to your location
 == History ==

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 The M50 "Ontos" is pretty much a bulky carrier of recoilless rifles, carrying a payload of six shells of devastating HEAT and HESH shells. With six launchers pointing forwards, a well-emplaced M50 can point itself downrange and once a target comes into its sights, unleash all shells until the target is annihilated.
-A stealthy and pouncing game style is needed to make the most of the hard-hitting guns and the thin armour of the Ontos!
+A stealthy and pouncing game style is needed to make the most of the hard-hitting guns and the thin armour of the Ontos.
 == General info ==
@@ Line 46: / Line 46: @@
 The turret displacement is limited without being a huge handicap as it allows to cover a wide area (±40°) without having to reposition the hull. And in the case your guns reach a stop, repositioning the hull is quickly done.
-The targeting process is manual and in average twice slower than tanks with turrets at the same tier or battle rating. However, the recoilless nature of the guns eliminates the need for retargeting between shots as the recoil is minimal. The short delay between shots eliminates the need for repositioning as it does not leave the target any time to retaliate.
+The targeting process is manual and in average twice slower than tanks with turrets at the same tier or battle rating. However, the recoilless nature of the guns eliminates the need for retargetting between shots as the recoil is minimal. The short delay between shots eliminates the need for repositioning as it does not leave the target any time to retaliate.
 An aspect to consider is the offset of the guns from the central target sight: at close range its impact is minimal but becomes noticeable when firing at specific weak spots on targets at a distance. Using the scouting MGs can help you assess the off-set but will reveal your position. Given the rifles layout of the Ontos, it is recommended to fire by salvos of 3 shells to guarantee a good balance between rate of fire and accuracy.
@@ Line 84: / Line 84: @@
 |-
 |}
-Six shells are loaded per reload. Individual tube reload is not possible.
+* Individual tube reload is not possible. You have to empty all 6 rifles first in order to reload 6 new projectiles.
 === Additional armament ===
@@ Line 127: / Line 128: @@
 [[File:M50 Ontos at the National Museum of the Marine Corps.jpg|thumb|310x310px|M50 Ontos at the National Museum of the Marine Corps]]
-Obviously the M50 is not a main battle tank, with its thin armour even Reserve units are a threat! Stealth and guile is the tactic, using its high mobility and small size to get in ambush or outflank an enemy push fast. Memorize shooting spots, be it concealed ambush points or sheltered ranged locations overlooking active routes. The most important tactic is '''''learn how to operate it!''''' Keymap a separate trigger for the spotting gun and learn the firing sequence! Nothing worse than sight a perfect target, but the gun on the wrong side is fired into a rock! Also keep in mind the turret has only 80 degrees of traverse (+/- 40), a consideration during tactical manoeuvres. Still, compared to other ATG's this traverse is much wider, and also has a respectable -10 depression. Add that -10 degrees and angled position to the already extremely sloped front glacis armour and one could be bouncing large calibre AP rounds! Don't forgot to spot enemies too, make them feel the pressure, not you.
+Obviously the M50 is not a main battle tank, with its thin armour even Reserve units are a threat. Stealth and guile is the tactic, using its high mobility and small size to get in ambush or outflank an enemy push fast. Memorize shooting spots, be it concealed ambush points or sheltered ranged locations overlooking active routes. The most important tactic is learn how to operate it. Define a separate keybind for the trigger of the spotting gun and learn the firing sequence. There is nothing worse than sighting a perfect target, but firing the gun into a rock because it is on the wrong side. Also keep in mind the turret has only 80 degrees of traverse (±40°), a consideration during tactical manoeuvres. Still, compared to other anti-tank guns this traverse is much wider, and also has a respectable -10 depression. Add that -10 degrees and angled position to the already extremely sloped front glacis armour and one could be bouncing large calibre AP rounds. Don't forgot to spot enemies too, make them feel the pressure, not you.
 === Pros and cons ===
@@ Line 154: / Line 155: @@
 == History ==
 <!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
-It was such a strange "tank" the only word the US Army could think of for this strange thing was, well, "Thing", except someone was clever and used the Greek word, '''ὄντος''' (really, truly [exists]). Due to mountainous and difficult terrain of Korea brought the US Army revisited the idea of a light tank. It was quite an ingenious design made very quickly. The prototype was based on an M56 Scorpion ATG chassis, used a common truck engine, and mounted six very powerful M40A1C recoilless rifle guns and be light enough for air transport. The prototype was finished in 1952 and by 1955 completed its testing where it fulfilled its design requirements, but the Army simply did not like this monstrosity and decided against it. The US Marines on the other hand was not as picky and loved this highly mobile light tank with a huge punch, so ordered 297 in 1955. The design was reworked with a new chassis, new running gear with wide thread (ditching the M56 design), better internal layout, and other minor improvements that made the Ontos a unique one off design.  While it had a few flaws, it was reliable enough to accomplish its mission.
+It was such a strange "tank" the only word the US Army could think of for this strange thing was, well, "Thing", except someone was clever and used the Greek word, '''ὄντος''' (really, truly [exists]). Due to mountainous and difficult terrain of Korea brought the US Army revisited the idea of a light tank. It was quite an ingenious design made very quickly. The prototype was based on an M56 Scorpion ATG chassis, used a common truck engine, and mounted six very powerful M40A1C recoilless rifle guns and be light enough for air transport. The prototype was finished in 1952 and by 1955 completed its testing where it fulfilled its design requirements, but the Army simply did not like this monstrosity and decided against it. The US Marines on the other hand was not as picky and loved this highly mobile light tank with a huge punch, so ordered 297 in 1955. The design was reworked with a new chassis, new running gear with wide thread (ditching the M56 design), better internal layout, and other minor improvements that made the Ontos a unique one off design. While it had a few flaws, it was reliable enough to accomplish its mission.
-The key to the M50's offensive power is the 106mm M40A1C recoilless rifle firing devastating HEAT or HESH (later an anti-infantry "beehive") rounds with its integrated M8C .50 cal spotting rifle using a 10 or 20 round magazine. It should be noted the M8C is a shorter round (12.7x77mm, M48A2 Spotter-Tracer (S) bullets only) that the better known .50 AN/M2 BMG (12.7x99mm). Every M40 produced had the M8C, but on the M50 the lowest 2 barrels have this spotting rifle removed leaving an empty mounting post.  If wanted (but not recommended) all 6 guns can be fired at once delivering far more destructive offensive load than any tank then or today. The nature of recoilless rifles is a powerful blow back, during a test firing all 6 simultaneously it knocked bricks out of a building and shattered a few car windows. In between is mounted a single pintel mounted .30 calibre M1919A4 machine gun for anti-infantry use.
+The key to the M50's offensive power is the 106 mm M40A1C recoilless rifle firing devastating HEAT or HESH (later an anti-infantry "beehive") rounds with its integrated M8C .50 cal spotting rifle using a 10 or 20 round magazine. It should be noted the M8C is a shorter round (12.7x77 mm, M48A2 Spotter-Tracer (S) bullets only) that the better known .50 AN/M2 BMG (12.7x99 mm). Every M40 produced had the M8C, but on the M50 the lowest 2 barrels have this spotting rifle removed leaving an empty mounting post. If wanted (but not recommended) all 6 guns can be fired at once delivering far more destructive offensive load than any tank then or today. The nature of recoilless rifles is a powerful blow back, during a test firing all 6 simultaneously it knocked bricks out of a building and shattered a few car windows. In between is mounted a single pintle-mounted .30 calibre M1919A4 machine gun for anti-infantry use.
 The first combat use of the Ontos occurred in 1964 Dominican Republic Civil War where it reported destroyed an AMX-13 and an old Swedish L-60 (the only time it was used for purpose built, destroying tanks). But it was the following year when it was deployed to Vietnam did it shine.

@@ Line 69: / Line 69: @@
 ==== Ammunition ====
-{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+{{:M40A1C (106 mm)/Ammunition|M344A1, M361A1}}
 ==== [[Ammo racks]] ====

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 | Hull || 10-13 (70°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 13 mm (45-66°) ''Lower glacis'' || 13 mm (43°) ''Top'' <br> 13 mm ''Bottom'' || 13 mm (36°) ''Top'' <br> 13 mm ''Bottom'' || 13 mm
 |-
-! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
+| Cupola || 13 mm || 13 mm || 13 mm || 13 mm
 |}
 '''Notes:'''
@@ Line 173: / Line 171: @@
 * The HEAT shell is really effective, literally point and shoot
 * Four heavy machine guns coaxial to guns - can be used for spotting to adjust aim and estimate ranges
-* Nice 33 mph/53 kph speed, can get to ambush or sniping positions early game or rush capture point
+* Nice 53 km/h (33 mph) speed, can get to ambush or sniping positions early game or rush capture point
 * Quite effective in urban fighting since low-velocity shells do not matter in close quarter combat
@@ Line 185: / Line 183: @@
 * Use of spotting gun and main gun needs practice to be proficient and successful
 * Guns are very loud and will bring the enemy's notice to your location
 == History ==
@@ Line 202: / Line 199: @@
 ;Skins
-* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=tank_destroyer&vehicle=us_m50_ontos Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
+* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m50_ontos Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 ;Videos
-{{Youtube-gallery|VFEv4q3G5Us|'''Most unusual vehicles'''  discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:38  - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|YuBjyMQLRy0|'''Airmobile tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:44 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}
+{{Youtube-gallery|VFEv4q3G5Us|'''Most unusual vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:38 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|YuBjyMQLRy0|'''Airmobile tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:44 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}
 == See also ==