Difference between revisions of "M4/T26"

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== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
−
When the US Army came to the realization that the new German tanks, Panthers and Tigers, were not only getting progressively tougher and deadlier, but were also becoming more numerous on the battlefield, they began to search for solutions to adequately deal with the threat. The [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm M1 gun]] was available and implemented onto their standard [[M4|M4 Sherman]] tank, but the 76 mm firepower proved to be disappointing against the German tank armour. The search for a bigger gun was needed for the US tanks, and one solution was to simply add the turret of the developing [[M26|M26 Pershing]] (then still known as T26) onto the M4A3 Sherman hull. The single prototype test in 1944 proved that the conversion could be done, however the overall project was cancelled once it was determined that the research and development time to test out the viability of the design in combat would not make the design come any faster than the newer M26 tank.
+
When the US Army came to the realization that the new German tanks, Panthers and Tigers, were not only getting progressively tougher and deadlier, but were also becoming more numerous on the battlefield, they began to search for solutions to adequately deal with the threat. The [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm M1 gun]] was available and implemented onto their standard [[M4|M4 Sherman]] tank, but the 76 mm firepower proved to be disappointing against the German tank armour. The search for a bigger gun was needed for the US tanks, and one solution was to simply add the turret of the developing [[M26|M26 Pershing]] (then still known as T26) onto the M4 Sherman hull. The single prototype test in 1944 proved that the conversion could be done, however the overall project was cancelled once it was determined that the research and development time to test out the viability of the design in combat would not make the design come any faster than the newer M26 tank.
  
−
Introduced in [[Update "La Royale"]], the M4/T26 is a strange amalgamation of components from two tanks. On one hand, the T26 turret introduces the mighty 90 mm gun into the Sherman chassis, allowing better chances against more heavily armoured foes. On the other hand, all this is being performed on top of a M4 hull and components. Aside from the additional weight of the T26 affecting the tank body, the Sherman armour is no longer competitive against its opponents. In addition, the relatively tall Sherman hull raises the T26 turret higher than from the original M26 Pershing, so players need to be aware of accidentally exposing the M4 hull that would allow enemies with any sort of high-velocity cannon to quickly pierce through the Sherman's armour and knock out the tank. That said, players would benefit from their familiarity with the Sherman handling to continue playing as though they were the 76 mm armed version, with the 90 mm gun making even heavy tanks easy picking for the player.  
+
Introduced in [[Update "La Royale"]], the M4/T26 is a strange amalgamation of components from two tanks. On one hand, the T26 turret introduces the mighty 90 mm gun into the Sherman chassis, allowing better chances against more heavily armoured foes. On the other hand, all this is being performed on top of a M4 hull and components. Aside from the additional weight of the T26 affecting the tank body, the Sherman armour is no longer competitive against its opponents. In addition, the relatively tall Sherman hull raises the T26 turret higher than from the original M26 Pershing, so players need to be aware of accidentally exposing the M4 hull that would allow enemies with any sort of high-velocity cannon to quickly pierce through the Sherman's armour and knock out the tank. That said, players would benefit from their familiarity with the Sherman handling to continue playing as though they were the 76 mm armed version, with the 90 mm gun making even heavy tanks easy picking for the player.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
Line 19: Line 19:
 
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
 
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
 
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
−
''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
+
 
 +
Sharing a similar hull with the M4A3 at its BR, little protection is offered against most guns it will face, even with proper angling. Additionally the lack of interior walls in the crew compartment means a single APHE shell from the front or sides will almost certainly knock out most or all crew members. With the use of the much larger 90 mm shells, ammo storage takes up large amounts of space in the hull and turret, making ammo hits more likely, further decreasing survivability. The T26 turret itself is better armoured than the 75 mm and 76 mm Shermans, with the mantlet offering the best chance at protection, however this can still relatively easily be penetrated by most large calibre AP shells at its BR, and when combined with the elevated profile of the tall Sherman hull, little protection is offered.
 +
 
 +
On the other hand, as with most Shermans, the transmission will provide some defence against AP shots to the transmission housing. The much larger 90 mm cannon breech can soak up damage from certain angles, especially shots to the mantlet, preventing crew knockouts and ammo detonations to provide a chance at getting to cover and repairing. From the rear, the large engine will absorb a lot of shell fragments which would otherwise enter the crew compartment, while the radio station can provide some protection to the driver and machine gunner from shots to the rear of the turret.
  
 
'''Armour type:''' <!-- The types of armour present on the vehicle and their general locations -->
 
'''Armour type:''' <!-- The types of armour present on the vehicle and their general locations -->
 
<!-- Example: * Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, Side, Rear, Hull roof)
 
<!-- Example: * Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, Side, Rear, Hull roof)
 
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Transmission area) -->
 
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Transmission area) -->
 +
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, turret roof)
 +
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, mantlet, transmission housing, MG port)
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
Line 29: Line 35:
 
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' <br> ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
+
| Hull || 63.5 mm (47°) ''Upper Glacis'' <br> 63.5-107.9mm (2-57°) ''Transmission Housing'' <br> 25.4mm ''MG Port'' || 38.1 mm (0°)  || 38.1 mm (5°) ''Top'' <br> 38.1 mm (11-89°) ''Bottom'' || 19.5 mm (0-21°)
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' <br> ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
+
| Turret || 101.6 mm (1-55°) ''Turret front'' <br> 130-255 mm (1-79°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 76.2 mm (2-54°) || 76.2 mm (0-79°) || 25.4 mm
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
+
| Cupola || 76.2 mm (64°) || 76.2 mm (54°) || 76.2 mm (58°) || 25.4 mm
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 39: Line 45:
 
'''Notes:''' <!-- Any additional notes which the user needs to be aware of -->
 
'''Notes:''' <!-- Any additional notes which the user needs to be aware of -->
 
<!-- Example: * Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, tracks are 30 mm thick, and torsion bars are 60 mm thick. -->
 
<!-- Example: * Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, tracks are 30 mm thick, and torsion bars are 60 mm thick. -->
 +
 +
* Suspension members and wheels are 15mm of structural steel
 +
* Track covers are 4mm thick, though shots to the right hand side front overhang track cover from 88mm+ HE shells at certain impact angles can potentially knock out crew members from overpressure.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
 
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
−
''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''
 
  
−
{{tankMobility}}
+
The stated max speed is achievable over level ground albeit with reasonable acceleration, while the reverse gear is not particularly fast but not extremely slow either. Braking is sharp and stops the vehicle in a short enough distance from top speed to allow for fast reactions to enemies. The use of differential braking means the tank will crawl forward when turning in place, and the turn rate is not especially fast with significant speed losses from steering.
 +
 
 +
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=713|rbMinHp=407}}
  
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
Line 56: Line 66:
 
<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
 
{{main|M3 (90 mm)}}
 
{{main|M3 (90 mm)}}
−
 
−
''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''
 
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
Line 68: Line 76:
 
|-
 
|-
 
! ''Arcade''
 
! ''Arcade''
−
| rowspan="2" | 76 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
+
| rowspan="2" | 76 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 20.0 || 27.7 || 33.6 || 37.2 || 39.5 || rowspan="2" | 9.75 || rowspan="2" | 8.62 || rowspan="2" | 7.95 || rowspan="2" | 7.50
 
|-
 
|-
 
! ''Realistic''
 
! ''Realistic''
−
| __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
+
| 12.5 || 14.7 || 17.8 || 19.7 || 21.0
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
−
<!-- [[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]] -->
+
[[File:Ammoracks_M4-T26.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
−
<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
+
<!-- '''Last updated: 2.27.1.54''' -->
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
Line 89: Line 97:
 
! 4th<br>rack empty
 
! 4th<br>rack empty
 
! 5th<br>rack empty
 
! 5th<br>rack empty
−
! 6th<br>rack empty
 
 
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
|-
 
|-
−
| '''76''' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __
+
| '''76''' || 54&nbsp;''(+22)'' || 42&nbsp;''(+34)'' || 33&nbsp;''(+43)'' || 11&nbsp;''(+65)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+75)'' || No
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 +
'''Notes''':
 +
 +
* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
 +
* Rack 5 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: 5 - 1 - 2 - etc. until 4.
 +
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-4 into rack 5. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
Line 101: Line 114:
 
<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
 
{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}
 
{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}
−
 
−
''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''
 
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
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! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 
|-
 
|-
−
| || ___ (___) || ___ || __° || __°
+
| Pintle || 600 (200) || 575 || -10°/+30° || ±60°
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 119: Line 130:
 
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 
|-
 
|-
−
| || ___ (___) || ___ || __° || __°
+
| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || - || -
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 125: Line 136:
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
−
''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''
+
The M4/T26 has a powerful 90mm gun, but very weak frontal armor. Enemies will have no trouble penetrating the armor, this tank should be a support tank and not a pure attack tank. This tank must never fight alone, it must always have a teammate if possible with heavier armor to be used as cover.
 +
 
 +
The M4/T26 has a very visible profile, so it should be played carefully, if possible the turret shell should be visible as it has higher armor than the frontal armor.
 +
 
 +
This tank has no trouble breaking through the Tiger H1 and Tiger E, for other heavy tanks, play a little more strategically to break through their weak points but with a 90mm gun, they can fight off most enemies in its BR range.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->'''Pros:'''  
−
''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''
 
  
−
'''Pros:'''
+
* Excellent gun depression of -10° plus the angled frontal turret allows it to utilise hills very well
−
* Has a 90mm gun with powerful APHE rounds, capable of demolishing the heavy tanks such as IS-2, Tiger E, M4A3E2, etc.
+
* Top-mounted .50 cal machine gun is useful against aircraft and open-topped or lightly-armoured vehicles
−
* Decent turret armour, can resist some large caliber rounds
+
* The M82 shot has a high chance of knocking out most tanks in one shot
 +
* Very fast turret traverse
 +
* Turret armour can resist some shots, excels at a hull down position
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
* Tall profile, easy to be spotted and hit
+
 
−
* Slightly long reload time
+
* Hull armour is very weak against most cannons at its battle rating
−
*  Narrow tracks and large turret can hinder mobility on soft terrain (snow, sand, mud, swamp)
+
* Its tall profile makes it a big target
 +
* Slow top speed for a medium tank at its BR
 +
* Lacks a vertical gun stabilizer compared to other Shermans, making it harder to take out targets on the move
 +
* 90 mm gun has a long reload time
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
Line 148: Line 167:
  
 
;Skins
 
;Skins
 +
 
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m4_t26 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m4_t26 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|NwtZninBT0I|'''The Shooting Range #368''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:21 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|92uvdnsp7Bk|'''The Shooting Range #365''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:24 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
Line 155: Line 178:
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
 
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 +
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
Line 163: Line 187:
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
  
−
* [[wt:en/news/8308-development-m4-t26-a-sherman-and-a-half-en|[Devblog] M4/T26: a “Sherman” and a half]]
+
* [[wt:en/news/8308-development-m4-t26-a-sherman-and-a-half-en|[Devblog] M4/T26: a "Sherman" and a half]]
  
 
{{USA medium tanks}}
 
{{USA medium tanks}}

Latest revision as of 05:40, 27 February 2024

This page is about the American medium tank M4/T26. For other versions, see M4 Sherman (Family).
M4/T26
us_m4_t26.png
GarageImage M4-T26.jpg
ArtImage M4-T26.png
M4/T26
USA flag.png USA
IV Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
6.0 6.0 6.0
Class:
Research:46 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:155 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png

Description

When the US Army came to the realization that the new German tanks, Panthers and Tigers, were not only getting progressively tougher and deadlier, but were also becoming more numerous on the battlefield, they began to search for solutions to adequately deal with the threat. The 76 mm M1 gun was available and implemented onto their standard M4 Sherman tank, but the 76 mm firepower proved to be disappointing against the German tank armour. The search for a bigger gun was needed for the US tanks, and one solution was to simply add the turret of the developing M26 Pershing (then still known as T26) onto the M4 Sherman hull. The single prototype test in 1944 proved that the conversion could be done, however the overall project was cancelled once it was determined that the research and development time to test out the viability of the design in combat would not make the design come any faster than the newer M26 tank.

Introduced in Update "La Royale", the M4/T26 is a strange amalgamation of components from two tanks. On one hand, the T26 turret introduces the mighty 90 mm gun into the Sherman chassis, allowing better chances against more heavily armoured foes. On the other hand, all this is being performed on top of a M4 hull and components. Aside from the additional weight of the T26 affecting the tank body, the Sherman armour is no longer competitive against its opponents. In addition, the relatively tall Sherman hull raises the T26 turret higher than from the original M26 Pershing, so players need to be aware of accidentally exposing the M4 hull that would allow enemies with any sort of high-velocity cannon to quickly pierce through the Sherman's armour and knock out the tank. That said, players would benefit from their familiarity with the Sherman handling to continue playing as though they were the 76 mm armed version, with the 90 mm gun making even heavy tanks easy picking for the player.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull38 / 38 / 38
Turret101 / 76 / 76
Crew5 people
Visibility122 %

Sharing a similar hull with the M4A3 at its BR, little protection is offered against most guns it will face, even with proper angling. Additionally the lack of interior walls in the crew compartment means a single APHE shell from the front or sides will almost certainly knock out most or all crew members. With the use of the much larger 90 mm shells, ammo storage takes up large amounts of space in the hull and turret, making ammo hits more likely, further decreasing survivability. The T26 turret itself is better armoured than the 75 mm and 76 mm Shermans, with the mantlet offering the best chance at protection, however this can still relatively easily be penetrated by most large calibre AP shells at its BR, and when combined with the elevated profile of the tall Sherman hull, little protection is offered.

On the other hand, as with most Shermans, the transmission will provide some defence against AP shots to the transmission housing. The much larger 90 mm cannon breech can soak up damage from certain angles, especially shots to the mantlet, preventing crew knockouts and ammo detonations to provide a chance at getting to cover and repairing. From the rear, the large engine will absorb a lot of shell fragments which would otherwise enter the crew compartment, while the radio station can provide some protection to the driver and machine gunner from shots to the rear of the turret.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, turret roof)
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, mantlet, transmission housing, MG port)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 63.5 mm (47°) Upper Glacis
63.5-107.9mm (2-57°) Transmission Housing
25.4mm MG Port 		38.1 mm (0°) 38.1 mm (5°) Top
38.1 mm (11-89°) Bottom 		19.5 mm (0-21°)
Turret 101.6 mm (1-55°) Turret front
130-255 mm (1-79°) Gun mantlet 		76.2 mm (2-54°) 76.2 mm (0-79°) 25.4 mm
Cupola 76.2 mm (64°) 76.2 mm (54°) 76.2 mm (58°) 25.4 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension members and wheels are 15mm of structural steel
  • Track covers are 4mm thick, though shots to the right hand side front overhang track cover from 88mm+ HE shells at certain impact angles can potentially knock out crew members from overpressure.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB44 / 6 km/h
RB and SB40 / 6 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
1 back
Weight33.0 t
Engine power
AB878 hp
RB and SB460 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB26.6 hp/t
RB and SB13.9 hp/t

The stated max speed is achievable over level ground albeit with reasonable acceleration, while the reverse gear is not particularly fast but not extremely slow either. Braking is sharp and stops the vehicle in a short enough distance from top speed to allow for fast reactions to enemies. The use of differential braking means the tank will crawl forward when turning in place, and the turn rate is not especially fast with significant speed losses from steering.

Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 44 6 33 713 878 21.61 26.61
Realistic 40 6 407 460 12.33 13.94

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB2 262 → 2 911 Sl icon.png
RB2 700 → 3 474 Sl icon.png
SB3 443 → 4 431 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications40 600 Rp icon.png
78 600 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost1 400 Ge icon.png
Crew training45 000 Sl icon.png
Experts155 000 Sl icon.png
Aces630 Ge icon.png
Research Aces440 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
100 / 150 / 180 % Sl icon.png
160 / 160 / 160 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
120 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
2 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 400 Sl icon.png
140 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
2 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 400 Sl icon.png
140 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
3 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 600 Sl icon.png
210 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
3 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 400 Sl icon.png
200 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
3 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
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200 Ge icon.png
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Improved Parts
Research:
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Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
120 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
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Cost:
4 400 Sl icon.png
140 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement us.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
3 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 600 Sl icon.png
210 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
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Cost:
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90mm_us_M82_APCBC_ammo_pack
Research:
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Cost:
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Adjustment of Fire
Research:
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Cost:
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Elevation Mechanism
Research:
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Cost:
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Artillery Support
Research:
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Cost:
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90mm_us_M313_Smoke_ammo_pack
Research:
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Cost:
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Armaments

Main armament

90 mm M3 cannon
Ammunition76 rounds
First-order10 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
9.7 → 7.5 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 20°
Main article: M3 (90 mm)
90 mm M3 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 76 -10°/+20° ±180° - 20.0 27.7 33.6 37.2 39.5 9.75 8.62 7.95 7.50
Realistic 12.5 14.7 17.8 19.7 21.0

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
T33 shot APBC 175 172 160 146 134 122
M71 shell HE 20 20 18 17 16 16
M82 shot APCBC 185 182 169 155 142 130
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
T33 shot APBC 853 10.91 - - - 47° 60° 65°
M71 shell HE 823 10.55 0.2 0.1 1,210 79° 80° 81°
M82 shot APCBC 853 10.91 1.2 14 137.2 48° 63° 71°
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 9 5 20 50

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the M4/T26
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
76 54 (+22) 42 (+34) 33 (+43) 11 (+65) 1 (+75) No

Notes:

  • Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
  • Rack 5 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: 5 - 1 - 2 - etc. until 4.
  • Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-4 into rack 5. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.

Machine guns

12.7 mm M2HB machine gun
Ammunition600 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate575 shots/min
Vertical guidance-10° / 30°
Horizontal guidance-60° / 60°
7.62 mm M1919A4 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition3 000 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate500 shots/min
Main articles: M2HB (12.7 mm), M1919A4 (7.62 mm)
12.7 mm M2HB
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 600 (200) 575 -10°/+30° ±60°
7.62 mm M1919A4
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 3,000 (250) 500 - -

Usage in battles

The M4/T26 has a powerful 90mm gun, but very weak frontal armor. Enemies will have no trouble penetrating the armor, this tank should be a support tank and not a pure attack tank. This tank must never fight alone, it must always have a teammate if possible with heavier armor to be used as cover.

The M4/T26 has a very visible profile, so it should be played carefully, if possible the turret shell should be visible as it has higher armor than the frontal armor.

This tank has no trouble breaking through the Tiger H1 and Tiger E, for other heavy tanks, play a little more strategically to break through their weak points but with a 90mm gun, they can fight off most enemies in its BR range.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Excellent gun depression of -10° plus the angled frontal turret allows it to utilise hills very well
  • Top-mounted .50 cal machine gun is useful against aircraft and open-topped or lightly-armoured vehicles
  • The M82 shot has a high chance of knocking out most tanks in one shot
  • Very fast turret traverse
  • Turret armour can resist some shots, excels at a hull down position

Cons:

  • Hull armour is very weak against most cannons at its battle rating
  • Its tall profile makes it a big target
  • Slow top speed for a medium tank at its BR
  • Lacks a vertical gun stabilizer compared to other Shermans, making it harder to take out targets on the move
  • 90 mm gun has a long reload time

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: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

Media

Skins
Videos
The Shooting Range #368 - Pages of History section at 03:21 discusses the M4/T26.
The Shooting Range #365 - Metal Beasts section at 00:24 discusses the M4/T26.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the series of the vehicles;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links


USA medium tanks
M2  M2
M3  M3 Lee · ▃Grant I
M4  M4 · Calliope · M4A1 · M4A1 (76) W · M4A2 · M4A2 (76) W · M4A3 (105) · M4A3 (76) W · M4/T26
M26 Pershing  T20 · T25 · M26 · M26 T99 · M26E1
M46/47/48 Patton  M46 · M46 "Tiger" · M47 · M48A1 · T54E1 · T54E2
M60  M60 · M60A1 (AOS) · M60A1 RISE (P) · M60A2 · M60A3 TTS · M728 CEV · 120S
MBT-70  MBT-70 · XM803
M1 Abrams  XM1 (Chrysler) · XM1 (GM)
  M1 Abrams · M1 KVT · IPM1
  M1A1 · M1A1 HC · M1A1 Click-Bait
  M1A2 Abrams · M1A2 SEP · M1A2 SEP V2
Other  T95E1
Australia  M1A1 AIM
Canada  M4A5
Israel  ▃Magach 3 (ERA) · ▃Merkava Mk.1 · ▃Merkava Mk.2B · ▃Merkava Mk.3D
Turkey  M60 AMBT

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