M47 Patton II: inside an American hybrid

6
After World War II, the United States began to develop a series of combat vehicles that were supposed to replace the equipment in service. Tanks M4 Sherman were already outdated by that time, so they were gradually changed to M26 and M46. However, these machines also used wartime technologies, and not the advanced developments of the late 1940s. The three new models were to be the T41, T42 and T43. Over time, the T41 light tank became the M41 Walker Bulldog, and the T43, after some delays, became the M103 heavy tank. Development of the T42 was briefly suspended at the outbreak of the Korean War, but the US command decided to take the turret from the T42 and place it on a modified M46 hull. This is how the M47 Patton II was born. After short trials, it was approved and put into production. A total of 8576 vehicles were built from July 1951 to November 1953.


The 47mm thick upper frontal plate of the M102 hull is angled 60 degrees. The armored hood, which was on the M46, was removed, but the course machine gun was left. There is also 102mm armor in the forehead of the turret, but it is located at a 40-degree angle. At the front, behind the protective grilles, there are lighting fixtures of various types. Here you can also see cargo loops, tow rope mounts and periscopes in the hatches of the driver and his assistant.



To access the track tensioning mechanism, you need to raise the wing, which is held on the hinges (according to the instructions, it is required to screw it additionally). To adjust the tension, you need to unscrew the clamping nut and move the sloth forward or backward.


The car's suspension is a bit unusual. The torsion levers of the first and second roller are located side by side, but the first is installed against the direction of travel. The designers added a hinge between the road roller and the sloth, which reduced the length of the hull and maintained the desired angle between the track and the overhang of the hull. Shock absorbers are installed on the first, second, penultimate and last rollers. Sloths are also equipped with them.

The Patton's tracks were either the T80E6 with metal pads, or the T84E1 with rubber pads. These are two finger tracks with a traditional connecting bar at the end and a tapered retaining bolt. A total of 86 tracks, 41 cm wide on each side.

In the rear of the vehicle, you can see reverse signals, cargo loops, and a chest with a telephone for the infantry. There are hatches under the box that give access to the transmission and braking system. At the very bottom, there are mounts for the towing cable and a kingpin for the trailer.


Armored rangefinder heads, also known as "frog eyes", are easy to spot on the turret. On the sides there are handrails for infantrymen, who rode on armor, but more often they were hung with duffel bags and bags with equipment. There are also many boxes installed along the sides for storing property. Typically, there were trenching tool kits and repair kits in case of track damage.

The Patton's engine compartment houses the Continental AV-1790-5B, a 29,4 liter carburetor engine. In addition, an additional 13,6 hp engine was installed on the tank. It was used to operate various tank systems when the power of the main engine was not required. This technology saved fuel and eliminated unnecessary noise. On the left side of the engine there is an oil tank filler with a dipstick. Also in the engine compartment there is a transmission, 4 12-volt batteries and 2 cooling fans.

For more details about the tank, as well as the internal structure of the M47 Patton II, see the video from Wargaming.



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    1. +2
      24 July 2021 09: 30
      Torsion levers

      The torsion bar has no levers.
      1. +1
        24 July 2021 11: 20
        Exactly, the M46 \ M47 have levers in the suspension of the front rollers. smile

        From the description of the M46 suspension by Vasily Chobitka: The balancer of the front support roller is double and carries a steering wheel at its other end. It rotates on a fixed axle welded into the body. The balance beams of the first suspension units are connected to the torsion shaft through a bar and a lever.
        The photo of the M47 suspension is also visible. hi
        1. +1
          24 July 2021 13: 35
          Exactly, the M46 \ M47 have levers in the suspension of the front rollers.

          In this case, the lever is a suspension element together with the toshion, but not part of the torsion bar. Not seeing the difference?
          1. +2
            24 July 2021 14: 06
            From the description of the M46 suspension by Vasily Chobitka:


            From the description of the M47 suspension in the 90-mm Gun Tank M47 Patton Technical Manual
          2. +1
            24 July 2021 15: 33
            I really didn't expect you to react like that ... request
            My comment related not to what is written in the article, but to your illustration.
            1. 0
              24 July 2021 15: 59
              And my inner nerd convinced me to write that your remark "The torsion has no levers" is not entirely correct. The article says: "Torsion arms", and this is how the combination "Torsion arms" is now translated by sellers of auto parts. How true this is is a moot point, but where to go ...
              With great respect and without any malice. Just out of harm hi
              But there is something to chat about. It's not Madame Frolova's work to discuss, right?

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