Trumpeter 07288 US M46 Patton Medium Tank

The M46 Patton is an American medium tank from the early Cold War period. The first prototypes of this car were made in 1948, and serial production was carried out in 1949-1951. In total, about 1,150 tanks of this type were built. The drive was provided by a single engine Continental AV1790-5 with 820 HP. The wagon was 8.48 meters long and 3.51 meters wide. The combat weight was 48.5 tons, and the operating range was approx. 130 kilometers. The main armament was the 90mm M3A1 cannon, and the secondary armament was 3 Browning 12.7mm machine guns.

The M46 Patton tank was developed for the needs of the US Army as, in fact, a far-reaching modernization of the M26 Pershing tank from the Second World War. The new car received primarily a new engine and a different, much more efficient, drive train. Marginal changes concerned the armor and the shape of the turret. The Detroit Arsenal plant was primarily responsible for the production of the new tanks. The M46 Patton tanks were used in combat primarily in the Korean War (1950-1953), where they successfully fought against the T-34/85 vehicles, often demonstrating their superiority over them. In the course of production, apart from the basic version (M46), one major development version was created, designated as the M46A1. This tank received better gun stabilization, a modernized engine and a different drive train. It is worth noting that the M46 Patton tanks were exported on a very small scale and served primarily in the American armed forces.