Difference between pages "M41A1" and "T-64A (1971)"

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(General info)
 
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{{Specs-Card|code=us_m41_walker_bulldog}}
+
{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_t_64a_1971}}
{{About
 
| about = American light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 
| usage = other variants
 
| link = M41 Walker Bulldog (Family)
 
}}
 
  
 
== 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.'' -->
[[File:GarageImage_M41A1WalkerBulldog.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
+
[[File:GarageImage_T-64A(1971).jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
 
{{Break}}
 
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced at the same time as the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. A large improvement over its predecessor, the [[M24|M24 ''Chaffee'']], it features a gun that can more adequately fight the tanks at its tier with an APDS round and has very good mobility and low profile to move quickly against the enemy.
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.71 "New E.R.A."]]. The T-64A should primarily be played defensively, utilising terrain for cover and pushing carefully. It has good firepower, but mediocre armour, average mobility and a near non-existent reverse speed. The T-64A can be played as a sniper with one of the highest velocity rounds in game at 1800 m/s. Brawling should be avoided, as many of the vehicles it will face will easily penetrate its hull armour. Most vehicles it will face have better mobility, so it's important to be aware of flankers.
 +
 
 +
The T-64A presents a design that is reminiscent of some Soviet tanks seen in the contemporary period. The tank's overall color scheme presents a default camouflage of the same glorious dark olive green seen on nearly all other prior Soviet tanks.
 +
 
 +
Compared to all other Soviet medium tanks prior, the T-64A's suspension system uses multiple small wheels and rollers rather than the huge wheels. While this allowed better flotation, it does leave more of the side hull vulnerable to attack straight at without worry of hitting the tracks or suspension. This is at least partial reasoning for the prominent 'flaps' seen on each side of the vehicle - these help protect the sides against HEAT ammunition, causing a harmless explosion before the rounds reach the actual side armour.
 +
 
 +
Two long tubes extend from the back of the T-64A. One is on the turret, which is the container housing the snorkelling gear for the tank in deep wading procedures. The other on the turret is the familiar log that comes nearly standard with Soviet/Russian vehicle, used for removing the vehicle if it gets stuck in mud or other nasty terrain attributes.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
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'''Armour type:'''
 
'''Armour type:'''
  
* Rolled homogeneous armour
+
* Spaced armour (Hull front, Turret front)
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Lower glacis)
+
* Cast homogeneous armour
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Turret)
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
Line 24: Line 26:
 
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
|-
 
|-
| Hull || 28.5 mm (49°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 63.5 mm (33-37°) ''Lower glacis'' || 28.5 mm || 28.5 mm (46°) ''Top'' <br> 25.4 mm () ''Middle'' <br> 25.4 mm (20°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
+
| Hull || 80* mm (68°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 80 mm (61°) ''Lower glacis'' || 85 mm ''Front'' <br> 70 mm ''Rear'' <br. 20 mm (33°) ''Bottom'' || 20 mm (8-55°) ''Top'' <br> 45 mm ''Center'' <br> 20 mm (18-58°) ''Bottom'' || 30 mm ''Front'' <br> 20 mm ''Engine deck''
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 50-330 mm (0-80°) || 65-180* mm (2-49°) || 65 mm (2-72°) || 40-140 mm
 +
|-
 +
| Cupola || colspan="3" | 100 mm
 +
|40 mm
 +
|-
 +
! Composite armour* !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 320 mm ''Kinetic'' <br> 450 mm ''Chemical'' || N/A || N/A || N/A
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 400 mm ''Kinetic'' <br> 450 mm ''Chemical'' || 400 mm ''Kinetic'' <br> 450 mm ''Chemical'' || N/A || N/A
 
|-
 
|-
| Turret || 44.4 mm (11-13°) ''Turret front'' <br> 50.8 mm (2-43°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 31.75 mm (1°) || 31.75 mm (1°) || 12.7 mm
 
 
|}
 
|}
 
'''Notes:'''
 
'''Notes:'''
  
* Suspension wheels, bogies, and tracks are 15 mm thick.
+
* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, torsion bars are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 30 mm thick.
* An extra 12.7 mm RHA metal plate is present on the right side of the turret near the pintle 7.62 mm machine gun.
+
* The side flaps on the hull side gives spaced protection against HEAT rounds, allowing one to angle the hull slightly while protecting the vulnerable side hull.
* A 4 mm Structural steel box is present, mounted on the vehicle rear turret.
+
* Belly armour is 20 mm thick.
 +
* A 5 mm RHA plate separates the engine from the crew compartment
 +
* A log providing 100 mm thickness in wood.
 +
* The snorkel tube on the turret rear provide 4 mm of structural steel.
 +
* Hull roof armour at front and turret base is rated to be 30 mm effective against HE
 +
* Hull spaced armour configuration is 80 mm RHA + 105 mm Textolite + 20 mm RHA.
 +
* Turret spaced armour configuration is 150-180 mm CHA + 150 mm HHRA + 32 mm RHA.
  
There aren't any specific targets worth noting as the M41A1 will be hurt by pretty much anything. Be extra careful with [[:Category:Anti-aircraft_vehicles|SPAAs]] as they can knock out the ''Walker Bulldog's components with ease and even destroy the tank.''
+
The T-64A has composite armour over most of its upper front glacis and turret, although it has some obvious weak points - it has no LFP composite armour, the driver's port is not reinforced and there are some small sections of the turret that are easily penetrable. Unfortunately, though, many vehicles the T-64A will encounter have ammunition that can easily overmatch the UFP composite and often will simply punch straight through - it's best to avoid exposing the hull at all. HEAT ammunition is finicky as T-64A was built around protection specifications against shaped charges, the composite armour is 450 mm effective when against HEAT warheads and there are side flaps on the side hull to prevent even the chance of hitting the T-64A weaker side armour on the first try, although these side flaps are one-time use only so prolonged combat may have sheared these off already. Try to avoid aiming for the turret as it is the most protected area of the tank with a good portion covered by composite, leading to the need of massive amount of penetration to consider the turret a viable target, like the HOT missiles.
  
If at all possible, try only to expose the turret. If using the terrain to the M41A1's advantage, it'll usually be able to fire one to three shots, then start moving forwards and backwards, thus making it a lot harder for the enemy to hit the tank. Generally, the M41A1 be able to get in two shots on most targets before they can fire back, and the M41A1 accelerates from 0 to 30 km/h fast enough to become a hard target to hit if only the turret is exposed!
+
In a situation where the T-64A decides to hull-down and present as little of the front plate as possible, the best option is to attempt to disable the vehicle's gun - the mantlet is destroyed easily and combined with the sub-par reverse speed, this may provide enough time to push forward or around the vehicle and get a clear shot on the hull. Where possible, try to land the shot centre-mass below the turret which often causes an ammunition detonation.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== 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.'' -->
  
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=775|rbMinHp=442}}
+
{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 1,085|rbMinHp= 619}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
 
<!-- ''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|M32 (76 mm)}}
+
{{main|2A26 (125 mm)}}
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M32 (76 mm)|76 mm M32]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
+
! colspan="5" | [[2A26 (125 mm)|125 mm 2A26]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
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|-
 
|-
 
! ''Arcade''
 
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 65 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 34.27 || 47.44 || 57.60 || 63.69 || 67.76 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.79 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
+
| rowspan="2" | 37 || rowspan="2" | -/+14° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 19.0 || 26.35 || 32.00 || 35.39 || 37.65 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 7.10
 
|-
 
|-
 
! ''Realistic''
 
! ''Realistic''
| 21.42 || 25.20 || 30.60 || 33.84 || 36.00
+
| 11.90 || 14.00 || 17.00 || 18.80 || 20.00
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 
|-
 
|-
| M339 shot || AP || 177 || 173 || 159 || 143 || 129 || 116
+
| 3BK12M || HEATFS || 440 || 440 || 440 || 440 || 440 || 440
 
|-
 
|-
| M352 shell || HE || 12 || 12 || 12 || 12 || 12 || 12
+
| 3BM9 || APFSDS || 321 || 317 || 303 || 285 || 268 || 249
 
|-
 
|-
| M319 shot || APCR || 206 || 200 || 174 || 146 || 122 || 103
+
| 3BM15 || APFSDS || 440 || 430 || 420 || 410 || 405 || 400
 
|-
 
|-
| M331A2 shot || APDS || 232 || 231 || 212 || 193 || 163 || 137
+
| 3BM22 || APFSDS || 425 || 420 || 415 || 405 || 393 || 380
 +
|-
 +
| 3OF19 || HE || 35 || 35 || 35 || 35 || 35 || 35
 +
|-
 +
| 3OF26 || HE || 42 || 42 || 42 || 42 || 42 || 42
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
|-
 
|-
| M339 shot || AP || 975 || 6.60 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
+
| 3BK12M || HEATFS || 905 || 19.0 || N/A || 0.1 || 2,526 || 65° || 72° || 77°
 
|-
 
|-
| M352 shell || HE || 732 || 6.80 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 867.22 || 79° || 80° || 81°
+
| 3BM9 || APFSDS || 1,800 || 3.6 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 72° || 76° || 78°
 
|-
 
|-
| M319 shot || APCR || 1,234 || 3.20 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
+
| 3BM15 || APFSDS || 1,780 || 3.88 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 76° || 77° || 80°
 
|-
 
|-
| M331A2 shot || APDS || 1,231 || 1.49 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 75° || 78° || 80°
+
| 3BM22 || APFSDS || 1,760 || 4.83 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 76° || 77° || 80°
 
|-
 
|-
|}
+
| 3OF19 || HE || 850 || 23.2 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 3,150 || 79° || 80° || 81°
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
 
 
|-
 
|-
! Ammunition
+
| 3OF26 || HE || 850 || 23.0 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 5,239 || 79° || 80° || 81°
! Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
! Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 
! Screen radius<br>(m)
 
! Screen deploy time<br>(s)
 
! Screen hold time<br>(s)
 
! Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
|-
 
| M361 || 713 || 7.1 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 126: Line 138:
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Full<br>ammo
 
! Full<br>ammo
 +
! Ammo<br>part
 
! 1st<br>rack empty
 
! 1st<br>rack empty
 
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 
! 3rd<br>rack empty
 
! 3rd<br>rack empty
 +
! 4th<br>rack empty
 +
! 5th<br>rack empty*
 
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
|-
 
|-
| '''65''' || 55 ''(+10)'' || 39 ''(+26)'' || 1 ''(+64)'' || No
+
|| '''37''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles''<br />''Propellants'' || 37&nbsp;''(+0)''<br />37&nbsp;''(+0)'' || 36&nbsp;''(+1)''<br />36&nbsp;''(+1)'' || 33&nbsp;''(+4)''<br />29&nbsp;''(+8)'' || 29&nbsp;''(+8)''<br />29&nbsp;''(+8)''  || 1&nbsp;''(+36)''<br />1&nbsp;''(+36)'' || no
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 +
The {{PAGENAME}} main ammo rack consists of a mechanized carousel at the bottom of the turret. Such ammo stowage carries 28 propellants and projectiles.
 +
Notes:
  
=== Machine guns ===
+
* The 5th Rack is the carousel at the bottom of the turret; it serves as First-Stage ammo stowage.
<!-- ''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)}}
 
  
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
+
<!--==== [[Optics]] ====
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
! colspan="3" | {{PAGENAME}} Optics
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
+
!
 +
! Default magnification
 +
! Maximum magnification
 
|-
 
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
+
! Main Gun optics
 +
| x7.3 || x8.0
 
|-
 
|-
| Pintle || 2,175 (200) || 577 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
+
! Comparable optics
 +
| colspan="2" | ___
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
+
-->
 +
 
 +
=== Machine guns ===
 +
<!-- ''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|PKT (7.62 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
+
! colspan="5" | [[PKT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm PKT]]
 
|-
 
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
+
! Mount
 +
! Capacity<br>(Belt capacity)
 +
! Rate of fire<br>(shots/minute)
 +
! Vertical<br>guidance
 +
! Horizontal<br>guidance
 
|-
 
|-
| Coaxial || 4,900 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
+
| Coaxial || 2,000 (250) || 700 || N/A || N/A
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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== 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).'' -->
Like the tanks that come before it, the ''Bulldog'' should be used as a rapid-deployment support vehicle in conjunction with heavier vehicles like the [[T32|T32]]. It is best used to run rapid insertion and flanking operations while allowing the heavier tanks to absorb the brunt of the enemy attack. The ''Walker Bulldog'' works well with [[M26|M26 Medium tanks]] as the M26 has a harder hitting gun to support the light tank's advance, but the M41A1 maintain a much better climb rate for hills and a much faster acceleration. The ''Bulldog's'' top speed does cap off-road, requiring good knowledge of the map to make the most of the terrain.
+
It's key to keep the weaknesses of the T-64A in mind for the best performance of the vehicle. The 125mm gun is extremely powerful and will comfortably perform even against newer and better protected opponents, but in almost every other aspect the vehicle is lacking. Where possible, avoid exposing the hull at all - the easiest way to do so is to use a small defilade or terrain deformity. Sit back, be patient and allow the enemy to expose their weak spots. Most vehicles are faster than the T-64A, so expect hostile tanks to find their way to objectives significantly faster than you will.
  
Always remember that the ''Bulldog'' lacks any effective armour. In a frontal attack, it will be easily penetrated by almost anything the enemy throws at it. Try to use the terrain to hide the tank and relocate after shots. Also, attempt to engage targets who are busy or already engaged with teammates. The ''Bulldog's'' 76 mm gun has great penetration, but due to the solid shot armour-piercing rounds it has it is necessary to make each shot count by hitting either ammo racks or fuel tanks/engines to disable and or destroy an enemy vehicle. Equipping HVAP rounds, later on, makes it easier to destroy vehicles with better side armour such as the [[IS-3]] which has a fairly strong side profile.
+
Finally, remember that your reverse speed is abysmal - whenever possible avoid situations that will force you to reverse - and if you do have to move back, where possible try to traverse the entire hull and move back with the full speed of your forwards gears.
  
===Tactics===
+
When facing common enemy tanks:
The ''Bulldog'' is best playing a mobile role; trail the outskirts of the map and take shots at the enemy from a distance and keep relocating. Don't stand still for too long as one or two hits are usually enough to completely disable the tank.
 
  
While playing this tank, the biggest concern should be not to get hit ''by anything''. Given its thin armour, anything that the Bulldog is facing will be able to deal heavy damage. In summary, the ''Bulldog'' is a very manoeuvrable tank and with practice is a very potent threat to enemies.
+
* [[MBT-70]]/[[KPz-70]] - When facing the MBT-70/Kpz-70, the best place to shoot is the left turret cheek as this will knock out commander and gunner.
 
+
* [[Chieftain Mk 10]] - If hull down, shoot for cannon breech or gun barrel.
If up against heavy tanks, such as the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II H]], don't bother trying to hit its front chassis armour even with APDS. The chances to penetrate this tank's upper glacis are very low. It is better to try and either ignoring him or aiming for his lower glacis and turret. Should the round penetrate the lower glacis, the transmission is likely to catch on fire. When attacking the turret, aim for the gunner on the left (player's right) of the gun. After that, disengage as the gunner will be replaced faster than the M41A1 can reload. Fighting off heavily armoured targets takes a lot of practice, but the gun's accuracy and good penetration can be used to the M41A1's advantage. Ambushing tanks as such as the Panther V series which many variants have slow slew rates will be highly effective as you can get two-three shots off and disable the gunner when you get a flank.
 
  
 
=== Modules ===
 
=== Modules ===
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| Parts
 
| Parts
 
| Horizontal Drive
 
| Horizontal Drive
|
+
| 3BK12M
|
+
| 3OF26
 
|-
 
|-
 
| II
 
| II
Line 191: Line 220:
 
| FPE
 
| FPE
 
| Adjustment of Fire
 
| Adjustment of Fire
| Airstrike
+
| 3BM15
| M319 shot
+
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
| III
 
| III
Line 199: Line 228:
 
| Crew Replenishment
 
| Crew Replenishment
 
| Elevation Mechanism
 
| Elevation Mechanism
| M331A2 shot
 
 
| NVD
 
| NVD
 +
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
| IV
 
| IV
 
| Transmission
 
| Transmission
 
| Engine
 
| Engine
|
+
| ESS
 
| Artillery Support
 
| Artillery Support
| Improved optics
+
| 3BM22
| M361
+
| Rangefinder
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
* Extremely agile tank
+
* Acceptable speed going forward.
* Good top speed 72 km/h (average speed is more around 35-40 km/h)
+
* Turret cheeks are often surprisingly well protected.
* Manually controlling the gears will give you a good advantage(1st level: up to gear two and 19 km/h & 2nd level up to gear three and 39 km/h)
+
* Vehicle is fitted with a surgically precise and devastatingly effective 125 mm gun. Well placed shots can do a lot of damage.
* Fast turret traverse
+
* Engine [[Smoke screen|smoke generating system]], covers friendly tanks behind the vehicle.
* Fast reload rate
+
* Side flaps protect the tank from side attacks with chemical energy rounds (once a flap gets hit it will fall off).
* Respectable firepower when loaded with APDS
+
* Decent reload; 7.1s no matter what because of the auto-loader system.
* APDS has high muzzle velocity, easy to hit targets at longer ranges
+
* Good HE shell, can be a little finnicky.
* Good flanker
+
* Very low profile compared to its contemporaries, much harder to spot and hit.
* Good suspension; can drive away from steep downhills and jumps
+
* One of the fastest rounds in game (1800 m/s), easy to aim.
* .50 cal AA machine gun with good coverage
+
* Stock APFSDS shell with reasonable effectiveness.
* AP is highly lethal to most tanks of all-tiers post pen
+
* Tier 4 modification present the upgraded APFSDS shell with 440mm of penetration, will go through almost anything in game
* Similar silhouette as the M47
+
* Can be very hard to destroy in hull-down positions.
* Access to night vision device (NVD)
 
* Plays similarly to the M24 and the M18, but with a much better gun
 
* Access to some unique light tanks upgrades such as airstrike and improved optics
 
* Decent acceleration
 
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
* Low torque, without downhill the tank won't reach higher speeds than 50 km/h
+
* Slow horizontal turret traverse.
* SPAA can be a threat but not as apparent
+
* Any penetrating side shot is very likely to detonate ammunition.
* NVD is only available for driver (3rd person or driver view)
+
* Abysmally slow reverse (-4 km/h).
* Due to weak engine, unsuitable for scouting unit
+
* Weak lower glacis, can be penetrated by almost any round it encounters.
* Scouting requires map knowledge
+
* Frontal penetration can easily disable 2 of the 3-man crew, leading to a crew knockout.
* Ammo storage in the front, next to the driver
+
* Sub-par gun depression (-6°).
* No APHE shells that can be quite handy at times
+
* No anti-air capability.
* APDS shot causes only puncture damage; due to small spall effect after penetration, typically only modules and equipment directly in the path of the shot are damaged
+
* Angling the tank causes the weak side armour to be exposed.
* No explosive filler on any AP shells
+
* Hull armour flaps are easily penetrated by kinetic munitions when angled.
* Larger than the typical light tank
 
* The absence of stabilizer makes it extremely difficult to aim while moving and even worse when breaking
 
* Unlike the German LekPz M41, the A1 variant doesn't have HEAT-FS and smoke grenade launcher.
 
  
 
== History ==
 
== 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).'' -->
+
''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).''
===Development===
 
The U.S. Army light tank in the later part of World War II, the [[M24|M24 ''Chaffee'']], was a promising design but was deemed not effective for the future of armour encounters. Though its role as a scout was seen as needing the 75 mm gun, the army wanted a tank with a better gun to have a more equal chance against tanks. The project began as the ''T37'' program in 1947 with the focus of being air-transportable with an anti-tank capability in the form of a 76 mm gun and a rangefinder. The adoption of a simplified rangefinder had the project designation changed to the ''T41''. After testings and evaluations, the ''T41'' model was accepted into service as the '''M41 ''Little Bulldog'' ''', with production starting at Cadillac Cleveland Tank Plant in 1951. The name ''Little Bulldog'' stayed until General Walton Walker, the first commander of the 8th US Army in Korea, died in a car accident, so the tank was renamed into the '''M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' ''' in remembrance. Production went from 1953 to somewhere in the late 1960s with about 3,728 units produced.
 
 
 
The M41 light tank would go on to replace the M24 ''Chaffees'' by 1953. The M41 had a crew of four, commander, gunner, loader, and driver. The tank had a profile of under 9 feet and 19 feet long. The tank was lightweight at 23.5 tons and thus had rather thin armour, with the front armour only 25.4 mm thick (sloped at 60 degrees for about 50 mm effective). However, the tank was very agile with its torsion bar suspension and Continental AOS 895-3 series 6-cylinder gasoline engine of 500 hp which could deliver a road speed of 45 mph with a 100 miles operating range. Unfortunately, the tank was criticized for being noisy, a fuel-guzzler, rather heavy, and the American crewman found the ''Bulldog's'' interior to be quite cramped. Despite that, it delivered speed, firepower, and reliability in a light tank format. Several upgrades were made on the M41 with better technology, the '''M41A1''' had a hydraulic turret traverse with more ammo storage, the ''M41A2'' had a new fuel system, and the ''M41A3'' are old M41A1 tanks with the new fuel system from the M41A2.
 
 
 
===Combat usage===
 
The M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' first saw use in Korea in a limited combat run. The tanks, still labelled their experimental designation T41, were sent for field testing on design deficiencies. It is unknown what other purposes they served there except for the tests. Their first major conflict once adopted by the U.S. Army was in Vietnam, mainly by replacing the M24 ''Chaffees'' in service with the South Vietnamese army (ARVN) at the time. The M41A3 tanks arrived in January 1965 and were instantly popular; not only for their advantages, but the previously cramped interior for American crews were actually a perfect fit for the smaller Vietnamese armour crewman. The ''Bulldog'' went on to fight in the Vietnam War as a reliable war machine. The ''Bulldog'' had an advantage due to its lightweight in manoeuvring in the jungle terrain of the region. In 1971, Operation Lam Son 719, the disruption of the North Vietnamese Army supply lines had the M41 ''Bulldogs'' play a major role, accompanied by two airborne battalions and two cavalry regiments. Penetrating deep into enemy lines, the 17 M41 tanks engaged and destroyed six Soviet-designed [[T-54 (1951)|T-54 tanks]] and other lighter armoured vehicles. This engagement came at a loss of 5 M41 and 25 armoured personnel carriers. By 1973, the ARVN still used about 200 M41 tanks while the transition of the American unit over to the [[M48A1|M48A3 ''Patton'' tanks]] in Europe and Stateside. The M41 light tanks were also exported to various other countries. Today, Guatemala, Somalia, Taiwan, Uruguay, and Vietnam still use the M41 ''Walker Bulldog'', some via upgrading the tanks to extend their service life.
 
 
 
The M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' design was advanced for the time, giving a relatively lightweight tank the firepower to take on other tanks of its time period. The chassis was even used on the ''[[M42|M42 ''Duster'' Anti-Air gun]]'' and the ''M75 Armored Personnel Carrier''. The drive, engine, transmission, and auxiliary engine also were used in the ''M44/M52 155 howitzer''. By 1969, the US Army began replacing the M41 with the newer [[M551|M551 ''Sheridan'' Armored Airborne Reconnaissance Assault Vehicle]] (officially not a "light tank") which had a [[M81 (152 mm)|152 mm cannon]] that could fire shells and [[Anti-tank_guided_missiles|anti-tank missiles]]. The M551 ''Sheridan'' could be used in roles that the M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' couldn't do, such as be air-dropped and amphibious but was rather unreliable. This made the M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' to be the last American "light tank" produced and the last made before the classification between tank classes based on weight and role ended.
 
 
 
=== In-game description ===
 
In 1946 the Americans began looking for a replacement for the M24 Chaffee. The design for the new tank was to lean on experiences drawn from the Second World War.
 
 
 
In 1953 deliveries of the M41 Walker Bulldog to the US army began, with 5,500 units ultimately released.
 
 
 
The M41 Walker Bulldog featured a traditional layout with a welded hull and rationally sloped frontal plates. The turret was welded from cast and rolled armor elements. The running gear on each side was made up of five road wheels and three track return rollers in addition to guiding and leading wheels. The road wheels were independent of the torsion bar suspension, while the suspension for the first, second, and fifth rollers was equipped with hydraulic shock absorbers. The 500 hp air-cooled Continental AOS-895-3 engine featured a fire extinguishing system.
 
 
 
The tank's armament consisted of a 76 mm M32 cannon, a coaxial 7.62 mm Browning M1919A4E1 machine gun, and a turret-mounted 12.7 mm Browning M2HB anti-aircraft gun. The weapon was not stabilized and was equipped with a muzzle brake to reduce recoil. The battle compartment featured 24 rounds for fast reloading, along with 33 more in the tank hull that were only accessible when the turret was rotated hard to the rear.
 
 
 
Practice showed that the new tanks were poorly suited for reconnaissance, and their heavy weight and large dimensions made them just as difficult to transport as medium tanks. Those removed from active duty were quickly handed over and sold to allies and dependent governments.
 
 
 
M41 Walker Bulldogs saw combat in Austria, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, the UK, North (captured) and South Vietnam, Guatemala, and Greece.
 
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
+
<!--Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.-->
[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=us_m41_walker_bulldog '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the M41A1 from live.warthunder]
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{{Youtube-gallery|xI8p0KZbcG0|'''The Shooting Range #65''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 00:27 discusses the T-64A.|POgsyKommVk|'''T-64A versus MBT-70''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}
 
 
*[http://live.warthunder.com/post/95846/ '''"US ARMY" 532''' by ''JoKeR_BvB09'']
 
*[http://live.warthunder.com/post/101650/ '''"German Bundeswehr 3tone skin - 2nd Co of Panzeraufklärungsbataillon 5 ( ReconBn )" fictional''' by ''JoKeR_BvB09'']
 
*[http://live.warthunder.com/post/95835/ '''"(Fictional) M41 Flecktarn <nowiki>[Germany 1985]</nowiki>"''' by ''Tiger_VI'']
 
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
 
''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 293: Line 290:
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
  
* [[wt:en/news/3018/current/|[Vehicle Profile] M41 Walker Bulldog [Decal Included]]]
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* [[wt:en/news/4906-development-t-64a-the-pioneer-of-a-new-era-en|[Devblog] T-64A - The Pioneer of a New Era]]
  
{{USA light tanks}}
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{{USSR medium tanks}}

Revision as of 18:27, 5 August 2020

Rank VI USSR | Premium | Golden Eagles
Su-25K Pack
T-64A (1971)
ussr_t_64a_1971.png
T-64A (1971)
AB RB SB
9.3 9.3 9.3
Class:
Research:190 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:520 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

GarageImage T-64A (1971).jpg


The T-64A (1971) is a rank VI Soviet medium tank with a battle rating of 9.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.71 "New E.R.A.". The T-64A should primarily be played defensively, utilising terrain for cover and pushing carefully. It has good firepower, but mediocre armour, average mobility and a near non-existent reverse speed. The T-64A can be played as a sniper with one of the highest velocity rounds in game at 1800 m/s. Brawling should be avoided, as many of the vehicles it will face will easily penetrate its hull armour. Most vehicles it will face have better mobility, so it's important to be aware of flankers.

The T-64A presents a design that is reminiscent of some Soviet tanks seen in the contemporary period. The tank's overall color scheme presents a default camouflage of the same glorious dark olive green seen on nearly all other prior Soviet tanks.

Compared to all other Soviet medium tanks prior, the T-64A's suspension system uses multiple small wheels and rollers rather than the huge wheels. While this allowed better flotation, it does leave more of the side hull vulnerable to attack straight at without worry of hitting the tracks or suspension. This is at least partial reasoning for the prominent 'flaps' seen on each side of the vehicle - these help protect the sides against HEAT ammunition, causing a harmless explosion before the rounds reach the actual side armour.

Two long tubes extend from the back of the T-64A. One is on the turret, which is the container housing the snorkelling gear for the tank in deep wading procedures. The other on the turret is the familiar log that comes nearly standard with Soviet/Russian vehicle, used for removing the vehicle if it gets stuck in mud or other nasty terrain attributes.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

  • Spaced armour (Hull front, Turret front)
  • Cast homogeneous armour
  • Rolled homogeneous armour (Turret)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 80* mm (68°) Front glacis
80 mm (61°) Lower glacis
85 mm Front
70 mm Rear <br. 20 mm (33°) Bottom
20 mm (8-55°) Top
45 mm Center
20 mm (18-58°) Bottom
30 mm Front
20 mm Engine deck
Turret 50-330 mm (0-80°) 65-180* mm (2-49°) 65 mm (2-72°) 40-140 mm
Cupola 100 mm 40 mm
Composite armour* Front Sides Rear Roof
Hull 320 mm Kinetic
450 mm Chemical
N/A N/A N/A
Turret 400 mm Kinetic
450 mm Chemical
400 mm Kinetic
450 mm Chemical
N/A N/A

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, torsion bars are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 30 mm thick.
  • The side flaps on the hull side gives spaced protection against HEAT rounds, allowing one to angle the hull slightly while protecting the vulnerable side hull.
  • Belly armour is 20 mm thick.
  • A 5 mm RHA plate separates the engine from the crew compartment
  • A log providing 100 mm thickness in wood.
  • The snorkel tube on the turret rear provide 4 mm of structural steel.
  • Hull roof armour at front and turret base is rated to be 30 mm effective against HE
  • Hull spaced armour configuration is 80 mm RHA + 105 mm Textolite + 20 mm RHA.
  • Turret spaced armour configuration is 150-180 mm CHA + 150 mm HHRA + 32 mm RHA.

The T-64A has composite armour over most of its upper front glacis and turret, although it has some obvious weak points - it has no LFP composite armour, the driver's port is not reinforced and there are some small sections of the turret that are easily penetrable. Unfortunately, though, many vehicles the T-64A will encounter have ammunition that can easily overmatch the UFP composite and often will simply punch straight through - it's best to avoid exposing the hull at all. HEAT ammunition is finicky as T-64A was built around protection specifications against shaped charges, the composite armour is 450 mm effective when against HEAT warheads and there are side flaps on the side hull to prevent even the chance of hitting the T-64A weaker side armour on the first try, although these side flaps are one-time use only so prolonged combat may have sheared these off already. Try to avoid aiming for the turret as it is the most protected area of the tank with a good portion covered by composite, leading to the need of massive amount of penetration to consider the turret a viable target, like the HOT missiles.

In a situation where the T-64A decides to hull-down and present as little of the front plate as possible, the best option is to attempt to disable the vehicle's gun - the mantlet is destroyed easily and combined with the sub-par reverse speed, this may provide enough time to push forward or around the vehicle and get a clear shot on the hull. Where possible, try to land the shot centre-mass below the turret which often causes an ammunition detonation.

Mobility

Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 68 5 38 1,085 1,336 28.55 35.16
Realistic 61 5 619 700 16.29 18.42

Armaments

Main armament

Main article: 2A26 (125 mm)
125 mm 2A26 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 37 -6°/+14° ±180° Two-plane 19.0 26.35 32.00 35.39 37.65 7.10 7.10 7.10 7.10
Realistic 11.90 14.00 17.00 18.80 20.00

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
3BK12M HEATFS 440 440 440 440 440 440
3BM9 APFSDS 321 317 303 285 268 249
3BM15 APFSDS 440 430 420 410 405 400
3BM22 APFSDS 425 420 415 405 393 380
3OF19 HE 35 35 35 35 35 35
3OF26 HE 42 42 42 42 42 42
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%
3BK12M HEATFS 905 19.0 N/A 0.1 2,526 65° 72° 77°
3BM9 APFSDS 1,800 3.6 N/A N/A N/A 72° 76° 78°
3BM15 APFSDS 1,780 3.88 N/A N/A N/A 76° 77° 80°
3BM22 APFSDS 1,760 4.83 N/A N/A N/A 76° 77° 80°
3OF19 HE 850 23.2 0.1 0.1 3,150 79° 80° 81°
3OF26 HE 850 23.0 0.1 0.1 5,239 79° 80° 81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the T-64A (1971)
Full
ammo
Ammo
part
1st
rack empty
2nd
rack empty
3rd
rack empty
4th
rack empty
5th
rack empty*
Visual
discrepancy
37 Projectiles
Propellants
37 (+0)
37 (+0)
36 (+1)
36 (+1)
33 (+4)
29 (+8)
29 (+8)
29 (+8)
(+36)
(+36)
no

The T-64A (1971) main ammo rack consists of a mechanized carousel at the bottom of the turret. Such ammo stowage carries 28 propellants and projectiles. Notes:

  • The 5th Rack is the carousel at the bottom of the turret; it serves as First-Stage ammo stowage.


Machine guns

Main article: PKT (7.62 mm)
7.62 mm PKT
Mount Capacity
(Belt capacity)
Rate of fire
(shots/minute)
Vertical
guidance
Horizontal
guidance
Coaxial 2,000 (250) 700 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

It's key to keep the weaknesses of the T-64A in mind for the best performance of the vehicle. The 125mm gun is extremely powerful and will comfortably perform even against newer and better protected opponents, but in almost every other aspect the vehicle is lacking. Where possible, avoid exposing the hull at all - the easiest way to do so is to use a small defilade or terrain deformity. Sit back, be patient and allow the enemy to expose their weak spots. Most vehicles are faster than the T-64A, so expect hostile tanks to find their way to objectives significantly faster than you will.

Finally, remember that your reverse speed is abysmal - whenever possible avoid situations that will force you to reverse - and if you do have to move back, where possible try to traverse the entire hull and move back with the full speed of your forwards gears.

When facing common enemy tanks:

  • MBT-70/KPz-70 - When facing the MBT-70/Kpz-70, the best place to shoot is the left turret cheek as this will knock out commander and gunner.
  • Chieftain Mk 10 - If hull down, shoot for cannon breech or gun barrel.

Modules

Tier Mobility Protection Firepower
I Tracks Parts Horizontal Drive 3BK12M 3OF26
II Suspension Brake System FPE Adjustment of Fire 3BM15
III Filters Crew Replenishment Elevation Mechanism NVD
IV Transmission Engine ESS Artillery Support 3BM22 Rangefinder

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Acceptable speed going forward.
  • Turret cheeks are often surprisingly well protected.
  • Vehicle is fitted with a surgically precise and devastatingly effective 125 mm gun. Well placed shots can do a lot of damage.
  • Engine smoke generating system, covers friendly tanks behind the vehicle.
  • Side flaps protect the tank from side attacks with chemical energy rounds (once a flap gets hit it will fall off).
  • Decent reload; 7.1s no matter what because of the auto-loader system.
  • Good HE shell, can be a little finnicky.
  • Very low profile compared to its contemporaries, much harder to spot and hit.
  • One of the fastest rounds in game (1800 m/s), easy to aim.
  • Stock APFSDS shell with reasonable effectiveness.
  • Tier 4 modification present the upgraded APFSDS shell with 440mm of penetration, will go through almost anything in game
  • Can be very hard to destroy in hull-down positions.

Cons:

  • Slow horizontal turret traverse.
  • Any penetrating side shot is very likely to detonate ammunition.
  • Abysmally slow reverse (-4 km/h).
  • Weak lower glacis, can be penetrated by almost any round it encounters.
  • Frontal penetration can easily disable 2 of the 3-man crew, leading to a crew knockout.
  • Sub-par gun depression (-6°).
  • No anti-air capability.
  • Angling the tank causes the weak side armour to be exposed.
  • Hull armour flaps are easily penetrated by kinetic munitions when angled.

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

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


USSR medium tanks
T-28  T-28 (1938) · T-28 · T-28E
T-34-76  T-34 (Prototype) · T-34 (1940) · T-34 (1941) · T-34 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-34 (1942) · T-34E STZ · T-34E
T-34-57  T-34-57 · T-34-57 (1943)
T-34-85  T-34-85 (D-5T) · T-34-85 · T-34-85E
T-34-100  T-34-100
T-44  T-44 · T-44-100 · T-44-122
T-54  T-54 (1947) · T-54 (1949) · T-54 (1951)
T-55  TO-55 · T-55A · T-55AM-1 · T-55AMD-1
T-62  T-62 · T-62M-1
T-64  Object 435 · T-64A (1971) · T-64B
T-72  T-72A · T-72AV (TURMS-T) · T-72B · T-72B (1989) · T-72B3 · T-72M2 Moderna
T-80  T-80B · T-80U · T-80UD · T-80UK · T-80UM2 · T-80BVM · Object 292
T-90  Т-90А · T-90M
Trophies/Lend-Lease 
Germany  ▂T-III · ▂T-V
Great Britain  ▂МК-IX "Valentine"
USA  ▂M3 Medium · ▂M4A2