Difference between revisions of "M26 "D.C.Ariete""

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{{Specs-Card|code=it_m26_ariete}}
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{{About
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|about=premium Italian medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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|usage=other vehicles of the family
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|link=M26 (Family)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=it_m26_ariete
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
''In the description, the first part needs to 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 the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''
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<!-- ''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.'' -->
 +
The M26 (132nd Armored Division) is an American-made tank which was widely used by Italy during the early stages of the Cold War. The Italian Army would receive M26 Pershing tanks from the USA as part of the Mutual Defense Assistance Act at the beginning of the 1950s. The previously supplied M4 Sherman had become obsolete and needed replacement. They would be in service for many years and quickly became one of the strongest platforms at their disposal. The 132nd Armoured Division "Ariete" was created in 1939, it fought during the North African campaign until their destruction at the 2nd Battle of El Alamein. In 1948, the Ariete Division was reconstituted at Forte Pietralata in Rome and transferred to Pordenone in the Friuli region in Northern Italy to prevent any invasion by armoured divisions of the Warsaw Pact's armies. The M26 was allocated to the 132nd Armoured Division Ariete at the Eastern border with Yugoslavia but never saw combat action.
 +
 
 +
Introduced in [[Update 1.73 "Vive la France"]], the M26 can be quite an effective machine at its battle rating; however, there are some notable weaknesses that players must be aware of when using this tank. The M26 is quite a big platform, therefore when in tight urban maps you can be easily taken care of by enemy players which fire at you from positions you aren't able to see. Without its mobility upgrades it is also very slow, so until you unlock them you'll need to play a more supportive role rather an offensive one. Armour-wise, the M26 can protect you from a lot of medium calibre shells that will come your way, hull down positions are recommended if you're not advancing. The firepower of the M26 is good enough for you to be able to take out the majority of enemies you'll face in 1-2 shots, granted you know their weakspots. You have access to a [[Cannone da 90/50 M3A1 (90 mm)|90 mm Cannone da 90/50 M3A1]] and machine guns which will come in handy against lightly armoured vehicles. Overall, it is a great tank to have for your lineup.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and 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 helpfull for survival in combat?''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
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<!-- ''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.'' -->
 +
'''Armour type:'''
  
−
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
+
* Cast homogeneous armour (Front, turret)
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Side, Rear, Roof)
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 101.6 mm (42-46°) ''Front Glacis'' <br> 162.5 mm (25-60°) ''Upper front glacis'' <br> 76.2 mm (28-53°) ''Lower Glacis'' || 76.2 mm (0-1°) ''Front'' <br> 50.8 mm (0-3°) ''Rear'' || 50.8 mm (7°) ''Top'' <br> 22.2 mm (71°) ''Bottom'' || 22.2 mm
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 101.6 mm (1-55°) ''Turret front'' <br> 114.3 mm (1-84°) ''Gun mantlet''|| 76.2 mm (2-54°) || 76.2 mm (0-79°) || 25.4 mm
 +
|-
 +
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 76.2 mm (conical) || 25.4 mm
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Notes:'''
 +
 
 +
* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
 +
* Belly armour is 25.4 mm thick.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
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''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
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<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
  
−
== Weaponry ==
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp=775|rbMinHp=442}}
−
=== Main weaponry ===
 
−
''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 flexibilty 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.''
 
  
−
=== Additional weaponry ===
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=== Modifications and economy ===
−
''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
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{{Specs-Economy}}
 +
 
 +
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 +
=== Main armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 +
<!-- ''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)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
|-
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! colspan="5" | [[M3 (90 mm)|90 mm M3]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
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|-
 +
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 +
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
|-
 +
! ''Arcade''
 +
| rowspan="2" | 70 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 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''
 +
| 12.5 || 14.7 || 17.9 || 19.7 || 21.0
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==== Ammunition ====
 +
{{:M3 (90 mm)/Ammunition|T33 shot, M82 shot (M26), M304 shot, M71 shell, M313}}
 +
 
 +
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 +
<!-- '''Last updated: 2.13.0.44''' -->
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! Full<br>ammo
 +
! 1st<br>rack empty
 +
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 +
! 3rd<br>rack empty
 +
! 4th<br>rack empty
 +
! 5th<br>rack empty
 +
! 6th<br>rack empty
 +
! 7th<br>rack empty
 +
! 8th<br>rack empty
 +
! 9th<br>rack empty
 +
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 +
|-
 +
| '''70''' || 65&nbsp;''(+5)'' || 56&nbsp;''(+14)'' || 48&nbsp;''(+22)'' || 40&nbsp;''(+30)'' || 32&nbsp;''(+38)'' || 24&nbsp;''(+46)'' || 17&nbsp;''(+53)'' || 11&nbsp;''(+59)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+69)'' || No
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_M26.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M26 (identical).]]
 +
'''Notes''':
 +
 
 +
* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
 +
* 1 shell from rack 7 is fired after rack 1 is emptied. For the purpose of clarity, it is counted as belonging to rack 2 in the table above.
 +
* Rack 9 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: 9 - 1 - 2 - etc. until 8.
 +
* If you pack 17&nbsp;''(+53)'' shells, it will keep most of the hull empty of ammo.
 +
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as shells are available in the ready rack 9. If the ready rack is empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
 +
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-8 into rack 9. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
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''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.''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
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<!-- ''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)}}
  
−
== Usage in the battles ==
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
−
''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 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).''
+
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Pintle || 600 (200) || 577 || -10°/+50° || ±120°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
The roof-mounted M2HB .50 cal heavy machine gun is very good at knocking out tracks, punching through lightly armoured vehicles and shooting down low-flying aircraft. Use it sparingly because of its low ammo count.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Coaxial || 5,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
The small calibre of the M1919A4 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.
 +
 
 +
== 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).'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Combat tactics
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 +
The {{PAGENAME}} can perform in many different roles in battle. It can be used for supporting heavy tanks with long reload time as [[IS-2]] or [[T32]] or it can take part in flanking manoeuvres: your speed and agility are not brilliant but sufficient for that role. It can also be successful in sniping and ambushing situations. Use the lower profile of Pershing compared to the Sherman's to navigate through. Your depression angle allows you to shoot from upper positions without exposing too much yourself. That's an advantage compared to most Soviet vehicles which have close to no gun depression angle.
 +
 
 +
The 90 mm M3 gun owns a wide selection of ammunition to be used. The M82 APCBC with an explosive filler is extremely deadly. Usually, successful penetration with this shell can lead to a single-shot knock-out on a vehicle. It lacks a bit of penetration for the rank this vehicle sits at, but it's great for flanking shots. The M304 APCR shot gives the vehicle the ability to penetrate thick armour (provided it is a flat surface). This means you need to target crew positions or modules and aim at (almost) vertical armour. Against a [[Tiger II (H)]], this means aiming for the turret right side if he is looking directly at you on the gunner side. At that position, you can penetrate up to a distance of 1,800 m.
 +
 
 +
Although you are moderately armoured for your class, most enemies can easily kill you at this rank if you expose your tank too much. To reduce direct impacts in frontal engagements angle the Pershing, the V-shape frontal armour can deflect some shots. Your lower glacis is a weak spot, keep it hidden from the enemy.
 +
 
 +
One downside to the Pershing is the engine: the power-to-weight ratio is poor and does not allow for very quick manoeuvring. It uses the same Ford GAF that can be found in the late series M4 Medium tanks, with nearly 8 tons more weight. Being slightly underpowered, the {{PAGENAME}} has a hard time climbing hills. You will need to know the maps and areas you are operating in and use them wisely.
 +
 
 +
Urban maps (Poland, Eastern Europe, Hürtgen Forest, Cologne) are perfect for ambushing, use your moderate speed to catch off-guard heavier enemy tanks. Drop arty in front of suspected enemy positions if you need to cross a street and relocate, the smoke screen will cover you.
 +
 
 +
If you've been able to flank an enemy, your first shot is decisive. Always shoot to disable the gun first (gunner or breech). The best ammo to do this is M304 APCR round, or M82 APCBC shell. M304 will guarantee a 100% successful shot, M82 can also work very good and might deal heavy damage inside the turret. But some Germans have tracks on the hull's sides and if the enemy is in the process of turning the turret, the M82 could bounce. Make sure you not to miss. The large sides of German heavy tanks are tempting targets but its very easy to punch through without dealing damage with the wrong ammo like the T33 or M304 rounds. If you flanked a turretless tank destroyer like a Jagdpanther or a Ferdinand, just aim at the engine and you will have virtually killed it.
 +
 
 +
;Arcade Battles
 +
 
 +
In arcade battles, it is much harder to flank and ambush enemy tanks because of the tag system (player name). However, the tank is still very playable and you can do different tactics depending on the situation. For urban environments, it's best to move with the team and only poke your head out when you have a good shot and the enemy tank isn't aimed at you. In open terrain, you will still be able to use the hills to your advantage and side-shot / pot-shot enemy tanks. The main rule here is don't show your sides and stay low.
 +
 
 +
;Realistic/Simulator Battles
 +
 
 +
In realistic and simulator battles, The {{PAGENAME}} shouldn't be in the toughest part of the match facing very heavily armoured enemies. It's better to stay behind front lines supporting or try a flanking manoeuvre, you can't be spotted in the mini-map. The high battle rating means you can be up-tiered and fight Cold War era tanks in simulator mode. The compression and matchmaking can put you into situations where enemies are especially hard to penetrate, even from the sides.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''
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<!-- ''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:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* M82 APCBC rounds can knock out most tanks with a single shot
 +
* Low profile
 +
* Nice handling at gear 5
 +
* .50 calibre machine gun on top helps for anti-aircraft defence
 +
* Fast reverse speed
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
 
  
−
== Historical part ==
+
* Turret ring can be easily damaged
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''
+
* Slow compared to other nations' medium tanks, especially acceleration
 +
* Heavy handling at low speed
 +
* 90 mm gun penetration not the best
 +
 
 +
== 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).'' -->
 +
{{main|M26#History|l1=History of the M26}}
 +
 
 +
The history and development of this M26 can be traced to the number of tank prototypes produced in the Spring of 1942 as a replacement for the [[M4]] Shermans then in use. One of these prototypes was the [[T20]] medium tank, which was more heavily armoured than the Sherman. This eventually developed to the T22 and T23 designs with different transmissions, all of which were in the rear of the vehicle instead of the front like the Shermans. These designs were comparable to a [[T-34-85]], but these were not quickly adopted over the M4 as the M4 performed fabulously in combat in Africa and Italy.
 +
 
 +
Development continued with different interests in 1944, starting around the concept to mount a 90 mm cannon to fight the heavily armoured German tanks and fortifications in Europe. The first was the [[T25]] series, which was an up-gunned T23 with a 90 mm gun, but they also designed a bigger and more armoured design T26. The design held the 90 mm cannon and a front armour thickness of 102 mm thick and sloped. However, the design has a weight of about 40 tons, which decreased its mobility and durability as it still uses the old Sherman engine. Though starting with an electric drive, the design proved too complicated for field use and was replaced by a torqmatic transmission in the T26E1. The designs were eventually finalized as the T26E3, which would be the production version of the T26E1. Production started in November 1944, with 10 being produced by the end of the month, 30 by December, 70 in January 1945, and 132 by February. It would take a few months for even the T26E3s built in November to get to Europe, hence why the first models did not appear in Europe until January 1945. The T26E3 would be adopted by the US Army as the Heavy Tank M26 Pershing with a total of 2,212 units produced.
 +
 
 +
In terms of usage in the Italian armed forces, the Italian Army received Pershing tanks from the USA as part of the Mutual Defense Assistance Act during the late 1950s. The previously supplied M4 Sherman had become obsolete and needed replacement, and Italy was very afraid that Yugoslavia would invade Italy to try take land they claimed to be the rightful owners of. The US Army armoured units stationed in West Germany transitioned from the M26 to the M47 Patton from 1952 through 1953. The M26 tanks, including the M26A1 version, were no longer needed by the US Army and thus given to Italy and France at a very favourable price. Italy used their M26 Pershings operationally until 1963, after which they were gradually replaced by more recent M47 Patton, M60 and Leopard 1 tanks. The 132nd Armoured Division Ariete was created in 1939. Together with the 131st Armoured Division Centauro, it was one of the two main Italian armoured divisions during WW2. Both divisions fought during the North African campaign until their destruction at the 2nd Battle of El Alamein. In 1948, the Ariete Division was reconstituted at Forte Pietralata in Rome and transferred to Pordenone in the Friuli region in Northern Italy to prevent any invasion by armoured divisions of the Warsaw pact's armies. The M26 were allocated to the 132nd Armoured Division Ariete at the Eastern border with Yugoslavia but never saw combat action.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=it_m26_ariete Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|D0Av7KWmvYE|'''The Shooting Range #128''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 06:50 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|7tFMpjzwQ08|'''M26 "D.C.Ariete" - Tank Review [Italian Premium Rank IV]''' - ''Napalmratte''}}
  
−
== Read 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.'' -->
−
''ETC.''
+
 
 +
;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
 +
 
 +
* [[T20]]
 +
* [[T25]]
  
−
== Sources ==
+
== External links ==
−
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''page on the Wikipedia;''
+
* ''other literature.'' -->
−
* ''other literature.''
+
 
 +
* [[wikipedia:M26_Pershing|[Wikipedia] M26 Pershing]]
 +
* [[wikipedia:132nd_Armoured_Division_Ariete|[Wikipedia] 132nd Armoured Division Ariete]]
 +
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M26_Pershing.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Medium/Heavy Tank M26 Pershing]
 +
 
 +
{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Department}}
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{{Italy medium tanks}}
 +
{{Italy premium ground vehicles}}

Latest revision as of 11:26, 19 August 2023

Rank VI | Premium | Golden Eagles
Chinese A-5C Pack
This page is about the premium Italian medium tank M26 "D.C.Ariete". For other vehicles of the family, see M26 (Family).
M26 "D.C.Ariete"
it_m26_ariete.png
GarageImage M26 "D.C.Ariete".jpg
M26 "D.C.Ariete"
Italy flag.png Italy
IV Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
6.7 6.7 6.7
Class:
PREMIUM
Purchase:6 090 Specs-Card-Eagle.png
Show in game

Description

The M26 (132nd Armored Division) is an American-made tank which was widely used by Italy during the early stages of the Cold War. The Italian Army would receive M26 Pershing tanks from the USA as part of the Mutual Defense Assistance Act at the beginning of the 1950s. The previously supplied M4 Sherman had become obsolete and needed replacement. They would be in service for many years and quickly became one of the strongest platforms at their disposal. The 132nd Armoured Division "Ariete" was created in 1939, it fought during the North African campaign until their destruction at the 2nd Battle of El Alamein. In 1948, the Ariete Division was reconstituted at Forte Pietralata in Rome and transferred to Pordenone in the Friuli region in Northern Italy to prevent any invasion by armoured divisions of the Warsaw Pact's armies. The M26 was allocated to the 132nd Armoured Division Ariete at the Eastern border with Yugoslavia but never saw combat action.

Introduced in Update 1.73 "Vive la France", the M26 can be quite an effective machine at its battle rating; however, there are some notable weaknesses that players must be aware of when using this tank. The M26 is quite a big platform, therefore when in tight urban maps you can be easily taken care of by enemy players which fire at you from positions you aren't able to see. Without its mobility upgrades it is also very slow, so until you unlock them you'll need to play a more supportive role rather an offensive one. Armour-wise, the M26 can protect you from a lot of medium calibre shells that will come your way, hull down positions are recommended if you're not advancing. The firepower of the M26 is good enough for you to be able to take out the majority of enemies you'll face in 1-2 shots, granted you know their weakspots. You have access to a 90 mm Cannone da 90/50 M3A1 and machine guns which will come in handy against lightly armoured vehicles. Overall, it is a great tank to have for your lineup.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull101 / 76 / 51
Turret101 / 76 / 76
Crew5 people
Visibility105 %

Armour type:

  • Cast homogeneous armour (Front, turret)
  • Rolled homogeneous armour (Side, Rear, Roof)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 101.6 mm (42-46°) Front Glacis
162.5 mm (25-60°) Upper front glacis
76.2 mm (28-53°) Lower Glacis 		76.2 mm (0-1°) Front
50.8 mm (0-3°) Rear 		50.8 mm (7°) Top
22.2 mm (71°) Bottom 		22.2 mm
Turret 101.6 mm (1-55°) Turret front
114.3 mm (1-84°) Gun mantlet		 76.2 mm (2-54°) 76.2 mm (0-79°) 25.4 mm
Cupola 76.2 mm (conical) 25.4 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
  • Belly armour is 25.4 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB54 / 18 km/h
RB and SB49 / 16 km/h
Number of gears6 forward
2 back
Weight42.5 t
Engine power
AB954 hp
RB and SB500 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB22.4 hp/t
RB and SB11.8 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 54 18 42.5 775 954 18.24 22.45
Realistic 49 16 442 500 10.4 11.76

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
AB2 510 Sl icon.png
RB2 957 Sl icon.png
SB3 847 Sl icon.png
Crew training10 000 Sl icon.png
Experts340 000 Sl icon.png
Aces890 Ge icon.png
Research Aces1 180 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
Talisman.png 2 × 130 / 190 / 220 % Sl icon.png
Talisman.png 2 × 184 / 184 / 184 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Mods tank reinforcement it.png
Crew Replenishment
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Mods tank ammo.png
90mm_us_M82_APCBC_ammo_pack
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Mods tank ammo.png
90mm_us_M304_APCR_ammo_pack
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Mods tank ammo.png
90mm_us_M313_Smoke_ammo_pack

Armaments

Main armament

90 mm M3 cannon
Ammunition70 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 70 -10°/+20° ±180° N/A 20.0 27.7 33.6 37.2 39.5 9.75 8.62 7.95 7.50
Realistic 12.5 14.7 17.9 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
M82 shot APCBC 185 182 169 155 142 130
M304 shot APCR 287 281 259 234 211 191
M71 shell HE 20 20 18 17 16 16
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°
M82 shot APCBC 853 10.91 1.2 14 137.2 48° 63° 71°
M304 shot APCR 1,021 7.62 - - - 66° 70° 72°
M71 shell HE 823 10.55 0.2 0.1 1,210 79° 80° 81°
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

Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		6th
rack empty 		7th
rack empty 		8th
rack empty 		9th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
70 65 (+5) 56 (+14) 48 (+22) 40 (+30) 32 (+38) 24 (+46) 17 (+53) 11 (+59) 1 (+69) No
Ammo racks of the M26 (identical).

Notes:

  • Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
  • 1 shell from rack 7 is fired after rack 1 is emptied. For the purpose of clarity, it is counted as belonging to rack 2 in the table above.
  • Rack 9 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: 9 - 1 - 2 - etc. until 8.
  • If you pack 17 (+53) shells, it will keep most of the hull empty of ammo.
  • Full reload speed will be realized as long as shells are available in the ready rack 9. If the ready rack is empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
  • Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-8 into rack 9. 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° / 50°
Horizontal guidance-120° / 120°
7.62 mm M1919A4 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition5 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) 577 -10°/+50° ±120°

The roof-mounted M2HB .50 cal heavy machine gun is very good at knocking out tracks, punching through lightly armoured vehicles and shooting down low-flying aircraft. Use it sparingly because of its low ammo count.

7.62 mm M1919A4
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 5,000 (250) 500 N/A N/A

The small calibre of the M1919A4 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

Usage in battles

Combat tactics

The M26 "D.C.Ariete" can perform in many different roles in battle. It can be used for supporting heavy tanks with long reload time as IS-2 or T32 or it can take part in flanking manoeuvres: your speed and agility are not brilliant but sufficient for that role. It can also be successful in sniping and ambushing situations. Use the lower profile of Pershing compared to the Sherman's to navigate through. Your depression angle allows you to shoot from upper positions without exposing too much yourself. That's an advantage compared to most Soviet vehicles which have close to no gun depression angle.

The 90 mm M3 gun owns a wide selection of ammunition to be used. The M82 APCBC with an explosive filler is extremely deadly. Usually, successful penetration with this shell can lead to a single-shot knock-out on a vehicle. It lacks a bit of penetration for the rank this vehicle sits at, but it's great for flanking shots. The M304 APCR shot gives the vehicle the ability to penetrate thick armour (provided it is a flat surface). This means you need to target crew positions or modules and aim at (almost) vertical armour. Against a Tiger II (H), this means aiming for the turret right side if he is looking directly at you on the gunner side. At that position, you can penetrate up to a distance of 1,800 m.

Although you are moderately armoured for your class, most enemies can easily kill you at this rank if you expose your tank too much. To reduce direct impacts in frontal engagements angle the Pershing, the V-shape frontal armour can deflect some shots. Your lower glacis is a weak spot, keep it hidden from the enemy.

One downside to the Pershing is the engine: the power-to-weight ratio is poor and does not allow for very quick manoeuvring. It uses the same Ford GAF that can be found in the late series M4 Medium tanks, with nearly 8 tons more weight. Being slightly underpowered, the M26 "D.C.Ariete" has a hard time climbing hills. You will need to know the maps and areas you are operating in and use them wisely.

Urban maps (Poland, Eastern Europe, Hürtgen Forest, Cologne) are perfect for ambushing, use your moderate speed to catch off-guard heavier enemy tanks. Drop arty in front of suspected enemy positions if you need to cross a street and relocate, the smoke screen will cover you.

If you've been able to flank an enemy, your first shot is decisive. Always shoot to disable the gun first (gunner or breech). The best ammo to do this is M304 APCR round, or M82 APCBC shell. M304 will guarantee a 100% successful shot, M82 can also work very good and might deal heavy damage inside the turret. But some Germans have tracks on the hull's sides and if the enemy is in the process of turning the turret, the M82 could bounce. Make sure you not to miss. The large sides of German heavy tanks are tempting targets but its very easy to punch through without dealing damage with the wrong ammo like the T33 or M304 rounds. If you flanked a turretless tank destroyer like a Jagdpanther or a Ferdinand, just aim at the engine and you will have virtually killed it.

Arcade Battles

In arcade battles, it is much harder to flank and ambush enemy tanks because of the tag system (player name). However, the tank is still very playable and you can do different tactics depending on the situation. For urban environments, it's best to move with the team and only poke your head out when you have a good shot and the enemy tank isn't aimed at you. In open terrain, you will still be able to use the hills to your advantage and side-shot / pot-shot enemy tanks. The main rule here is don't show your sides and stay low.

Realistic/Simulator Battles

In realistic and simulator battles, The M26 "D.C.Ariete" shouldn't be in the toughest part of the match facing very heavily armoured enemies. It's better to stay behind front lines supporting or try a flanking manoeuvre, you can't be spotted in the mini-map. The high battle rating means you can be up-tiered and fight Cold War era tanks in simulator mode. The compression and matchmaking can put you into situations where enemies are especially hard to penetrate, even from the sides.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • M82 APCBC rounds can knock out most tanks with a single shot
  • Low profile
  • Nice handling at gear 5
  • .50 calibre machine gun on top helps for anti-aircraft defence
  • Fast reverse speed

Cons:

  • Turret ring can be easily damaged
  • Slow compared to other nations' medium tanks, especially acceleration
  • Heavy handling at low speed
  • 90 mm gun penetration not the best

History

Main article: History of the M26

The history and development of this M26 can be traced to the number of tank prototypes produced in the Spring of 1942 as a replacement for the M4 Shermans then in use. One of these prototypes was the T20 medium tank, which was more heavily armoured than the Sherman. This eventually developed to the T22 and T23 designs with different transmissions, all of which were in the rear of the vehicle instead of the front like the Shermans. These designs were comparable to a T-34-85, but these were not quickly adopted over the M4 as the M4 performed fabulously in combat in Africa and Italy.

Development continued with different interests in 1944, starting around the concept to mount a 90 mm cannon to fight the heavily armoured German tanks and fortifications in Europe. The first was the T25 series, which was an up-gunned T23 with a 90 mm gun, but they also designed a bigger and more armoured design T26. The design held the 90 mm cannon and a front armour thickness of 102 mm thick and sloped. However, the design has a weight of about 40 tons, which decreased its mobility and durability as it still uses the old Sherman engine. Though starting with an electric drive, the design proved too complicated for field use and was replaced by a torqmatic transmission in the T26E1. The designs were eventually finalized as the T26E3, which would be the production version of the T26E1. Production started in November 1944, with 10 being produced by the end of the month, 30 by December, 70 in January 1945, and 132 by February. It would take a few months for even the T26E3s built in November to get to Europe, hence why the first models did not appear in Europe until January 1945. The T26E3 would be adopted by the US Army as the Heavy Tank M26 Pershing with a total of 2,212 units produced.

In terms of usage in the Italian armed forces, the Italian Army received Pershing tanks from the USA as part of the Mutual Defense Assistance Act during the late 1950s. The previously supplied M4 Sherman had become obsolete and needed replacement, and Italy was very afraid that Yugoslavia would invade Italy to try take land they claimed to be the rightful owners of. The US Army armoured units stationed in West Germany transitioned from the M26 to the M47 Patton from 1952 through 1953. The M26 tanks, including the M26A1 version, were no longer needed by the US Army and thus given to Italy and France at a very favourable price. Italy used their M26 Pershings operationally until 1963, after which they were gradually replaced by more recent M47 Patton, M60 and Leopard 1 tanks. The 132nd Armoured Division Ariete was created in 1939. Together with the 131st Armoured Division Centauro, it was one of the two main Italian armoured divisions during WW2. Both divisions fought during the North African campaign until their destruction at the 2nd Battle of El Alamein. In 1948, the Ariete Division was reconstituted at Forte Pietralata in Rome and transferred to Pordenone in the Friuli region in Northern Italy to prevent any invasion by armoured divisions of the Warsaw pact's armies. The M26 were allocated to the 132nd Armoured Division Ariete at the Eastern border with Yugoslavia but never saw combat action.

Media

Skins
Videos
The Shooting Range #128 - Metal Beasts section at 06:50 discusses the M26 "D.C.Ariete".
M26 "D.C.Ariete" - Tank Review [Italian Premium Rank IV] - Napalmratte

See also

Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

External links


U.S. Army Ordnance Department/Corps*
Light tanks  T18E2 · M24 (Designed in collaboration with Cadillac)
M3 Stuart  M3 · M3A1 Stuart · M3A1 (USMC)
M5 Stuart  M5A1
Medium tanks  M3 Lee
M4 Sherman  M4 · M4A1 · M4A2 · M4A3 (105) · Calliope
  M4A1 (76) W · M4A2 (76) W · M4A3 (76) W
M26 Pershing  T20 · T25 · M26 · M26E1 · M26 T99
Patton Series  M46 · M46 "Tiger" · M47
Prototypes  T54E1 · T95E1
Heavy tanks  M103
M4 Jumbo  M4A3E2 · Cobra King · M4A3E2 (76) W
M6 Heavy  M6A1 · M6A2E1 · T1E1
M26 Pershing  T26E1-1 · T26E5
Prototypes  T14
T29  T29 · T30 · T34
T-32  T32 · T32E1
Tank destroyers  M3 GMC · M10 GMC · M56
M8 GMC  M8 HMC · M8A1 GMC
M36 GMC  M36 GMC · M36B2
Prototypes  T28 · T95
SPAAGs 
Production  M19 MGMC · M42
Export/Captured  ␗M8 HMC · SU-57
Stuart  Stuart I · Stuart III · ␗M3A3 Stuart · ␗M3A3 (1st PTG) · ▄M3A3 · ▄M3A3 Stuart · ▃Stuart VI (5th CAD) · ␗M5A1
Lee/Grant  ▂M3 Medium · ▃Grant I · Grant I
M4 Sherman  Sherman II · ▄M4A1 · ␗M4A1 (75) W · ▀M4 748 (a) · ▂M4A2 · ▄M4A3 (105) · ▅M4A3 (76) W · ▄M4A3E2
  ␗M4A4 · ␗M4A4 (1st PTG) · ▄Sherman V · ▄M4A4 · ▄Sherman I Composito
M26 Pershing  M26 "D.C.Ariete" · M26A1
M47 Patton  mKPz M47 G · ▅M47
M10 GMC  ␗M10 GMC · ▄M10 GMC
M36 GMC  ␗M36 GMC · M36B1 · ▅M36 · ▄M36B2
M19 MGMC  ▅M19A1
M42 MGMC  ▅M42 · ␗M42
  *The Ordnance Department was renamed to the Ordnance Corps after the Army Reorganization Act of 1950.

Italy medium tanks
  Italy
M13/40  M13/40 (I) · M13/40 (II) · M13/40 (III)
M14/41  M14/41 · M14/41 (47/40)
M15/42  M15/42
M16/43  Celere Sahariano
P26/40  P40 · P40 "G.C. Leoncello"
OF-40  OF-40 · OF-40 Mk.2A · OF-40 (MTCA)
Ariete  Ariete (P) · Ariete · Ariete PSO · Ariete AMV
Germany  ▄Pz.III N · ▄Pz.IV G · ▄Leopard 1A5
Allied powers  ▄Sherman I Composito · Sherman Ic · ▄Sherman Vc · ▄Sherman V · M26 "D.C.Ariete" · M26A1 · M47 (105/55) · M60A1 "D.C.Ariete"
  Hungary
Turán  Turan I · Turan II · Turan III
Germany  ◔Leopard 2A4 · Leopard 2A7HU
USSR  ◔T-72M1

Italy premium ground vehicles
Light tanks  L6/40 (31 Rgt.) · Toldi IIA · AUBL/74 HVG · VRCC · Centauro RGO
Medium tanks  M13/40 (II) · Turan II · M14/41 (47/40) · Celere Sahariano · P40 "G.C. Leoncello" · ▄Sherman I Composito · ▄Pz.IV G
  M26 "D.C.Ariete" · M60A1 "D.C.Ariete" · OF-40 (MTCA)
Heavy tanks  Tigris
Tank destroyers  Breda 90/53 · M43 "G.C.Leoncello" · Zrinyi I

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