Difference between revisions of "M41D"

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== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
−
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Winged Lions"]].
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (Chinese: M41D輕型戰車) is the overhaul upgrade of the ROCA's fleet of M41A1/A2 Walker Bulldogs during the 1990s as an alternative to new imported light tanks. As a long-time user of M41 tanks, the ROCA previously attempted to reverse-engineer the tank under the name Type 65 with M41A3 equivalent designs. After attempts to import light tanks to replace the fleet of Bulldogs failed and the increasing tension of cross-strait relationships, they sought upgrades for the existing fleet of M41s including a domestic gun with the capability to fire APFSDS, FCS upgrades, and a new engine for better logistic maintenance. 50 tanks were upgraded, and peacefully served the ROCA for around 2 decades. A few continue to serve on Kinmen Island, after fatal accidents involving the M41A2.
  
−
Powerful variant of the M41, this Taiwanese upgrade features APFSDS, thermals, a laser rangefinder, and a more powerful engine. The high gun depression, combined with its poor armour, lack of stabilizer, and laser rangefinder, make this tank well-suited for hull-down sniping, and its good reverse speed allows it to quickly retreat if spotted. Compared to its PLA light tank counterpart, the [[PTL-02]], the M41D trades a stabilizer and some firepower for superior reverse mobility, a slightly smaller profile, and gun depression.
+
Introduced in [[Update "Winged Lions"]] as the most modern variant of the M41 in-game, this Taiwanese upgrade features APFSDS, thermals, and a laser rangefinder, but trades for a less powerful (but more economical) engine. The high gun depression and laser rangefinder, combined with its poor armour and lack of stabilizer, make this tank well-suited for hull-down sniping, and its good reverse speed allows it to quickly retreat if spotted. Compared to its PLA light tank counterpart, the [[PTL02]], the M41D trades a stabilizer and some firepower for superior reverse mobility, a slightly smaller profile, and increased gun depression.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
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{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
 
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
 
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
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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.''
+
Although the M41D underwent an overhaul from the original Walker Bulldog, protection wasn't part of the upgrade. The M41D retains the very same protection like any other member of the M41 family of tanks, other than the addition of side skirts. The protection all-round is not enough to protect the tank from any shells found at the rank, autocannons are also a deadly foe for the M41D as they can penetrate it with ease. Since it is a light tank in nature, the crew is also cramped into a confined space, any penetration from shells with explosive filler or large-calibre HE shells means a very quick demise for the crew.
  
−
'''Armour type:''' <!-- The types of armour present on the vehicle and their general locations -->
+
'''Armour type:'''
−
<!-- Example: * Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, Side, Rear, Hull roof)
+
 
−
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Transmission area) -->
+
* Rolled homogeneous armour
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
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! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' <br> ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
+
| Hull || 25.4 mm (60°) ''Upper''<br>31.7 mm (45°) ''Lower''
 +
| 25.4 mm ''Front''<br> 19 mm ''Back'' || 12.7 mm (58°) ''Top''<br>19 mm (32 - 37°) ''Bottom''
 +
| 10 - 19 mm
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' <br> ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
+
| Turret || 25.4 mm ''Turret front'' <br>31.7 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm || 19 mm
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
+
| Cupola || 31.7 mm || 31.7 mm || 31.7 mm || 5 mm
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
'''Notes:''' <!-- Any additional notes which the user needs to be aware of -->
+
'''Notes:'''
−
<!-- Example: * Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, tracks are 30 mm thick, and torsion bars are 60 mm thick. -->
+
 
 +
* Tracks and suspension wheels are 15 mm thick
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
 
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
−
''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''
+
For upgrades in terms of mobility, most vehicles would go for higher power output from the engine or replacing the transmission system.
 +
 
 +
The upgrade for M41D did neither. ROCA decided to downgrade the original 500 hp Continental AOS 895-3 petrol engine to a Detroit Diesel 8V-71T engine for better fuel economy and torque. The statistic that matters the most is the engine output, and after downgrading the engine, the M41D can barely reach 50 km/h on road, let alone reached the claimed 72 km/h top speed. Handling is still identical, oddly, to the original M41.
  
−
{{tankMobility}}
+
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=697|rbMinHp=398|rbReverseSpeed=18.2|abReverseSpeed=20.2|rbMaxHp=450}}
  
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
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{{main|M32K1 (76 mm)}}
 
{{main|M32K1 (76 mm)}}
  
−
''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''
+
The M32K1 cannon on M41D, to a certain extent, is the very first tank cannon made in Republic of China. Based on the original M32 76 mm gun found on other M41s, it can fire HEATFS, HE, APFSDS and smoke shells. It comes with a 2nd generation Texas Instruments TVD and a laser rangefinder which boosts the tank's search-and-destroy capabilities, though it has no stabilizer of any form, so firing accurately on the move is virtually impossible.
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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|-
 
|-
 
! ''Arcade''
 
! ''Arcade''
−
| rowspan="2" | 65 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
+
| rowspan="2" | 65 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.79 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
 
|-
 
|-
 
! ''Realistic''
 
! ''Realistic''
−
| __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
+
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
==== Ammunition ====
 
==== Ammunition ====
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+
The stock shell is M496 HEATFS, which is the top shell for the German M41 and US T92; at its tier, it can handle medium tanks it might face, such as M48 Pattons or Soviet T-54/T-62 series. It might still need careful shots when facing any Cold War heavy tanks like T-10M; some other heavies can be penetrated up front, but the damage might be minimal.
−
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
+
 
−
|-
+
The other stock shell, M352 HE, can be neglected as a means to knock out any tanks at all, it doesn't have enough explosive mass to even trigger overpressure against most targets. It might be sufficient for vehicles with open combat compartment, but anything that is thicker than a sheet of steel or aluminium more than half an inch (12.7 mm) can stop this shell with ease.
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
+
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
+
The M464 APFSDS serving as the M41D's top shell is another story. It is still the go-to ammunition for M41Ds in service, this dart imported from Israel can penetrate 280 mm of armour at point blank range, which does fit ROCA's requirement to penetrate PLAGF's masses of ZTZ59s; and many tanks at the same BR don't even come with any darts; which means M41D can finally handle most tanks it might face at similar BR.
−
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
+
 
−
|-
+
The M361 smoke shell also comes available to M41D, serving as a long-range option to blind enemies or cover your team's movement.
−
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
+
 
−
|-
+
{{:M32K1 (76 mm)/Ammunition|M496 shell, M352 shell, M361, M464}}
−
| M496 shell || HEATFS || 254 || 254 || 254 || 254 || 254 || 254
 
−
|-
 
−
| M352 shell || HE || 12 || 12 || 12 || 12 || 12 || 12
 
−
|-
 
−
| M464 || APFSDS || 280 || 276 || 265 || 251 || 236 || 222
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
−
! colspan="10" | Shell details
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(m)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
−
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 
−
|-
 
−
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
−
|-
 
−
| M496 shell || HEATFS || 1082 || 3.2 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 653.69 || 65° || 72° || 77°
 
−
|-
 
−
| M352 shell || HE || 732 || 6.8 || 0 || 0.1 || 867.22 || 79° || 80° || 81°
 
−
|-
 
−
| M464 || APFSDS || 1480 || 1.63 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
−
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
 
−
|-
 
−
! Ammunition
 
−
! 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
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
−
<!-- [[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]] -->
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[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
−
<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
+
<!-- '''Last updated: 2.21.1.71''' -->
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
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! 2nd<br>rack empty
 
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 
! 3rd<br>rack empty
 
! 3rd<br>rack empty
−
! 4th<br>rack empty
 
−
! 5th<br>rack empty
 
−
! 6th<br>rack empty
 
 
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
|-
 
|-
−
| '''65''' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __&nbsp;''(+__)'' || __
+
| '''65''' || 33&nbsp;''(+32)'' || 12&nbsp;''(+53)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+64)'' || No
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 +
'''Notes''':
 +
 +
* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
 +
* Rack 3 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 11 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
 +
* This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 3 - 1 - 2.
 +
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 and 2 into rack 3. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.
 +
* Although having the minimal survivability of a light tank, it is still suggested to bring only 12 rounds as the standby ammo; in case of concerns over missed shots or non-lethal shots on enemies, bring 32 shells at most, which will be located in the lower hull by the center mass.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
 
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
 
<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
−
{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}
+
{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M240 (7.62 mm)}}
  
−
''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''
+
The M41D retains the same M2HB as its anti-air machine gun; all the characteristics for the machine gun itself are identical to any other M2HB as well. It can be good for handling lightly armoured APCs, IFVs or SPAAGs; it is also a good for gunning down early helicopters with very limited protection in this BR range.
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
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! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Pintle
+
| Pintle || 2,200 (200) || 577 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
−
| 2175 (200) || 577 || -10° / 70° || ±60°
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 +
The M240 coaxial machine gun is only good for gunning down exposed crew of vehicles and marking enemies, alternatively as a makeshift rangefinder before the laser rangefinder becomes available.
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
+
! colspan="5" | [[M240 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M240]]
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Coaxial
+
| Coaxial || 5,000 (200) || 941 || N/A || N/A
−
| 4900 (250) || 500 || 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).'' -->
−
''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''
+
 
 +
The M41D may be one of the most challenging light tanks at this tier, perhaps even among other non-stabilized light tanks in-game; however, taking a less aggressive approach can ensure that it can at least contribute to the team by harassing or crippling enemies, helping the team to advance.
 +
 
 +
==== Harassing enemies ====
 +
Players should remember one thing for the M41D in general: it is a light tank and never designed for head-on assaults against masses of enemies. Some inferior features of the M41D also make it a struggle to grind through the basic equipment for survivability, notably the underpowered engine and rather wobbly main cannon; players who are already used to the PLAGF's Type 69 or PTL02 with stabilizers will have to adapt a completely new doctrine. The M41D has neither the armour of the former or the crisp clear TVD of the latter, but it does have the best gun depression of any Chinese gun-equipped vehicle at -10° and a rather fast gun traverse speed for its tier. So for any chance to utilize the M41D, remember to never be the first one on the frontline; it's better off staying behind the lines or taking cover near the frontline for the early grind - taking enemies from the sides is much less risky as the stock M496 HEATFS is nowhere close to reliable due to its lesser penetration and calibre to most HEATFS of the tier. Be sure to aim for their gunnery crews or ammunition; although it has a sufficiently fast reload time (7.7 second stock) for a second chance, if it happens that the shell didn't do lethal damage, the M41D is very unlikely survive the retaliatory shot from enemies. And make sure to hide from any aircraft - you could fight back with the pintle-mounted M2HB, but this is more likely to draw their attention to you and they will make sure you will have a bad day from either their cannons or any other explosive ordnances.
 +
 
 +
Once the thermal sight and laser rangefinder modifications are installed, your life will much be easier as they mean you can finally stay way behind the lines for scouting or harassing enemies thanks to the automatic ballistic solution; only fire once the gun has stabilized since the ballistic solution will still make the gun vibrate. Both the stock M496 and the researchable M464 dart are nowhere near the best shells for quick kills; but careless players or those who showed their sides will be likely to have some trouble finding the flanker. Another note is to pick your targets carefully, "doomsday" heavy tanks and those of the early Cold War will occasionally absorb the damage from the shells, this is especially true for long-range engagements when the shell happens to land on different weld joints on the tank.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
 
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
−
''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:'''
  
−
* Powerful APFSDS can penetrate most common tanks it will face, like the [[Leopard 1 (Family)|Leopard 1]], [[T-55A|T-55]], or [[M60 (Family)|M60]]
+
* The APFSDS round can penetrate most common tanks it will face, like the [[Leopard 1 (Family)|Leopard 1]], [[T-55A|T-55]], or [[M60 (Family)|M60]]
−
* Gunner thermals allows efficient target searching especially at night, as most other counterparts only have NVD
+
* Gunner thermals allows efficient target searching
−
* Laser rangefinder can quickly target distant foes
+
* Laser rangefinder can quickly target distant foes and provide an automatic ballistic solution
−
* -10° gun depression means goof hull-down and hilly terrain performance
+
* -10° gun depression means good hull-down and hilly terrain performance
 
* -18 km/h reverse allows it to retreat from danger quickly
 
* -18 km/h reverse allows it to retreat from danger quickly
 
* Smoke grenades and smoke shells allow it to protect itself or blind enemies
 
* Smoke grenades and smoke shells allow it to protect itself or blind enemies
 +
* Good gunner optics with 3-10x magnification
 +
* Pretty low tier with a scout UAV
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
 
* Cannon is not stabilised, significantly reducing its ability to fire on the move or to shoot first during an encounter against stabilised guns
 
* Cannon is not stabilised, significantly reducing its ability to fire on the move or to shoot first during an encounter against stabilised guns
−
* APFSDS is still not enough to penetrate certain well-protected tanks, e.g. [[M48 Super]], [[T-55AM-1]]
+
* APFSDS is not strong enough to penetrate certain well-protected tanks, e.g. [[M48 Super|Object 279]], [[T-55AM-1]]
 +
* The small calibre of the main gun results in frustratingly little spalling/post penetration damage
 
* Mobility can become rather sluggish on soft surfaces like mud
 
* Mobility can become rather sluggish on soft surfaces like mud
 
* Somewhat tall profile, worsening its concealment
 
* Somewhat tall profile, worsening its concealment
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== 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).'' -->
−
''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).''
+
The ROCA, after their retreat to the island of Taiwan, used various imported tanks from different military aids, mostly US-built tanks such as earlier [[M24 (China)|M24 Chaffee]] and some [[M18 (China)|M18 GMC]]. Since 1958, during the heat of 1st Taiwan Strait Crisis, ROCA purchased 700 [[M41 Walker Bulldog (Family)|M41A1/A2 Walker Bulldogs]] and 300 [[M48A1 (China)|M48A1s]] to strengthen their defences in case the turmoil intensified into all-out warfare; these tanks replaced the older tanks in different armoured units. In 1975 (ROC Year 64，民國64年), ROCA started to reproduce a complete hull of M41, with some efforts made to reproduce the gun as well, the reverse-engineered light tank was first named Type 64 Light Tank (國造64式輕戰車) then renamed Type 65 Light tank (國造65式輕戰車) to avoid confusion with [[M64|the other Type 64 (M64)]]. While the tank didn't go into mass production, it gave ROCA the chance to build a domestic tank and some designs were retained for further use.
 +
 
 +
Later, in the 1980s and 1990s, ROCA decided to opt for a NATO retrofit of their M41s, after a long shot plan to buy the new [[XM8|M8 AGS]] to replace the fleet was scrapped due to budget issues.
 +
 
 +
The idea for M41D started during the 2nd Taiwan Strait Crisis. In view of aggressive PLA exercises aimed to protest against the talks given by the new ROC government, ROCA was in dire need for an overhaul upgrade of the M41 against possible landing operations from PLANMC, along with the insufficient amount of [[CM11]] and [[M60A3 TTS (China)|M60A3 TTS]] on hand.
 +
 
 +
=== The M41"D" upgrade ===
 +
The M41 light tank improvement project mainly focused on night vision/fire control system and the adaptation of the diesel engine. Two corporations participated in the M41 tank improvement project and 2 prototype vehicles were built and tested. The prototype No. 1 was equipped with a Texas Instruments (TI) CVTTS night vision FCS and a 4-stroke VTA-903TR diesel engine produced by Cummins company, No. 2 vehicle is equipped with the 'M41 tank night vision fire control system' of the domestic Kunyi company and a two-stroke 8V-71T diesel engine produced by Napco company (the letter D of M41D stands for diesel engine modification).
 +
 
 +
After the bids for the improvements were determined, the first M41D prototype was composed of the chassis of the No. 2 prototype and the turret of the No. 1. The assembly took about a week and cost about NT$20 million to transform a regular M41 into M41D. Only 50 M41D were modified as the first batch due to insufficient funding, but the budget was expected to increase in the future.
 +
 
 +
The original M32A1 cannon was replaced with a M32K1 gun produced by Joint Logistics Command. The new cannon slightly enlarged the original cylindrical smoke evacuator and moved it backward 44 cm, while the original T-shaped muzzle brake was removed, and a pepper-pot type depressor was installed.
 +
 
 +
Although the calibre of the M32K1 cannon remained 76 mm, it could fire the high-pressure M464 APFSDS due to the self-tightening design of the cannon, and the muzzle velocity of the projectile could reach 1,433 m/s. The new ammunition could penetrate the frontal armour of Type 59 and Type 69 MBTs that the Communist forces equipped at that time. The M41D light tank was planned to be assigned to the armoured cavalry, the main task of which was to perform search, alert, and cover tasks on the battlefield, or to sweep the beach and annihilate the enemy's lightly armed forces during the initial stage of the enemy's landing, instead of engaging the heavy armour face-to-face. So the new main gun of the M41D tank should be sufficient for future missions.
 +
 
 +
The CVTTS (Combat Vehicle Thermal Targeting System) night vision FCS equipped by the M41D light tank could identify the enemy and aim at a target from 1,000 m away at night. In addition, a periscope in front of the driver's seat was modified with Starlight night vision goggles to facilitate night driving. The original mechanical ballistic compensator was converted to a digital ballistic computer; the optical rangefinder was also replaced with a laser rangefinder.
 +
 
 +
M41D employed a two-stroke DDC 8V-71T diesel engine, the maximum net output of which was 450 hp and the maximum net torque was 806 ft/lb. As the new diesel engine was more fuel-efficient than the original gasoline one, while the fuel capacity was increased from the original 530L to 760L, the maximum cruising range was greatly increased from the original 160 km to 450 km. The 8V-71T diesel engine of the M41D can also be found in the M108, M109, M110, and other self-propelled artillery vehicles in the ROCA, which helped to reduce pressure on logistics.
 +
 
 +
The original Allison CD500 gearbox of M41 was replaced, and the improvement in the suspension system lay in the replacement of a new torsion bar produced by Joint Logistics Command. Thus, the general manoeuvrability of the M41D tank was greatly improved compared with the original M41A series.
 +
 
 +
=== M41D in ROCA service ===
 +
The Ministry of National Defence passed a 20 billion NTD budget for emergency upgrades of existing equipment, where 400 M41A1/A2s with better hull condition would undergo the new M41D upgrade program; after more M60A3 TTS were delivered to ROCA, the whole program shrunk to a 1.2 billion NTD budget and only 50 of these Walker Bulldogs were upgraded into M41D. 6 out of the 50 upgraded tanks were retained at military academies, the remaining ones were deployed on Kinmen Island just off the coast of Xiamen, Fujian; the closest Nationalist-controlled area to Mainland China. Later military reforms decided to have them return to the main island and serve in different units. A recent fatal incident at Kinmen raised concerns as to whether the remaining few M41A2s were safe enough for training, let alone fighting the now-modernized PLA with masses of MBTs. Around 20 M41Ds returned to Kinmen and replaced these old tanks, after the decommission ceremony of the remaining M41A in ROCA on 2022/2/25, the remaining M41Ds have to struggle until the new CM34 "Project Leopard (獵豹專案)" and M1A2T could eventually replace them.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
 
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''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
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;Skins
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_m_41d Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
Line 212: Line 211:
 
* ''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.'' -->
−
''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;''
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* [[M41 Walker Bulldog (Family)]]
−
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
 
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==

Latest revision as of 11:47, 30 April 2024

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This page is about the Chinese light tank M41D. For other versions, see M41 Walker Bulldog (Family).
M41D
cn_m_41d.png
GarageImage M41D.jpg
M41D
China flag.png China
VI Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
7.7 8.0 8.0
Class:
Research:135 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:380 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The M41D (Chinese: M41D輕型戰車) is the overhaul upgrade of the ROCA's fleet of M41A1/A2 Walker Bulldogs during the 1990s as an alternative to new imported light tanks. As a long-time user of M41 tanks, the ROCA previously attempted to reverse-engineer the tank under the name Type 65 with M41A3 equivalent designs. After attempts to import light tanks to replace the fleet of Bulldogs failed and the increasing tension of cross-strait relationships, they sought upgrades for the existing fleet of M41s including a domestic gun with the capability to fire APFSDS, FCS upgrades, and a new engine for better logistic maintenance. 50 tanks were upgraded, and peacefully served the ROCA for around 2 decades. A few continue to serve on Kinmen Island, after fatal accidents involving the M41A2.

Introduced in Update "Winged Lions" as the most modern variant of the M41 in-game, this Taiwanese upgrade features APFSDS, thermals, and a laser rangefinder, but trades for a less powerful (but more economical) engine. The high gun depression and laser rangefinder, combined with its poor armour and lack of stabilizer, make this tank well-suited for hull-down sniping, and its good reverse speed allows it to quickly retreat if spotted. Compared to its PLA light tank counterpart, the PTL02, the M41D trades a stabilizer and some firepower for superior reverse mobility, a slightly smaller profile, and increased gun depression.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull31 / 25 / 19
Turret25 / 25 / 25
Crew4 people
Visibility88 %

Although the M41D underwent an overhaul from the original Walker Bulldog, protection wasn't part of the upgrade. The M41D retains the very same protection like any other member of the M41 family of tanks, other than the addition of side skirts. The protection all-round is not enough to protect the tank from any shells found at the rank, autocannons are also a deadly foe for the M41D as they can penetrate it with ease. Since it is a light tank in nature, the crew is also cramped into a confined space, any penetration from shells with explosive filler or large-calibre HE shells means a very quick demise for the crew.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 25.4 mm (60°) Upper
31.7 mm (45°) Lower 		25.4 mm Front
19 mm Back 		12.7 mm (58°) Top
19 mm (32 - 37°) Bottom 		10 - 19 mm
Turret 25.4 mm Turret front
31.7 mm Gun mantlet 		25.4 mm 25.4 mm 19 mm
Cupola 31.7 mm 31.7 mm 31.7 mm 5 mm

Notes:

  • Tracks and suspension wheels are 15 mm thick

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB80 / 21 km/h
RB and SB72 / 19 km/h
Number of gears6 forward
2 back
Weight25.0 t
Engine power
AB954 hp
RB and SB500 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB38.2 hp/t
RB and SB20.0 hp/t

For upgrades in terms of mobility, most vehicles would go for higher power output from the engine or replacing the transmission system.

The upgrade for M41D did neither. ROCA decided to downgrade the original 500 hp Continental AOS 895-3 petrol engine to a Detroit Diesel 8V-71T engine for better fuel economy and torque. The statistic that matters the most is the engine output, and after downgrading the engine, the M41D can barely reach 50 km/h on road, let alone reached the claimed 72 km/h top speed. Handling is still identical, oddly, to the original M41.

Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 80 20.2 25 697 954 27.88 38.16
Realistic 72 18.2 398 450 15.92 18

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB2 919 → 4 886 Sl icon.png
RB3 353 → 5 612 Sl icon.png
SB4 094 → 6 853 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications112 700 Rp icon.png
189 600 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 300 Ge icon.png
Crew training110 000 Sl icon.png
Experts380 000 Sl icon.png
Aces1 400 Ge icon.png
Research Aces830 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
120 / 160 / 200 % Sl icon.png
208 / 208 / 208 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
4 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 200 Sl icon.png
195 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
4 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 200 Sl icon.png
195 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
6 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
290 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
6 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
290 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
1 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
1 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 200 Sl icon.png
195 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement cn.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
6 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
290 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
76mm_us_M361_Smoke_ammo_pack
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
4 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 200 Sl icon.png
195 Ge icon.png
Mods airstrike.png
Airstrike
Research:
4 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 200 Sl icon.png
195 Ge icon.png
Mods scout streak.png
Scout UAV
Research:
4 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 200 Sl icon.png
195 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
76mm_us_M464_APFSDS_ammo_pack
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods thermal sight.png
NVD
Research:
6 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
6 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
290 Ge icon.png
Mods tank laser rangefinder.png
Laser rangefinder
Research:
6 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
290 Ge icon.png
Mods scouting.png
Improved optics
Research:
6 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
290 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Laser rangefinder
Reduces the error and increases the maximum measurable distance of the rangefinder
Night vision device
Improves visibility by enhancing natural light or active illumination.
Thermal imager
Allows to see thermal radiation in the infrared range day and night

Main armament

76 mm M32K1 cannon
Ammunition65 rounds
First-order11 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
7.6 → 5.9 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 20°
Main article: M32K1 (76 mm)

The M32K1 cannon on M41D, to a certain extent, is the very first tank cannon made in Republic of China. Based on the original M32 76 mm gun found on other M41s, it can fire HEATFS, HE, APFSDS and smoke shells. It comes with a 2nd generation Texas Instruments TVD and a laser rangefinder which boosts the tank's search-and-destroy capabilities, though it has no stabilizer of any form, so firing accurately on the move is virtually impossible.

76 mm M32K1 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 65 -10°/+20° ±180° - 22.8 31.6 38.4 42.5 45.2 7.67 6.79 6.25 5.90
Realistic 14.3 16.8 20.4 22.6 24.0

Ammunition

The stock shell is M496 HEATFS, which is the top shell for the German M41 and US T92; at its tier, it can handle medium tanks it might face, such as M48 Pattons or Soviet T-54/T-62 series. It might still need careful shots when facing any Cold War heavy tanks like T-10M; some other heavies can be penetrated up front, but the damage might be minimal.

The other stock shell, M352 HE, can be neglected as a means to knock out any tanks at all, it doesn't have enough explosive mass to even trigger overpressure against most targets. It might be sufficient for vehicles with open combat compartment, but anything that is thicker than a sheet of steel or aluminium more than half an inch (12.7 mm) can stop this shell with ease.

The M464 APFSDS serving as the M41D's top shell is another story. It is still the go-to ammunition for M41Ds in service, this dart imported from Israel can penetrate 280 mm of armour at point blank range, which does fit ROCA's requirement to penetrate PLAGF's masses of ZTZ59s; and many tanks at the same BR don't even come with any darts; which means M41D can finally handle most tanks it might face at similar BR.

The M361 smoke shell also comes available to M41D, serving as a long-range option to blind enemies or cover your team's movement.

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
M496 shell HEATFS 254 254 254 254 254 254
M352 shell HE 15 15 14 12 12 12
M464 APFSDS 280 276 265 251 236 222
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%
M496 shell HEATFS 1,082 3.2 0.05 0.1 653.69 65° 72° 77°
M352 shell HE 732 6.8 0.2 0.1 867.22 79° 80° 81°
M464 APFSDS 1,480 1.63 - - - 78° 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)
M361 713 7.1 13 5 20 50

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the M41D
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
65 33 (+32) 12 (+53) 1 (+64) No

Notes:

  • Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
  • Rack 3 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 11 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
  • This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 3 - 1 - 2.
  • Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 and 2 into rack 3. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.
  • Although having the minimal survivability of a light tank, it is still suggested to bring only 12 rounds as the standby ammo; in case of concerns over missed shots or non-lethal shots on enemies, bring 32 shells at most, which will be located in the lower hull by the center mass.

Machine guns

12.7 mm M2HB machine gun
Ammunition2 200 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate575 shots/min
Vertical guidance-10° / 70°
Horizontal guidance-60° / 60°
7.62 mm M240 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition5 000 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate941 shots/min
Main articles: M2HB (12.7 mm), M240 (7.62 mm)

The M41D retains the same M2HB as its anti-air machine gun; all the characteristics for the machine gun itself are identical to any other M2HB as well. It can be good for handling lightly armoured APCs, IFVs or SPAAGs; it is also a good for gunning down early helicopters with very limited protection in this BR range.

12.7 mm M2HB
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 2,200 (200) 577 -10°/+70° ±60°

The M240 coaxial machine gun is only good for gunning down exposed crew of vehicles and marking enemies, alternatively as a makeshift rangefinder before the laser rangefinder becomes available.

7.62 mm M240
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 5,000 (200) 941 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

The M41D may be one of the most challenging light tanks at this tier, perhaps even among other non-stabilized light tanks in-game; however, taking a less aggressive approach can ensure that it can at least contribute to the team by harassing or crippling enemies, helping the team to advance.

Harassing enemies

Players should remember one thing for the M41D in general: it is a light tank and never designed for head-on assaults against masses of enemies. Some inferior features of the M41D also make it a struggle to grind through the basic equipment for survivability, notably the underpowered engine and rather wobbly main cannon; players who are already used to the PLAGF's Type 69 or PTL02 with stabilizers will have to adapt a completely new doctrine. The M41D has neither the armour of the former or the crisp clear TVD of the latter, but it does have the best gun depression of any Chinese gun-equipped vehicle at -10° and a rather fast gun traverse speed for its tier. So for any chance to utilize the M41D, remember to never be the first one on the frontline; it's better off staying behind the lines or taking cover near the frontline for the early grind - taking enemies from the sides is much less risky as the stock M496 HEATFS is nowhere close to reliable due to its lesser penetration and calibre to most HEATFS of the tier. Be sure to aim for their gunnery crews or ammunition; although it has a sufficiently fast reload time (7.7 second stock) for a second chance, if it happens that the shell didn't do lethal damage, the M41D is very unlikely survive the retaliatory shot from enemies. And make sure to hide from any aircraft - you could fight back with the pintle-mounted M2HB, but this is more likely to draw their attention to you and they will make sure you will have a bad day from either their cannons or any other explosive ordnances.

Once the thermal sight and laser rangefinder modifications are installed, your life will much be easier as they mean you can finally stay way behind the lines for scouting or harassing enemies thanks to the automatic ballistic solution; only fire once the gun has stabilized since the ballistic solution will still make the gun vibrate. Both the stock M496 and the researchable M464 dart are nowhere near the best shells for quick kills; but careless players or those who showed their sides will be likely to have some trouble finding the flanker. Another note is to pick your targets carefully, "doomsday" heavy tanks and those of the early Cold War will occasionally absorb the damage from the shells, this is especially true for long-range engagements when the shell happens to land on different weld joints on the tank.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • The APFSDS round can penetrate most common tanks it will face, like the Leopard 1, T-55, or M60
  • Gunner thermals allows efficient target searching
  • Laser rangefinder can quickly target distant foes and provide an automatic ballistic solution
  • -10° gun depression means good hull-down and hilly terrain performance
  • -18 km/h reverse allows it to retreat from danger quickly
  • Smoke grenades and smoke shells allow it to protect itself or blind enemies
  • Good gunner optics with 3-10x magnification
  • Pretty low tier with a scout UAV

Cons:

  • Cannon is not stabilised, significantly reducing its ability to fire on the move or to shoot first during an encounter against stabilised guns
  • APFSDS is not strong enough to penetrate certain well-protected tanks, e.g. Object 279, T-55AM-1
  • The small calibre of the main gun results in frustratingly little spalling/post penetration damage
  • Mobility can become rather sluggish on soft surfaces like mud
  • Somewhat tall profile, worsening its concealment
  • Poor survivability. Can be easily penetrated by autocannons, or destroyed by cannons and missiles with overpressure

History

The ROCA, after their retreat to the island of Taiwan, used various imported tanks from different military aids, mostly US-built tanks such as earlier M24 Chaffee and some M18 GMC. Since 1958, during the heat of 1st Taiwan Strait Crisis, ROCA purchased 700 M41A1/A2 Walker Bulldogs and 300 M48A1s to strengthen their defences in case the turmoil intensified into all-out warfare; these tanks replaced the older tanks in different armoured units. In 1975 (ROC Year 64，民國64年), ROCA started to reproduce a complete hull of M41, with some efforts made to reproduce the gun as well, the reverse-engineered light tank was first named Type 64 Light Tank (國造64式輕戰車) then renamed Type 65 Light tank (國造65式輕戰車) to avoid confusion with the other Type 64 (M64). While the tank didn't go into mass production, it gave ROCA the chance to build a domestic tank and some designs were retained for further use.

Later, in the 1980s and 1990s, ROCA decided to opt for a NATO retrofit of their M41s, after a long shot plan to buy the new M8 AGS to replace the fleet was scrapped due to budget issues.

The idea for M41D started during the 2nd Taiwan Strait Crisis. In view of aggressive PLA exercises aimed to protest against the talks given by the new ROC government, ROCA was in dire need for an overhaul upgrade of the M41 against possible landing operations from PLANMC, along with the insufficient amount of CM11 and M60A3 TTS on hand.

The M41"D" upgrade

The M41 light tank improvement project mainly focused on night vision/fire control system and the adaptation of the diesel engine. Two corporations participated in the M41 tank improvement project and 2 prototype vehicles were built and tested. The prototype No. 1 was equipped with a Texas Instruments (TI) CVTTS night vision FCS and a 4-stroke VTA-903TR diesel engine produced by Cummins company, No. 2 vehicle is equipped with the 'M41 tank night vision fire control system' of the domestic Kunyi company and a two-stroke 8V-71T diesel engine produced by Napco company (the letter D of M41D stands for diesel engine modification).

After the bids for the improvements were determined, the first M41D prototype was composed of the chassis of the No. 2 prototype and the turret of the No. 1. The assembly took about a week and cost about NT$20 million to transform a regular M41 into M41D. Only 50 M41D were modified as the first batch due to insufficient funding, but the budget was expected to increase in the future.

The original M32A1 cannon was replaced with a M32K1 gun produced by Joint Logistics Command. The new cannon slightly enlarged the original cylindrical smoke evacuator and moved it backward 44 cm, while the original T-shaped muzzle brake was removed, and a pepper-pot type depressor was installed.

Although the calibre of the M32K1 cannon remained 76 mm, it could fire the high-pressure M464 APFSDS due to the self-tightening design of the cannon, and the muzzle velocity of the projectile could reach 1,433 m/s. The new ammunition could penetrate the frontal armour of Type 59 and Type 69 MBTs that the Communist forces equipped at that time. The M41D light tank was planned to be assigned to the armoured cavalry, the main task of which was to perform search, alert, and cover tasks on the battlefield, or to sweep the beach and annihilate the enemy's lightly armed forces during the initial stage of the enemy's landing, instead of engaging the heavy armour face-to-face. So the new main gun of the M41D tank should be sufficient for future missions.

The CVTTS (Combat Vehicle Thermal Targeting System) night vision FCS equipped by the M41D light tank could identify the enemy and aim at a target from 1,000 m away at night. In addition, a periscope in front of the driver's seat was modified with Starlight night vision goggles to facilitate night driving. The original mechanical ballistic compensator was converted to a digital ballistic computer; the optical rangefinder was also replaced with a laser rangefinder.

M41D employed a two-stroke DDC 8V-71T diesel engine, the maximum net output of which was 450 hp and the maximum net torque was 806 ft/lb. As the new diesel engine was more fuel-efficient than the original gasoline one, while the fuel capacity was increased from the original 530L to 760L, the maximum cruising range was greatly increased from the original 160 km to 450 km. The 8V-71T diesel engine of the M41D can also be found in the M108, M109, M110, and other self-propelled artillery vehicles in the ROCA, which helped to reduce pressure on logistics.

The original Allison CD500 gearbox of M41 was replaced, and the improvement in the suspension system lay in the replacement of a new torsion bar produced by Joint Logistics Command. Thus, the general manoeuvrability of the M41D tank was greatly improved compared with the original M41A series.

M41D in ROCA service

The Ministry of National Defence passed a 20 billion NTD budget for emergency upgrades of existing equipment, where 400 M41A1/A2s with better hull condition would undergo the new M41D upgrade program; after more M60A3 TTS were delivered to ROCA, the whole program shrunk to a 1.2 billion NTD budget and only 50 of these Walker Bulldogs were upgraded into M41D. 6 out of the 50 upgraded tanks were retained at military academies, the remaining ones were deployed on Kinmen Island just off the coast of Xiamen, Fujian; the closest Nationalist-controlled area to Mainland China. Later military reforms decided to have them return to the main island and serve in different units. A recent fatal incident at Kinmen raised concerns as to whether the remaining few M41A2s were safe enough for training, let alone fighting the now-modernized PLA with masses of MBTs. Around 20 M41Ds returned to Kinmen and replaced these old tanks, after the decommission ceremony of the remaining M41A in ROCA on 2022/2/25, the remaining M41Ds have to struggle until the new CM34 "Project Leopard (獵豹專案)" and M1A2T could eventually replace them.

Media

Skins

See also

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • other literature.


Ordnance Research Development Center, ROCA (陸軍兵工整備發展中心)
Light tanks  M41D · M64
Medium tanks  CM11
Tank destroyers  CM25

China light tanks
Type 63  Object 211 · Type 63 · ZTS63
Type 62  Type 62
WZ551  ZSL92 · PTL02 · WMA301
ZBL08  ZLT11
Type 86  ZBD86
WZ502  ZBD04A
ROC  M41D · M64
Type 59  QN506
USA  ␗M8 LAC · ␗M3A3 Stuart · ␗M3A3 (1st PTG) · ␗M5A1 · ␗M24 · ␗M18 GMC · ␗M41A3
USSR  ␗T-26 · T-26 No.531 · ␗PT-76

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