Difference between revisions of "T25"

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{{Specs-Card
 
{{Specs-Card
 
|code=us_t25
 
|code=us_t25
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
+
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
== 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}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.53 "Firestorm"]]. The T25 is, for all intents and purposes, a prototype [[M26 (Family)|M26 Pershing]] with nearly the same design, turret, and gun.
+
As the US Ordnance Department developed the [[T20|T23 medium tank]] and received approval in May 1943 to produce 250 tanks, 50 were requested to be upgunned with the new [[M3 (90 mm)|90 mm T7 gun]], with the 90 mm-equipped T23 being designated '''"T25"'''. Concepts were developed by converting two T23 tanks into the T25 standard and these tanks were delivered for testing on 21 January 1944. Tested alongside a version with a torqmatic transmission, the T25E1, as well as an uparmoured version, the T26(E1), the T25 was determined not suitable due to the complicated electric transmission that also made the tank too heavy. The T25E1 and T26E1 with the torqmatic transmission were selected for further production and evaluation. By the summer of 1944, the T25 and T25E1 were cancelled as combat experience in Europe had shifted interest to the more heavily armoured T26E1, which would be further developed into the T26E3 and then standardized as the [[M26]].
 +
 
 +
Introduced [[Update 1.53 "Firestorm"]], the '''{{Specs|name}}''' is akin to a smaller M26, featuring the same armament and engine in a smaller package. Despite its smaller profile, reduced armour, and lighter weight, the T25's mobility is about the same as the M26. As such, gameplay between the T25 and M26 is very similar, if only that the T25 is less likely to block incoming enemy shells compared to the M26. The 90 mm gun may not be able to easily deal with the heaviest armoured enemies that the T25 can meet but using its small size and manoeuvrability to get around the enemy, any tank that gets penetrated by the 90 mm M82 APCBC round will very likely be instantly destroyed by the post-penetration impact.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
Line 69: Line 71:
  
 
==== Ammunition ====
 
==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+
{{:M3 (90 mm)/Ammunition|M77 shot, M82 shot (T25), M304 shot, M71 shell}}
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
 
|-
 
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
 
|-
 
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 
|-
 
| M77 shot || AP || 162 || 160 || 148 || 135 || 123 || 113
 
|-
 
| M82 shot || APCBC || 173 || 170 || 159 || 145 || 133 || 121
 
|-
 
| M304 shot || APCR || 287 || 281 || 259 || 234 || 211 || 191
 
|-
 
| M71 shell || HE || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13
 
|-
 
|}
 
{| 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%
 
|-
 
| M77 shot || AP || 822 || 10.61 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
 
|-
 
| M82 shot || APCBC || 813 || 10.94 || 1.2 || 14 || 137.2 || 48° || 63° || 71°
 
|-
 
| M304 shot || APCR || 1,021 || 7.62 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
 
|-
 
| M71 shell || HE || 823 || 10.55 || 0 || 0.1 || 925 || 79° || 80° || 81°
 
|-
 
|}
 
  
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
Line 145: Line 107:
 
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 
|-
 
|-
| Pintle || 500 (200) || 576 || -10°/+60° || ±180°
+
| Pintle || 600 (200) || 577 || -10°/+60° || ±180°
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 162: Line 124:
 
The T25 is a medium tank, but the mobility can give the impression that it is a quick heavy tank when driving it. Its top speed is on par with the [[Comet I|Comet]], but it accelerates slower. The T25 is respectably mobile and is one of the first American tanks to have neutral steering, which allows for excellent and light low-speed handling and useful in tight urban maps. The T25's saving grace is its 90 mm cannon, on par to the Tiger's [[KwK 36 (88 mm)|88 mm KwK 36 gun]].
 
The T25 is a medium tank, but the mobility can give the impression that it is a quick heavy tank when driving it. Its top speed is on par with the [[Comet I|Comet]], but it accelerates slower. The T25 is respectably mobile and is one of the first American tanks to have neutral steering, which allows for excellent and light low-speed handling and useful in tight urban maps. The T25's saving grace is its 90 mm cannon, on par to the Tiger's [[KwK 36 (88 mm)|88 mm KwK 36 gun]].
  
When using this tank, use it as what it is - a medium tank. It has many of the very desirable qualities for a medium tank - containing elements of a tank destroyer, a medium tank, and a heavy tank into one powerful package. Its hull armour is poor, even with it sloped in the front and can be penetrated by virtually any common APHE round within its battle rating bracket. This can be helped by slight angling. Its gun mantlet can stop rounds at times, but should not by any means be relied on. In spite of its weight, its wide tracks combined with neutral steering gives it superior tactical mobility off-road to tanks such as the Sherman and M36, but can be outrun by most of its counterparts - including the better armoured and extremely common Panther and T-44. This off-road manoeuvrability and -10 degrees of gun depression must be exploited to the maximum to accomplish small flanks, reach sneaky locations, and thus ambush enemies from the side. Side shots will be the T25 player's bread and butter; at this BR the M82 shell will require significant skill aiming at weak spots, and is wholly unable to penetrate some common opponents from the front such as the Tiger II. Thankfully, the M82 has a good post-penetration damage. In the event that a more heavily armoured target, the APCR shot is recommended, although it can be unreliable against sloped armour and inflicts little post-penetration damage. The T25's mobility and protection are inferior to its counterparts and its firepower is only comparable. In the hands of a patient player, it can still wreak havoc upon an enemy team. The T25 gives a glimpse of American medium tank gameplay of the M26 Pershing family.
+
When using this tank, use it as what it is - a medium tank. Its hull armour is poor, even with it sloped in the front and can be penetrated by virtually any common APHE round within its battle rating bracket. This can be helped by slight angling. Its gun mantlet can stop rounds at times, but should not by any means be relied on. In spite of its weight, its wide tracks combined with neutral steering gives it superior tactical mobility off-road to tanks such as the Sherman and M36, but can be outrun by most of its counterparts - including the better armoured and extremely common Panther and T-44. This off-road manoeuvrability and -10 degrees of gun depression must be exploited to the maximum to accomplish small flanks, reach sneaky locations, and thus ambush enemies from the side. Side shots will be the T25 player's bread and butter; at this BR the M82 shell will require significant skill aiming at weak spots, and is wholly unable to penetrate some common opponents from the front such as the Tiger II. Thankfully, the M82 has a good post-penetration damage. In the event that a more heavily armoured target, the APCR shot is recommended, although it can be unreliable against sloped armour and inflicts little post-penetration damage. The T25's mobility and protection are inferior to its counterparts and its firepower is only comparable. In the hands of a patient player, it can still wreak havoc upon an enemy team. The T25 gives a glimpse of American medium tank gameplay of the M26 Pershing family.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
Line 169: Line 131:
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
* Powerful 90 mm gun, same gun mounted on the M26 and the M36 GMC
+
* Low profile, smaller than the [[M4A3 (76) W |M4 Sherman]] tanks
* Mounts a .50 cal machine gun on top for anti-aircraft defence
 
* Unlike other vehicles equipped with a 90 mm M3, it has no first-stage ammo rack and therefore no reload time penalty.
 
* Lower profile than the [[M4A3 (76) W |M4 Sherman]] tanks
 
* Much more manoeuvrable and faster than the M26 Pershing
 
* Can immediately research the M82 shell upon purchase
 
 
* Has neutral steering
 
* Has neutral steering
* Similar play style to that of the M26 Pershing
+
* Powerful 90 mm gun
* .50 cal AA machine gun that can rotate a full 360 degree
+
* Top-mounted .50 cal machine gun is useful against aircraft and open-topped or lightly-armoured vehicles
 +
* M82 shell has enough explosive filler to cripple or outright knock out most opponents with a single shot
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
* 90 mm cannon is notorious for having a longer reload time than its competitors
+
* 90 mm cannon has a long reload time
* Armour is woefully inadequate at its rank
+
* Armour is inadequate at its rank
* Slow, can't keep up with T-34s, T-44s, and Panthers
+
* Below average speed and acceleration
* Stock shell is bad
+
* Stock shell is inadequate, having low penetration and mediocre spalling
 +
* First-stage ammo rack only has 2 shells with reload time penalty after being depleted
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
Line 205: Line 164:
 
The T26 and T26E1 models, now the main focus of the Ordnance Dept. and Armored Board, had the defects found from field testing fixed by late 1944. This polished variant was designated the T26E3. This tank, with an order of 250 already made since January of 1944, went on into production  that November, with 40 tanks delivered by the end of the year. The T26E3, in a bid for further testing, was sent to Europe for combat evaluation on the field against German armour. The T26E3 would provide sterling service against German heavy tanks like the [[Panther G|Panther]] and [[Tiger E|Tiger I]]. The T26E3 tank was then finally accepted and standardized on March 1945 in Army Ground Forces as the [[M26 (Family)|M26 Pershing]].<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />
 
The T26 and T26E1 models, now the main focus of the Ordnance Dept. and Armored Board, had the defects found from field testing fixed by late 1944. This polished variant was designated the T26E3. This tank, with an order of 250 already made since January of 1944, went on into production  that November, with 40 tanks delivered by the end of the year. The T26E3, in a bid for further testing, was sent to Europe for combat evaluation on the field against German armour. The T26E3 would provide sterling service against German heavy tanks like the [[Panther G|Panther]] and [[Tiger E|Tiger I]]. The T26E3 tank was then finally accepted and standardized on March 1945 in Army Ground Forces as the [[M26 (Family)|M26 Pershing]].<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />
  
=== In-game description ===
+
{{break}}
 +
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
 +
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
 
An experimental medium tank built at the Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant in January, 1944. Only two of them were ever built. They were never used in combat. One of the precursors to the M26 medium tank, armed with a 90 mm gun and comparable armour.
 
An experimental medium tank built at the Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant in January, 1944. Only two of them were ever built. They were never used in combat. One of the precursors to the M26 medium tank, armed with a 90 mm gun and comparable armour.
 +
{{Navigation-End}}
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
Line 216: Line 178:
  
 
;Videos
 
;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|yHuUGzezChI|'''Best after-party picks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:08 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|tcZDGE16F8s|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}
+
{{Youtube-gallery|yHuUGzezChI|'''Best after-party picks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:08 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
Line 237: Line 199:
 
<references />
 
<references />
  
 +
{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Department}}
 
{{USA medium tanks}}
 
{{USA medium tanks}}

Latest revision as of 09:54, 6 July 2024

Rank VII | Premium | Golden Eagles
Challenger DS Pack
T25
us_t25.png
GarageImage T25.jpg
ArtImage T25.png
T25
AB RB SB
6.3 6.3 6.3
Class:
Research:27 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:185 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

As the US Ordnance Department developed the T23 medium tank and received approval in May 1943 to produce 250 tanks, 50 were requested to be upgunned with the new 90 mm T7 gun, with the 90 mm-equipped T23 being designated "T25". Concepts were developed by converting two T23 tanks into the T25 standard and these tanks were delivered for testing on 21 January 1944. Tested alongside a version with a torqmatic transmission, the T25E1, as well as an uparmoured version, the T26(E1), the T25 was determined not suitable due to the complicated electric transmission that also made the tank too heavy. The T25E1 and T26E1 with the torqmatic transmission were selected for further production and evaluation. By the summer of 1944, the T25 and T25E1 were cancelled as combat experience in Europe had shifted interest to the more heavily armoured T26E1, which would be further developed into the T26E3 and then standardized as the M26.

Introduced Update 1.53 "Firestorm", the Medium Tank T25 is akin to a smaller M26, featuring the same armament and engine in a smaller package. Despite its smaller profile, reduced armour, and lighter weight, the T25's mobility is about the same as the M26. As such, gameplay between the T25 and M26 is very similar, if only that the T25 is less likely to block incoming enemy shells compared to the M26. The 90 mm gun may not be able to easily deal with the heaviest armoured enemies that the T25 can meet but using its small size and manoeuvrability to get around the enemy, any tank that gets penetrated by the 90 mm M82 APCBC round will very likely be instantly destroyed by the post-penetration impact.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull76 / 51 / 38
Turret76 / 63 / 63
Crew5 people
Visibility103 %

Armour type:

  • Cast homogeneous armour (front glacis, turret)
  • Rolled homogeneous armour (hull side, rear and roof, turret roof, cupola roof)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 76.2 mm (47°) Front Glacis
63.5 mm (56°) Lower Glacis
50.8 mm Front half
38.1 mm Rear half
38.1 mm (7-22°) 19.05 mm
Turret 76.2 mm (1-80°) Turret front
88.9 mm (7-80°) Gun mantlet
63.5 mm (0-31°) 63.5 mm (1-3°) 25.4 mm
Cupola 76.2 mm (spherical) 76.2 mm Outer ring
25.4 mm Centre

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels, bogies, and tracks are 20 mm thick.
  • Machine gun port on hull is a weak spot due to flat armour.
  • An internal plate (19.05 mm) separates the crew compartment from the engine compartment.
  • The turret ring is protected by an additional 35 mm lip (21°).

Mobility

Reverse gearbox
Forward and backward movement is possible at the same maximum speed
Speedforward / back
AB56 / 56 km/h
RB and SB51 / 51 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
5 back
Weight38.2 t
Engine power
AB954 hp
RB and SB500 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB25.0 hp/t
RB and SB13.1 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 56 56 38.2 775 954 20.29 24.97
Realistic 51 51 442 500 11.57 13.09

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB2 787 → 3 586 Sl icon.png
RB3 328 → 4 283 Sl icon.png
SB4 279 → 5 507 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications47 100 Rp icon.png
85 800 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost1 500 Ge icon.png
Crew training52 000 Sl icon.png
Experts185 000 Sl icon.png
Aces710 Ge icon.png
Research Aces480 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
110 / 160 / 190 % Sl icon.png
166 / 166 / 166 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
2 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 400 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
2 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 800 Sl icon.png
120 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
2 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 800 Sl icon.png
120 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
3 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 100 Sl icon.png
220 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
5 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 300 Sl icon.png
290 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
5 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 300 Sl icon.png
290 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
2 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 400 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
2 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 800 Sl icon.png
120 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement us.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
3 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 100 Sl icon.png
220 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
2 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 400 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
90mm_us_M82_APCBC_ammo_pack
Research:
2 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
4 400 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
2 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 800 Sl icon.png
120 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
90mm_us_M304_APCR_ammo_pack
Research:
2 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 800 Sl icon.png
120 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
3 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 100 Sl icon.png
220 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
5 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 300 Sl icon.png
290 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

Ammunition50 rounds
First-order2 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 50 -10°/+20° ±180° N/A 22.85 31.62 38.40 42.47 45.18 9.75 8.63 7.95 7.50
Realistic 14.28 16.80 20.40 22.56 24.00

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
M77 shot AP 162 160 148 135 123 113
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%
M77 shot AP 822 10.61 - - - 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°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the T25
Full
ammo
1st
rack empty
2nd
rack empty
3rd
rack empty
4th
rack empty
5th
rack empty
6th
rack empty
7th
rack empty
Visual
discrepancy
50 49 (+1) 41 (+9) 33 (+17) 25 (+25) 17 (+33) (+41) (+49) No

Note:

  • Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.

Machine guns

Ammunition600 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate575 shots/min
Vertical guidance-10° / 60°
Ammunition4 500 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate500 shots/min
12.7 mm M2HB
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 600 (200) 577 -10°/+60° ±180°
7.62 mm M1919A4
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 4,500 (250) 500 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

The T25 is a medium tank, but the mobility can give the impression that it is a quick heavy tank when driving it. Its top speed is on par with the Comet, but it accelerates slower. The T25 is respectably mobile and is one of the first American tanks to have neutral steering, which allows for excellent and light low-speed handling and useful in tight urban maps. The T25's saving grace is its 90 mm cannon, on par to the Tiger's 88 mm KwK 36 gun.

When using this tank, use it as what it is - a medium tank. Its hull armour is poor, even with it sloped in the front and can be penetrated by virtually any common APHE round within its battle rating bracket. This can be helped by slight angling. Its gun mantlet can stop rounds at times, but should not by any means be relied on. In spite of its weight, its wide tracks combined with neutral steering gives it superior tactical mobility off-road to tanks such as the Sherman and M36, but can be outrun by most of its counterparts - including the better armoured and extremely common Panther and T-44. This off-road manoeuvrability and -10 degrees of gun depression must be exploited to the maximum to accomplish small flanks, reach sneaky locations, and thus ambush enemies from the side. Side shots will be the T25 player's bread and butter; at this BR the M82 shell will require significant skill aiming at weak spots, and is wholly unable to penetrate some common opponents from the front such as the Tiger II. Thankfully, the M82 has a good post-penetration damage. In the event that a more heavily armoured target, the APCR shot is recommended, although it can be unreliable against sloped armour and inflicts little post-penetration damage. The T25's mobility and protection are inferior to its counterparts and its firepower is only comparable. In the hands of a patient player, it can still wreak havoc upon an enemy team. The T25 gives a glimpse of American medium tank gameplay of the M26 Pershing family.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Low profile, smaller than the M4 Sherman tanks
  • Has neutral steering
  • Powerful 90 mm gun
  • Top-mounted .50 cal machine gun is useful against aircraft and open-topped or lightly-armoured vehicles
  • M82 shell has enough explosive filler to cripple or outright knock out most opponents with a single shot

Cons:

  • 90 mm cannon has a long reload time
  • Armour is inadequate at its rank
  • Below average speed and acceleration
  • Stock shell is inadequate, having low penetration and mediocre spalling
  • First-stage ammo rack only has 2 shells with reload time penalty after being depleted

History

T20 series

After the M4 Sherman was adopted as the United States military's standard tank, work began on a new tank design to be the successor of the M4 Sherman. U.S. Ordnance Department got to work in spring of 1942, which would lead up to the T20 tank designs. The T20, along with its variants like the T22 and T23, were all marginal improvements over the M4 Sherman with a more powerful 76 mm M1 gun, a rear transmission design, and having a much lower profile. While the Ordnance Dept. tinkered around with these designs with various components, the Armored Board rejected the few designs offered to them for being maintenance extensive, as well as not seeing a need to replace their abundant and well-suited M4 Shermans on the field. While the tanks were rejected, they did provide some technical upgrades to the current Sherman designs. An example of this is the horizontal-volute suspension system (HVSS)that eventually became the suspension of the "E8" Shermans such as the M4A3E8.[1] Another example is the T23 turret, which would become the main turret on Shermans mounting the 76 mm cannon on the "E6" program.

Though the Armored Board rejected the tanks for immediate combat use, the Ordnance Dept. continued their development. The T20s were not completely disregarded, as one of the models, the T23, was seen as promising enough that an initial order of 250 tanks was placed in May 1943. As tests continued, the order was modified. 50 of the tanks were to be adapted to use a 90 mm gun as its main armament. Forty of them were to be simple T23 upgrades with the new turret, but ten were to also have additional armour on the hull. These two 90 mm tanks asked are designated the T25 and T26 respectively.[1]

Development of the T25

The first T25 was made by adding a 90 mm gun turret onto the T23. This converted T23 first arrived at Aberdeen Proving Ground on 21 January 1944, and a second one arrived at Fort Knox on 29 April. Both models had a horizontal-volute suspension system with 23-inch tracks. This original T25 was roughly 3 tons heavier than the T23 and carried the 90 mm gun T7, the prototype of the 90 mm M3. Other changes from the T23 consists of a narrower and longer driver hatch to adapt to the gun mantlet of the new turret, as well as smaller changes in the interior for increased ammo storage. The transmission was still that of the T23 with the electric transmission with a Ford GAN engine.[1]

Another variant of the T25 was developed by the Ordnance Dept when they discovered that the electric drive on the T25 and T26 added too much weight to the overall design. This variation changed the transmission on the two tanks to a Torqmatic transmission design, essentially an improved T20's transmission design, as well as torsion bar suspension. These variants were designated with an "E1" name to T25E1 and T26E1. It was decided that the "E1" tanks were to be the standard production model with them to go along with the orders. Production and deliveries of the T25E1 and T26E1 were carried out between February to May 1944. The T25E1 and T26E1 participated in a series of tests at Aberdeen Proving Grounds and Fort Knox to determine their combat suitability and design flaws. Testing for the E1 tanks lasted from their arrival in February to summer of 1944.[1]

Rejection and fate

By summer of 1944, Operation Overlord commenced and battle reports coming in from the troops are taken in for any suggestions on future tank development. The troops in Normandy were running into anti-tank defences able to destroy their M4 Shermans with ease, and now they called for a tank with more powerful armament and increased armour. This new perspective caused an unfortunate setback for the T25 in comparison to its up-armoured brother T26. As such, priority on the T25 declined as priority work went into the T26 and into fixing its faults. Only 42 tanks, 2 T25 and 40 T25E1s, were produced between January and May of 1944.[1]

The T25 and T25E1 tanks continued on in the Armored Board and Ordnance Dept. as test pieces for other projects. The T25 in Armored Board stayed in testing until the 28th of September, 1944, before their focus also switched to the T26 series. The Ordnance Dept. converted a T25E1 tank into a T26E3 variant to test for various modifications that would go onto the redesigning of the T26E1 into the T26E3. The T25E1 was also tested with various of guns like a 90 mm gun T14. There was also a proposal to mount a 105 mm T5E1 gun, but this never passed the concept drawing stages.[1]

The T26 and T26E1 models, now the main focus of the Ordnance Dept. and Armored Board, had the defects found from field testing fixed by late 1944. This polished variant was designated the T26E3. This tank, with an order of 250 already made since January of 1944, went on into production that November, with 40 tanks delivered by the end of the year. The T26E3, in a bid for further testing, was sent to Europe for combat evaluation on the field against German armour. The T26E3 would provide sterling service against German heavy tanks like the Panther and Tiger I. The T26E3 tank was then finally accepted and standardized on March 1945 in Army Ground Forces as the M26 Pershing.[1]


Archive of the in-game description

An experimental medium tank built at the Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant in January, 1944. Only two of them were ever built. They were never used in combat. One of the precursors to the M26 medium tank, armed with a 90 mm gun and comparable armour.


Media

Skins
Videos

See also

Related development

External links

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Hunnicutt, R.P. Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series U.S.A.: Feist Publications, 1971


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.

USA medium tanks
M2  M2
M3  M3 Lee · ▃Grant I
M4  M4 · Calliope · M4A1 · M4A1 (76) W · M4A2 · M4A2 (76) W · M4A3 (105) · M4A3 (76) W · M4/T26
M26 Pershing  T20 · T25 · M26 · M26 T99 · M26E1
M46/47/48 Patton  M46 · M46 "Tiger" · M47 · M48A1 · T54E1 · T54E2
M60  M60 · M60A1 (AOS) · M60A1 RISE (P) · M60A2 · M60A3 TTS · M728 CEV · 120S
MBT-70  MBT-70 · XM803
M1 Abrams  XM1 (Chrysler) · XM1 (GM)
  M1 Abrams · M1 KVT · IPM1
  M1A1 · M1A1 HC · M1A1 Click-Bait
  M1A2 Abrams · M1A2 SEP · M1A2 SEP V2
Other  T95E1
Australia  M1A1 AIM
Canada  M4A5
Israel  ▃Magach 3 (ERA) · ▃Merkava Mk.1 · ▃Merkava Mk.2B · ▃Merkava Mk.3D
Turkey  M60 AMBT