Difference between revisions of "T32"

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{{Specs-Card|code=us_t32}}
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{{About
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|about= American heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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|usage= other versions
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|link= T32 Heavy Tank (Family)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=us_t32
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage2_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 +
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
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''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 '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. It can be seen as an extremely buffed up version of a [[M26|M26 Pershing]] with a [[T15E2 (90 mm)|high velocity 90 mm gun]] and extremely tough front turret armour able to exploit hull down positions against its competitors.
 +
 
 +
The T32 is a post-World War II heavy tank with 7.3 Battle Rating, and it's one of the best tanks for a specific battle tactic known as hull-down. Due to its 298 mm thick frontal turret armour, it will mostly deflect any incoming armour-piercing shells at any range, except incoming High-Explosive Anti-Tank Fin-Stabilized (HEATFS), aimed at the turret hole beneath the mantlet. It's crucial to conceal the T32's weak spots, especially the lower plate tips and lower mantlet since both spots can cause catastrophic damage to the T32.
 +
 
 +
Even if a T32 is hull-down, doesn't mean it's invulnerable. If an armour-piercing shot deflects at the lower mantlet and penetrates through top hull armour, It will instantly knock out the tank, since the deflected shot goes right through the main ammo load and blows it off. Also, a very powerful HE shot from guns with over 120 mm calibre can cause severe damage to the T32's armour.
 +
 
 +
It's armed with the [[T15E2 (90 mm)|90 mm T15E2 gun]], and very effective against most enemies appearing in its Battle Rating range, mainly with late-World War II German and Soviet tanks. The stock ammunition T43 Armoured Piercing shell has good penetration but lack of explosive warhead is not enough to knock out most tanks in a single shot. A concentrated shot has to be very well aimed to seriously damage any enemy. Like most of U.S. tanks, the T32 performs better when armed with newly researched shell, the T41 Armour-Piercing Capped Ballistic Cap. Thus, the ammunition upgrades are very advisable to research first. The T41 shell has the roughly equal penetrating power with the T43 shell but contains 140 grams of explosive warhead inside, deadly enough to destroy any kind of tank in a single successful penetrating shot. Other shell includes T44 Armour-Piercing Composite Rigid, with impressively better penetration but unarmed with explosives. Despite having no explosive at all, APCR is good enough to cook off enemy tank's ammo load or take out critical module parts with an accurate shot. There's also T42 High Explosive shell, which is useful for destroying [[:Category:Anti-aircraft vehicles|Self-Propelled Anti-Air vehicles]], but rather ineffective against armoured vehicles.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and 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 helpfull for survival in combat?''
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{{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.'' -->
  
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''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
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[[File:T32 weak spots.png|right|thumb|350px|Green area = easy chance of penetration; yellow area = medium chance of penetration]]
 +
 
 +
The T32 has an impressive 298.4 mm cast homogeneous armour thickness in the gun mantlet and turret cheeks, making it almost impossible to be pierced by traditional full calibre rounds (AP, APC, APCBC), only high velocity, kinetic (APCR, APDS) and chemical rounds (HEAT, HEATFS) can penetrate it. The downside is the bottom of the gun mantlet that is a shot trap. The commander cupola is also well armoured, with 152.4 mm of thickness, it can only be pierced by high-velocity and chemical rounds.
 +
The top frontal hull has a slopped 127 mm armour thickness at 54° and the bottom frontal hull with a slopped 95.5 mm armour at 59°, both effective against full calibre rounds and weak against kinetic and HEAT rounds. Otherwise, its hull machine gun is a critical weak spot and bottom hull has two weak spots next to both left and right tracks, with a variable angle that varies from 30° to 44° all those can be pierced by full calibre rounds.
 +
 
 +
'''Armour type:'''
 +
 
 +
* Cast homogeneous armour (Front glacis, turret, gun mantlet, cupola)
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull sides, rear & roof, turret roof, cupola roof)
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 127 mm (54-70°) ''Front Glacis''<br> 95.25 mm (26-46°) ''Lower Glacis'' || 76.2 mm || 50.8 mm (0-56°) || 38.1 mm
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 298.4 mm (8-21°) ''Turret front'' <br> 298.4 mm (0-80°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 152.4-196 mm (3-42°) || 152.4 mm (0-72°) || 25.4 mm
 +
|-
 +
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 152.4 mm (conical) || 152.4 mm ''Outer ring'' <br> 25.4 mm ''Centre''
 +
|-
 +
|}
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'''Notes:'''
 +
 
 +
* Suspension wheels are 20 mm and tracks are 30 mm thick.
 +
* MG port weak point is 127 mm + 25.4 mm of armour.
  
 
=== 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.'' -->
  
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== Weaponry ==
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp=994|rbMinHp=681}}
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=== Main weaponry ===
 
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''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.''
 
  
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=== Additional weaponry ===
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=== Modifications and economy ===
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''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}}
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 +
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
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=== Main armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
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<!-- ''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|T15E2 (90 mm)}}
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 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
|-
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! colspan="5" | [[T15E2 (90 mm)|90 mm T15E2]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
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|-
 +
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
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! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
|-
 +
! ''Arcade''
 +
| rowspan="2" | 54 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 19.4 || 26.9 || 32.6 || 36.1 || 38.4 || rowspan="2" | 18.85 || rowspan="2" | 16.68 || rowspan="2" | 15.37 || rowspan="2" | 14.50
 +
|-
 +
! ''Realistic''
 +
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==== Ammunition ====
 +
 
 +
* '''T43'''; AP - Stock shell, which means it's free to use, but highly recommended to replace with the T41 APCBC once available.
 +
* '''T41'''; APCBC - This shell is superior to the above shell in very way, able to penetrate ~10-15 mm more armour at all angles and distances as well as an explosive filler to increase post-penetration damage. Post-penetration effects are fantastic, only oversized fighting compartments can survive a successful penetration (e.g. Tortoise, Tiger) if the ammo racks have conveniently been emptied prior. 137 gram of TNT equivalent knocks the Soviet [[D-10T (100 mm)|100 mm D-10T]] out of the park.
 +
* '''T44'''; APCR - Plus ~50 mm penetration on all ranges, looks good on paper, but a further check reveals a great disadvantage. With greater armour angles the penetration quickly drops, bone breaking as angled plates become very common in era IV and V. Additionally, the post-penetration effects are small, so it's best to focus fire on important crewmen and modules to disable the tank momentarily, with direct hits on ammo racks having a good chance (but not guaranteed) to cause an explosion like the T43 AP shot. Best use one might find for this ammo is against tanks with flat armour like the turret cheeks of the [[Maus]] at long range, especially over 1000 m where the T41 APCBC shell will be unable to penetrate in comparison.
 +
* '''T42'''; HE - Penetration power is nothing to boast about, 1 mm more than the [[KwK43 (88 mm)|long 88]] of the [[Tiger II (Family)|King Tigers]], but 2 mm less than of the [[M46|90 mm cannons]] used by Patton's. Damage against common [[:Category:Anti-aircraft vehicles|SPAA]] is satisfactory, but the long reload and good fuse sensitivity make the T41 APCBC shell the better choice. The roof-mounted [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|M2HB Browning]] heavy machine gun is the better weapon of choice against light vehicles.
 +
 
 +
{{:T15E2 (90 mm)/Ammunition|T43 shot, T42 shell, T41, T44 shot}}
 +
 
 +
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
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[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 +
<!-- '''Last updated: 1.101.1.16''' -->
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
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|-
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! Full<br>ammo
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! Ammo<br>part
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! 1st<br>rack empty
 +
! 2nd<br>rack empty
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! 3rd<br>rack empty
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! 4th<br>rack empty
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! Visual<br>discrepancy
 +
|-
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| '''54''' || ''Projectiles'' <br> ''Propellants'' || 50&nbsp;''(+4)'' <br> 28&nbsp;''(+26)'' || 45&nbsp;''(+9)'' <br> 1&nbsp;''(+53)'' || 23&nbsp;''(+31)'' <br> ''N/A'' || 1&nbsp;''(+53)'' <br> ''N/A'' || No
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|-
 +
|}
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'''Notes''':
 +
 
 +
* The {{PAGENAME}} uses two-piece ammunition, composed of projectiles (yellow) and propellant bags (orange). Both have separate racks.
 +
* Packs 23&nbsp;''(+31)'' shells to have the turret and left flank racks empty.
 +
 
 +
The cannon takes two-piece ammunition, which explains why it takes so long for the cannon to load despite its 90 mm calibre. The propellant stowage covers the entire floor of the fighting compartment three times over. The projectiles themselves are kept in four racks, two lining both sides of the hull's fighting compartment, and two smaller ones on the port side of the turret in front of the loader.
  
 
=== 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.''
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{{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)}}
  
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== Usage in the battles ==
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
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''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]]
 +
|-
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! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Pintle || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+35° || ±120°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
{| 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 || 4,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
== 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).'' -->
 +
The playstyle of the T32 is vastly different in each game mode, due to the nature of the gameplay available in Ground Forces:
 +
 
 +
'''Arcade battles'''
 +
 
 +
* Player, ally, and enemy position will be immediately spotted upon detection with their name indicator visible above their vehicle and on the minimap
 +
* Aim assist is present to help accurate aiming at a target
 +
* Player and enemy team tank's nationality are mixed
 +
 
 +
The T32 shouldn't be exposed to the enemy at a prolonged time at close range engagement since the enemies will use aim assist to take out the T32 from either lower plate tips or lower turret. On the other hand, the T32 can also utilize these features against the enemy, albeit with much harder difficulty due to rather sub-par penetration against other tanks in Rank IV to reliably achieve first penetration in arcade tank combat. Exercise caution
 +
 
 +
'''Realistic battles'''
 +
 
 +
* No visible name indicator
 +
* Manual range calculation
 +
* Player and enemy team tank's nationality are not mixed
 +
 
 +
The T32 can safely mobilize itself due to the dissipation of name indicator above the vehicle, especially with its low profile. In Realistic Battle, the T32 can do almost anything on its own, especially with flanking enemies to deliver a striking blow to the enemy formations, since the sub-par penetration of the T41 APCBC is negated by the enemies' side armour weakness (be aware with [[IS-4M]] as it has 160 mm of side armour, expect to use both APCBC and APCR). The T32 excels at flanking than other roles due to characteristics of its gun performance, mobility, and protection.
 +
 
 +
'''Simulator battles'''
 +
 
 +
* No visible name indicator
 +
* Manual range calculation
 +
* Player and enemy team tank's nationality are not mixed
 +
 
 +
The T32 can safely mobilize itself due to the dissipation of name indicator above the vehicle, especially with its low profile. In Simulator Battle, the battle tactic is almost similar to Realistic Mode. T32 can do almost anything on its own, especially with flanking enemies to deliver a striking blow to the enemy formations. Since the sub-par penetration of the T41 APCBC is negated by the enemies' side armour weakness (be aware with [[IS-4M]], as it has 160 mm of side armour, expect to use both APCBC and APCR). The T32 excels at flanking than other roles due to characteristics of its gun performance, mobility, and protection.
 +
 
 +
Other considerations in Simulator mode is the different gun sight placement and 3rd person perspective. The gun sight is tough to control, located on the left side of mantlet. The 3rd person perspective, now in the commander's cupola area, helps the T32 by restricting the enemy's field of vision (although the player is as well) and allow the T32 to move stealthily more easily.
 +
 
 +
=== Combat tactics ===
 +
The T32 can fulfill major roles in battle due to its flexibility at any kind of operation, known as "Jack-of-all-Trades". Its role is not far different than the well-known [[M26|M26 Pershing]]. There are 5 known roles that can be used in battle, which are Assault, Flank, Snipe, Support, and the last but not least, Ambush:
 +
 
 +
;Assault:
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 +
Leading an assault directly into the enemy forces is the most frequently used tactic, especially in urban areas. It's quite capable to abuse the enemy shots with angling, but not entirely, since battle will mostly take place at very close range (about 0 - 100 m). A strike team is needed to carry out an assault since T32 can't cover its side armour and slow reload time alone. In most cases, a T32 will likely to initiate flanking role to the enemy once it comes up-close to increase the chance of incapacitating a vehicle with a single strike in quick succession.
 +
 
 +
;Flank
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 +
Flanking is the most effective role for the T32. Its characteristics and performances are highly orientated for flanking purpose. At given destructive penetrating power of the T41 Shell from close range, the T32 can critically damage, if not outright knocking out everything from the side. Be aware when initiating the operation, since someone might be trying to flank the flanker. Flanking is also a part of the assault role, albeit with a more focused objective on manoeuvring on the enemies' side. At this rate, the enemies will likely to scatter around to evade, so eliminating any available threat is required to continue the tactic. The armour will greatly aid in this tactic, as return fire is commonly a hasty act, yet be wary of the tank's weak spots! On open terrain keep manoeuvring during reload to throw of aim, alternatively on distances above 400 m drive slightly angled forwards and backwards.
 +
 
 +
;Snipe:
 +
 
 +
Sniping is frequently used by the T32 when encountering enemies in a large, open map such as Kursk and Mozdok. The T44 APCR is a good option when the target is too far and very fast since the APCBC travels slower than APCR. Locating target is much harder than engaging at close range, since most of the enemies will also be sniping from afar, especially when sharpshooting against [[:Category:Germany ground vehicles|German tanks]]. Fortunately, almost no T32's frontal weak spot will be a viable target when sniping, since the weak spots are much more protected at longer range. It is suggested, if having to play on wide open terrain found on Tunisia, Kursk and Mozdok, to take full ammo load and 50/50 of APCR and APHE.
 +
 
 +
;Support:
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 +
Supporting the allies to attack the enemies is a backup plan used to increase the allied forces firepower when attacking the enemies, such as providing covering fire for smaller tank such as [[T-44|T-44]] or to increase the combat effort alongside the other heavy tank like [[Tiger II (Family)|Tiger II]].
 +
 
 +
;Ambush
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 +
Ambush is preferable when enemies are unaware of the presence of a concealing T32. It should be commenced at a strategic choke point where the enemies will likely to mobilize their armour from there. Be aware that ambush is only used when the enemies are already identified by allies and heading to the choke point. Otherwise, sitting still and waiting for nothing can burden the team. Keep in mind that 90 mm T15E2 is L/73 length gun (aka very long), so make sure the gun barrel is hidden from the enemy if planning to catch them by surprise.
 +
 
 +
;"Hunker down"-Support:
 +
 
 +
Move up to an distant open spot, visible from the enemy spawn or main route of attack and begin firing machine guns to draw in attention. The idea is caught the enemies attention and with this bind enemy firepower on something they can physically not destroy from the distance. Both the hostile force and the T32 will be pinned down in a stalemate, subtracting from each team's firepower. Therefore keep in mind the enemy's tank value. If it is only an M26, the T32 may be better off in the Support role, but if it is an IS-4 or several other evenly ranked tanks, then pursuing the hunker down tactic is worthwhile to the team's success.
 +
 
 +
;Conclusion:
 +
 
 +
Overall, the T32 is a versatile heavy tank with an impressive performance in the game, but since it's not invincible with a fair amount of potential weaknesses, it requires specific knowledge with this tank to survive. The T32 will lead to the pinnacle of the U.S. heavy tank branch – the [[M103]].
  
 
=== 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:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Excellent 298 mm front turret armour
 +
* Sloped front armour has effective ~200 mm thick
 +
* Accurate high-velocity T15E2 cannon
 +
* Splendid destructive power of the T41 APCBC
 +
* Low profile
 +
* Reasonably agile for a heavy tank
 +
* Versatile tank role: sniper, assault, flanker, support, and ambush
 +
* Very efficient in hull-down fighting
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
 
  
−
== Historical part ==
+
* Long gun easily knocked out and disabled
−
''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.''
+
* "Shot trap" on the lower part of mantlet can blow the main ammo load entirely
 +
* Bow machine gun port and lower glacis armour are vulnerable front weak points
 +
* Weak lower plate tips
 +
* Rather thin side armour of 76 mm, angling could expose the weaker sides
 +
* Lengthy reload time
 +
* A single shot into the centre main hull can cause the ammo to explode violently
 +
* Overall performance of the vehicle is bad when uptiered
 +
 
 +
== 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|T32 Heavy Tank (Family)#History|l1=History of the T32 Heavy Tank family}}
 +
 
 +
'''Development'''
 +
 
 +
Late in the Second World War the US Army began a program to develop a new heavy tank using components of the M26 Pershing. On 8 February 1945, a total of four prototypes were requested. The first two pilot vehicles, designated Heavy Tank T32, were delivered on 15 January 1946 and 19 April 1946 respectively. They were then shipped to Aberdeen Proving Ground for testing. The third and fourth pilots were completed in May and June, but were designated as T32E1s due to having some differences compared to the first two.
 +
 
 +
'''Design'''
 +
 
 +
The T32 had a combat weight of 120,000 pounds and a crew of five: a driver and assistant driver/machine gunner in the hull and the gunner, loader, and commander in the turret. The hull was based on the Pershing's hull but was modified, while the turret was a new design that simply used M26 components.
 +
 
 +
The hull was largely similar to the Pershing's except for its length, engine compartment, and frontal armour. The hull was lengthened and a seventh road wheel was added to each side. The torsion bar suspension remained the same but the 23 inch T80E1 tracks from the M26 were fitted with 5 inch extended end connectors for reduced ground pressure. The engine compartment was changed and a new powerplant was fitted. It consisted of a 770 horsepower Ford GAC engine hooked to an EX-120 cross-drive transmission. This powerplant allowed the T32 to achieve a maximum speed of 22 miles per hour (35.4 kilometers per hour).
 +
 
 +
The frontal armour was increased in thickness to 5 inches (127 mm) at 54 degrees on the upper glacis and 95 mm at 59 degrees on the lower glacis. The side armour stayed at 3 inches (76.2 mm) and the rear armour stayed at 2 inches (50.8 mm). The driver and assistant driver/machine gunner each had an overhead hinged hatch with a wide-view periscope fitted in it. The assistant driver/machine gunner's position also received a .30 cal (7.62 mm) M1919A4 machine gun in a ball mount in the upper glacis.
 +
 
 +
A newly designed turret was fitted that used some components from the Pershing. The armour ranged from 6 inches (152.4 mm) on the rear to 11¾ inches (298.45 mm) on the front. The main armament fitted was a 90 mm high velocity T15E2 gun, using two piece ammunition. Because of the large two piece ammunition the ammunition stowage had to be redesigned from that of the M26. The gun had an elevation arc of +20° to -10°. A .30 cal (7.62 mm) M1919A4 machine gun was fitted coaxial to the main gun and a .50 cal (12.7 mm) M2HB machine gun could be fitted either on the rear of the turret roof or in front of the commander's cupola. The ammunition capacity was 54 90 mm rounds, 550 12.7 mm rounds, and 4,000 7.62 mm rounds. A radio was located in the turret bustle.
 +
 
 +
'''Production and Service'''
 +
 
 +
The T32 never entered production or service and neither did the T32E1, mostly just because it came after the war had already ended. On the bright side, the T32 program was the first to test the EX-120 transmission. The transmission was proven to be finicky and maintenance heavy but it later led to the CD-850 series of transmissions which would later see production on American tanks.<ref>Hunnicutt, R. P. (1988). ''Firepower: A History of the American Heavy Tank''. New York, NY: Presidio.</ref>
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{{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'}}}}
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In 1944-1945 the Ordnance Department initiated the T29 program, which was the high priority construction of several tanks based on the M26. The end result was the next version of the M26 Pershing. The US ground forces needed a new, modified version of the mass-produced M26 outfitted with thicker armour, heavier weaponry, and an enlarged turret.
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On February 8, 1945, the construction of four prototypes was approved, with the official T32 designation conferred in March. The tank hull was made from plates of homogeneous armour, and protecting the front section was prioritized. As a result, the armour there was 70-127 mm thick, while the side armour was made with 51-76 mm armour plates and the rear was protected by only 19-51 mm. The thickness of the lower section's front part was expanded to 38 mm, identical to the hull roof. The hull enjoyed a traditional design, though two prototypes had a cast front hull section and the other two had welded components.
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The turret construction resembled the T29 models, which were larger than the M26 and had a gun mantlet that was expanded to 298 mm. The main weapon was a 90 mm T15E2 cannon with separate tube reloading. The weapon boasted high initial velocity and was good at penetrating armour, outstripping almost every one of its foreign equivalents.
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Regardless of the work put into the project, the tank could not be completed by the end of the war, after which the T32 program lost its priority status. The conclusion had already been drawn by 1946 that there was no need to mass produce the model, given that M29s with similar weaponry already existed. There were also more powerful tanks in the pipeline.
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== Media ==
 
== Media ==
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''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_t32 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
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;Images
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<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
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File:ArtImage T32.png|<small>T32 in [[Advance to the Rhine]]</small>
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</gallery>
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;Videos
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{{Youtube-gallery|PosWOnOGkSo|'''Best experimental vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:19 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}
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== See also ==
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''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
  
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== Read also ==
 
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''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.''
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''ETC.''
 
  
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== Sources ==
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== External links ==
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''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
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* ''other literature.''
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* [[wt:en/news/2881/current/|[Vehicle Profile] T32 Heavy Tank]]
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=== References ===
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<references />
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{{USA heavy tanks}}

Latest revision as of 07:09, 29 December 2023

RANK 5 FRANCE
Somua SM PACK
This page is about the American heavy tank T32. For other versions, see T32 Heavy Tank (Family).
T32
us_t32.png
GarageImage T32.jpg
ArtImage2 T32.png
T32
USA flag.png USA
V Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
7.3 7.3 7.3
Class:
Research:82 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:240 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Heavy Tank T32 is a rank V American heavy tank with a battle rating of 7.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in Update 1.45 "Steel Generals". It can be seen as an extremely buffed up version of a M26 Pershing with a high velocity 90 mm gun and extremely tough front turret armour able to exploit hull down positions against its competitors.

The T32 is a post-World War II heavy tank with 7.3 Battle Rating, and it's one of the best tanks for a specific battle tactic known as hull-down. Due to its 298 mm thick frontal turret armour, it will mostly deflect any incoming armour-piercing shells at any range, except incoming High-Explosive Anti-Tank Fin-Stabilized (HEATFS), aimed at the turret hole beneath the mantlet. It's crucial to conceal the T32's weak spots, especially the lower plate tips and lower mantlet since both spots can cause catastrophic damage to the T32.

Even if a T32 is hull-down, doesn't mean it's invulnerable. If an armour-piercing shot deflects at the lower mantlet and penetrates through top hull armour, It will instantly knock out the tank, since the deflected shot goes right through the main ammo load and blows it off. Also, a very powerful HE shot from guns with over 120 mm calibre can cause severe damage to the T32's armour.

It's armed with the 90 mm T15E2 gun, and very effective against most enemies appearing in its Battle Rating range, mainly with late-World War II German and Soviet tanks. The stock ammunition T43 Armoured Piercing shell has good penetration but lack of explosive warhead is not enough to knock out most tanks in a single shot. A concentrated shot has to be very well aimed to seriously damage any enemy. Like most of U.S. tanks, the T32 performs better when armed with newly researched shell, the T41 Armour-Piercing Capped Ballistic Cap. Thus, the ammunition upgrades are very advisable to research first. The T41 shell has the roughly equal penetrating power with the T43 shell but contains 140 grams of explosive warhead inside, deadly enough to destroy any kind of tank in a single successful penetrating shot. Other shell includes T44 Armour-Piercing Composite Rigid, with impressively better penetration but unarmed with explosives. Despite having no explosive at all, APCR is good enough to cook off enemy tank's ammo load or take out critical module parts with an accurate shot. There's also T42 High Explosive shell, which is useful for destroying Self-Propelled Anti-Air vehicles, but rather ineffective against armoured vehicles.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull127 / 76 / 50
Turret298 / 152 / 152
Crew5 people
Visibility108 %
Green area = easy chance of penetration; yellow area = medium chance of penetration

The T32 has an impressive 298.4 mm cast homogeneous armour thickness in the gun mantlet and turret cheeks, making it almost impossible to be pierced by traditional full calibre rounds (AP, APC, APCBC), only high velocity, kinetic (APCR, APDS) and chemical rounds (HEAT, HEATFS) can penetrate it. The downside is the bottom of the gun mantlet that is a shot trap. The commander cupola is also well armoured, with 152.4 mm of thickness, it can only be pierced by high-velocity and chemical rounds. The top frontal hull has a slopped 127 mm armour thickness at 54° and the bottom frontal hull with a slopped 95.5 mm armour at 59°, both effective against full calibre rounds and weak against kinetic and HEAT rounds. Otherwise, its hull machine gun is a critical weak spot and bottom hull has two weak spots next to both left and right tracks, with a variable angle that varies from 30° to 44° all those can be pierced by full calibre rounds.

Armour type:

  • Cast homogeneous armour (Front glacis, turret, gun mantlet, cupola)
  • Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull sides, rear & roof, turret roof, cupola roof)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 127 mm (54-70°) Front Glacis
95.25 mm (26-46°) Lower Glacis 		76.2 mm 50.8 mm (0-56°) 38.1 mm
Turret 298.4 mm (8-21°) Turret front
298.4 mm (0-80°) Gun mantlet 		152.4-196 mm (3-42°) 152.4 mm (0-72°) 25.4 mm
Cupola 152.4 mm (conical) 152.4 mm Outer ring
25.4 mm Centre

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 20 mm and tracks are 30 mm thick.
  • MG port weak point is 127 mm + 25.4 mm of armour.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB38 / 15 km/h
RB and SB36 / 14 km/h
Number of gears8 forward
2 back
Weight54.0 t
Engine power
AB1 469 hp
RB and SB770 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB27.2 hp/t
RB and SB14.3 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 38 15 54 994 1,469 18.41 27.2
Realistic 36 14 681 770 12.61 14.26

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB5 157 → 6 379 Sl icon.png
RB5 508 → 6 813 Sl icon.png
SB7 873 → 9 738 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications69 700 Rp icon.png
118 800 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost1 900 Ge icon.png
Crew training68 000 Sl icon.png
Experts240 000 Sl icon.png
Aces990 Ge icon.png
Research Aces620 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
140 / 200 / 220 % Sl icon.png
184 / 184 / 184 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
3 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 900 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
4 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 500 Sl icon.png
165 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
4 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 500 Sl icon.png
165 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
4 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 300 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
490 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
490 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
2 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 900 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
2 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 500 Sl icon.png
165 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement us.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
4 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 300 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
3 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 900 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
90mm_us_M82_APCBC_ammo_pack
Research:
3 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 900 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
4 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 500 Sl icon.png
165 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
4 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 300 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
90mm_us_T44_APCR_ammo_pack
Research:
4 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 300 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

90 mm T15E2 cannon
Ammunition54 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
18.8 → 14.5 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 20°
Main article: T15E2 (90 mm)
90 mm T15E2 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 54 -10°/+20° ±180° N/A 19.4 26.9 32.6 36.1 38.4 18.85 16.68 15.37 14.50
Realistic 14.3 16.8 20.4 22.6 24.0

Ammunition

  • T43; AP - Stock shell, which means it's free to use, but highly recommended to replace with the T41 APCBC once available.
  • T41; APCBC - This shell is superior to the above shell in very way, able to penetrate ~10-15 mm more armour at all angles and distances as well as an explosive filler to increase post-penetration damage. Post-penetration effects are fantastic, only oversized fighting compartments can survive a successful penetration (e.g. Tortoise, Tiger) if the ammo racks have conveniently been emptied prior. 137 gram of TNT equivalent knocks the Soviet 100 mm D-10T out of the park.
  • T44; APCR - Plus ~50 mm penetration on all ranges, looks good on paper, but a further check reveals a great disadvantage. With greater armour angles the penetration quickly drops, bone breaking as angled plates become very common in era IV and V. Additionally, the post-penetration effects are small, so it's best to focus fire on important crewmen and modules to disable the tank momentarily, with direct hits on ammo racks having a good chance (but not guaranteed) to cause an explosion like the T43 AP shot. Best use one might find for this ammo is against tanks with flat armour like the turret cheeks of the Maus at long range, especially over 1000 m where the T41 APCBC shell will be unable to penetrate in comparison.
  • T42; HE - Penetration power is nothing to boast about, 1 mm more than the long 88 of the King Tigers, but 2 mm less than of the 90 mm cannons used by Patton's. Damage against common SPAA is satisfactory, but the long reload and good fuse sensitivity make the T41 APCBC shell the better choice. The roof-mounted M2HB Browning heavy machine gun is the better weapon of choice against light vehicles.

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
T43 shot APBC 211 208 193 177 162 148
T42 shell HE 26 25 24 22 20 18
T41 APCBC 224 220 205 187 171 157
T44 shot APCR 336 330 304 274 248 223
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%
T43 shot APBC 975 10.9 - - - 47° 60° 65°
T42 shell HE 975 10.6 0.2 0.1 925 79° 80° 81°
T41 APCBC 975 10.91 1.2 14 137.2 48° 63° 71°
T44 shot APCR 1,143 7.6 - - - 66° 70° 72°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the T32
Full
ammo 		Ammo
part 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
54 Projectiles
Propellants 		50 (+4)
28 (+26) 		45 (+9)
1 (+53) 		23 (+31)
N/A 		1 (+53)
N/A 		No

Notes:

  • The T32 uses two-piece ammunition, composed of projectiles (yellow) and propellant bags (orange). Both have separate racks.
  • Packs 23 (+31) shells to have the turret and left flank racks empty.

The cannon takes two-piece ammunition, which explains why it takes so long for the cannon to load despite its 90 mm calibre. The propellant stowage covers the entire floor of the fighting compartment three times over. The projectiles themselves are kept in four racks, two lining both sides of the hull's fighting compartment, and two smaller ones on the port side of the turret in front of the loader.

Machine guns

12.7 mm M2HB machine gun
Ammunition1 000 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate575 shots/min
Vertical guidance-10° / 35°
Horizontal guidance-120° / 120°
7.62 mm M1919A4 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition4 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 1,000 (200) 577 -10°/+35° ±120°
7.62 mm M1919A4
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 4,000 (250) 500 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

The playstyle of the T32 is vastly different in each game mode, due to the nature of the gameplay available in Ground Forces:

Arcade battles

  • Player, ally, and enemy position will be immediately spotted upon detection with their name indicator visible above their vehicle and on the minimap
  • Aim assist is present to help accurate aiming at a target
  • Player and enemy team tank's nationality are mixed

The T32 shouldn't be exposed to the enemy at a prolonged time at close range engagement since the enemies will use aim assist to take out the T32 from either lower plate tips or lower turret. On the other hand, the T32 can also utilize these features against the enemy, albeit with much harder difficulty due to rather sub-par penetration against other tanks in Rank IV to reliably achieve first penetration in arcade tank combat. Exercise caution

Realistic battles

  • No visible name indicator
  • Manual range calculation
  • Player and enemy team tank's nationality are not mixed

The T32 can safely mobilize itself due to the dissipation of name indicator above the vehicle, especially with its low profile. In Realistic Battle, the T32 can do almost anything on its own, especially with flanking enemies to deliver a striking blow to the enemy formations, since the sub-par penetration of the T41 APCBC is negated by the enemies' side armour weakness (be aware with IS-4M as it has 160 mm of side armour, expect to use both APCBC and APCR). The T32 excels at flanking than other roles due to characteristics of its gun performance, mobility, and protection.

Simulator battles

  • No visible name indicator
  • Manual range calculation
  • Player and enemy team tank's nationality are not mixed

The T32 can safely mobilize itself due to the dissipation of name indicator above the vehicle, especially with its low profile. In Simulator Battle, the battle tactic is almost similar to Realistic Mode. T32 can do almost anything on its own, especially with flanking enemies to deliver a striking blow to the enemy formations. Since the sub-par penetration of the T41 APCBC is negated by the enemies' side armour weakness (be aware with IS-4M, as it has 160 mm of side armour, expect to use both APCBC and APCR). The T32 excels at flanking than other roles due to characteristics of its gun performance, mobility, and protection.

Other considerations in Simulator mode is the different gun sight placement and 3rd person perspective. The gun sight is tough to control, located on the left side of mantlet. The 3rd person perspective, now in the commander's cupola area, helps the T32 by restricting the enemy's field of vision (although the player is as well) and allow the T32 to move stealthily more easily.

Combat tactics

The T32 can fulfill major roles in battle due to its flexibility at any kind of operation, known as "Jack-of-all-Trades". Its role is not far different than the well-known M26 Pershing. There are 5 known roles that can be used in battle, which are Assault, Flank, Snipe, Support, and the last but not least, Ambush:

Assault

Leading an assault directly into the enemy forces is the most frequently used tactic, especially in urban areas. It's quite capable to abuse the enemy shots with angling, but not entirely, since battle will mostly take place at very close range (about 0 - 100 m). A strike team is needed to carry out an assault since T32 can't cover its side armour and slow reload time alone. In most cases, a T32 will likely to initiate flanking role to the enemy once it comes up-close to increase the chance of incapacitating a vehicle with a single strike in quick succession.

Flank

Flanking is the most effective role for the T32. Its characteristics and performances are highly orientated for flanking purpose. At given destructive penetrating power of the T41 Shell from close range, the T32 can critically damage, if not outright knocking out everything from the side. Be aware when initiating the operation, since someone might be trying to flank the flanker. Flanking is also a part of the assault role, albeit with a more focused objective on manoeuvring on the enemies' side. At this rate, the enemies will likely to scatter around to evade, so eliminating any available threat is required to continue the tactic. The armour will greatly aid in this tactic, as return fire is commonly a hasty act, yet be wary of the tank's weak spots! On open terrain keep manoeuvring during reload to throw of aim, alternatively on distances above 400 m drive slightly angled forwards and backwards.

Snipe

Sniping is frequently used by the T32 when encountering enemies in a large, open map such as Kursk and Mozdok. The T44 APCR is a good option when the target is too far and very fast since the APCBC travels slower than APCR. Locating target is much harder than engaging at close range, since most of the enemies will also be sniping from afar, especially when sharpshooting against German tanks. Fortunately, almost no T32's frontal weak spot will be a viable target when sniping, since the weak spots are much more protected at longer range. It is suggested, if having to play on wide open terrain found on Tunisia, Kursk and Mozdok, to take full ammo load and 50/50 of APCR and APHE.

Support

Supporting the allies to attack the enemies is a backup plan used to increase the allied forces firepower when attacking the enemies, such as providing covering fire for smaller tank such as T-44 or to increase the combat effort alongside the other heavy tank like Tiger II.

Ambush

Ambush is preferable when enemies are unaware of the presence of a concealing T32. It should be commenced at a strategic choke point where the enemies will likely to mobilize their armour from there. Be aware that ambush is only used when the enemies are already identified by allies and heading to the choke point. Otherwise, sitting still and waiting for nothing can burden the team. Keep in mind that 90 mm T15E2 is L/73 length gun (aka very long), so make sure the gun barrel is hidden from the enemy if planning to catch them by surprise.

"Hunker down"-Support

Move up to an distant open spot, visible from the enemy spawn or main route of attack and begin firing machine guns to draw in attention. The idea is caught the enemies attention and with this bind enemy firepower on something they can physically not destroy from the distance. Both the hostile force and the T32 will be pinned down in a stalemate, subtracting from each team's firepower. Therefore keep in mind the enemy's tank value. If it is only an M26, the T32 may be better off in the Support role, but if it is an IS-4 or several other evenly ranked tanks, then pursuing the hunker down tactic is worthwhile to the team's success.

Conclusion

Overall, the T32 is a versatile heavy tank with an impressive performance in the game, but since it's not invincible with a fair amount of potential weaknesses, it requires specific knowledge with this tank to survive. The T32 will lead to the pinnacle of the U.S. heavy tank branch – the M103.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Excellent 298 mm front turret armour
  • Sloped front armour has effective ~200 mm thick
  • Accurate high-velocity T15E2 cannon
  • Splendid destructive power of the T41 APCBC
  • Low profile
  • Reasonably agile for a heavy tank
  • Versatile tank role: sniper, assault, flanker, support, and ambush
  • Very efficient in hull-down fighting

Cons:

  • Long gun easily knocked out and disabled
  • "Shot trap" on the lower part of mantlet can blow the main ammo load entirely
  • Bow machine gun port and lower glacis armour are vulnerable front weak points
  • Weak lower plate tips
  • Rather thin side armour of 76 mm, angling could expose the weaker sides
  • Lengthy reload time
  • A single shot into the centre main hull can cause the ammo to explode violently
  • Overall performance of the vehicle is bad when uptiered

History

Main article: History of the T32 Heavy Tank family

Development

Late in the Second World War the US Army began a program to develop a new heavy tank using components of the M26 Pershing. On 8 February 1945, a total of four prototypes were requested. The first two pilot vehicles, designated Heavy Tank T32, were delivered on 15 January 1946 and 19 April 1946 respectively. They were then shipped to Aberdeen Proving Ground for testing. The third and fourth pilots were completed in May and June, but were designated as T32E1s due to having some differences compared to the first two.

Design

The T32 had a combat weight of 120,000 pounds and a crew of five: a driver and assistant driver/machine gunner in the hull and the gunner, loader, and commander in the turret. The hull was based on the Pershing's hull but was modified, while the turret was a new design that simply used M26 components.

The hull was largely similar to the Pershing's except for its length, engine compartment, and frontal armour. The hull was lengthened and a seventh road wheel was added to each side. The torsion bar suspension remained the same but the 23 inch T80E1 tracks from the M26 were fitted with 5 inch extended end connectors for reduced ground pressure. The engine compartment was changed and a new powerplant was fitted. It consisted of a 770 horsepower Ford GAC engine hooked to an EX-120 cross-drive transmission. This powerplant allowed the T32 to achieve a maximum speed of 22 miles per hour (35.4 kilometers per hour).

The frontal armour was increased in thickness to 5 inches (127 mm) at 54 degrees on the upper glacis and 95 mm at 59 degrees on the lower glacis. The side armour stayed at 3 inches (76.2 mm) and the rear armour stayed at 2 inches (50.8 mm). The driver and assistant driver/machine gunner each had an overhead hinged hatch with a wide-view periscope fitted in it. The assistant driver/machine gunner's position also received a .30 cal (7.62 mm) M1919A4 machine gun in a ball mount in the upper glacis.

A newly designed turret was fitted that used some components from the Pershing. The armour ranged from 6 inches (152.4 mm) on the rear to 11¾ inches (298.45 mm) on the front. The main armament fitted was a 90 mm high velocity T15E2 gun, using two piece ammunition. Because of the large two piece ammunition the ammunition stowage had to be redesigned from that of the M26. The gun had an elevation arc of +20° to -10°. A .30 cal (7.62 mm) M1919A4 machine gun was fitted coaxial to the main gun and a .50 cal (12.7 mm) M2HB machine gun could be fitted either on the rear of the turret roof or in front of the commander's cupola. The ammunition capacity was 54 90 mm rounds, 550 12.7 mm rounds, and 4,000 7.62 mm rounds. A radio was located in the turret bustle.

Production and Service

The T32 never entered production or service and neither did the T32E1, mostly just because it came after the war had already ended. On the bright side, the T32 program was the first to test the EX-120 transmission. The transmission was proven to be finicky and maintenance heavy but it later led to the CD-850 series of transmissions which would later see production on American tanks.[1]


Archive of the in-game description

In 1944-1945 the Ordnance Department initiated the T29 program, which was the high priority construction of several tanks based on the M26. The end result was the next version of the M26 Pershing. The US ground forces needed a new, modified version of the mass-produced M26 outfitted with thicker armour, heavier weaponry, and an enlarged turret.

On February 8, 1945, the construction of four prototypes was approved, with the official T32 designation conferred in March. The tank hull was made from plates of homogeneous armour, and protecting the front section was prioritized. As a result, the armour there was 70-127 mm thick, while the side armour was made with 51-76 mm armour plates and the rear was protected by only 19-51 mm. The thickness of the lower section's front part was expanded to 38 mm, identical to the hull roof. The hull enjoyed a traditional design, though two prototypes had a cast front hull section and the other two had welded components.

The turret construction resembled the T29 models, which were larger than the M26 and had a gun mantlet that was expanded to 298 mm. The main weapon was a 90 mm T15E2 cannon with separate tube reloading. The weapon boasted high initial velocity and was good at penetrating armour, outstripping almost every one of its foreign equivalents.

Regardless of the work put into the project, the tank could not be completed by the end of the war, after which the T32 program lost its priority status. The conclusion had already been drawn by 1946 that there was no need to mass produce the model, given that M29s with similar weaponry already existed. There were also more powerful tanks in the pipeline.


Media

Skins
Images
Videos
Best experimental vehicles discusses the T32 at 2:19 - War Thunder Official Channel

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the series of the vehicles;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

References

  1. ↑ Hunnicutt, R. P. (1988). Firepower: A History of the American Heavy Tank. New York, NY: Presidio.


USA heavy tanks
M4 Jumbo  M4A3E2 · Cobra King · M4A3E2 (76) W
M6  M6A1 · T1E1 · T1E1 (90) · M6A2E1
T26  T26E1-1 · T26E5
T29/30/34  T29 · T30 · T34
T32  T32 · T32E1
M103  M103
Others  T14

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