Difference between revisions of "T26E1-1"

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== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''
+
<!--''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.''-->
 +
[[File:GarageImage_T26E1-1.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
 +
{{break}}
 +
The '''T26E1-1''' is a Rank IV American heavy tank with a battle rating of 6.3 (AB/RB/SB). The T26E1-1 was added with [[Update 1.57 "Battle March"]]. The tank takes the basis of a normal [[M26 Pershing]], then increases its armour with welded-on metal slabs and up-guns it with a [[T15E1 (90 mm)|T15E1 cannon]], which is nearly identical to the one in the [[T32|T32]]. This gives the tank a much appreciated armour protection and firepower for the battle rating and is comparable with the premium [[M26E1|M26E1]].
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
−
''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpfull for survival in combat?''
+
<!--''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?''
 +
 
 +
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''-->
 +
'''Armour type:'''
 +
* Cast homogeneous armour (Front, Turret)
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Side, Rear, Roof, Turret appliqué armour)
 +
* Structural steel (Hull appliqué armour, Rear turret counterweight)
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 101.6 (42-46°) + 38.1 (47°) + 38.1 mm (57°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 162.5 (25-60°) + 38.1 (47°) + 38.1 mm (57°) '' Upper front glacis'' <br> 76.2 mm (53°) + 38.1 (41°) + 38.1 mm (48°) ''Lower glacis'' || 76.2 mm ''Front'' <br> 50.8 mm (0-2°) ''Rear''|| 50.8 mm (4°) ''Top'' <br> 22.2 mm (68°) ''Lower'' || 22.2 mm
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 101.6 mm (1-55°) ''Turret front'' <br> 114.3 (1-84°) + 80 mm (3°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 76.2 mm (2-54°) || 76.2 (0-79°) + 100 mm (3°) || 25.4 mm
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Cupola || 76.2 mm || 25.4 mm
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Notes:'''
 +
* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
 +
* The left turret side has a few tracks welded on, providing an additional 30 mm of armour where they are.
 +
* The "ear flaps" on the turret provide 38.1 mm of armour. The steel on the gun mantlet gives an additional 80 mm of armour.
 +
* Front glacis have sheets of 38.1 mm armour added on, sloped at varying angles.
  
−
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
 
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
−
''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''
+
<!--''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''-->
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
!colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
 +
|-
 +
! Weight (tons)
 +
!colspan="1" | Add-on Armor<br>weight (tons)
 +
!colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
 +
|-
 +
|rowspan="2" | 49.9 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 43 (AB)
 +
|-
 +
|40 (RB/SB)
 +
|-
 +
!colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
 +
|-
 +
!colspan="1" | Mode
 +
!Stock
 +
!Upgraded
 +
|-
 +
|''Arcade''
 +
|646
 +
|795
 +
|-
 +
|''Realistic/Simulator''
 +
|442
 +
|500
 +
|-
 +
!colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
 +
|-
 +
!colspan="1" | Mode
 +
!Stock
 +
!Upgraded
 +
|-
 +
|''Arcade''
 +
|12.94
 +
|15.93
 +
|-
 +
|''Realistic/Simulator''
 +
|8.86
 +
|10.02
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
−
''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the 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.''
+
<!--''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.''-->
 +
{{main|T15E1 (90 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="6" | [[T15E1 (90 mm)|90 mm T15E1]]
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
 +
! rowspan="1" | Vertical <br> guidance
 +
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance
 +
|-
 +
| colspan="4" | 42 || -10°/+20° || ±180°
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
 +
|-
 +
! style="width:4em" |Mode
 +
! style="width:4em" |Stock
 +
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
 +
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
 +
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
 +
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 +
|-
 +
| ''Arcade'' || 14.28 || 19.80 || 24.0 || 26.60 || 28.24
 +
|-
 +
| ''Realistic'' || 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.4 || 22.60 || 24.00
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
 +
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
 +
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
 +
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 +
|-
 +
| 16.25 || 14.38 || 13.25 || 12.50
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
===== Ammunition =====
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of <br /> warhead
 +
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
 +
|-
 +
! 10m
 +
! 100m
 +
! 500m
 +
! 1000m
 +
! 1500m
 +
! 2000m
 +
|-
 +
| T43 shot || AP || 217 || 216 || 202 || 186 || 172 || 164 ||
 +
|-
 +
| T42 shell || HE || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13
 +
|-
 +
| T41 || APCBC || 204 || 202 || 196 || 181 || 165 || 152
 +
|-
 +
| T44 shot || APCR || 270 || 266 || 250 || 231 || 214 || 195
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="10" | Shell details
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! rowspan="2" |Velocity <br /> in m/s
 +
! rowspan="2" |Projectile<br />Mass in kg
 +
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
 +
''in m:''
 +
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
 +
''in mm:''
 +
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g<br /> (TNT equivalent):''
 +
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° <br> from horizontal:''
 +
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
 +
|-
 +
! 0%
 +
! 50%
 +
! 100%
 +
|-
 +
| T43 shot || 975 || 11 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
 +
|-
 +
| T42 shell || 975 || 11 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 925 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
 +
|-
 +
| T41 || 975 || 11 || 1.2 || 20 || 137.2 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
 +
|-
 +
| T44 shot || 1143 || 7.6 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
−
=== Additional armament ===
+
===== [[Ammo Racks|Ammo racks]] =====
−
''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.''
+
'''Last updated: 1.77.2.68'''
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_M26E1-1.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo Racks|Ammo racks]] of the T26E1-1.]]
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full<br /> ammo
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |9th<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual<br /> discrepancy
 +
|-
 +
|| '''42''' || 32&nbsp;''(+8)'' || 28&nbsp;''(+14)'' || 24&nbsp;''(+18)'' || 20&nbsp;''(+22)'' || 16&nbsp;''(+26)'' || 12&nbsp;''(+30)'' || 8&nbsp;''(+34)'' || 4&nbsp;''(+38)'' || 0&nbsp;''(+42)'' ||  style="text-align:left" | No
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
−
''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft, but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''
+
<!--''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|Browning M2 (12.7 mm)|Browning (7.62 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="7" | [[Browning M2 (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
 +
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate <br> (shots/minute)
 +
! rowspan="1" | Vertical <br> guidance
 +
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance
 +
|-
 +
| colspan="4" | 1,000 (200) || 576 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="7" | [[Browning (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
 +
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate <br> (shots/minute)
 +
! rowspan="1" | Vertical <br> guidance
 +
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance
 +
|-
 +
| colspan="4" | 4,500 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
== Usage in the battles ==
 
== Usage in the 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 give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''
+
<!--''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but 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).''-->
 +
This is not exactly a brawling tank. Try to take the shots that is positive to hit and then fall back into cover. Don't stay exposed too long as enemy shells will most likely penetrate the armour. Try to stick with an ally, going of alone can/will be suicide.
  
 
=== 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".''
+
<!--''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".''-->
−
 
+
<!--What the pros and cons of the vehicle, compare it to similar vehicles likely to be on the battlefield. -->
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
*
+
* Same 90mm gun as the [[Heavy Tank T32]] and the premium [[Medium Tank M26E1]].
−
 
+
* M82 APCBC shot is available that can mess up any penetrated tank's internals.
 +
* Thick sloped frontal armour.
 +
* .50 on top of the turret is useful against low-flying aircraft and lightly armoured vehicles.
 +
* 204 mm of penetration for the M82 shot makes Tiger IIs less of a threat when met dead-on.
 +
* Front spaced armour can reduce effectiveness of HE and HESH rounds.
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
+
* Despite the add-on armour, the armour is still inefficient for the BR.
 +
* Spaced armour doesn't help against HEAT.
 +
* The add-on armour has a negative impact on mobility on the already sluggish M26 it is based on.
 +
* Gun gets damaged quite often due to its long profile.
 +
* Springs on top of the turret tend to deflect shells into the turret.
 +
* Hull machine gun port is a prominent weak spot.
 +
* 90mm gun takes a long time to reload compared to its competitors.
 +
* Slightly lower penetration in comparison to its adversaries like the [[Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf. B (H)|Tiger II (H)]].
 +
* Due to over-matching mechanics, the layered front is more of a weakness than a bonus due to the plates being only 38 mm by themselves, despite the total thickness of the front being 177.8 mm.
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''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.''
+
<!--''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.''-->
 +
===Development===
 +
The [[M26|M26 Pershing]] helped the American armoured forces by bringing in the heavy 90 mm Gun M3 into service on a tank mount. The gun was similar in performance to the German's [[Tiger E|Tiger I's]] [[KwK 36 (88 mm)|8.8 cm KwK 36]] cannon, but Army Ordnance wanted something to match the more powerful [[KwK 43 (88 mm)|8.8 cm KwK 43]] cannon on the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]. The development to match this cannon made the [[T15E1 (90 mm)|T15E1 90 mm gun]]; the gun was 73 calibers long, compared to the 90 mm Gun M3's 53 calibers length. The first produced guns were called the ''T15E1'' and had a large fixed ammunition. The gun was mounted on a T26E1 tank #1, one of the few early prototype tanks of the M26 Pershing, which gave it the name '''T26E1-1'''. The extreme length of the T15E1 gun barrel caused the manufacturers to add a very prominent counter balance on the mantlet, which could be seen on the left side of the turret when facing it.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt">Hunnicutt, R.P. ''Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series'' U.S.A.: Feist Publications, 1971</ref> The T26E1-1 would be the only M26 model with the T15 gun to see service in Europe. Among the troops, the T26E1-1 in Europe would be known by its eponymous name '''"Super Pershing"''' when compared alongside to the normal M26 Pershing.
 +
 
 +
===Combat usage===
 +
The T26E1-1 "Super Pershing" was sent to Europe and arrived sometime in March 1945. The T26E1-1 was assigned to the 3rd Armored Division and was given additional armour by the maintenance crew in hopes to keep it up to date against the heavier German tanks. The front hull had two large pieces of metal welded onto it, each 38 mm in thickness, with a space in between the metal pieces. These metal pieces were sloped more than the hull armour it was over. An additional armour piece was welded on the turret mantlet, the metal was taken from a Panther turret and was about 80 mm thick when welded onto the turret.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt">Hunnicutt, R.P. ''Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series'' U.S.A.: Feist Publications, 1971</ref> The T15E1 gun has much promise to the crew when using the tank as the gun could reliably penetrate the frontal hull of a [[Panther G|Panther]] tank, a feat not many other American tank gun could claim at the time.
 +
 
 +
The T26E1-1's performance in battle is largely written in the accounts of John P. Irwin, who was the tank gunner of the only active "Super Pershing" in the war. He mentions of three prominent combat actions with the T26E1-1, each one destroying the enemy with little difficulty. Records show that the T26E1-1 destroyed a total of three tanks and captured one after an extended firefight that left the opposing tank out of ammunition. Thought it was hoped to have the T26E1-1 fight a Tiger II for a rather explosive comparison, the T26E1-1 never saw a Tiger II during its tour in Europe. After the war, the T26E1-1 was most likely scrapped in the post-war demobilization as the final image of the tank was it lying in a vehicle dump in Kassel, Germany.
 +
 
 +
===Legacy and similar vehicles===
 +
The T26E1-1 "Super Pershing" gave the Americans a tank that excelled in anti-tank performance more than its younger brethren M26, it made a legend in the battlefield and a showcase of the new philosophy of how prepared the Americans were if come face to face with another superior enemy like they did with their Shermans against the Panthers. The T26E1-1 continued as an idea long after the war was over, with the next development arming the long 90 mm cannon in the ''T26E3'' tank models, but the cannons used the new two-piece ammunition gun T15E2 rather than the one-piece one in the T15E1 when it was found that the long 50 inch rounds made loading prohibitive in the M26 turret. 25 of these tanks were built and were designated the ''T26E4''. Another development was to convert normal M26 Pershings to mounting the T54 cannon, another development of the T15E1 which featured shorter ammunition. These tanks were redesignated the [[M26E1|M26E1]], but work was halted due to issues with the guns and a cut in project funds.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt">Hunnicutt, R.P. ''Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series'' U.S.A.: Feist Publications, 1971</ref>
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
 
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
 
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
 +
 +
==References==
 +
<references />
  
 
== Read also ==
 
== Read also ==
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
+
<!--''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
−
''ETC.''
+
''ETC.''-->
 +
[https://warthunder.com/en/devblog/current/879/ [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> T26E1-1 Super Pershing: Under a Panther Mask]<br/>
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
Line 51: Line 280:
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''other literature.''
 
* ''other literature.''
 +
 +
{{USA heavy tanks}}

Revision as of 05:04, 9 October 2018

RANK 5 FRANCE
Somua SM PACK
T26E1-1
us_t26e4_superpershing.png
T26E1-1
USA flag.png USA
IV Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
6.7 6.7 6.7
Class:
Research:31 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:200 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

GarageImage T26E1-1.jpg


The T26E1-1 is a Rank IV American heavy tank with a battle rating of 6.3 (AB/RB/SB). The T26E1-1 was added with Update 1.57 "Battle March". The tank takes the basis of a normal M26 Pershing, then increases its armour with welded-on metal slabs and up-guns it with a T15E1 cannon, which is nearly identical to the one in the T32. This gives the tank a much appreciated armour protection and firepower for the battle rating and is comparable with the premium M26E1.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

  • Cast homogeneous armour (Front, Turret)
  • Rolled homogeneous armour (Side, Rear, Roof, Turret appliqué armour)
  • Structural steel (Hull appliqué armour, Rear turret counterweight)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 101.6 (42-46°) + 38.1 (47°) + 38.1 mm (57°) Front glacis
162.5 (25-60°) + 38.1 (47°) + 38.1 mm (57°) Upper front glacis
76.2 mm (53°) + 38.1 (41°) + 38.1 mm (48°) Lower glacis 		76.2 mm Front
50.8 mm (0-2°) Rear		 50.8 mm (4°) Top
22.2 mm (68°) Lower 		22.2 mm
Turret 101.6 mm (1-55°) Turret front
114.3 (1-84°) + 80 mm (3°) Gun mantlet 		76.2 mm (2-54°) 76.2 (0-79°) + 100 mm (3°) 25.4 mm
Armour Sides Roof
Cupola 76.2 mm 25.4 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
  • The left turret side has a few tracks welded on, providing an additional 30 mm of armour where they are.
  • The "ear flaps" on the turret provide 38.1 mm of armour. The steel on the gun mantlet gives an additional 80 mm of armour.
  • Front glacis have sheets of 38.1 mm armour added on, sloped at varying angles.


Mobility

Mobility characteristic
Weight (tons) Add-on Armor
weight (tons) 		Max speed (km/h)
49.9 N/A 43 (AB)
40 (RB/SB)
Engine power (horsepower)
Mode Stock Upgraded
Arcade 646 795
Realistic/Simulator 442 500
Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Mode Stock Upgraded
Arcade 12.94 15.93
Realistic/Simulator 8.86 10.02

Armaments

Main armament

Main article: T15E1 (90 mm)
90 mm T15E1
Capacity Vertical
guidance 		Horizontal
guidance
42 -10°/+20° ±180°
Turret rotation speed (°/s)
Mode Stock Upgraded Prior + Full crew Prior + Expert qualif. Prior + Ace qualif.
Arcade 14.28 19.80 24.0 26.60 28.24
Realistic 14.28 16.80 20.4 22.60 24.00
Reloading rate (seconds)
Stock Prior + Full crew Prior + Expert qualif. Prior + Ace qualif.
16.25 14.38 13.25 12.50
Ammunition
Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration in mm @ 90°
10m 100m 500m 1000m 1500m 2000m
T43 shot AP 217 216 202 186 172 164
T42 shell HE 13 13 13 13 13 13
T41 APCBC 204 202 196 181 165 152
T44 shot APCR 270 266 250 231 214 195
Shell details
Ammunition Velocity
in m/s 		Projectile
Mass in kg 		Fuse delay

in m:

Fuse sensitivity

in mm:

Explosive Mass in g
(TNT equivalent): 		Normalization At 30°
from horizontal: 		Ricochet:
0% 50% 100%
T43 shot 975 11 N/A N/A N/A -1° 47° 60° 65°
T42 shell 975 11 0.4 0.5 925 +0° 79° 80° 81°
T41 975 11 1.2 20 137.2 +4° 48° 63° 71°
T44 shot 1143 7.6 N/A N/A N/A +1.5° 66° 70° 72°
Ammo racks

Last updated: 1.77.2.68

File:Ammoracks M26E1-1.png
Ammo racks of the T26E1-1.
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		6th
rack empty 		7th
rack empty 		8th
rack empty 		9th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
42 32 (+8) 28 (+14) 24 (+18) 20 (+22) 16 (+26) 12 (+30) 8 (+34) 4 (+38) 0 (+42) No

Machine guns

Main articles: Browning M2 (12.7 mm), Browning (7.62 mm)
12.7 mm M2HB
Pintle mount
Capacity (Belt capacity) Fire rate
(shots/minute) 		Vertical
guidance 		Horizontal
guidance
1,000 (200) 576 -10°/+70° ±60°
7.62 mm M1919A4
Coaxial mount
Capacity (Belt capacity) Fire rate
(shots/minute) 		Vertical
guidance 		Horizontal
guidance
4,500 (250) 500 N/A N/A

Usage in the battles

This is not exactly a brawling tank. Try to take the shots that is positive to hit and then fall back into cover. Don't stay exposed too long as enemy shells will most likely penetrate the armour. Try to stick with an ally, going of alone can/will be suicide.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Same 90mm gun as the Heavy Tank T32 and the premium Medium Tank M26E1.
  • M82 APCBC shot is available that can mess up any penetrated tank's internals.
  • Thick sloped frontal armour.
  • .50 on top of the turret is useful against low-flying aircraft and lightly armoured vehicles.
  • 204 mm of penetration for the M82 shot makes Tiger IIs less of a threat when met dead-on.
  • Front spaced armour can reduce effectiveness of HE and HESH rounds.

Cons:

  • Despite the add-on armour, the armour is still inefficient for the BR.
  • Spaced armour doesn't help against HEAT.
  • The add-on armour has a negative impact on mobility on the already sluggish M26 it is based on.
  • Gun gets damaged quite often due to its long profile.
  • Springs on top of the turret tend to deflect shells into the turret.
  • Hull machine gun port is a prominent weak spot.
  • 90mm gun takes a long time to reload compared to its competitors.
  • Slightly lower penetration in comparison to its adversaries like the Tiger II (H).
  • Due to over-matching mechanics, the layered front is more of a weakness than a bonus due to the plates being only 38 mm by themselves, despite the total thickness of the front being 177.8 mm.

History

Development

The M26 Pershing helped the American armoured forces by bringing in the heavy 90 mm Gun M3 into service on a tank mount. The gun was similar in performance to the German's Tiger I's 8.8 cm KwK 36 cannon, but Army Ordnance wanted something to match the more powerful 8.8 cm KwK 43 cannon on the Tiger II. The development to match this cannon made the T15E1 90 mm gun; the gun was 73 calibers long, compared to the 90 mm Gun M3's 53 calibers length. The first produced guns were called the T15E1 and had a large fixed ammunition. The gun was mounted on a T26E1 tank #1, one of the few early prototype tanks of the M26 Pershing, which gave it the name T26E1-1. The extreme length of the T15E1 gun barrel caused the manufacturers to add a very prominent counter balance on the mantlet, which could be seen on the left side of the turret when facing it.[1] The T26E1-1 would be the only M26 model with the T15 gun to see service in Europe. Among the troops, the T26E1-1 in Europe would be known by its eponymous name "Super Pershing" when compared alongside to the normal M26 Pershing.

Combat usage

The T26E1-1 "Super Pershing" was sent to Europe and arrived sometime in March 1945. The T26E1-1 was assigned to the 3rd Armored Division and was given additional armour by the maintenance crew in hopes to keep it up to date against the heavier German tanks. The front hull had two large pieces of metal welded onto it, each 38 mm in thickness, with a space in between the metal pieces. These metal pieces were sloped more than the hull armour it was over. An additional armour piece was welded on the turret mantlet, the metal was taken from a Panther turret and was about 80 mm thick when welded onto the turret.[1] The T15E1 gun has much promise to the crew when using the tank as the gun could reliably penetrate the frontal hull of a Panther tank, a feat not many other American tank gun could claim at the time.

The T26E1-1's performance in battle is largely written in the accounts of John P. Irwin, who was the tank gunner of the only active "Super Pershing" in the war. He mentions of three prominent combat actions with the T26E1-1, each one destroying the enemy with little difficulty. Records show that the T26E1-1 destroyed a total of three tanks and captured one after an extended firefight that left the opposing tank out of ammunition. Thought it was hoped to have the T26E1-1 fight a Tiger II for a rather explosive comparison, the T26E1-1 never saw a Tiger II during its tour in Europe. After the war, the T26E1-1 was most likely scrapped in the post-war demobilization as the final image of the tank was it lying in a vehicle dump in Kassel, Germany.

Legacy and similar vehicles

The T26E1-1 "Super Pershing" gave the Americans a tank that excelled in anti-tank performance more than its younger brethren M26, it made a legend in the battlefield and a showcase of the new philosophy of how prepared the Americans were if come face to face with another superior enemy like they did with their Shermans against the Panthers. The T26E1-1 continued as an idea long after the war was over, with the next development arming the long 90 mm cannon in the T26E3 tank models, but the cannons used the new two-piece ammunition gun T15E2 rather than the one-piece one in the T15E1 when it was found that the long 50 inch rounds made loading prohibitive in the M26 turret. 25 of these tanks were built and were designated the T26E4. Another development was to convert normal M26 Pershings to mounting the T54 cannon, another development of the T15E1 which featured shorter ammunition. These tanks were redesignated the M26E1, but work was halted due to issues with the guns and a cut in project funds.[1]

Media

An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.

References

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

Read also

[Devblog] T26E1-1 Super Pershing: Under a Panther Mask

Sources

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

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


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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