M3 (90 mm)
| This page is about the the tank cannon M3 (90 mm). For other uses, see M3 (Disambiguation). |
Contents
Description
Write an introduction to the article in 2-3 small paragraphs. Briefly tell us about the history of the development and combat using the weaponry and also about its features. Compile a list of air, ground, or naval vehicles that feature this weapon system in the game.
Vehicles equipped with this weapon
General info
Tell us about the tactical and technical characteristics of the cannon or machine gun.
Available ammunition
Describe the shells that are available for the weapon and their features and purpose. If it concerns autocannons or machine guns, write about different ammo belts and what is inside (which types of shells).
Comparison with analogues
The 90 mm M3 is broadly similar to the German 88 mm Flak 18 and Russian 85 mm M1939; in-game the 90 mm M3 has impressive performance that is somewhat inferior in penetration relative to the German 88 mm and inferior in explosive damage relative to the Russian 85 mm. The 90 mm M3 is a considerable improvement for US tankers accustomed to fighting heavier late-war tanks with the 75 mm and 76 mm.
Usage in battles
Describe the cannon/machine gun in the game - its distinctive features, tactics of usage against notable opponents. Please don't write a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- The 90 mm M3 is a substantial improvement over the 76 mm gun and offers US tankers a weapon roughly comparable the German 88 mm Flak 18 and Russian 85 mm.
- The 90 mm M3 is a weapon used on numerous US late-war and postwar tank designs, ensuring that users become intimately familiar with its capabilities and experts in its effective employment due to frequent usage as they progress through Rank VI and Rank V.
- M82 shot has a large amount of high-explosive filler - frequently kills enemy vehicles with one shot.
- Notable step up from the preceding 76 mm M1 - enemies like the Tiger I and Panther series are easier to destroy at range.
- Offers a large selection of shells: AP, APCBC, HE, smoke and APCR to engage any type of enemy.
Cons:
- By the time you get this thing, the Germans are fielding tanks and tank destroyers toting the 75 mm Kwk42 L/70 (AKA the long 75) and even some vehicles with the 88 mm KwK43/PaK43 L/71 (AKA the long 88), the Russians are fielding similarly heavy armour and numerous vehicles with the legendary 122 mm gun.
- The 90 mm M3 is unlikely to frontally penetrate most of the opposing vehicles you'll face, and the extra power relative to the 76 mm is somewhat irrelevant when taking side shots.
- Requires the use of APCR to engage heavily armoured tanks like the Tiger II (H) from the front.
- Lacking in firepower compared to the German 88 mm KwK43/PaK43, British 84 mm QF 20-pounder and Russian 122 mm D-25T - flanking is frequently required to effectively engage enemy tanks.
- Reload is noticeably longer than on the 76 mm M1.
- The medium tank T25 is the only 90 mm M3 armed tank with a stabilizer .
History
Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon 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 weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />.
Media
An excellent addition to the article would be a video guide, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.
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 article about the variant of the cannon/machine gun;
- references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.
External links
Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
- topic on the official game forum;
- other literature.
| USA tank cannons | |
|---|---|
| 20 mm | M139 |
| 25 mm | LW25 · M242 |
| 37 mm | M3 · M5 · M6 |
| 57 mm | M1 |
| 75 mm | M2 · M2 Howitzer · M3 · M6 · M1897A4 · XM274 |
| 76 mm | M1 · M7 · M32 · T185E1 |
| 90 mm | M3 · M3A1 · M36 · M41 · M54 · T15E1 · T15E2 · T54 · T208E9 |
| 105 mm | M4 · M68 · M68A1 · M68A1E8 · T5E1 · T5E2 · T140E2 · T140E3 · XM35 |
| 106 mm | M40A1C |
| 120 mm | M58 · M256 · T53 |
| 152 mm | M81 · M162 · XM150E5 |
| 155 mm | M185 · T7 |
| 165 mm | M135 |
| Foreign: | |
| 20 mm | Rh202 (Germany) |
| 57 mm | 6pdr OQF Mk.III (Britain) · ZIS-2 (USSR) |
| 105 mm | Sharir (Israel) |
| 120 mm | IMI MG251 (Israel) |
| China tank cannons | |
|---|---|
| 30 mm | ZPL02 · ZPZ02 |
| 73 mm | Type 86 |
| 76 mm | M32K1 |
| 85 mm | Type 56 · Type 63 |
| 100 mm | PTP86 · Type 59 · Type 69 · Type 69-II · ZPL04 |
| 105 mm | 88B-105T · Type 83 · WMA301 · ZPL94 · ZPL98A |
| 120 mm | 122TM · PTZ89 |
| 125 mm | Type 88C · Type 99A · ZPT98 |
| 130 mm | PL59A Gai |
| 152 mm | PL66 Gai |
| Foreign: | |
| 20 mm | KwK30 (Germany) |
| 37 mm | M6 (USA) |
| 45 mm | 20-K (USSR) |
| 47 mm | Type 1 (Japan) |
| 57 mm | Type 97 (Japan) · ZIS-2 (USSR) |
| 75 mm | M2 Howitzer (USA) · M3 (USA) · M6 (USA) |
| 76 mm | D-56T (USSR) · F-34 (USSR) · M1 (USA) · M7 (USA) · ZIS-3 (USSR) |
| 85 mm | ZIS-S-53 (USSR) |
| 90 mm | M3 (USA) · M41 (USA) |
| 100 mm | D-10S (USSR) |
| 105 mm | M68 (USA) · M68A1 (USA) |
| 115 mm | U-5TS (USSR) |
| 122 mm | A-19 (USSR) · D-25T (USSR) |
| 152 mm | ML-20S (USSR) |
