Difference between revisions of "M24 (China)"

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{{Specs-Card|code=cn_m24_chaffee}}
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{{About
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| about = Chinese light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| usage = other variants
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| link = M24 (Family)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=cn_m24_chaffee
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
 +
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
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The '''M24 Chaffee (formally Light Tank, M24)''' is a U.S. light tank that served during World War II; it was also used in post-war wars such as the Korean War and by the French in the War in Algeria and the First Indochina War. Under World War II's lend-lease program, a small number of [[M24]] light tanks were shipped to China for the Chinese Nationalist Army. When the Korean War broke out in 1950, U.S. President Truman declared military aid to Taiwan. The United States exported 295 M18 tank destroyers in 1952, followed by 289 M24 light tanks. This late World War II tank gradually became obsolete during the Cold War era; therefore, different modifications were performed to make it combat-ready in Taiwan. During the late 1900s, Taiwan had a maximum of roughly 325 tanks in service.
{{break}}
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]].
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Introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]], the M24 represented a substantial improvement in light tank design philosophy, bringing its firepower up to par with medium tanks. During World War II, it was widely regarded as the best and most successful light tank design. The M24 provides a comfortable experience in-game, striking an ideal balance between strong firepower, good speed, and appropriate protection. Since it is a light tank by nature, it is not expected to engage and exchange shots with enemy tanks directly, but rather to use its swift mobility to quickly secure flanks at the outset of the engagement. This is a good light tank that will provide Chinese Army ground forces with respectable firepower entering rank II.
  
 
== 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 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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{{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.'' -->
  
The M24 Chaffee has thin armour on all sides, and can only effectively resist machine gun fire or very low-penetrating shells. Its crews are also very close to each other, increasing the chance of it getting one-shotted. The V-shaped gun mantlet might bounce some small caliber shells if you are lucky enough. However, don't rely on it as the rest of the tank is still poorly protected.  
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The M24 Chaffee has thin armour on all sides, and can only effectively resist machine gun fire or very low-penetrating shells. Its crews are also very close to each other, increasing the chance of it getting knocked out by a single shot. The V-shaped gun mantlet might bounce some small-calibre shells if you are lucky enough. However, don't rely on it as the rest of the tank is still poorly protected.
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
Line 17: Line 26:
 
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
|-
 
|-
| Hull || 25.4 mm (60°) ''Front glacis''<br>25.4 mm (44°) ''Lower glacis'' || 25.4 mm (13°) ''Front''<br>12.7 mm (13°) ''Rear'' || 12.7 mm (71-74°) ''Top''<br>19 mm (1-43°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
+
| Hull || 25.4 mm (60°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 25.4 mm (44°) ''Lower glacis'' || 25.4 mm (13°) ''Front'' <br> 12.7 mm (13°) ''Rear'' || 12.7 mm (71-74°) ''Top'' <br> 19 mm (1-43°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
 
|-
 
|-
| Turret || 38.1 mm (8-40°) ''Turret front''<br>38.1 mm (1-45°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 25.4 mm (17-26°) || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm  
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| Turret || 38.1 mm (8-40°) ''Turret front'' <br> 38.1 mm (1-45°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 25.4 mm (17-26°) || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
  
{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 459|rbMinHp= 262}}
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp=459|rbMinHp=262}}
  
The {{PAGENAME}} travels at an average of 40 km/h on/off-road which is the average light tank speed. It also responds fast when reversing. Thanks to its short and wide tracks it is able to turn quickly. However the acceleration is poor, making it to feel sluggish when performing short manoeuvres.
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The M24 travels at an average of 40 km/h on/off-road which is the average light tank speed. It also responds fast when reversing. Thanks to its short and wide tracks it is able to turn quickly. However the acceleration is poor, making it to feel sluggish when performing short manoeuvres.
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
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{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
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{{Specs-Tank-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 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. Advise about how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.-->
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{{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|M6 (75 mm)}}
 
{{main|M6 (75 mm)}}
  
The [[M6 (75 mm)|75 mm M6 gun]] has two types of AP, one HE and one smoke shell to choose from. The M61 shot, which is an APCBC, is generally better than the M72 AP. It has 63.7g explosives which brings a deadly blast once penetrated, has better penetration (104mm max) and it has a slightly lower chance of ricocheting. With the M61 shot, the Chaffee is able to one-shot plenty of tanks at its BR.
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The [[M6 (75 mm)|75 mm M6 gun]] has two types of AP, one HE and one smoke shell to choose from. The M61 shot, which is an APCBC, is generally better than the M72 AP. It has 63.7 g of explosive filler which brings a deadly blast once penetrated, has better penetration (104 mm max) and it has a slightly lower chance of ricocheting. With the M61 shot, the Chaffee is able to knock out plenty of tanks at its BR with a single shot.
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M68 (105 mm)|105 mm M68]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
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! colspan="5" | [[M6 (75 mm)|75 mm M6]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
Line 46: Line 61:
 
|-
 
|-
 
! ''Arcade''
 
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 48 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical || 14.28 || 16.80 || 24.00 || 26.60 || 28.20 || rowspan="2" | 8.45 || rowspan="2" | 7.47 || rowspan="2" | 6.89 || rowspan="2" | 6.50
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| rowspan="2" | 48 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Vertical|up to 24 km/h}} || 22.9 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 8.45 || rowspan="2" | 7.47 || rowspan="2" | 6.89 || rowspan="2" | 6.50
 
|-
 
|-
 
! ''Realistic''
 
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.60 || 24.00
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| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
===== Ammunition =====
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==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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{{:M6 (75 mm)/Ammunition|M72 shot, M48 shell, M61 shot, M64}}
! 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
 
|-
 
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
 
|-
 
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
 
|-
 
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
 
|-
 
|}
 
{| 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%
 
|-
 
| M72 shot || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
 
|-
 
| M48 shell || 463 || 6.3 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 666 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
 
|-
 
| M61 shot || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
 
|-
 
|}
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
 
! colspan="7" | Smoke characteristic
 
|-
 
! Ammunition
 
! Velocity <br /> in m/s
 
! Projectile<br />Mass in kg
 
! ''Screen radius <br /> in m''
 
! ''Screen time <br /> in s''
 
! ''Screen hold time <br /> in s:''
 
! ''Explosive Mass in g<br /> (TNT equivalent):''
 
|-
 
| M64 || 381 || 6.9 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
 
|-
 
|}
 
  
===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
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==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks M24.png|right|thumbnail|[[Ammo racks|Ammo rack]] of the M24 Chaffee|x250px]]
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[[File:Ammoracks_M24.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M24 Chaffee]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
+
<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full<br /> ammo
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! Full<br>ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st<br /> rack empty
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! 1st<br>rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd<br /> rack empty
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! 2nd<br>rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual<br /> discrepancy
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! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
|-
 
|-
|| '''48''' || 25&nbsp;''(+23)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+47)'' || style="text-align:center" | No  
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| '''48''' || 25&nbsp;''(+23)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+47)'' || No
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
<!--'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 about 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-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)}}
 
{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}
  
The two machine guns on the M24 Chaffee are the good old [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|.50 cal M2HB]] and the [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]. The roof-mounted .50 cal can traverse 360 degrees and has great depression & elevation, posting a big threat to any plane that is flying too close to the M24. It has an unbelievable penetration of 31mm at 10m, meaning it can easily penetrate plenty of lightly armoured vehicles and even the side of some low rank medium tanks. The 7.62mm, on the other hand, can only efficiently damage exposed crews due to its low penetration.
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The two machine guns on the M24 Chaffee are the [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|.50 cal M2HB]] and the [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]. The roof-mounted .50 cal can traverse 360 degrees and has great depression & elevation, posting a big threat to any plane that is flying too close to the M24. It has an unbelievable penetration of 31 mm at 10 m, meaning it can easily penetrate plenty of lightly armoured vehicles and even the side of some low rank medium tanks. The 7.62 mm, on the other hand, can only efficiently damage exposed crews due to its low penetration.
  
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
 
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
 
|-
 
|-
! Mount
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! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
! Capacity<br>(Belt capacity)
 
! Fire rate<br>(shots/minute)
 
! Vertical<br>guidance
 
! Horizontal<br>guidance
 
 
|-
 
|-
| Commander cupola || 1,00 (200) || 576 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
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| Pintle || 400 (200) || 575 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
 
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
 
|-
 
|-
! Mount
+
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
! Capacity<br>(Belt capacity)
 
! Fire rate<br>(shots/minute)
 
! Vertical<br>guidance
 
! Horizontal<br>guidance
 
 
|-
 
|-
| Coaxial || 1,800 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
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| Coaxial || 3,750 (250) || 500 || - || -
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
<!--Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).-->
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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 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 M24 Chaffee is a very agile little tank. Its good speed allows the player to quickly cap a point early on in the game, or get to some flanking positions easily to get some side shots with the powerful 75mm cannon. When doing flanking manoeuvres, remember to always look around you, especially to the directions where the enemies are most likely to appear. This can increase the player's survivability on the battlefield a lot, as the M24 has little to no armour and is very likely to get one-shotted by the common 75mm & 76mm guns. In a surprise close-quarter encounter, you must be confident and aim carefully. Slow yourself down and the stabiliser will help a lot. Overall the M24 perfectly fits a guerrilla-warfare play style (hit-n-run).
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The M24 Chaffee is a very agile little tank. Its good speed allows the player to quickly cap a point early on in the game, or get to some flanking positions easily to get some side shots with the powerful 75 mm cannon. When doing flanking manoeuvres, remember to always look around you, especially to the directions where the enemies are most likely to appear. This can increase the player's survivability on the battlefield a lot, as the M24 has little to no armour and is very likely to get knocked out by the common 75 & 76 mm guns with a single shot. In a surprise close-quarter encounter, you must be confident and aim carefully. Slow yourself down and the stabiliser will help a lot. Overall the M24 perfectly fits a guerrilla-warfare playstyle (hit-n-run).
  
'''<big>Enemies worth noting</big>''':
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'''Enemies worth noting''':
  
* Sd.Kfz.234 series: The M24, although agile, is still not the fastest tank at its rank. When your opposite team has Germany, you might want to reconsider the option of capping a point straight away, since the German Sd.Kfz.234 series are very likely to be there first. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|''Sd.Kfz.234/2'']] (also known as the Puma) is a turreted 8-wheel vehicle with a small profile, extremely high on-road speed and a powerful 50mm gun. But it cannot turn in place, has a very slow turret traverse and only 8mm of side hull armour, so a good tactic is to circle with it and utilise your stabiliser, fast turret and the piercing .50 cal. In an intense tank "dogfight", you might miss your shots. Don't worry, your reliable .50 cal got you! It can penetrate the sides, or even the front of the puma easily. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/3|''Sd.Kfz.234/3'']] and [[Sd.Kfz.234/4|''Sd.Kfz.234/4'']], although being equally deadly, are turretless. You can use some quick turns to avoid their guns or tear through the thin armour plate protecting their gunners with your .50 cal.
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* [[Sd.Kfz.234 (Family)|Sd.Kfz.234]] series - The M24, although agile, is still not the fastest tank at its rank. When your opposite team has Germany, you might want to reconsider the option of capping a point straight away, since the German Sd.Kfz.234 series are very likely to be there first. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]] (also known as the Puma) is a turreted 8-wheel vehicle with a small profile, extremely high on-road speed and a powerful 50 mm gun. But it cannot turn in place, has a very slow turret traverse and only 8 mm of side hull armour, so a good tactic is to circle with it and utilise your stabiliser, fast turret and the piercing .50 cal. In an intense tank "dogfight", you might miss your shots. Don't worry, your reliable .50 cal got you. It can penetrate the sides, or even the front of the puma easily. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/3]] and [[Sd.Kfz.234/4|''Sd.Kfz.234/4'']], although being equally deadly, are turretless. You can use some quick turns to avoid their guns or tear through the thin armour plate protecting their gunners with your .50 cal.
  
* [[KV-1]], [[KV-IB (Germany)|KV-IB]], [[KV I C 756 (r) (Germany)|KV I C 756 (r)]]: The famous KV series can cause a bit of troubles too. They are well know for their well-protected hull and turrets. The M24 can manoeuvre to point-blank range, line up your gun so it's pointing dead flat at the armour and fire. The 104mm penetration of the M61 shell should punch a hole in the KV's armour with ease. If you are close enough but do not have the space to manoeuvre, shoot their gun barrel to prevent them from getting a shot off, then go for their turret ring or the vertical part on their gun mantlet, which is only 90mm. For the KV-1B, '''do not''' try and fire at its turret from the front and side, as they are 105mm thick and will never get penetrated. For the KV I C 756, aim for the cupola (50m) or the gun mantlet (50mm) to knock out the turret crew or the gun breech. Don't shoot at anywhere else, the shell won't penetrate.
+
* [[E.B.R. (1954)]] - This wheeled vehicle, just like the Sd.Kfz.234 series, is able to reach a remarkably high speed, especially on road. It is equipped with a deadly 75 mm cannon with autoloader, dealing more fragmentation damage than the Sd.Kfz.234's and can therefore easily knock out the M24 with a single shot most of the times. The tactics vary a bit, as the E.B.R also has way faster turret traverse, therefore you do not want to "dogfight" it like how you deal with a Puma. If you are in an uptier and France is in the opposing team, think twice before rushing straight to a cap point. You need to be more careful and try to ambush it by camping around the point. Utilise your advantages well, you have superior gun depression, explosive-packed shells, lots of smoke grenades, a piercing .50 cal HMG and, most importantly, a vertical stabiliser.
  
* [[Churchill Mk I]], [[Churchill Mk III]], [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]: The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to kill at range. Again, maneuver as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armor, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.  
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* [[KV-1]], [[KV-IB (Germany)|KV-IB]], [[KW I C 756 (r) (Germany)|KW I C 756 (r)]] - The famous KV series can cause a bit of troubles too. They are well know for their well-protected hull and turrets. The M24 can manoeuvre to point-blank range, line up your gun so it's pointing dead flat at the armour and fire. The 104 mm penetration of the M61 shell should punch a hole in the KV's armour with ease. If you are close enough but do not have the space to manoeuvre, shoot their gun barrel to prevent them from getting a shot off, then go for their turret ring or the vertical part on their gun mantlet, which is only 90 mm. For the KV-1B, do not try and fire at its turret from the front and side, as they are 105 mm thick and will never get penetrated. For the KV I C 756, aim for the cupola (50 m) or the gun mantlet (50 mm) to knock out the turret crew or the gun breech. Don't shoot at anywhere else, the shell won't penetrate.
  
===Modules===
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* [[Churchill (Family)|Churchill]] heavy tanks - The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to kill at range. Again, manoeuvre as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200 m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89 mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armour, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.
{| class="wikitable"
+
* [[M4A2]] / [[M4A4 (1st PTG)]]: these Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75 mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300 m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there is a guaranteed kill most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's a M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armour unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenseless.
!Tier
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* [[StuG III G]], [[StuH 42 G]], [[Jagdpanzer 38(t)]]: these German tank destroyers can be deadly ambushers as well as well-protected frontline vehicles. They have low silhouette making them considerably harder to be seen. They also have very thick or sloped armour. The StuG and StuH in particular can have a maximum frontal thickness of 100 mm with add-on armour making them quite tough for the M24's short 75 mm gun. The M24 should avoid engaging them frontally as they are hard to be penetrated and can easily knock out the M24 with a single shot. Luckily, all 3 of them are turretless and are poorly protected on their sides, so flanking shots are a great way to finish them. However do note that the StuG and StuH can traverse their hull very fast so be quick on your move.
! colspan="2" |Mobility
 
!Protection
 
! colspan="3" |Firepower
 
|-
 
|I
 
|Tracks||
 
|Parts
 
|Horizontal Drive||||
 
|-
 
|II
 
|Suspension||Brake System
 
|FPE
 
|Adjustment of Fire||Airstrike||M61 Shot
 
|-
 
|III
 
|Filters||
 
|Crew Replenishment
 
|Elevation Mechanism||Smoke grenade||
 
|-
 
|IV
 
|Transmission||Engine
 
|
 
|Artillery Support||Improved optics||M64
 
|-
 
|}
 
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
<!--Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".-->
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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:'''
  
 
* Decent mobility: good top speed and great turning ability
 
* Decent mobility: good top speed and great turning ability
* Uses the same gun as the 75mm Shermans: various shell types, great penetration & damage and good gun depression
+
* Uses the same gun as the 75 mm Shermans: various shell types, great penetration & damage and excellent gun depression. M61 shell can one shot common tanks like the Pz.IV F, M4, Cromwell or even the [[Tiger H1]]
 +
* Fast turret traverse allows it to track agile targets easily
 +
* Low profile allows it to easily hide behind small bushes or rocks, increasing survivability
 +
* Equipped with a vertical plane stabilizer, allowing for more accurate shots on the move or shoot-n-scoot tactics
 +
* Pintle mounted HMG allows for air defense and some anti tank ability (e.g. Marder III, Sd.Kfz.234 series, Breda 501, etc.)
 
* 13 smoke grenades allow escaping from dangerous situation for many times
 
* 13 smoke grenades allow escaping from dangerous situation for many times
* Access to a vertical stabiliser
+
* Effective even in uptiers if used for flanking shots or hunting soft targets
* Powerful roof-mounted .50 cal
+
* Very fast reverse allowing it to retreat from danger quickly
* Fast turret traverse
+
* Cheaper than all the other Chaffees in the game
* Small profile
 
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
 +
* Low survivability: all-round thin armour and closely packed crews. Can get knocked out with a single shot by common guns like 75 mm M3, 76 mm F-34 and 75 mm KwK40
 
* Acceleration is rather sluggish, especially on soft terrains
 
* Acceleration is rather sluggish, especially on soft terrains
 
* On-road top speed is still inferior to some wheeled vehicles like the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]]
 
* On-road top speed is still inferior to some wheeled vehicles like the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]]
* Thin armour and closely packed crews severely decrease survivability
+
* Shells drop dramatically at long distances, making distant / moving targets hard to shoot at
* Shells drop dramatically at long distances
 
 
* Reload time is pretty slow for a light tank
 
* Reload time is pretty slow for a light tank
 +
* Low ammo count can be a problem in long games or RB/SB matches
  
 
== 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.''-->
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<!-- ''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).'' -->
 
===Development===
 
===Development===
As early as 1942, the light tanks [[M3 Stuart|M3]] and [[M5A1|M5 ''Stuart'']] have been seen as severely lacking in the modernizing design of tanks and how they fight. The armour was seen as insufficient and the [[M3 (37 mm)|37 mm gun]] was also deemed useless against even the standard German tanks like the [[Pz.III J|Panzer III]] and [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV]]. The system needed an upgrade, specifically a light tank that mounts the [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm gun]] seen on the [[M4|''Shermans'']]. An attempt to mount a 75 mm gun on a ''Stuart'' was deemed inefficient as it reduced ammo stowage and left the armour too thin on the design.
+
As early as 1942, the light tanks [[M3 Stuart|M3]] and [[M5A1|M5 Stuart]] have been seen as severely lacking in the modernizing design of tanks and how they fight. The armour was seen as insufficient and the [[M3 (37 mm)|37 mm gun]] was also deemed useless against even the standard German tanks like the [[Pz.III J|Panzer III]] and [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV]]. The system needed an upgrade, specifically a light tank that mounts the [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm gun]] seen on the [[M4|Shermans]]. An attempt to mount a 75 mm gun on a Stuart was deemed inefficient as it reduced ammo stowage and left the armour too thin on the design.
  
In April 1943, the U.S. Ordnance Department worked with Cadillac to start on a project for the new light tank, designated ''Light Tank T24''. The powertrain and transmission of the M5 ''Stuart'' were used with the ultimate goal of producing a vehicle weighing less than 20 tons. This left the vehicle with relatively thin armour to stay lightweight. At the time, a lighter 75 mm gun was developed for mounting on the [[B-25J-20|B-25 Mitchell bomber]] without sacrificing performance, and this was mounted onto the light tank in development. The tank used 410 mm wide tracks with a torsion bar suspension that greatly improves cross-country travel. The engine was a Cadillac 44T24 V-8 petrol engine. The chassis was designed with the expectation that it would be used as a basis of many different vehicle roles so it was called the "Light Combat Team". The light tank end design had a low profile at 9 ft. 1 in. height and featuring a crew of five with a three-man turret, an improvement over the two-man turrets of the Stuarts. The first finished vehicle arrived on October 15, 1943, and was deemed a success, starting a contract for 1,000 units that was later raised to 5,000 units. The vehicle was classified as the '''Light Tank M24''' and as the ''' ''Chaffee'' ''' by the British after US General Adna R. Chaffee, Jr., who helped develop some of America's earliest tank designs. The vehicle was produced by Cadillac and Massey-Harris from April 1944 to August 1945 with a total of 4,731 units produced.
+
In April 1943, the U.S. Ordnance Department worked with Cadillac to start on a project for the new light tank, designated Light Tank T24. The powertrain and transmission of the M5 Stuart were used with the ultimate goal of producing a vehicle weighing less than 20 tons. This left the vehicle with relatively thin armour to stay lightweight. At the time, a lighter 75 mm gun was developed for mounting on the [[B-25J-20|B-25 Mitchell bomber]] without sacrificing performance, and this was mounted onto the light tank in development. The tank used 410 mm wide tracks with a torsion bar suspension that greatly improves cross-country travel. The engine was a Cadillac 44T24 V-8 petrol engine. The chassis was designed with the expectation that it would be used as a basis of many different vehicle roles so it was called the "Light Combat Team". The light tank end design had a low profile at 9 ft. 1 in. height and featuring a crew of five with a three-man turret, an improvement over the two-man turrets of the Stuarts. The first finished vehicle arrived on October 15, 1943, and was deemed a success, starting a contract for 1,000 units that was later raised to 5,000 units. The vehicle was classified as the Light Tank M24 and as the "Chaffee" by the British after US General Adna R. Chaffee, Jr., who helped develop some of America's earliest tank designs. The vehicle was produced by Cadillac and Massey-Harris from April 1944 to August 1945 with a total of 4,731 units produced.
  
===Combat usage===
+
=== Service in the ROC Army ===
The first batch of M24s reached the battlefields of Europe in November of 1944 and first assigned to the U.S. 2nd Cavalry Group in France. The M24 gradually entered widespread use by December 1944, some ''Chaffees'' went to the British to replace their ''Stuart'' tanks as well. The M24s were first used in the Battle of the Bulge with the 2nd and 42nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron sent to support the southern sector of the battle. The ''Chaffees'' were slow to enter use in the front-lines as even by the end of the war, some armoured division did not have the M24 light tanks.  Despite that, the reception of the ''Chaffee'' was positive even though it may not have the firepower to fight the better German tanks like the [[Panther G|Panther tanks]]. The 75 mm gun gave the crew much more firepower than the earlier 37 mm. The light armour, though allowing the tank to pick up speed, was penetrable by most anti-tank weapons in service by Germany. The effect of the M24 ''Chaffee'' in World War II was deemed insignificant as it was not used in great numbers in comparison to the ''Stuarts'' in service since the start of the war.
+
In order to suppress the expansion of communist forces in Asia and to deal with the tense situation in Taiwan Strait after the end of the Korean War, United States  signed the Sino-US Mutual Defense Treaty with Republic of China in 1954. In the same year, the United States handed over surplus supplies of World War II including 233 M24 "Chaffee" light tanks to the ROC armed forces. A number of additional 56 light tanks were supplied in 1966. South Korea also assisted a batch of training tanks to Taiwan. Thus, Republic of China became the largest user of M24 tanks outside the United States.
  
The M24 ''Chaffee'' served a greater role in the Korean War and were sent in large numbers to combat the North Korean Armoured Forces, however, they were severely under-gunned with their 75 mm cannon and the light armour was easily destroyed by the Soviet-supplied [[T-34-85]] tanks. Plus, the deficiency in crew training also contributed to the poor performance of the M24 against the North Koreans. Due to their inferiority, they were used as a delaying measure until better tanks like the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3E8 ''Shermans'']] and [[M26|M26 ''Pershings'']] could be brought in. Once with supports with these better tanks, the Chaffees were relegated to reconnaissance roles, where they served with better results.
+
In 1980, the National Army adopted the M24A1 upgrade program of NAPCO for some of the M24 Chaffee in service. The core modification lies in power system which replaced the original gasoline engine with a General Dynamics 6V53T diesel engine. This upgrade further ameliorated the overall endurance and boosted power (up to 350-400 horsepower). In addition to the engine, the M24A1 was equipped with a new gearbox and the maximum speed was boosted to 65 km/h. M24A1 removes the auxiliary driver and hull machine gun, and some models were equipped with IR searchlight as well. The upgraded M24A1 is distributed to Armoured Cavalry units or low-intensity units.
  
The M24, after being replaced in America by the [[M41A1|M41 ''Walker Bulldog'']], was sent to many other countries for use. The French Army deployed the M24s during their fighting in Indochina and famously in the Battle for Dien Bien Phu. Some M24s went to the hands of the ARVN in South Vietnam to support the troops during the Vietnam War. The Pakistani Army used them as well in 1971 against India during the Indo-Pakistani War. The M24 ''Chaffee'' was also adapted in different roles by using the chassis for different designs, such as the ''[[M19|M19 TGMC anti-air gun]]'' and self-propelled guns with the ''M37 105 mm HMC'' and ''M41 155 mm HMC''.
+
Fun fact: Since the M24A1 uses the same 6V53 engine as the MCI "National light" Greyhound Bus, therefore its service reliability performance is even better than that of the M41 tank.
  
The ''Chaffee'' had turned out to be one of the greatest light tanks the Allies developed during World War II. Though arriving too late to be a main turning factor for the war, the design has turned out to be so reliable that some countries like Uruguay still operate modernized versions. Austria has since retired its M24 fleet, but their turrets still serve on as bunkers.
+
Considering that the road conditions in the eastern part of Hualien are relatively narrow and is suitable for manoeuvring tanks of this size, the ROC Army began to transfer M24 light tanks to the units stationed in eastern Taiwan. In order to mobilize these tanks intensively, all M24 in active service were concentrated to the 784th tank battalion of the 151st Division (currently the Army Lanyang Regional Command) in Yilan. During the 1996 Taiwan Strait Missile Crisis, some of these vehicles were sent to Matsu as reinforcements. All M24 light tanks in active service were decommissioned in 1999, expect for some of the remaining M24 used as infantry supporting vehicle or stationary shore defense artillery in the outer islands.
  
=== In-game description ===
+
=== The Wan Sheng Modification ===
"The experience of the M3 and M5 light tanks in the western desert proved that the era of light tanks with angular bodies and vertical suspension had come to a close. In 1943 work began on a completely new tank with the popular Hydromatic transmission and a carburetor engine made by Cadillac. The assignment, outside of strengthening the armament, was to keep the maximum weight below 18 short tons. As a result, a new hull with heavily sloped armor plates was developed. The turret gained a streamlined look with 37 mm armor.  
+
It's known that at least one M24 light tank was transformed into the "Wan Sheng II" in 1975 which was part of the "Wan Sheng" Project carried out by the Joint Logistics Command. The M24 tank turret was transplanted to the aluminum M113 hull produced by Taiwan Aluminum Corporation while the engine compartment was moved to the rear of the hull, transforming the M113 APC into a light tank structure. The "Wan Sheng II" is designed for fire support missions of landing operations. The vehicle never entered mass production due to its poor armour and heavy weight, which was determined unsuitable for amphibious operations. However, the Joint Logistics Command gained valuable experience during the imitation. The lesson learnt here later greatly contributed to the design and production work of CM21 armoured personnel carriers.
  
The running gear was made up of five rubber-coated weight-bearing wheels and three supporting rollers in addition to forward, leading, and rear guiding wheels. The tank's main gun was a 75 mm M6 cannon with anti-recoil mechanisms around the barrel, something that made it much smaller. The tanks were fitted with coaxial and bow-mounted 7.62 mm machine guns.
+
(Wan Sheng or "萬乘", means thousands of combat vehicles, is a Chinese allusion referring to a powerful army and therefore a strong nation)
  
The first T24 light tank prototype entered trials in October 1943. It turned out to be such a success that 1,000 units were quickly ordered, a number that later jumped to 5,000. Production took place at Cadillac and Massay-Harris factories, where 4,415 tanks were assembled between March 1944 and October 1945. The T24 was officially accepted two months after full-scale production began, receiving a new M24 designation. It entered combat in fall 1944 and was the American army's primary light tank through the end of the war.
+
=== Captured by the Chinese people's Volunteer Army ===
 +
In December 1950, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army seized an intact US M24 "Chaffee" tank during the fight of Minami, North Korea. A series of technical evaluations were carried out to the vehicle but it never saw service in the armoured units of PLA. The very same vehicle is currently on display in the Beijing Military Museum.
  
The tanks sent to the UK via Lend-Lease were referred to as Chaffees.
+
== Media ==
 +
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
  
The successful tank had a long career, fighting in the Korean, First Indochina, Vietnam, and Third Indo-Pakistani wars."
+
;Skins
  
== Media ==
+
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_m24_chaffee Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
 
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See 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;''
 +
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
  
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
+
* [[AMX-13 (FL11)]]
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
 
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
 +
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 +
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 +
* ''other literature.'' -->
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
  
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
 
 
* ''other literature.''
 
* ''other literature.''
  
 +
{{TankManufacturer Cadillac}}
 
{{China light tanks}}
 
{{China light tanks}}

Latest revision as of 13:32, 2 November 2023

Rank VI USSR | Premium | Golden Eagles
Su-25K Pack
This page is about the Chinese light tank M24 (China). For other variants, see M24 (Family).
us_m24_chaffee.png
GarageImage M24 (China).jpg
␗M24
AB RB SB
3.3 3.7 3.7
Class:
Research:14 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:32 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The M24 Chaffee (formally Light Tank, M24) is a U.S. light tank that served during World War II; it was also used in post-war wars such as the Korean War and by the French in the War in Algeria and the First Indochina War. Under World War II's lend-lease program, a small number of M24 light tanks were shipped to China for the Chinese Nationalist Army. When the Korean War broke out in 1950, U.S. President Truman declared military aid to Taiwan. The United States exported 295 M18 tank destroyers in 1952, followed by 289 M24 light tanks. This late World War II tank gradually became obsolete during the Cold War era; therefore, different modifications were performed to make it combat-ready in Taiwan. During the late 1900s, Taiwan had a maximum of roughly 325 tanks in service.

Introduced in Update 1.91 "Night Vision", the M24 represented a substantial improvement in light tank design philosophy, bringing its firepower up to par with medium tanks. During World War II, it was widely regarded as the best and most successful light tank design. The M24 provides a comfortable experience in-game, striking an ideal balance between strong firepower, good speed, and appropriate protection. Since it is a light tank by nature, it is not expected to engage and exchange shots with enemy tanks directly, but rather to use its swift mobility to quickly secure flanks at the outset of the engagement. This is a good light tank that will provide Chinese Army ground forces with respectable firepower entering rank II.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull25 / 25 / 19
Turret25 / 25 / 25
Crew5 people
Visibility97 %

The M24 Chaffee has thin armour on all sides, and can only effectively resist machine gun fire or very low-penetrating shells. Its crews are also very close to each other, increasing the chance of it getting knocked out by a single shot. The V-shaped gun mantlet might bounce some small-calibre shells if you are lucky enough. However, don't rely on it as the rest of the tank is still poorly protected.

Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 25.4 mm (60°) Front glacis
25.4 mm (44°) Lower glacis
25.4 mm (13°) Front
12.7 mm (13°) Rear
12.7 mm (71-74°) Top
19 mm (1-43°) Bottom
12.7 mm
Turret 38.1 mm (8-40°) Turret front
38.1 mm (1-45°) Gun mantlet
25.4 mm (17-26°) 25.4 mm 12.7 mm

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB63 / 26 km/h
RB and SB57 / 24 km/h
Number of gears8 forward
4 back
Weight18.4 t
Engine power
AB565 hp
RB and SB296 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB30.7 hp/t
RB and SB16.1 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 63 26 18.4 459 565 24.95 30.71
Realistic 57 24 262 296 14.24 16.09

The M24 travels at an average of 40 km/h on/off-road which is the average light tank speed. It also responds fast when reversing. Thanks to its short and wide tracks it is able to turn quickly. However the acceleration is poor, making it to feel sluggish when performing short manoeuvres.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB734 → 1 054 Sl icon.png
RB838 → 1 204 Sl icon.png
SB995 → 1 429 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications13 860 Rp icon.png
20 100 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost860 Ge icon.png
Crew training9 200 Sl icon.png
Experts32 000 Sl icon.png
Aces270 Ge icon.png
Research Aces250 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
50 / 70 / 90 % Sl icon.png
130 / 130 / 130 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
920 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
750 Sl icon.png
75 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
750 Sl icon.png
75 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
870 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
920 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
750 Sl icon.png
75 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement cn.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
870 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
920 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
750 Sl icon.png
75 Ge icon.png
Mods airstrike.png
Airstrike
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
750 Sl icon.png
75 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_usa_APCBC_ammo_pack
Research:
520 Rp icon.png
Cost:
750 Sl icon.png
75 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
870 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
870 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods scouting.png
Improved optics
Research:
900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_us_M89_Smoke_ammo_pack
Research:
900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

Vertical stabilizer
Reduces the swing of the gun in one plane while moving
Ammunition48 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
8.4 → 6.5 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 15°
Main article: M6 (75 mm)

The 75 mm M6 gun has two types of AP, one HE and one smoke shell to choose from. The M61 shot, which is an APCBC, is generally better than the M72 AP. It has 63.7 g of explosive filler which brings a deadly blast once penetrated, has better penetration (104 mm max) and it has a slightly lower chance of ricocheting. With the M61 shot, the Chaffee is able to knock out plenty of tanks at its BR with a single shot.

75 mm M6 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 48 -10°/+15° ±180° Vertical 22.9 31.6 38.4 42.5 45.2 8.45 7.47 6.89 6.50
Realistic 14.3 16.8 20.4 22.6 24.0

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
M72 shot AP 91 88 78 67 57 49
M48 shell HE 10 10 10 10 10 10
M61 shot APCBC 104 102 93 84 75 68
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%
M72 shot AP 619 6.3 - - - 47° 60° 65°
M48 shell HE 463 6.3 0.2 0.1 666 79° 80° 81°
M61 shot APCBC 618 6.79 1.2 14 63.7 48° 63° 71°
Smoke shell characteristics
Ammunition Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
mass (kg)
Screen radius
(m)
Screen deploy
time (s)
Screen hold
time (s)
Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
M64 603 6.9 9 5 20 50

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the M24 Chaffee
Full
ammo
1st
rack empty
2nd
rack empty
Visual
discrepancy
48 25 (+23) (+47) No

Machine guns

Ammunition400 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate575 shots/min
Vertical guidance-10° / 70°
Horizontal guidance-60° / 60°
Ammunition3 750 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate500 shots/min

The two machine guns on the M24 Chaffee are the .50 cal M2HB and the 7.62 mm M1919A4. The roof-mounted .50 cal can traverse 360 degrees and has great depression & elevation, posting a big threat to any plane that is flying too close to the M24. It has an unbelievable penetration of 31 mm at 10 m, meaning it can easily penetrate plenty of lightly armoured vehicles and even the side of some low rank medium tanks. The 7.62 mm, on the other hand, can only efficiently damage exposed crews due to its low penetration.

12.7 mm M2HB
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 400 (200) 575 -10°/+70° ±60°
7.62 mm M1919A4
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 3,750 (250) 500 - -

Usage in battles

The M24 Chaffee is a very agile little tank. Its good speed allows the player to quickly cap a point early on in the game, or get to some flanking positions easily to get some side shots with the powerful 75 mm cannon. When doing flanking manoeuvres, remember to always look around you, especially to the directions where the enemies are most likely to appear. This can increase the player's survivability on the battlefield a lot, as the M24 has little to no armour and is very likely to get knocked out by the common 75 & 76 mm guns with a single shot. In a surprise close-quarter encounter, you must be confident and aim carefully. Slow yourself down and the stabiliser will help a lot. Overall the M24 perfectly fits a guerrilla-warfare playstyle (hit-n-run).

Enemies worth noting:

  • Sd.Kfz.234 series - The M24, although agile, is still not the fastest tank at its rank. When your opposite team has Germany, you might want to reconsider the option of capping a point straight away, since the German Sd.Kfz.234 series are very likely to be there first. The Sd.Kfz.234/2 (also known as the Puma) is a turreted 8-wheel vehicle with a small profile, extremely high on-road speed and a powerful 50 mm gun. But it cannot turn in place, has a very slow turret traverse and only 8 mm of side hull armour, so a good tactic is to circle with it and utilise your stabiliser, fast turret and the piercing .50 cal. In an intense tank "dogfight", you might miss your shots. Don't worry, your reliable .50 cal got you. It can penetrate the sides, or even the front of the puma easily. The Sd.Kfz.234/3 and Sd.Kfz.234/4, although being equally deadly, are turretless. You can use some quick turns to avoid their guns or tear through the thin armour plate protecting their gunners with your .50 cal.
  • E.B.R. (1954) - This wheeled vehicle, just like the Sd.Kfz.234 series, is able to reach a remarkably high speed, especially on road. It is equipped with a deadly 75 mm cannon with autoloader, dealing more fragmentation damage than the Sd.Kfz.234's and can therefore easily knock out the M24 with a single shot most of the times. The tactics vary a bit, as the E.B.R also has way faster turret traverse, therefore you do not want to "dogfight" it like how you deal with a Puma. If you are in an uptier and France is in the opposing team, think twice before rushing straight to a cap point. You need to be more careful and try to ambush it by camping around the point. Utilise your advantages well, you have superior gun depression, explosive-packed shells, lots of smoke grenades, a piercing .50 cal HMG and, most importantly, a vertical stabiliser.
  • KV-1, KV-IB, KW I C 756 (r) - The famous KV series can cause a bit of troubles too. They are well know for their well-protected hull and turrets. The M24 can manoeuvre to point-blank range, line up your gun so it's pointing dead flat at the armour and fire. The 104 mm penetration of the M61 shell should punch a hole in the KV's armour with ease. If you are close enough but do not have the space to manoeuvre, shoot their gun barrel to prevent them from getting a shot off, then go for their turret ring or the vertical part on their gun mantlet, which is only 90 mm. For the KV-1B, do not try and fire at its turret from the front and side, as they are 105 mm thick and will never get penetrated. For the KV I C 756, aim for the cupola (50 m) or the gun mantlet (50 mm) to knock out the turret crew or the gun breech. Don't shoot at anywhere else, the shell won't penetrate.
  • Churchill heavy tanks - The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to kill at range. Again, manoeuvre as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200 m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89 mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armour, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.
  • M4A2 / M4A4 (1st PTG): these Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75 mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300 m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there is a guaranteed kill most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's a M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armour unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenseless.
  • StuG III G, StuH 42 G, Jagdpanzer 38(t): these German tank destroyers can be deadly ambushers as well as well-protected frontline vehicles. They have low silhouette making them considerably harder to be seen. They also have very thick or sloped armour. The StuG and StuH in particular can have a maximum frontal thickness of 100 mm with add-on armour making them quite tough for the M24's short 75 mm gun. The M24 should avoid engaging them frontally as they are hard to be penetrated and can easily knock out the M24 with a single shot. Luckily, all 3 of them are turretless and are poorly protected on their sides, so flanking shots are a great way to finish them. However do note that the StuG and StuH can traverse their hull very fast so be quick on your move.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Decent mobility: good top speed and great turning ability
  • Uses the same gun as the 75 mm Shermans: various shell types, great penetration & damage and excellent gun depression. M61 shell can one shot common tanks like the Pz.IV F, M4, Cromwell or even the Tiger H1
  • Fast turret traverse allows it to track agile targets easily
  • Low profile allows it to easily hide behind small bushes or rocks, increasing survivability
  • Equipped with a vertical plane stabilizer, allowing for more accurate shots on the move or shoot-n-scoot tactics
  • Pintle mounted HMG allows for air defense and some anti tank ability (e.g. Marder III, Sd.Kfz.234 series, Breda 501, etc.)
  • 13 smoke grenades allow escaping from dangerous situation for many times
  • Effective even in uptiers if used for flanking shots or hunting soft targets
  • Very fast reverse allowing it to retreat from danger quickly
  • Cheaper than all the other Chaffees in the game

Cons:

  • Low survivability: all-round thin armour and closely packed crews. Can get knocked out with a single shot by common guns like 75 mm M3, 76 mm F-34 and 75 mm KwK40
  • Acceleration is rather sluggish, especially on soft terrains
  • On-road top speed is still inferior to some wheeled vehicles like the Sd.Kfz.234/2
  • Shells drop dramatically at long distances, making distant / moving targets hard to shoot at
  • Reload time is pretty slow for a light tank
  • Low ammo count can be a problem in long games or RB/SB matches

History

Development

As early as 1942, the light tanks M3 and M5 Stuart have been seen as severely lacking in the modernizing design of tanks and how they fight. The armour was seen as insufficient and the 37 mm gun was also deemed useless against even the standard German tanks like the Panzer III and Panzer IV. The system needed an upgrade, specifically a light tank that mounts the 75 mm gun seen on the Shermans. An attempt to mount a 75 mm gun on a Stuart was deemed inefficient as it reduced ammo stowage and left the armour too thin on the design.

In April 1943, the U.S. Ordnance Department worked with Cadillac to start on a project for the new light tank, designated Light Tank T24. The powertrain and transmission of the M5 Stuart were used with the ultimate goal of producing a vehicle weighing less than 20 tons. This left the vehicle with relatively thin armour to stay lightweight. At the time, a lighter 75 mm gun was developed for mounting on the B-25 Mitchell bomber without sacrificing performance, and this was mounted onto the light tank in development. The tank used 410 mm wide tracks with a torsion bar suspension that greatly improves cross-country travel. The engine was a Cadillac 44T24 V-8 petrol engine. The chassis was designed with the expectation that it would be used as a basis of many different vehicle roles so it was called the "Light Combat Team". The light tank end design had a low profile at 9 ft. 1 in. height and featuring a crew of five with a three-man turret, an improvement over the two-man turrets of the Stuarts. The first finished vehicle arrived on October 15, 1943, and was deemed a success, starting a contract for 1,000 units that was later raised to 5,000 units. The vehicle was classified as the Light Tank M24 and as the "Chaffee" by the British after US General Adna R. Chaffee, Jr., who helped develop some of America's earliest tank designs. The vehicle was produced by Cadillac and Massey-Harris from April 1944 to August 1945 with a total of 4,731 units produced.

Service in the ROC Army

In order to suppress the expansion of communist forces in Asia and to deal with the tense situation in Taiwan Strait after the end of the Korean War, United States signed the Sino-US Mutual Defense Treaty with Republic of China in 1954. In the same year, the United States handed over surplus supplies of World War II including 233 M24 "Chaffee" light tanks to the ROC armed forces. A number of additional 56 light tanks were supplied in 1966. South Korea also assisted a batch of training tanks to Taiwan. Thus, Republic of China became the largest user of M24 tanks outside the United States.

In 1980, the National Army adopted the M24A1 upgrade program of NAPCO for some of the M24 Chaffee in service. The core modification lies in power system which replaced the original gasoline engine with a General Dynamics 6V53T diesel engine. This upgrade further ameliorated the overall endurance and boosted power (up to 350-400 horsepower). In addition to the engine, the M24A1 was equipped with a new gearbox and the maximum speed was boosted to 65 km/h. M24A1 removes the auxiliary driver and hull machine gun, and some models were equipped with IR searchlight as well. The upgraded M24A1 is distributed to Armoured Cavalry units or low-intensity units.

Fun fact: Since the M24A1 uses the same 6V53 engine as the MCI "National light" Greyhound Bus, therefore its service reliability performance is even better than that of the M41 tank.

Considering that the road conditions in the eastern part of Hualien are relatively narrow and is suitable for manoeuvring tanks of this size, the ROC Army began to transfer M24 light tanks to the units stationed in eastern Taiwan. In order to mobilize these tanks intensively, all M24 in active service were concentrated to the 784th tank battalion of the 151st Division (currently the Army Lanyang Regional Command) in Yilan. During the 1996 Taiwan Strait Missile Crisis, some of these vehicles were sent to Matsu as reinforcements. All M24 light tanks in active service were decommissioned in 1999, expect for some of the remaining M24 used as infantry supporting vehicle or stationary shore defense artillery in the outer islands.

The Wan Sheng Modification

It's known that at least one M24 light tank was transformed into the "Wan Sheng II" in 1975 which was part of the "Wan Sheng" Project carried out by the Joint Logistics Command. The M24 tank turret was transplanted to the aluminum M113 hull produced by Taiwan Aluminum Corporation while the engine compartment was moved to the rear of the hull, transforming the M113 APC into a light tank structure. The "Wan Sheng II" is designed for fire support missions of landing operations. The vehicle never entered mass production due to its poor armour and heavy weight, which was determined unsuitable for amphibious operations. However, the Joint Logistics Command gained valuable experience during the imitation. The lesson learnt here later greatly contributed to the design and production work of CM21 armoured personnel carriers.

(Wan Sheng or "萬乘", means thousands of combat vehicles, is a Chinese allusion referring to a powerful army and therefore a strong nation)

Captured by the Chinese people's Volunteer Army

In December 1950, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army seized an intact US M24 "Chaffee" tank during the fight of Minami, North Korea. A series of technical evaluations were carried out to the vehicle but it never saw service in the armoured units of PLA. The very same vehicle is currently on display in the Beijing Military Museum.

Media

Skins

See also

Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

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


Cadillac Division of General Motors
Light Tanks 
M24 Chaffee*  M24
M551 Sheridan  M551
  *Designed in collaboration with U.S. Army Ordnance Department.
Export  ▅M24 · ␗M24 · ▄M24
Note  Cadillac is a division of General Motors (GM).

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