Difference between revisions of "M46 "Tiger""

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| rowspan="2" |70|| rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A ||24.3||33.6|| 40.8 ||45.1|| 48.0 || rowspan="2" |9.7|| rowspan="2" |8.6|| rowspan="2" |7.9|| rowspan="2" |7.5
 
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Revision as of 17:30, 5 August 2020

Rank VI | Premium | Golden Eagles
Chinese A-5C Pack
M46 "Tiger"
us_m46_patton_73_armor_bat.png
M46 "Tiger"
AB RB SB
7.0 7.0 6.7
Purchase:7 480 Specs-Card-Eagle.png
Show in game
This page is about the premium tank M46 "Tiger". For the regular version, see M46.

Description

GarageImage M46 "Tiger".jpg


The M46 "Tiger" (Medium Tank M46 Patton (73 Tank Batalion)) is a premium rank IV American medium tank with a battle rating of 7.0 (AB/RB) and 6.7 (SB). It is one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in Update 1.45 "Steel Generals". It is a premium variant of the M46 Patton, the differences being the paint job of a tiger cat on the front, drawn up by its crew during the Korean War, the lack of a HEAT-Cage around the turret and it being Rank IV instead of Rank V. It costs 6,090 Golden Eagles.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

  • Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Front)
  • Rolled homogeneous armour (Side, Rear, Roof)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 101.6 mm (42-46°) Front Glacis
162.5 mm (25-60°) Upper front glacis
76.2 mm (26-53°) Lower Glacis
76.2 mm Front
50.8 mm (0-9°) Rear
50.8 mm Top
22.2 mm (65°) Bottom
22.2 mm
Turret 101.6 mm (1-55°) Turret front
114.3 mm (1-84°) Gun mantlet
76.2 mm (3-54°) 76.2 mm (0-79°) 25.4 mm
Cupola 76.2 mm 76.2 mm 76.2 mm 25.4 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
  • Belly armour is 25.4 mm thick.

Mobility

Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 54 22 43.9 1255 1,545 28.59 35.19
Realistic 49 20 716 810 16.31 18.45

Armaments

Main armament

Main article: M3A1 (90 mm)


M3A1 (90 mm) Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 70 -10°/+20° ±180° N/A 24.3 33.6 40.8 45.1 48.0 9.7 8.6 7.9 7.5
Realistic 15.2 17.9 21.7 24.0 25.5
Ammunition
Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10m 100m 500m 1000m 1500m 2000m
M318 shot APBC 175 173 161 147 135 123
M71 shell HE 13 13 13 13 13 13
M82 shot APCBC 185 182 170 155 142 130
M304 shot APCR 287 281 259 234 211 191
M332 shot APCR 291 286 264 240 217 197
M348 shell HEATFS 305 305 305 305 305 305
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%
M318 shot AP 853 10.98 N/A N/A N/A 47° 60° 65°
M71 shell HE 823 10.55 0.1 0.5 925.00 79° 80° 81°
M82 shot APCBC 853 10.94 1.2 14.0 137.20 48° 63° 71°
M304 shot APCR 1021 7.62 N/A N/A N/A 66° 70° 72°
M332 shot APCR 1165 5.70 N/A N/A N/A 66° 70° 72°
M348 shell HEATFS 853 6.50 N/A 0.1 926.17 65° 72° 77°
Smoke characteristic
Ammunition Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
Mass (kg)
Screen radius
(m)
Screen time
(s)
Screen hold time
(s)
Explosive Mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
M313 821 10.7 13 5 20 50
Ammo racks
Full
ammo
1st
rack empty
2nd
rack empty
Visual
discrepancy
70 61 (+9) (+69) No

Turret empty: 61 (+9)

Machine guns

M2HB (12.7 mm)
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate
(shots/minute)
Vertical
guidance
Horizontal
guidance
Pintle 1000 (200) 577 -10°/+50° ±120°
M1919A4 (7.62 mm)
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate
(shots/minute)
Vertical
guidance
Horizontal
guidance
Coaxial 4900 (250) 500 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

The tank plays almost like the M26 Pershing, it's relatively fast for its size yet has a very powerful gun. In comparison, the M46 Patton features improved manoeuvrability with increased acceleration, it also has a better gun to combat the foes it will face at its rank. Due to this, the M46 Patton can fit into multiple roles like the Pershing as an offensive or supporting unit. Attack and flank enemy units with the cooperation of allied units to get their more vulnerable sides.

Arcade Battles

The M46 "Tiger" plays like a light tank in Arcade, because it can reach speeds over 50 km/h in perfect conditions. Furthermore, it's very agile - turning on the spot and maneuvering in close quarters is extremely easy. Altogether, this tank is a pleasure to play in cities in Arcade, because you can escape stand-offs and flank the enemy tank, or you may decide to bait a shot by showing your side, then instantly reversing, or you might want to just leave the encounter altogether and help out a teammate who is relatively nearby. Oh, and your agility can also help you bounce shots - just move your hull and turret around slightly if you think you will get shot.

However, the agility of the tank comes at a cost - the armour is non-existent. At 7.0 Battle Rating all tanks can penetrate you anywhere. Luckily, though, this tank usually gets down-tiered to 6.7, although 7.7 is also frequent. Overall - try not to get shot, because you're likely to be very crippled, or dead, in one-shot. If you survive, however, there's a high chance that you can either shoot back, or use your mobility to get into cover, or just run away.

Lastly, in Arcade, your gun is very effective. Use HEAT-FS rounds and the markers to try to hit as many different enemies as possible - don't try to finish them off, just go for assists. Your round is almost guaranteed to penetrate wherever you hit, and if you don't hit ammunition and one-shot a tank, you are likely to take out a crew member or two, some vital component (e.g. the gun, the transmission, the engine etc.), making it very easy for your teammates to clean-up. It is unfortunate, however, that you don't get a stabilizer, so caution has to be taken when peeking corners or driving around flanks.

Very importantly, however, you must always move around the map. In Arcade, enemies often try to focus on a single tank that is slow, or not moving, and if you can move around the map - many enemies will forget about you, or think that their teammates will cover them. Just move around, and try not to get shot!

Realistic Battles

The M46 "Tiger" is not as effective in Realistic, due to much slower and focused gameplay, in the sense that a spotted vehicle is often a dead vehicle. The lack of armour doesn't help you here, either, because players take longer to aim at you, reducing any chances of lucky ricochets, and most rounds will be able to penetrate the "Tiger" anywhere.

If you can't rely on armour, mobility comes into question, and in Realistic it is dampened. Here, the "Tiger" behaves much more like a general medium tank, like the Centurion or the T-34. You are mobile, and quick, but you won't be able to run away from encounters, or flank an enemy in seconds (like you can do in Arcade). Therefore, you should play much more carefully, and avoid being seen at all, which can be easily accomplished because you can still maneuver rather easily in close quarters.

In terms of gunpower, it's still very reliable, penetration-wise. However, in Realistic it is advised to take your time to learn enemy vehicles and their ammo racks, because you would want to one-shot most of your enemies (if you don't, it's harder to escape from return shots). Hence why it's advised to flank your enemies and take your time, instead of running around the map like one might do in Arcade. Luckily, HEAT-FS does tend to explode ammo racks.

In general, in Realistic, just play calm and try to create a false sense of security for the enemies. Instead of tackling someone head-on, you should retreat and let them move into your ambush, because you don't have a stabilizer, nor armour.

Modules

Tier Mobility Protection Firepower
I Tracks Parts M82 shot Horizontal Drive
II Suspension Brake System FPE M304 shot Adjustment of Fire
III Filters Crew Replenishment M332 shot Elevation Mechanism
IV Transmission Engine M348 shell Artillery Support M313
This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Has exceptional speed/agility
  • Rear-mounted transmission
  • Neutral steering
  • Low profile
  • Excellent Gun Depression of -10°
  • Powerful machine guns (12.7 Browning/.50BMG and 7.62 Browning/.30-06) which can penetrate certain weakly armoured vehicles without the usage of the main gun
  • Earns more RP/Lions than its non-premium counterpart
  • If using HEATFS, it's 90 mm cannon can penetrate nearly anything

Cons

  • Turret ring is prone to breaking
  • Armour can easily be pierced by other tanks at its rank
  • Elevation gear is slow
  • Struggles to penetrate many opponents from the front without HEAT-FS (although, it's automatically unlocked due to the tank being a premium)
  • Agility and lack of a stabilizer make shooting on the move difficult

History

Development

The M46 Patton came about around the time of the Korean War. Before that, the US Army armoured units consisted of two tanks, the venerable M4 Shermans and the newer M26 Pershings. Of the two, the Pershing was originally classified as a heavy tank as it weighed 41.7 tons compared to Sherman's 30-ton weight, but a reorganization had the M26 Pershing classified a medium tank after World War II. It proved unsuitable for the role as its mobility was unsatisfactory for that role, using the same Sherman engine, plus an unreliable transmission, to propel a vehicle ten tons heavier.

Work began in January 1948 to upgrade the Pershing's mobility with a new engine and transmission. The project was initially designated the M26E2, but as newer upgrades and more modifications are installed onto the tank, it began to feel more like a completely new design rather than a Pershing upgrade, so it was decided to give the model a completely new designation. The end result was the Pershing tank mounting the mentioned upgrades, plus a new power plant and gun with a bore evacuator to expunge propellant fumes. This model was designated the M46 Patton, named after General George S. Patton, the commander of the US Third Army and played a role in the establishment of American tank forces. The rebuilding of the tanks began in November 1949 and had 1,160 Pershings rebuilt into M46s, 800 to the standard variant and 360 to the M46A1, which had better brakes, a cooling and fire protection system, a new engine and transmission, and better electrical equipment.

Combat usage

The M46 saw combat only during the Korean War. The first batch arrived on August 8, 1950, to the 6th Tank Battalion and proved superior to the North Korean and Chinese T-34-85s. About 200 M46 Pattons arrive in Korea by the end of 1950, making up 15% of the American armoured strength, though the majority was still the M4 Shermans. By 1951, all M26 Pershings in Korea were withdrawn and replaced by the M46 Pattons, and eventually, the Shermans were also re-equipped with the newer tanks as well. The 73rd Tank Battalion, formed in 1949 as a heavy tank battallion, was equipped with the M46 Pattons and deployed in Korea during the conflict. They painted their tanks with a colourful picture of a tiger cat around February or March of 1951 in an act of psychological warfare. This was due to the superstitious the North Koreans and the Chinese have on the cats, as the Tigers were regarded as the king of mountains and forests, and it was believed that the image may scare off some of their highly superstitious soldiers. When the armistice was finally made, ending the conflict in the Korean Peninsula, the M46 Pattons were withdrawn back to the state.

By the later parts of the 1950s, the M46 Pattons in American service still were being replaced by the newer M47 Pattons and those still in the inventory were leased for no cost to Belgium, France, and Italy for training purposes, sending American instructors to train the European crews and maintenance personnel.

Legacy

The M46 Patton was the solution to the evident problem with the M26 Pershing that kept it out of most of World War II with its low mobility compared to the lighter M4 Shermans. A total redesign had to be made to the tank in order to finally be useful in the battlefield, even in the rough terrain of Korea. The design would continue to stay in service for a few more years as the M47 Patton, which gave the M46 Patton hull a new turret and featured newer tank technology for the evolving battlefield. The M47 Patton would see service with many other countries in and out of NATO in different conflicts around the world.

In-game description

The M26, which appeared close to the end of World War II, was an excellent tank. However, power-to-weight ratio, maneuverability, and range were lacking. A special new 12-cylinder, air-cooled engine developed by Continental Motors to take care of the maneuverability issue reached 29,361 cm³, and at 2,800 rpm its 704 hp outstripped the M26's 500 hp. The 6.5-fold compression, which was large for the time, required 80 octane fuel, and the air-cooling system often overheated the engine. Giving the tank a new power plant required a replacement roof for the compartment housing the engine and transmission, resulting in the use of a single grating.

The new automatic CD-850 gearbox and steering mechanism were operated using a single lever that served both as a gearshift and steering wheel. The M46's running gear gained another small roller to keep constant tension on the tracks and prevent them from slipping between the leading wheels and rear road wheels. In addition, the front suspension points were given second shock absorbers. The tank was built for low temperatures and had water-crossing special equipment. As a result, it was heavier, though it did not suffer from reduced speed thanks to its upgraded power plant.

In 1948 the modernized tank was accepted as the M46 Patton and mass produced from 1949 through 1951. A total of 1,168 units spread across two modifications were built.

The M46 medium tank was used by US forces during the Korean War from 1950 to 1953 and also served as part of the American forces in Europe.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, 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 series of the vehicles;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • encyclopedia page on the tank;
  • other literature.


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

USA premium ground vehicles
Light tanks  LVT(A)(4) · M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.) · M3A1 (USMC) · ▃Stuart VI (5th CAD) · M8 LAC · M8A1 GMC
  M18 "Black Cat" · Super Hellcat · T18E2 · M551(76) · T114 · M1128 Wolfpack
Medium tanks  ▃Grant I · M4A5 · Calliope · T20 · M26 T99 · M26E1 · M46 "Tiger" · T54E1 · T54E2 · ▃Magach 3 (ERA) · M728 CEV
  XM1 (GM) · XM1 (Chrysler) · M1 KVT · M1A1 Click-Bait
Heavy tanks  T14 · Cobra King · M6A2E1 · T29 · T30
Tank destroyers  T28 · T55E1