M48 Patton series in obat12
Hello team -
Again, couldn't find this topic discussed previously, please ignore if it is a dead horse...
Plans for the medium tank T48 drawn up by December 1950; first pilot T48 built December 1951, one year after design completed. LRIP began April 1952, full rate began by 1953; early production not fitted with rangefinder, so in January 1953 the Army said if gunner's direct sight telescope was installed then could accept for training purposes only (not to be sent overseas). 893 T48s built by 27 March 1953, standardized as M48 2 April 1953; most early production tanks had to be sent back to be modified extensively before they were acceptable.
Aircraft Armaments M1 cupola with enclosed .50cal commander's MG approved for production August 1953. Driver's hatch was enlarged by December 1953, and new M1 commander's cupola fitted by June 1954. Army revises descriptions 25 October 1954: small driver's hatch tanks with external .50cal MG cupola standardized as M48, large driver's hatch tanks with M1 cupolas as M48A1; 1805 large hatch tanks built with old cupola were retrofitted with M1 cupolas. M48A1 approved for overseas shipment on preferential basis. By the end of 1954, about 7000 M48 series (around 3200 T48/M48, 3800 M48A1) built by Chrysler, Ford, and Fisher Body Division of General Motors.
New fuel injection engine and enlarged fuel tanks improve range; with new Cadillac Gage fire controls, becomes M48A2 by October 1955, American Locomotive contracted November, production authorized December. While Chrysler, Ford and GM continue M48A1 deliveries, ALCO begins producing M48A2s; by the end of 1956, 2500 more M48 series (around 2375 M48A1, 125 M48A2) were built. This brings M48A1 production total to around 6175.
By January 1957, Chrysler contracted to build M48A2s; combined production rate 900 per year, 75 per month. During 1958, Chrysler develops metric fire controls with coincidence rangefinder replacing stereoscopic; standardized January 1959 as M48A2C, with 1344 previously built M48A2s converted to new standard. Production apparently ends by June 1959 after 11703 M48s were built (around 3200 M48, 6175 M48A1, 2328 M48A2/A2C), with the bulk of M48A2/A2C production exported to West Germany; coincidence RF and metric FC from M48A2C installed in new XM60.
Apparently only armored cavalry regiments, the two infantry divisions in South Korea, and a few CONUS battalions received the M48A2/A2C, one of which (1/77AR, 1BDE 5ID(M)) took them to Vietnam in July 1968, reequipped in-country with M48A3s about a year later. Last M48A3 equipped unit, 2/11 ACR, departed Vietnam 6 April 1972; most runners handed off to ARVN, units rotating Stateside were eventually reconstituted with M60A1s.
XM60 pilot production begun at Chrysler July 1959, full rate production of M60 on 22 April 1960, with 2205 built by October 1962 when production switched to M60A1. Meanwhile, Anniston and Red River Army Depots retrofit diesel engine of M60s into M48A1s to produce M48A3s, delivered from February 1963 to late 1964; Army receives 600, Marines 419. By 1965 no M48A1s in active duty units. On 14 April 1967, BMY contracted to convert 578 more M48A1s in storage into M48A3s, delivered by 1969; M48A1 to M48A3 conversions total 1597. After 1972, all active duty Army tank units equipped with M60 series, reserves have M48A2C/A3 or M60.
Anniston Army Depot up-guns M48A3s with 105mm gun, called M48A5; 2 delivered June 1975, 3 in July, 496 from October 1975 to December 1976, total 501 M48A3s converted to M48A5. In August 1976, 2 M48A1s in storage were converted to M48A5 standard; low profile Urdan cupola with M60 7.62mm MG replaces M1 cupola, previously produced M48A5s later retrofitted. Full rate conversions began October 1976, and by March 1978 708 more M48A5s were completed. Conversions continued until December 1979 for a total of 2069 M48A5s produced (501 from M48A3s, 1568 from M48A1s). All but 140 M48A5s were for the reserves or export: 2ID in South Korea replaced their M60A1s with M48A5s June-July 1978; M60 7.62mm MG on commanders cupola replaced with M2HB .50cal HMG on these tanks. These M48A5s would be replaced by M60A3(TTS) by mid 1985; M48A5s in reserve units replaced by 1990.
Therefore, recommend availability:
M48 Patton - ?/53 to 12/60 (radio code 91, for training only)
M48 Patton - 1/57 to 12/72 (UC 102 for reserves)
M48A1 Patton - 1/55 to 12/62 (radio code 90 or even 92)
M48A1 Patton - 1/63 to 12/64 (radio code 91)
M48A1 Patton - 1/57 to 12/72 (UC 102 for reserves)
M48A2 Patton - 1/57 to 12/59 (radio code 91, FC 15, speed 17*)
M48A2C Patton - 1/59 to 7/69 (radio code 91, FC 15, speed 17*)
M48A2C Patton - 1/65 to 12/76 (UC 102 for reserves)
M48A3 Patton - 1/64 to 4/72 (radio code 91 or UC 15 w/canister)
M48A3 Patton - 1/73 to 12/84 (UC 102 for reserves)
M48A5 Patton - 6/78 to 7/85 (radio code 91, with .50cal AA)
M48A5 Patton - 1/76 to 12/7? (UC 102 for reserves, w/.50cal AA)
M48A5 Patton - 1/77 to 12/89 (UC 102 for reserves, w/M60 AAMGs)
* AVI-1790 fuel injected gasoline engine gross HP 825, gross torque 1670 lb.ft. vs AV-1790 carbureted gasser gross HP 810, gross torque 1610 lb.ft.; AVDS-1790 diesel had lower HP but more torque than either gasser, although one vet wrote about M88A1 diesel vs. M88 gasser that the diesel had lower performance
note: after their withdrawal from service, 500 M60A2s had their turrets replaced with M48A5 turrets; the resulting M48A5E1 was fielded by reserve units 1/82?-12/89 (stats basically identical to original M60, but with 2x M60 7.62mm AAMGs)
This is all I could glean from Hunnicutt, Mesko, and Zaloga, as well as the excellent olive-drab.com site. If you have more accurate info, please advise. Thanks,
John
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