Finally the US Army built a tank that could deal with German Panther and Tiger tanks, and this was the M26 Pershing. There is still controversy about why the production of a heavy tank was so delayed, a tank that could face the German panzers on a more equal conditions. Better armoured and with a powerful 90mm gun, the M26 Pershing was a match for any tank in the German order of battle. The M26 saw first combat in February 1945, during the Battle of Germany: Zebra Mission, Battle of the Roer River and the took of the Remagen bridge were its firsts stages of combat. World famous footages are this taken in Cologne when a Pershing knocked-out a Panther that just shoot to a Sherman…the crew of the Panther leaves the tank as it begins to get in fire.
The M26 Pershing was planned to take part in the invasion of Japan
Another theatre of operations where the M26 Pershing saw combat was the Korean war, battling together with M4A3E8 Sherman against Chinese and NKPA T-34/85 tanks. An improved version of the M26 was the M46 Patton, with a more powerful engine and better mechanically performances. Tiger faces were painted on the tanks to give them a fearful appearance against “superstitious” Chinese infantry...
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M26 Pershing Nº 10, Tank Co. E, 67 Armor Rgt, 2nd Armored Div., April 1945 Germany |
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| M46 Patton, Co. A, 73rd Tank Battalion, Han River, February 1951 |
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| M46 Patton, 6th Tank Battalion, Han River, Korea, February 1951 |
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| M46 Patton, Co.C, Marine 1st Tank Battalion, Korea 1952 |
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| M46 Patton vs T-34/85 |
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