File:Kampfpanzer_M_48_A2_C.JPG · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
In the Vinony graph
Within Vinony's link graph, M48 Patton is referenced by 487 other articles, and connects out to T-54/55, United States Army and United States Marine Corps.
Vinony files it under Cold War tanks of the United States, Main battle tanks of the Cold War and Main battle tanks of the United States.
Its subject is documented across 38 Wikipedia language editions.
Key facts
- Type
- Medium tank
- Place of origin
- United States
- In service
- 1952 – present United States Army (historical) 1952 – 1987 United States Marine Corps (historical) 1954 – 1973
- Used by
- See Operators
- Designer
- Chrysler Defense Engineering
- Manufacturer
- Chrysler , Fisher Body , Ford Motor Company , American Locomotive Company
- Developed from
- M47 Patton
- Developed into
- M60 tank
- Unit cost
- M48A3 US$309,090 (equivalent to $3,330,118 in 2025) (1981 )
- Produced
- M48/M48A1 1952–1956 M48A2 1955–1957 M48A3 1957–1961
- Number span no built
- 12,000 (all variants)
- Variants
- See Variants
- Mass
- M48 49.6 short tons (44.3 long tons ; 45.0 t )
- Length
- 9.3 m (30 ft 6 in)
- Width
- 3.65 m (12 ft 0 in)
- Height
- 3.1 m (10 ft 2 in)
- Crew
- Four Commander Gunner Loader Driver
- Armor
- Upper glacis 110 mm (4.3 in) at 60° 220 mm (8.7 in) LoS Turret front 178 mm (7.0 in) at 0°
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Image
- M48A1-Patton-tank.jpg
- Height
- 3.12
- Width
- 3.62
- Speed
- 45
Show 5 more facts
- Commons category
- M48 tanks
- service entry
- 1953-01-01
- service retirement
- 1990-01-01
- total produced
- 12000
- native label
- M48 Patton
via Wikidata · CC0
~40 min read
Encyclopedic overview
The M48 Patton is an American first-generation main battle tank (MBT) introduced in February 1952, being designated as the 90mm Gun M48, armored, full-tracked, combat vehicle of the medium-gun tank class. It was designed as a replacement for the M26 Pershing, M4 Sherman, M46 and M47 Patton tanks, and was the main battle tank of the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps in the Vietnam War. Nearly 12,000 M48s were built, mainly by Chrysler and American Locomotive Company, from 1952 to 1961. The M48 Patton was the first U.S. medium gun tank with a four-man crew, featuring a centerline driver's compartment and no bow machine gunner. As with nearly all new armored vehicles it had a wide variety of suspension systems, cupola styles, power packs, fenders and other details among individual tanks.
The early designs, up to the M48A2C, were powered by a gasoline engine. The M48A3 and A5 versions used a diesel engine. However, gasoline engine versions were still in use in the US Army National Guard through 1968 and by many West German Army units through 1975. Numerous examples of the M48 saw combat in various Arab–Israeli conflicts and the Vietnam War. Beginning in 1959, most American M48A1s and M48A2s were upgraded to the M48A3 model.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “M48 Patton” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.