M48 Patton
In service 1953 - 1990s (foreign service)
Based onM47 Patton (successor to)
The American Cold War workhorse, with a distinctive cast elliptical hull and turret.
Built byChrysler, Fisher, Ford, ALCO
Development history
Designed in a hurry as Korea exposed gaps in US armour, the M48 replaced the M47 with a one-man commander cupola, a cleaner cast hull and a much improved fire-control system. Early petrol engines gave a woeful operating radius, cured by the AVDS-1790 diesel retrofit. It fought extensively in Vietnam and, in Pakistani and Israeli hands, in the wars of 1965, 1967 and 1973 before being rebuilt to M48A5 standard with the 105 mm gun.
Photo gallery
Period photographs with source and licence details.
Variants
One canonical record, 5 recorded variants.
M48
1953Petrol engine, 90 mm M41 gun, very short operating range.
M48A2
1956Fuel-injected engine, improved turret and fire control.
M48A3
1963AVDS-1790 diesel conversion; the Vietnam workhorse.
M48A5
1975105 mm M68 gun and M60-standard fire control.
Magach 3 / Turkish M48T5
1970sIsraeli and Turkish rebuilds with new guns, armour and engines.
Related vehicles
Separate records that derive from this vehicle, grouped by how they relate to it.
Successor to this vehicle
National designation of this vehicle
Notable actions
- Vietnam War (1965-73)
- Indo-Pakistani War (1965)
- Six-Day War (1967)
- Yom Kippur War (1973)