M47 Patton – WalkAround

The M47 Patton was an American medium tank, standardized as the “90mm Gun Tank M47 Patton.” It represented a crucial, interim step in the evolution of American tank design during the early Cold War era, serving as the bridge between the M46 and the later M48 Patton series.

Named after General George S. Patton, the M47 was essentially an expedient marriage of the upgraded hull and drivetrain of the M46 Patton with the superior, ‘needle-nose’ turret developed for the cancelled T42 prototype tank.

• Origin: The tank was a direct response to the Korean War, as the U.S. Army urgently required a modern tank to counter new Soviet designs, necessitating a design that could be put into mass production quickly.
• Production: Production commenced in 1951 and approximately 8,576 units were built by 1953.
• U.S. Service: Although intended as the U.S. Army’s primary tank, its service life with American forces was notably brief, as it was quickly replaced by the superior M48 Patton. Critically, the M47 is often noted as the only tank in the Patton series that never saw combat while in U.S. service.
• International Service: The M47 became a cornerstone of many NATO and SEATO nations’ armored forces throughout the Cold War. It was widely exported and saw combat with allies in various conflicts, including the Indo-Pakistani Wars and the Six-Day War.
• Crew Configuration: The M47 was the last U.S. tank designed to accommodate a large five-man crew, including a Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver, and an Assistant Driver (who operated the bow machine gun).

The M47 featured a powerful array of weapons for its era:

• Main Gun: One **90 mm M36 gun**, a significant improvement over the M46’s weapon, capable of firing high-explosive, armor-piercing, and high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) rounds. It carried a total of 71 rounds.
• Primary Secondary Armament: A coaxial **7.62 mm (.30 caliber) M1919A4E1 machine gun**.
• Anti-Aircraft/Heavy Secondary Armament: One roof-mounted **12.7 mm (.50 caliber) M2HB machine gun** on a pintle mount, typically used by the Commander.
• Bow Machine Gun: One hull-mounted **7.62 mm (.30 caliber) M1919A4E1 machine gun** operated by the Assistant Driver, a feature that was eliminated in subsequent U.S. tank designs.

A notable feature was the **M12 Stereoscopic Rangefinder**, which protruded from both sides of the turret and was designed to enhance first-round hit probability, although it was found to be difficult to use effectively in the field.