The M26 Pershing was an American heavyweight medium, initially classified as heavy from the Second World War and early Cold War periods. The first prototypes were built in 1943, and serial production was carried out in the period 1944-1945. In total, about 2,200 copies of this tank of all versions were built. The M26 Pershing was powered by a single engine Ford GAF V8 with 507 HP . It was armed with a single 90mm M3 cannon, two 7.62mm Browning 1919A machine guns and a single 12.7mm Browning M2HB machine gun.
The M26 Pershing was developed as a new American medium tank, based on the experimental chassis of the T26 tank. The reason for the commencement of work on the M26 was due to the considerable successes achieved by the Germans using the 88 mm gun in the period 1942-1943 in fighting Allied armor. The new tank was therefore to have a gun of a similar caliber and better armor than the M4 Sherman. For propaganda reasons, the M26 was called a heavy tank when it was introduced into the line, but in 1946 it was re-classified as a medium tank. The M26 Pershing was undoubtedly a tank better than the Pz.Kpfw IV of the latest production versions, but it also did not in any way distance such German designs as the Pz.Kpfw V Panther or the Pz.Kpfw VI Tiger, in terms of firepower and armor. With this in mind, the Americans developed a very short series of M26E4 Super Pershing vehicles, which had much more powerful armor and a better anti-tank gun. However, cars of this series were produced in very small numbers. The first M26 Pershing entered the line at the end of the war at the turn of 1944 and 1945 and fought primarily in West Germany. After 1945, they remained in the line and in US Army units took part in the Korean War (1950-1953). Based on the M26 chassis, the M46 Patton was developed, which replaced the M26 from the American lines in the early 1950s. Small amounts of the M26 have entered military service in Belgium, France, Italy and the United Kingdom.
