Priory_of_Sion's American Vehicle Q&As

Author: Priory_of_Sion

Well here I go attempting to answer the questions I think I can answer. Questions like will X be introduced and when are unknown to me.



Q:Why did America pursue autoloading designs and why weren't the accepted?
The advantages of autoloaders included a smaller crew, a smaller vehicle, and a very good burst of fire could be attained was the major reasons behind the pursuit of autoloaders. A combination of slow development, teething issues, and faster development and production of conventional designs spelled the doom of early American autoloaders.

The US never gave up on the autoloader though and now you can see it in use with the M1128 MGS.

Q:Was the M4 with the M26 Turret tested, if so how did it perform?
It seems like that vehicle wasn't tested. It was more of a test of wether an 90 mm Sherman was possible(it was). However M26 itself would be ready by the same time if production of the M4 90 mm was pursued, so it was abandoned
. 
Q:What gun is mounted on this modified T34?
The_Chieftain said this when he stumped us NA Forum goers. 
"To put you guys out of your misery, it was a T34 with the T123E3 (T57 tank cannon) on a rigid mount "

Q: Is another US Heavy Line possible?
It is entirely possible. The US had designs such as the K Proposal, the TS-6, and the T96. However it would be a stretch and isn't likely to happen(at least not within the foreseeable future) in WoT IMO.

Q: Why did American tanks have unusually heavy turret armor compared to other nations?
The US adopted the practice of hull down fighting early on. The heavy turret armor combined with good gun depression means that American Vehicles can hull down over hills exposing only their heavy turret armor.

Q:Why did the M60 have thin hull armor compared to its Soviet counterparts?
It really didn't. The first M60 was only slightly less protected than the T54(The M48 was more protected than the first M60s as well) while later versions such as the M60A1 were on par with their Soviet counterparts. 

Q:What could be some US Premium TDs?
Well any of the vehicles I proposed in my 3rd TD Line thread are all possible candidates except for the higher tiered ones. The M56 Scorpion is likely and the T88 is already planned. The T88 however might become an artillery piece for all I know.

Q: Are there any plain silly US tank proposals?
The US had a bunch a stranger projects including nuclear powered tanks(TV-8 and R-32), twin gunned tanks(the SARAH), the half AFV/half helicopter FALCON, the ASTRON Project, and the Yoh tanks are all some weird designs. 

I am planning on an article for these guys so no pics for now.

Q: Was the early Cold War 90 mm gun effective versus T-54/55s? Also how was the penetration of the "long" 90 mm guns?
The HEAT rounds were more than capable of defeating the frontal armor, you still need to fire a good shot. Otherwise it would be best to use flanking maneuvers to fire into the weaker side armor. The T-54 armor was extremely tough and it wasn't until the late 1950s that US tanks could defeat T-54 with relative ease without HEAT with the 105 mm M68.

The Penetration figures for the 90 mm guns is very close to historical already in game. 

I would also like to point out that in 1949 a British Liaison questioned the use of the 90 mm gun in the M46 Patton, he pointed out the 20 pounder was a more effective weapon. However 'Murica went along with the 90 mm.

Q: What was the actual T110E3 suppose to be like?
The T110E3 would be fairly mobile for a ~50 ton vehicle and could easily reach 30 km/h+ speeds. It would have thick armor but not the 300+ we have in game. The mantlet however is extremely thick(229 mm) and heavy(2 tons). The gun was to be the T123(aka M58) 120 mm.

Q: Any info on the T42 Medium?
The T42 was born out of the T37 Light Tank. It retained the overall dimensions of the T37 but had thicker armor and a 90 mm gun. The hull and the gun are the same as the T69 without the autoloader. The turret design is the same as the top turret on the M46.

Q: How was the armor of the T95 Medium?
The T95's frontal hull ranged from 76 to 127 mm on the LFP at a slope of 45 degrees and 95 mm on the upper plate at a slope of 65 degrees. The side armor is pretty weak. The strongest point of the side hull armor is 102 mm at a zero slope, most parts of the side armor are much weaker being 37-51 mm thick at a zero degree slope. The armor is rolled and cast homogeneous steel, silica fused armor was planned but the T95 was cancelled before that could be done.

The turret armor of the T95 is extremely good. The mantlet is upwards towards 381 mm thick and the frontal turret is 178 mm thick at a 60 degree slope. 

Q: What is likely to happen to the T23?
If the T23 is not included in a second US Medium line it is safe to say it will NOT be a tier 8 or tier 7 premium. The historical T23 would have a 560 hp engine and the 76 mm gun, that would be way too underpowered for a tier 7. If the T23 becomes a premium it would likely be a tier 6.

Don't worry though, the US has enough medium designs to use as a tier 7/8 premium medium.

Q:What ever happened to the T110 series?
A full wooden mock-up was produced but by that time the M103 was being put into service and the US shifted from the heavy T110 series in search for lighter weight heavy gun tanks(such as the T96, T77, and the XM60).

Q: What does all the Ms, Ts, Es, and As stand for?
I don't exactly remember the exact meaning but here is what they approximately mean. 
M~= Production Model
T~=Test
E~= Modification
A~=Version

Q: What guns could be on the M41 Walker Bulldog in WoT?
My speculation is that the stock gun is the T94 from the upgraded M24. The historical M32 gun is a must and has the same ballistics as the T71's top gun and is likely to be the middle gun. The M41 90 mm from the M48 Patton is also likely to be the top gun.

Q: Is the upgraded M46 the M47? If not what could become of the M47?
A common misconception is that the M47 is represented by the upgraded M46. This isn't exactly the case. You see the upgraded M46 is the M46E1 which is an M46 hull mated with the T42 turret. 

The T42 turret went under slight modifications before it was the same as the M47 turret. The M47 also has a unique hull which is slightly more effective than the M46 hull. IMO the M47 could be a tier 8 premium or possible a tier 9 regular tank in an alternate medium line. The M47 might still be redundant.

Q: Were there any plans to improve the T28/T95's mobility?
Short Answer: No. 

Q: Why is the 105 mm on the M103?
The T5E1 isn't on the M103 for historical purposes. It is there for grinding.

Q: Were there any US Superheavy tanks beside the T28/T95?
The US actually proposed a ~150 ton vehicle in 1945 sparked by the Maus, E-100, and to some extent the IS-3. It was a radical design using a semitrailer like hull layout. The planned armament was to be the 155 mm T7(with a minimum requirement of a 105 mm gun). The armor was to be as much as possible.

Q: Any info on the T77?
The T77 was an actual project using the M48's hull. It used a lightweight version of the turret used on the T57 and the same 120 mm gun. It used a rigid gun mount and fired an 8 round drum. 10 extra rounds were held in the turret and the hull. The project started in 1953 and ended in 1957 due to slow development and the changing requirements of the US Military.

Two T77 turrets were produced but were scrapped.

Q: How many rounds could the 90 mm Hellcat hold?
Not exactly sure, however it is doubtful that it could hold much than 30 rounds.