The M26 Pershing is a Heavy Tank developed by the United States during the Second World War, named after General John J. Pershing. It entered service late in the conflict and saw action in Europe; post-war it became the basis for the M46, M47, and eventually the M48/M60 lineage. The Pershing was one of the first American tanks to mount a powerful 90 mm gun and to combine respectable armour with adequate mobility. Operated by a crew of five — driver, gunner, bow gunner, commander, and loader — the tracked vehicle weighs 41.6 tonnes and is powered by a Ford GAF diesel engine producing 500 horsepower for a 12 hp/t power-to-weight ratio and a top speed of 48 km/h.
Main armament is the 90mm M3 cannon, with telescope sights at 4x and 8x magnification and no rangefinder; the commander and bow gunner positions are stabilized and mount .30 cal M1919 machine guns, and the commander also has a cupola 12.7mm M2 for anti-aircraft use. The gunner’s turret lacks a stabilizer, so firing on the move is limited to the commander and bow machine guns.
