Tamiya 32537 M26 Pershing - 1:48

During the final stages of World War II, the long awaited successor of the U.S. M4 Sherman tank finally appeared. Designed to stand up against the heaviest of German tanks, the M26 Pershing (T26E3) was deployed in March of 1945 as part of the final push into the German homeland. M26 Pershing tanks also saw action in the Pacific, and were immediately deployed on the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950. The M26 fought successfully alongside the M4A3E8 Easy Eight and the M46 Patton with the United Nations forces against the rival T34/85 tanks of the North Korean and Chinese volunteer armies. The M26 Pershing was well balanced for defense with its 102mm thick armor and for assault with the sheer firepower of its M3 90mm gun. Mobility was provided by a Ford GAF liquid cooled gasoline engine and torsion bar suspension. The M26 served as a model for the designs of later U.S. tanks such as the M46, M48, and M60.