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The T43 design represented the pinnacle of U.S. Army tank engineering of the late 1940s. The heavy tank proved fairly popular with its crews, who above all respected the powerful armament it carried. The outbreak of war in Korea brought a rush order in December 1950 which led to a complete production run of 300 vehicles. After 1951, the Marine Corps alone retained confidence in the heavy tank program, investing its scarce funds in the improvements necessary to bring about its fielding after a hurried production run in midst of the 'tank crisis' of the year 1950-51. The eventual retirement of the M103 in 1972, over 20 years after manufacture and after 14 years of operational service, demonstrated the soundness of its engineering. It may have been the unwanted 'ugly duckling' of the Army, which refrained from naming the M103 alone of all its postwar tanks. For the Marine Corps, it served the purpose defined for it in 1949 until the automotive and weapons technology of the United States could produce viable alternatives.
Published | Mar 20 2013 |
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Format | Ebook (PDF) |
Edition | 1st |
Extent | 48 |
ISBN | 9781849089838 |
Imprint | Osprey Publishing |
Illustrations | 25 b/w; 22 col |
Series | New Vanguard |
Short code | NVG 197 |
Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
The author gives a full background, the story of the long development of this tank (which was never given a name), and its eventual use and modifications. It makes for a most interesting history of this big, Cold War tank and is a book that deserves a place on the shelf of any armor enthusiast.
Scott Van Aken, www.modelingmadness.com (April 2013)
A fine survey that considers the M103 heavy tank as an example of the design trends of the post-World War II Army. The M103 saw years of service and though it was not at the top of the Army's list of equipment, it was the only weapon system that could face the Soviet heavy tanks. Eventually the Army realized this, and the M103 saw plenty of action in which it performed in outstanding battles documented here. Any collection strong in World War II military equipment will find this a winner!
James A. Cox, The Midwest Book Review (June 2013)
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