Design Overview & Tactical Role
Named after General George S. Patton, the M48 was the third American tank to bear the Patton designation and the first to abandon the hull machine gunner, moving strictly to a 4-man layout within a distinctive rounded cast steel hull. Widely modernised over four decades, it proved to be a versatile combat platform across the jungles of Vietnam and the sands of the Sinai.
Combat History & Battle Records
Entering service during the Cold War in 1952, the M48 fought extensively in the Vietnam War, withstanding monsoons, ambushes, and minefields. In Israeli service as the Magach, M48s routed opposing armor in the 1967 Six-Day War and held defensive lines during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
Related Armored Vehicles (Cold War)
Modern
2020
Modern
2006
Cold War
1948
Cold War
1961