M60A3, Main Battle Tank, 105mm "Patton"

M60A3, Main Battle Tank, 105mm "Patton". . , The 105mm Gun Full Tracked Combat Tank, M60, unofficially known as the M60 Patton, is a first-generation main battle Tank (MBT) introduced in December 1960 as an upgraded version of the M48 tank. It was widely used by the U.S. for over three decades before being replaced by the M1A1 Abrams in 1997. Over 15,000 versions of the M60 were produced and they were used by over 20 countries, especially those in NATO.

Built primarily to counter the Soviet T-62 tank, the M60 saw combat as an engineering vehicle in Vietnam, the Yom Kippur War, the 1962 Lebanon War and Operation Desert Storm. It proved highly capable against all enemy variants to include the Soviet T-72 tank which was specifically designed to defeat the M60 MBT.

The M60A3 variant was first introduce in 1978. It featured a number of technological enhancements, including smoke dischargers, a new laser-based rangefinder that could be used by the commander and gunner, an M21 ballistic computer, and a turret stabilization system. The M60A3 would be the last upgrade to the time tested main battle tank, but further improvements by allied nations such as Israel and Egypt would allow the Patton tank to continue service well into the 21st Century.

This particular M60A3 served with the Army National Guard before being retired to a museum in 1995. In 2000 it was transferred to the Fort Snelling Military Museum, MN. The tank was then transferred to the Transportation Museum in 2011.

Specifications , Manufacturer: Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant, Chrysler , Engine: 750 hp Continental AVDS-1790 v-12 diesel , Weight: 57.3 tons , Fuel Capacity: 174 gallons , Speed: , 30 mph (forward) , 10 mph (reverse) , Fording Depth: 4 feed , Range: 300 miles (500 km) , Crew: 4 , Main Gun: 105mm M68E1 - 63 rounds , Coaxial machinegun: 7.62mm M240 - 5,950 rounds , Commander's machinegun: , .50 cal M85 , anti-aircraft gun - 900 rounds , Sensors and Fire Control: M21 sold state ballistic computer, AN/VVG-2 ruby laser rangefinder, AN/vsg-2 Tank Thermal Sights (TTS) with laser rangefinder