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Mt. Airy in Surry County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
 

90 MM Gun Tank M47 Patton

 
 
90 MM Gun Tank M47 Patton Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Michael C. Wilcox, April 14, 2012
1. 90 MM Gun Tank M47 Patton Marker
Inscription. The M47 was essentially an M46 fitted with the turret from the T42 tank prototype. The front hull had a sharper slope, however, and the rotoclone blower place between the drivers on the M46 was deleted. The turret had a long bustle which housed the radio and a ventilator. The "eyes" of the gunner's stereoscopic rangefinder protruded from the top sides of the turret. Early tanks were armored with a 90mm gun featuring a single-baffle muzzle break, and late tanks had a T-shaped blast deflector. Most M47s, however, were produced with a cylindrical blast deflector. Later tanks also had a taller .50cal MG pintle placed farther forward on the roof compared to earlier vehicles.

The tank was originally nicknamed Patton II, but the name was changed to Patton 47 a few weeks later. On 9 November 1950, the US Army changed the basis of its tank designation system from weight to the caliber of the vehicle's main gun. The M47, which would have been a medium tank previously, therefore became a 90mm gun tank.

An upgrade program for the M47 was started in the late 1960's and resulted in the M47M. M47M used the engine and fire control system from the 105mm gun tank M60A1. The engine, Continental’s AVDS-1790-2A supercharged diesel, had its exhaust vented through rear louvers like on the M60, replacing the M47's fender-mounted mufflers.
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The transmission used was the CD-850-6A. The assistant driver was eliminated in favor of a 22-round 90mm ammunition rack and the small track tension idler wheel was deleted as well. To compensate for the location of the new engine's oil pan, the read road wheel was moved 3.9" (9.7cm) to the rear. The tank's shock absorbers were also dropped in favor of friction snubbers. Five hundred forty-seven M47s were modified to M47M standard by Bowen-McLaughlin-York, Inc., in a factory built in Iran for M47M production. The improved tank was used by Iran and Pakistan.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Military. A significant historical date for this entry is November 9, 1950.
 
Location. 36° 30.98′ N, 80° 37.02′ W. Marker is in Mt. Airy, North Carolina, in Surry County. Marker is on West Lebanon Street (Business U.S. 52), on the right when traveling south. Located in Veterans Memorial Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mount Airy NC 27030, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Leonidas Harold "L.H." Jones (approx. 1.1 miles away); Ralph Epperson (approx. 1.1 miles away); The Whittling Wall (approx. 1.1 miles away); The Whittler (approx. 1.1 miles away); Fred Cockerham (approx. 1.1 miles away); Donna Fargo
90 MM Gun Tank M47 Patton & Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Michael C. Wilcox, April 14, 2012
2. 90 MM Gun Tank M47 Patton & Marker
(approx. 1.1 miles away); Tommy Jarrell (approx. 1.1 miles away); The Mill Worker (approx. 1.1 miles away).
 
90 MM Gun Tank M47 Patton & Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Michael C. Wilcox, April 14, 2012
3. 90 MM Gun Tank M47 Patton & Marker
90 MM Gun Tank M47 Patton image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Michael C. Wilcox, April 14, 2012
4. 90 MM Gun Tank M47 Patton
90 MM Gun Tank M47 Patton image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Michael C. Wilcox, April 14, 2012
5. 90 MM Gun Tank M47 Patton
90 MM Gun Tank M47 Patton image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Michael C. Wilcox, April 14, 2012
6. 90 MM Gun Tank M47 Patton
Nearby marker at Veteran's Park entrance image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Michael C. Wilcox, April 14, 2012
7. Nearby marker at Veteran's Park entrance
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on April 15, 2012, by Michael C. Wilcox of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. This page has been viewed 1,266 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on April 15, 2012, by Michael C. Wilcox of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.

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Apr. 24, 2024