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The M103 is kind of like a supersized M48.
Surprisingly, the protection isn't that much better. The hull sides are MUCH thinner!
Hull: 630/196/105/70/96; Turret: 893/657/141/105
The 120mm M58 cannon is the main reason it's bigger and heavier.
Firing 120x881mmR, it's impressive. And limited by tech of the day. The excessive length of the round requires two loaders. One loads the projectile, the other loads the cartridge case. Five rounds a minute is considered a well coordinated crew. Contrast this to an M1A1 (or newer) using a single loader and getting 10 to 12 shots a minute.
The two anti-armor rounds are the M358 APBC and M469 HEAT.
M358 does 6dx20(2) pi++ and can penetrate 882 DR. Here kitty, kitty, kitty. Just barely enough to get into a T-54 turret though.
M469 does a little better with 6dx5(10) cr ex with a linked 6dx5 cr ex. This will penetrate DR 1,050 getting 17 points into a T-54 turret. That doesn't sound like much, but it'll break things.
Thanks. I always thought the M-103 was a tank before its time. That being the 120mm rifle before the modern 120mm smoothbore and the existence of modern ceramic and applique armors.
ReplyDeleteBut it would have been a beast at the time of its creation. Firing hull-down into the Fulda Gap.
I drew a detail at Knox to help the museum staff with their collection of tanks and they had the M103A2 opened up and accessible.
DeleteIt's an interesting internal layout.
Decent amount of space for the loaders to work and not too confining for the gunner.
The commander is almost as isolated from the crew as the driver, despite being in the turret with the gunner and loaders.