Love That Bounce

"Our light tanks," said Under Secretary of the Army Archibald Alexander, "are designed to kill a potential enemy's medium tanks; our medium tanks are designed to kill his heavies; and what may be called our heavies go on from there." To build a tank able to fight above its class, U.S. engineers have relied on speed and firepower, have cut nonessential weight by installing air-cooled engines. Last week the Pentagon announced the latest results from its engineers' drawing boards.

By next spring the first of the new postwar T-41 light tanks will begin coming off the assembly lines. T-41 will be armed with a 76-mm. gun, will have a top speed of 35 m.p.h., will be every bit as good in performance as World War II's medium Sherman--and seven tons lighter. The T-42, a medium, will be about six months behind T-41 on the assembly lines. And on the blueprint horizon--but within sight --is the U.S.'s first modern heavy: T-43, a dreadnaught whose details are top secret.

The tankmen, who had hemmed & hawed awkwardly while the Russian T-34s made trouble for the lightweight U.S. Chaffees in the first days of Korea, had other reasons to speak up in a clear voice. Their medium Pattons had proved an easy winner over the Russian T-34 in Korea (although they had yet to meet Russia's newest and most formidable). In one classic encounter, 16 Pattons had knocked out 16 T-34s with only minor damage to four Pattons. In another, one Patton had destroyed a T-34 in a gun duel at a mile's range.

The Pattons were sounding just as good on the defensive. The Pentagon's favorite tank hero was the sergeant who commanded a Patton which withstood 17 hits by enemy shells. Said he: "I like to hear them bounce off." That was a little tall, even for a tank sergeant, but the tankers were obviously feeling better about their new weapons.

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