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The M47 was developed in response to the U.S. Army's lack of a capable tank to fight in the Korean War, which broke out in June 1950. The tank was actually a hybrid of sorts, and merged the T42 turret with the proven M46 chassis.
In 1951, the basic M46 hull was reshaped to increase the slope of the glacis plate and improve the hull's forward protection. The hull gunner and his .30 caliber machine gun were retained in the front right of the hull, with the driver to his left.The turret, which was narrow but with a long bustle, housed the 90mm main gun which was fitted with a cylindrical blast deflector. A total of 71 rounds of 90mm ammunition could be stowed. The commander had a roof-mounted .50 caliber machine gun for air defense. The M47 also featured an optical rangefinder - the first to be used in a tank.The suspension comprised six road wheels, a front idler, three track return rollers, and a rear sprocket driven by a Continental 12-cylinder air-cooled gasoline engine developing 810hp. Unfortunately, the fuel consumption of this engine and the limited fuel tankage was the M47's greatest tactical disadvantages: it only had a range of about 100km.Production continued through November 1953, with 8,776 M47s being built. A few were shipped to Korea, but by they were too late to make a significant impact. The M47 continued to serve in the U.S. Army until it was replaced by the M48; the M47 was also the first tank supplied to the Bundeswehr in the form of military aid. The German versions of the vehicle dispensed with the hull gunner, gaining space for an additional 34 rounds of main gun ammunition. As with the U.S. Army, the M47 was eventually replaced by the much-improved M48 Patton tank.
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