M46 Patton, 6th Tank Battalion, U.S. 24th Div., Han River, Korea, 1951 (1:72)

The M46 Patton tank was named in honor of the famous US General George S. Patton Jr. It basically was an improved M26 Pershing and was meant to replace the M26 and M4 Sherman. 800 of the M26s became M46s when they received a new and more powerful engine and transmission with rearward-facing mufflers on each fenders and a main gun with a bore evacuator. A further 360 were converted to M46 standards plus they received improved braking, cooling and fire suppression systems, improved electrical equipment and a new designation, M46A1. The 6th Tank Battalion was formed for the Korean War as an offspring of the 66th Tank Battalion. It was known for their distinctive �Tiger� themed paint schemes. The M46s made up 15% of the tank force in Korea and quite often took the lead in operations because of its larger gun and better armor compared to the M4 Shermans. The M46 proved superior to its T34/85 counterparts.