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T29

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T29 (Stock)

Blitz_T29_screen.png
Totals
1450300 Cost
1150 HPDurability
63 / 66.8 Weight
Crew
  1. Commander
  2. Gunner
  3. Driver
  4. Radio Operator
  5. Loader
  6. Loader
Armor
102/76/51Hull Armor(front/sides/rear, mm)
279/127/101Turret Armor(front/sides/rear, mm)
Maneuver
720 h.p.Engine Power
35 km/hTop Speed / Reverse Speed
20 deg/sTraverse Speed
Firepower
160 damage
128 mmAverage Penetration
5.13 Time for Complete Loading
14 deg/sGun Traverse Speed
Communication
230 mView Range
500 mSignal Range
VII
T29
1450300
Development of this experimental heavy tank started in 1944. The prototype was built in 1947. The vehicle featured the 105 mm T5E1 gun. After the war, the mass production of heavy tanks was deemed unreasonable, and only a few prototypes of this vehicle were built.

Generally considered one of the best tanks of its tier, if not downright overpowered, the T29 is a solid combination of firepower, armor and mobility. Stock, it comes with the inefficient 76 mm M1A2 gun, but can immediately equip the powerful 90 mm M3 gun if it was researched previously from the M6, which will prove sufficient against most opponents it faces while the tank advances down the upgrade path. The 105 mm gun that you are able to mount later is very powerful and lethal, as it can penetrate almost any tank in its tier and still can penetrate some higher tier tanks and can pack quite a punch. The most notable feature of the T29 is its large and extremely well-armored turret similar to that of the T34, strong enough to bounce shots from tier 8 tanks if faced frontally and with good angling. For this reason, the T29 performs exeptionally well when placed in a hull-down position. The frontal hull armor of the T29 is also quite robust if angled properly.

Turretgun

Turret

Level Turret Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm) Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s) View Range (m) Experience Weight (t)
VI T123 279/127/101 14 230 0 8400
Level Gun Average Penetration (mm) Rate of Fire Dispersion at 100 m Aiming Time Experience Weight (t)
VI 76 mm Gun M1A2 128/177/20 160/160/200 11.7 0.4 2.3 0 1590
VII 90 mm Gun M3 160/243/45 225/225/270 8.57 0.38 2.3 16520 2050
VIII 105 mm Gun T5E1 198/245/53 310/310/400 4.55 0.42 2.7 18100 2400
Level Turret Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm) Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s) View Range (m) Experience Weight (t)
VII T136 279/127/102 14 250 12100 9100
Level Gun Average Penetration (mm) Rate of Fire Dispersion at 100 m Aiming Time Experience Weight (t)
VI 76 mm Gun M1A2 128/177/20 160/160/200 11.7 0.4 2.3 0 1590
VII 90 mm Gun M3 160/243/45 225/225/270 8.57 0.38 2.3 16520 2050
VIII 105 mm Gun T5E1 198/245/53 310/310/400 5 0.42 2.7 18100 2400
Engine

Engine

Level Engine Engine Power (h.p.) Chance of Fire on Impact Experience Weight (t)
VII Ford GAZ 720 20 0 556
VIII Continental AV-1790-3 800 20 23750 569
VIII GMC Allison V1710-E32 760 20 12300 556

Level Suspension Load Limit Traverse Speed (deg/s) Experience Weight (t)
VI T84E1 66.8 20 0 11500
VII T84E3 66.8 25 9800 11500
Radio

Radio

Level Radio Signal Range (m) Experience Weight (t)
VI SCR_508_US 500 0 100


Compatible Equipment

Vertical Stabilizer Mk 2
Heavy Spall Liner
Camouflage Net
Fill Tanks with CO2
Coated Optics
Enhanced Gun Laying Drive
Enhanced Torsion Bars 5+ t Class
Improved Ventilation Class 3
Large-Сaliber Tank Gun Rammer
Binocular Telescope
Toolbox
"Wet" Ammo Rack Class 2

Compatible Consumables


Player Opinion

Pros and Cons

Pros:


  • Extremely thick frontal turret and mantlet armor, making it nearly immune to enemy fire when hull-down in the frontal arc
  • The sloping of the hull means you are able to reliably bounce some lower tier guns (provided your lower hull or machine gun a
  • Good gun depression that works well with the hull down philosophy.
  • 105mm gun will provide excellent penetration at tier VII with acceptable accuracy, rate of fire, and alpha damage.
  • Good gun handling is marred only by mediocre but acceptable aim time


Cons:


  • Hull armor won't stand up to guns with high penetration (e.g. Tiger's 88mm L/71 or even the Black Prince's 17-Pounder)
  • Large silhouette from all angles - although this is not a problem from the front.
  • Excruciating stock grind if coming from the Sherman Jumbo.
  • Expensive ammo for its top gun; matches will soon result in negative income without a decent damage dealt/damage taken ratio.
  • Rather slow rate of fire for the damage done, resulting in the lowest DPM in class


Performance

The T29, although capable of leading an assault, can be very hard to coax out of a defensive position if it keeps its hull hidden and only exposes its strong turret. If put into a tier 8 or higher battle, it will have considerable difficulty avoiding damage unless it is put in a hull-down position. The turret armor can bounce almost any shell and fight back with good results. The T29 does need to attempt to keep all of it's opponents inside of a relatively small arc in front of its armor to control the fight though. The T29 is somewhat slow although its acceleration is acceptable once the engine has been upgraded, making it somewhat less swift than German/Russian offerings on flat ground but not behind most player packs. Therefore, it is highly advised to research the 90mm gun first and then research mobility upgrades to increase responsiveness. If you did not research the 90mm gun on the M6, and you have no free exp to use, then this tank virtually hamstrings teams it is on by preventing a (typically high on the battle listings) heavy from performing a key aspect of its role against its equals on the other team.

However, the T29 starts to shine the moment you upgrade its tracks and turret even with just the 90mm. Once you upgrade the turret, it gains a rate of fire increase on the 105mm gun, and a boost to viewrange from rangefinders that may appear to increase vulnerability but were removed from the hitbox in 2011. With the HP increase, the T29 feels like the tank it should be with the 2nd turret irregardless of whether it mounts the 90mm or 105.


Early Research

  • The 90mm Gun carries over from the M6 (or if you previously played the T20) and should be installed immediately. The 76 mm is insufficient for anything at this tier. Free XP is strongly recommended if you came from the E2 Jumbo Sherman and don't have the 90mm M3.
  • First, research the upgraded suspension, as it makes the T29 more durable to tracking shots and gives it the ability to mount the heavy 105mm cannon.
  • Next, research the second turret, as it will reduce the reload time of the 105mm gun, as well as useful increase in view range. The rangefinder additions and gun-model additions are a boost to its historical appearance.
  • In no particular order, research the engines and the 105. This improves acceleration and especially hillclimbing speed, assisting movement to get into ideal hull-down or other exploitable positions faster. With the gun, penetrating and damaging protected enemies will be simplified by a 38mm increase in penetration.


Historical Info

By the middle of 1944, combat reports from Europe describing the use of heavy tanks by the Germans stimulated new interest in the development of an equivalent American vehicle. The Pershing medium tank provided an answer to the early model of the German Pz.Kpfw. VI Tiger. However, although the latter was still in first-line service, it had first been encountered by U. S. Army during 1943. By 1944, the Germans were introducing even more heavily armed and armored vehicles(Pz.Kpfw. Tiger II). Although for morale purposes the M26 Pershing was temporarily redesignated as a heavy tank, it clearly did not provide an answer to the problem. On 14 September 1944, U. S. forces recommended development and manufacture of four prototypes of a new heavy tank. Two of these were designated as the heavy tank T29 and were to be armed with the 105mm gun T5E1. The remaining two were designated as the heavy tank T30 and were to be armed with the 155mm gun T7.

Technical info

T29E2 Prototype-technical drawings
On 1 March 1945, an order for 1200 T29 tanks was recommended by the U.S. Army. The new heavy tank was powered by the Ford GAC V-12, liquid- cooled engine developing 770 horsepower at 2800 rpm. The engine was coupled to the new cross-drive transmission developed by General Motors. The latter combined the functions of a transmission, steering gear, and brakes in a single unit. With the original cross drive model EX-120, the driver used an electric control system to operate the transmission under normal conditions. Two mechanical manual steering levers also were provided for emergency use. Lack of sensitivity and feel with the electric control resulted in its replacement by a mechanical system also using a single control lever, usually referred to as the "wobble stick". The manual steering levers were retained for emergency use. Separate controls were provided for the driver and assistant driver (bow-gunner).
T29E3 Prototype-technical drawings

When delivered to the Army, the T29s were fitted with the CD-850-1 version of the cross-drive transmission. This unit incorporated two hydraulically-selected gear ranges driving through a single phase torque converter. Part of the power was transmitted through a mechanical path, bypassing the torque converter. This mechanically transmitted power, as well as that from the torque converter, was applied equally to both output shafts except when steering. At that time, all of the mechanical power was applied to one side to provide the speed difference required for steering. Braking for the vehicle was by means of built-in disc brakes actuated mechanically by foot pedals in the driver's compartment. A later version of the cross-drive was installed during the testing program. Designated as the CD-850-2, it replaced the single phase torque converter with a polyphase unit. This later model was more efficient at high speeds and acted as a fluid coupling after the point of 1:1 torque multiplication was reached. The great advantage of the cross-drive transmission was its simplicity of operation, which greatly eased the task of the driver. Pushing the wobble stick to the left or right steered the tank in that direction when the transmission was in first or second gear. The same action in neutral caused the vehicle to pivot in place with one track going forward and the other in reverse. Such action greatly increased the ability of the tank to extricate itself from difficult terrain where less agile vehicles would be stuck. Many components in common with the medium tank M26 Pershing were used in the new heavy tanks. The T80E3 tracks were the 23 inch T80E1 tracks of the Pershing fitted with five inch extended end-connecters, giving a total width of 28 inches. Power was transmitted to the tracks through sprockets at the rear of the vehicle. Eight road wheels per side increased the ground contact length to reduce the ground pressure of the tank which weighed over 70 tons, combat loaded. The hull was a welded assembly of armor castings and rolled plate similar to the M26. The same maximum thickness of four inches was retained on the upper front, but the angle was increased on the T29 to 54 degrees from the vertical. The driver and assistant driver (bow-gunner) were seated on the left and right sides of the front hull respectively. The latter operated the .30 caliber machine gun ball mounted in the front armor. Both the driver and assistant driver were provided with a single periscope in their hatch covers.

Crew

The large cast turret was installed on an 80 inch diameter ring well forward on the hull. The turret armor thickness varied from seven inches on the front to four inches on the rear. A crew of four manned the turret with the tank commander seated under a cupola in the center of the turret-bustle. The gunner was located in the right front of the turret and was provided with a direct-sight telescope in the gun mount and a periscopic sight in the turret roof. The two loaders worked in the rear of the turret ring, one on each side of the cannon. Two hatches, one on each side, were located in the turret roof in addition to the hatch in the commander's cupola. A circular pistol port was installed in the right side wall of the turret. The 105mm gun T5E1, installed in the combination gun mount T123, was a long-barreled weapon with a muzzle velocity of 3000 feet per second using the 39 pound armor piercing shot (AP) T32. During tests, a 24.6 pound hypervelocity armor piercing shot (HVAP) T29E3 achieved a muzzle velocity of 3700 feet per second. A 33.5 pound T30E1 high explosive shell (HE) was provided with a reduced muzzle velocity of 2500 feet per second. A total of 63 rounds of 105mm ammunition was stowed in the turret and hull. Two .50 caliber machine guns were mounted coaxially on the left side of the 105mm gun. Another .50 caliber machine gun was fitted on a pedestal mount in front of the left loader's hatch on the turret roof. Ventilation was provided by two 1500cfm blowers. One was mounted in the turret roof to the right rear of the commander's station, and the other was located in the front hull roof between the driver and the assistant driver.

History

An order for the T29 tank was approved on 12 April 1945, but the numbers were reduced to 1152. Also in April, four additional prototype T29s were authorized, but later, it was directed that one of these was to be armed with the 120mm gun T53 and redesignated as the heavy tank T34. This was only one of the many changes to the program with the approaching end of hostilities. After the end of the war in the Pacific, the production contract with the Pressed Steel Car Company, Inc. was terminated with one T29 completed and a second partially finished. All material was transferred to Detroit Arsenal for the completion of ten prototypes for postwar development studies authorized on 23 August, 1945. Later, the total of T29 prototypes was reduced to eight.

Models

T29E2 Prototype
The first T29 arrived at Aberdeen Proving Ground in October 1947. By this time, there was no longer any requirement for production of these heavy tanks and the test program was limited to evaluating the various power train components for application to new tank designs. Two additional T29s arrived at Aberdeen in April and May 1948 and they also were used in the endurance and engineering test programs.

T29 number 1 was diverted to General Motors Corporation for the installation of a modified version of the Allison liquid-cooled V-12 aircraft engine. To accommodate the new power package consisting of the Allison V-1710-E32 engine and the CD-850-1 cross-drive transmission, the tank hull was lengthened by 1 31/32 inches. The new engine developed 870 gross horsepower at 2800 rpm and weighed about 1600 pounds dry. This vehicle, armed with the 105mm gun T5EI in mount T123, was designated as the heavy tank T29E1 in December 1945. T29 number 2 was fitted with what was designated as the heavy tank turret T5. This turret was equipped with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology combination hydraulic power turret traversing and elevating mechanism and computing sight. The tank was armed with the 105mm gun T5E2 in mount T123E2. OCM 32107, dated I April 1948, designated the T29 with the T5 turret as the heavy tank T29E2. At this point, a brief description of the guns and mounts is in order. The 105mm gun T5E1 was installed in mount T123, which used three recoil cylinders on top of the gun cradle. This design was modified to have two recoil cylinders on top of the cradle and one on the bottom. This new mount was the T123E1 and the cannon modified to fit it was the 105mm gun T5E2. Installation of the power traversing and elevating system in the T29E2 tank required further modification of the mount, and it received the new designation T123E2. Heavy tanks T29 numbers 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 were all armed with the 105mm gun T5E2 in mount T123E1.

Heavy lank T29 number 8 was armed with the 105mm gun T5EI in mount T123. This vehicle was modified to provide for the installation of the range finder T31E1 and telescopic T93E2 in mount TI36. Provision also was made to install panoramic telescopes T141, T144, and T145 to evaluate their use during indirect fire with the 105mm gun. The T141 and T144 telescopes were used in the gunner's periscopic sight mount, and a T156 mount for the T145 telescope was fitted into the turret roof.
T29E3 Prototype
All this was part of a program to study the effectiveness of integrated fire control systems. The same program also utilized a modified version of the medium tank T25E1. When fitted with the new fire control system, T29 number 8 was redesignated as the heavy tank T29E3. The T31E1 range-finder was a stereoscopic instrument with a base length of nine feet. It was not connected to the other fire control system components and was operated by the tank commander, who manually relayed the range information using the control box just below the range finder. When the range and the desired lead were set into the control box, it was transmitted by flexible shafting to the telescope mount T136. Thus the gunner could give his undivided attention to tracking the target. Unfortunately, it did not work very well in practice. The tests at Aberdeen showed that backlash, as well as windup and binding of the flexible shafting, introduced serious errors into the system. However, the test program did show that the stereoscopic range-finder was particularly useful for spotting purposes and sensing bursts. It also emphasized the necessity for a range-finder, if first-round hits were to be obtained at ranges over 1000 yards.

T-series prototypes

The T29, T30, T32, and T34 series of tanks were used to evaluate numerous experimental components after World War II. Although too late for the war for which they were designed, they provided invaluable service in developing these components for later tanks. Much of the work which made the early AV-1790 engine and the CD-850 transmission a reliable power package utilized these tanks. Later, they were used in the development of other power train components such as the XT-1400 transmission, which was tested in the T30.


American Heavy tank comparison
Mk.VII M6 T28 T29 T30 T32 T34 M103A2
Crew 8 6 4 6 6 5 6 5
Length 10,43m 8,43m 11,12m 11,56m 10,9m 10,83m 11,77m 11,23m
Width 3,66m 3,12m 4,54m 3,8m 3,8m 3,76m 3,8m 3,63m
Height 3,12m 3,00m 2,86m 3,22m 3,22m 2,81m 3,22m 3,56m
Weight 39,5t 57,4t 86,3t 64,25t 64,74t 54,5t 65,2t 58,1t
Engine
power
Liberty
338hp
G-200
960hp
GAF
500hp
GAC
770hp
AV1790
810hp
GAC
770hp
AV1790
810hp
AV1790
750hp
Max. speed 8,8km/h 35km/h 12,8km/h 35km/h 35km/h 35km/h 35km/h 37km/h
hull armour
(angle)
12mm
(28)
83mm
(30)
305mm 102mm
(54)
102mm
(54)
127mm
(54)
102mm
(54)
127mm
(60)
side armour 12mm 70mm 152mm 76mm 76mm 76mm 76mm 51mm
Turret armour
(mantlet)
16mm 83mm
(102mm)
- 178mm
(279mm)
178mm
(279mm)
298mm
(298mm)
178mm
(279mm)
127mm
(254mm)
top armour 6-10mm 25mm 38mm 38mm 38mm 38mm 38mm 38mm
bottom armour 6-8mm 25mm 25mm 25mm 25mm 25mm 25mm 38mm
Gun 2x57mm
Hotchkiss
75mm M7
37mm MB
105mm
T5E1
105mm
T5E2
155mm
T7
90mm
T15E2
120mm
T53
120mm
M58
Secondary
armament
5x7,62mm
Hotchkiss
2x12,7mm
HB M2
2x7,62mm
M1919A4
12,7mm
HB M2
3x12,7mm
HB M2
7.62mm
M1919M4
2x12,7mm
HB M2
7.62mm
M1919M4
12,7mm
HB M2
2x7.62mm
M1919M4
3x12,7mm
HB M2
7.62mm
M1919M4
3x12,7mm
HB M2
7.62mm
M37


Historical Gallery

Sources and External Links

USA
Light Tanks IT1 Cunningham IIT1E6 IIT2 Light Tank IIT7 Combat Car IIIM22 Locust
Medium Tanks IIT2 Medium Tank IIIM2 Medium Tank IVM3 Lee VM4A2E4 Sherman VM4 Sherman VRam II VIM4A3E8 Fury VIM4A3E8 Sherman VIM4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo VIIT20 VIIIM26 Pershing VIIIT26E4 SuperPershing IXM46 Patton XM48A1 Patton
Heavy Tanks VT14 VT1 Heavy Tank VIM6 VIIT29 VIIIT32 VIIIT34 VIIIT34 Independence IXM103 XT110E5
Tank Destroyers IIT18 IIIT82 IVM8A1 IVT40 VM10 Wolverine VT49 VIM18 Hellcat VIM36 Jackson VIIT25/2 VIIT25 AT VIIIT28 VIIIT28 Prototype IXT30 IXT95 XT110E3 XT110E4
Heavy Tanks
USA VT14 VT1 Heavy Tank VIM6 VIIT29 VIIIT32 VIIIT34 VIIIT34 Independence IXM103 XT110E5
UK VChurchill I VExcelsior VIChurchill VII VITOG II* VIIBlack Prince VIIICaernarvon IXConqueror XFV215b
Germany IVPz.Kpfw. B2 740 (f) IVDurchbruchswagen 2 VVK 30.01 (H) VIVK 36.01 (H) VIITiger I VIITiger (P) VIITankenstein VIIILöwe VIIITiger II VIIIVK 45.02 (P) Ausf. A IXE 75 IXVK 45.02 (P) Ausf. B XE 100 XMaus
USSR VChurchill III VKV-220 Beta-Test VKV-1 VIKV-1S VIKV-2 VIT-150 VIIIS VIIKV-3 VIIIIS-3 VIIIIS-6 VIIIIS-6 Fearless VIIIKV-5 VIIIKV-4 IXIS-8 IXST-I XIS-4 XIS-7
France
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Sweden
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