T49

T49 (Stock)

Totals

2380000 Price

1000 Hit Points

24.01 / 24.4 kgWeight

Crew

1. Commander

Armor

25.4/25.4/19.1Hull Armor(front/sides/rear, mm)

25.4/25.4/25.4Turret Armor(front/sides/rear, mm)

Maneuver

500 h.p.Engine Power

72.4 km/hSpeed Limit

38 deg/secTraverse Speed

Firepower

320 Standard Shell Damage

102 mmStandard Shell Penetration

6.3 Time for Complete Loading

40 deg/secTurret Traverse Speed

Communication

390 mView Range

410 mSignal Range

M41 Walker Bulldog

T49

T54E1

VIII

2380000

Development started in the spring of 1942. After undergoing trials, the decision was made to replace the 57 mm gun with a 75 mm gun. The new design passed trials in the fall of 1942 but never saw service.

The T49 is considered a very fun and overall good tank to play. Its best features are its guns, particularly the 76mm M1A1, along with its superior speed and acceleration. When first purchased, it is very weak and has low engine power, but once fully upgraded, it is a force to be reckoned with. It can maintain its 61 kph top speed quite easily over all terrain and though the turret traverse is incredibly slow, the tank excels at flanking and exposing weak sides and rear. Its gun can penetrate almost any armor it comes across by hitting weak spots, and by the time they've been hit you'll most likely have had time to run away. In higher tiers, it can even be used as a heavily armed scout. Like most turreted TDs, its armor is sloped but incredibly thin, so don't expect to bounce much. In fact, if you try to use it as a classic stationary sniper TD, you'll probably be mercilessly destroyed. However, you will be very successful if you use this tank's superior speed and maneuverability to its best. A good example of this fact is that due to your high speed, you can "chase" enemy scouts, and get some damage done before the scout escapes.

• T49
• T41
• XM551 Test Bed
• XM551 (XM81) Test Bed

T49

Stock

T41

	Level	Turret	Weight (t)	Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm)	Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s)	View Range (m)
	VII	T49	5360	25.4/25.4/25.4	40	390

	Level	Gun	Weight (t)	Average Penetration (mm)		Rate of Fire	Dispersion at 100 m	Aiming Time
	VIII	90 mm Gun T132E3	653	102/250/45	320/240/320	9.52	0.4	2.3

	Level	Engine	Weight (t)	Engine Power (h.p.)	Chance of Fire on Impact
	VII	Continental AOS-895-3	771	500	20

	Level	Suspension	Weight (t)	Load Limit	Traverse Speed (deg/s)
	VII	T49	6000	24.4	38

	Level	Radio	Weight (t)	Signal Range (m)
	VI	AN/GRC-3	0	410

T41

Recon

XM551 Test Bed

	Level	Turret	Weight (t)	Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm)	Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s)	View Range (m)
	VII	T49	5360	25.4/25.4/25.4	40	390

	Level	Gun	Weight (t)	Average Penetration (mm)		Rate of Fire	Dispersion at 100 m	Aiming Time
	VIII	90 mm Gun T132E3	653	102/250/45	320/240/320	9.52	0.4	2.3

	Level	Engine	Weight (t)	Engine Power (h.p.)	Chance of Fire on Impact
	VIII	Continental AOSI-895-5	771	550	20

	Level	Suspension	Weight (t)	Load Limit	Traverse Speed (deg/s)
	VIII	XM551 test bed	6000	25.7	44

	Level	Radio	Weight (t)	Signal Range (m)
	X	AN/GRC-7	0	745

XM551 Test Bed

Health

XM551 (XM81) Test Bed

	Level	Turret	Weight (t)	Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm)	Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s)	View Range (m)
	VIII	XM551 test bed	4000	38.1/15.9/15.9	44	400

	Level	Gun	Weight (t)	Average Penetration (mm)		Rate of Fire	Dispersion at 100 m	Aiming Time
	VIII	90 mm Gun T132E3	653	102/250/45	320/240/320	9.52	0.38	2.3

	Level	Engine	Weight (t)	Engine Power (h.p.)	Chance of Fire on Impact
	VIII	Continental AOSI-895-5	771	550	20

	Level	Suspension	Weight (t)	Load Limit	Traverse Speed (deg/s)
	VIII	XM551 test bed	6000	25.7	44

	Level	Radio	Weight (t)	Signal Range (m)
	X	AN/GRC-7	0	745

XM551 (XM81) Test Bed

Speed

T54E1

	Level	Turret	Weight (t)	Turret Armor (front/sides/rear, mm)	Gun Traverse Speed (deg/s)	View Range (m)
	VIII	XM551 test bed	4000	38.1/15.9/15.9	44	400

	Level	Gun	Weight (t)	Average Penetration (mm)		Rate of Fire	Dispersion at 100 m	Aiming Time
	VIII	152 mm Gun-Launcher XM81 (conventional)	510	76/152/85	910/700/910	2.61	0.6	3.6

	Level	Engine	Weight (t)	Engine Power (h.p.)	Chance of Fire on Impact
	VIII	Continental AOSI-895-5	771	550	20

	Level	Suspension	Weight (t)	Load Limit	Traverse Speed (deg/s)
	VIII	XM551 test bed	6000	25.7	44

	Level	Radio	Weight (t)	Signal Range (m)
	X	AN/GRC-7	0	745

Compatible Equipment

Compatible Consumables

Player Opinion

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Fast reload
• Good damage per minute
• Great speed and acceleration
• Excellent guns for its tier
• Can maintain top speed

Cons:

• Very thin armor vulnerable to tier 3 guns
• Limited ammo capacity
• Extremely slow turret traverse
• Low hit point pool

Performance

The T49 is very similar to its parent tank the M8A1 in many ways. It maintains similar speed and agility characteristics, in fact improving slightly on overall agility, while at the same time gaining some firepower; and while slow, the turret traverse is still faster than that of the M8A1. Its acceleration is as good or better than most light tanks at tier.

In terms of gun selection, sticking with the 57mm until the 76mm M1A1 is available is seriously worth considering, as the 76mm L/50 lacks in penetration. Additionally, the 57mm's rate of fire more than compensates for its lack of alpha damage. The top tier gun for the T49, the 76mm M1A1, excels in nearly all areas in terms of damage, rate of fire, and penetration over both the 76mm L/50 and the 57mm. Unfortunately, for M1A1 you need the updated (closed-top) turret which cuts your View Range around 20 meters.

If you've played through the American medium tree at all you'll find that the engine will carry over. Be aware that despite the similarity in name, the 76 mm AT Gun M1A1 used by the T49 has "AT" in the name. It is different from the M1A1 used by the M4 Sherman and T1 Heavy, and the gun does not carry over from the medium/heavy line.

T49 can be used to scout to some extent. Use this as your advantage and with your speed, locate enemy tanks, report their location to your team, track and do damage to them and escape before they even realize you were there. However, you are still a tank destroyer and your gun is too powerful to be wasted by dying too early in game, so be careful. Also note that you don't have the same camo rating when moving as light tanks even if your camo holds well when sitting stationary in a bush.

The T49, once fully upgraded, can almost be played in a manner similar to that of a scout or flanker. You're fragile (very important to remember this), you have excellent firepower for your tier, and you retain the ability to sneak up on the enemy. Play the T49 as a second line tank and you will succeed. Don't lead a push, as your armor can't take the hits. Simply follow the main push, support the tanks that are pushing, and clean up the stragglers. Or you can snipe at long range with the excellent gun.

Early Research

• The radios carry over from the M8A1 and the best one should be installed immediately. The 76 mm AT Gun M7 L/50 also carries over but requires the second suspension and turret.
• The 76 mm AT Gun M1A1 carries over from the T40 if you played it previously, but again it requires the second suspension and turret.
• Research the Wright Continental R-975C4 engine first if you don't already have it unlocked.
• Next research the upgraded suspension.
• Now you can research the second turret in preparation for the 76 mm AT guns.
• Go from there.

Historical Info

The manufacture of two pilot models of the T49 tank was initiated in the spring of 1952. They are now being subjected to engineering tests, which are scheduled for completion in the near future. However, in the summer of 1953 Army Field Forces indicated that they were no longer interested in this tank, their reason being that the low-pressure guns developed for its main armament could not guarantee an 88% probability of first-round hit. Because of this withdrawal of user interest, it is possible that work on the T49 will not be continued beyond engineering testing and that the tank itself will not be put into production. The T49 Gun Motor Carriage was a variant of the M18 Hellcat.

Design

On April 18, 1942, it was agreed to construct two prototypes that would be identified as the T49 Gun Motor Carriage. It was to be mobile, weigh around 12 tons, have a crew of five, reach a speed of 50 mph, armor was to be 7/8" on the turret, and 3/8" all around on the hull.

The first prototype was tested and as a result the Tank Destroyer Command and the Ordnance Department wanted the second prototype to have a 75 mm M3 gun. This became the T67 Gun Motor Carriage. It was to have its armor increased to 1" in front. The side armor was reduced and the top and bottom was increased.

The prototypes had helical coil suspensions. Two Buick 320 cubic inch gasoline engines produced a total of 330 HP.

In late 1942, after the testing of a prototype at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, the Special Armored Vehicle Board recommended that the T67 have a standard engine, a 76 mm gun, and a torsion bar suspension. The Secretary of War approved the building of six prototypes. These would carry the 76 mm M1 in an open turret without a basket. The Continental R975-C1 engine was used. These prototypes were designated the T70 Gun Motor Carriage.

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Historical Gallery

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  T49_1

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  T49_2

Sources and External Links

Sources

Chamberlain, P. and C. Ellis, 2000, British and American Tanks of World War II: The Complete Illustrated History of British, American and Commonwealth Tanks 1939-1945, Cassel Reprint, London, 224p, ISBN:9780304355297.

Forty, G., 2007, The World Encyclopedia of Tanks & Armoured Fighting Vehicles - An Illustrated History Of The World's Most Important Tanks and AFVs From The Beginning Of The 20th Century To The Present Day, Anness Press, London, ISBN:9780754817413.

Zaloga, S.J., 2005, US Anti-tank Artillery 1941–45, New Vanguard Series 107, Osprey Publishing, Oxford, 48p, ISBN:9781841766904.

USA

Light Tanks

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