Notional TO&Es for US Army Heavy Tank Battalions in WWII?

[Hellfish6]

Hello fellows,

I've only just started scratching this itch, so it's possible I just haven't dug into it enough, but does anyone know of notional Tables of Organization and/or Equipment for heavy tank/tank destroyers the US Army came up with in 42-45? I'm thinking of things that outlined the M6 Heavy Tank unit organizations, or orgs that might have been on the drafting table when the T29 heavy was ordered for production. Likewise T/Os that might have existed to T28/T95 assault gun. 

In this initial research, I've found heavy tank organizations in 1927 (a regimental organization for Mk VIIIs) and 1947 (90mm gun tanks), but nothing in between. I'm curious to see if they were planned for incorporation in armored divisions or as independent tank battalions (or even companies?) and how maintenance and logistics would have been handled for them

[RichTO90]

On 1/27/2022 at 12:10 PM, Hellfish6 said:

Hello fellows,

I've only just started scratching this itch, so it's possible I just haven't dug into it enough, but does anyone know of notional Tables of Organization and/or Equipment for heavy tank/tank destroyers the US Army came up with in 42-45? I'm thinking of things that outlined the M6 Heavy Tank unit organizations, or orgs that might have been on the drafting table when the T29 heavy was ordered for production. Likewise T/Os that might have existed to T28/T95 assault gun. 

In this initial research, I've found heavy tank organizations in 1927 (a regimental organization for Mk VIIIs) and 1947 (90mm gun tanks), but nothing in between. I'm curious to see if they were planned for incorporation in armored divisions or as independent tank battalions (or even companies?) and how maintenance and logistics would have been handled for them

They never existed. If the M6A1 had been procured and fielded by the Armor Force it would have used the same organization as the Medium and Light Tank Battalions. The late-war heavy tanks were intended to substitute one-for-one with medium tanks so again would have used the same organization.

[Hellfish6]

Figured as much. Thanks. 

[Perun]

Interesting article

https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M6A1_Heavy_Tank.php

Edited March 6, 2022 by Perun

[RichTO90]

Huh? 🤣

[Mark Bevis]

I have seen a 1947-49 TOE for heavy tank battalions using T-29, T-30, T-32, T-34 heavy tanks. Unfortunately I never kept a copy of the original source, but it is replicated here:

Bttn HQ: 2x heavy tanks, 3x M3 halftracks, 4x Jeeps

3 Heavy Tank Companies each:

CHQ: 1x M3 halftrack, 3x M45 Pershing

2 platoons@ 5x M26E5, T-29, T-30, T-32 or T-34 heavy tanks

 1 recce section: 2x Jeep/HMG

1 mortar section: 1x M21 halftrack

My understanding is that the heavy tank battalions were to be independent in the GHQ pool, like WW2 independent tank battalions, and allocated as needed. Looking at the organisation above, it seems like heavy tank companies were to operate separately and the battalion HQ was more adminstrative. Although we know in practice from WW2 experience the attached TD, AA and Tank battalions tended to stay with divisions for considerable periods of time, so they become de-facto permanent assignments.

 

Now they were intending to order 1200 of one of the heavy tanks (T-30? can't remember which off-top of my head), that's enough for 37 battalions on the above organisation, or 22 if they had used the standard 54 tank battalion TOE. That's a lot of heavy tank battalions, so you'd expect each front-line division to have one such battalion attached.

 

Mark

Edited April 12, 2023 by Mark Bevis