Today in WW II: 9 Sep 1939 In large pincer movement east of Warsaw, German forces trap and reduce the remaining Polish forces [9-17 September].  More ↓
9 Sep 1943 With Italian cooperation, Operation SLAPSTICK lands 3600 men of the British 1st Paratroop Division at the port of Taranto in the Italian heel.
9 Sep 1943 Operation AVALANCHE, invasion of Italy at Salerno uses 450 ships to land a total of about nine divisions.
9 Sep 1944 Communist coup and Bulgarian armistice with USSR.
Visit the Olive-Drab.com World War II Timeline for day-by-day events 1939-1945! See also WW2 Books.

M-103 Heavy Tank

The M-103 (T43 in prototype) was authorized in 1952, the first US heavy tank. The design was not very successful, especially its underpowered engine. It served as a back-up tank destroyer until replaced in 1963 by the M-60 Patton Tank. Only 200 of these M-103s were produced.

The M-103 was armed with a 120mm main gun plus two .50 cal. machine guns. It weighed 62.5 tons and was powered by the Continental AV 1790-5B gasoline engine used in the M47/M48 series tanks.

T43/M-103 at 4th Infantry Division Museum, Ft. Hood, TX, 2 December 2005. Photo: Courtesy of Bob Pettit
T43/M-103 at 4th Infantry Division Museum, Ft. Hood, TX, 2 December 2005. Photo: Courtesy of Bob Pettit.

T43/M-103 at 4th Infantry Division Museum, Ft. Hood, TX, 2 December 2005. Photo: Courtesy of Bob Pettit
T43/M-103 at 4th Infantry Division Museum, Ft. Hood, TX, 2 December 2005. Photo: Courtesy of Bob Pettit.

T43/M-103 at 4th Infantry Division Museum, Ft. Hood, TX, 2 December 2005. Photo: Courtesy of Bob Pettit
T43/M-103 at 4th Infantry Division Museum, Ft. Hood, TX, 2 December 2005. Photo: Courtesy of Bob Pettit.