M46 Patton Medium Tank

M46 Patton Medium Tank

During a 2019 visit to the NMMV, Mr. Dan Starks expressed his wish to acquire an M46 Patton. BAIV began a worldwide search and located a rare, nearly complete survivor in Europe. An exceptional opportunity to restore this scarce post-war American tank.

Global timeline

Story of the M46 Patton Medium Tank

The M46 Patton, developed from the M26 Pershing, featured a powerful Continental AV1790 engine and advanced CD-850 cross-drive transmission. Armed with a 90 mm M3A1 gun, it significantly improved mobility, firepower, and reliability, becoming the first in the Patton series and a key U.S. Cold War-era medium tank.
1945

Wartime Use / Deployment

Used extensively in Korea, outperforming North Korean T-34s in U.S. Marine and Army service.

2020

Condition When Discovered

Turretless but largely complete, long stored under cover, retaining original Korean War markings.

01.2023

Start of the Restoration

By August 2021 the hull and turret arrived in Nederweert. Restoration began in January 2022 and required more than 4,150 hours.

06.2023

Condition After Restoration

Fully restored, running, complete with turret, rebuilt gun, new power-pack, and authentic historical configuration.

Highlights

This restoration involved sourcing extremely rare M46 components, reconstructing the turret and gun system, replacing the engine, and returning a unique Korean War veteran to full running condition. Over 4,150 hours of expert craftsmanship transformed this rare tank into a museum-quality operational vehicle.

Highlight 1

Discovery of an original turret on-site enabled a complete restoration.

Highlight 2

Engine replaced with a fully functional take-out Continental AV1790.

Highlight 3

Recovered a damaged 90 mm M3A1 gun from a range wreck and fully restored it.

Restoration captured in photos

Restoration Photobook

For every restoration project, a comprehensive restoration book is created, documenting the entire process from start to finish in hundreds of detailed photographs. These books offer a unique behind-the-scenes insight into the craftsmanship, precision, and expertise behind each BAIV restoration. Interested parties are welcome to download these books to gain a deeper understanding of our working methods, technical capabilities, and the level of quality we strive for in every project.

Thank you for interest in our restoration book. Enjoy exploring the restoration process.

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Background Story

In December 2019, BAIV was approached by Mr. Dan Starks of the National Museum of Military Vehicles, who expressed a strong desire to add the elusive M46 Patton to his museum’s collection. Since the M46 is exceptionally rare; only twenty-three survive worldwide, BAIV launched a global search.
A promising lead in Poland revealed a turretless but remarkably complete hull, along with an empty turret found on the same yard.
The vehicle had served as a U.S. Army training tank in Italy, later stored for decades under cover before being moved to Poland.

After confirming its condition in March 2020, BAIV arranged the acquisition, and by August 2021 the hull and turret arrived in Nederweert. Restoration began in January 2022 and required more than 4,150 hours.
The engine was beyond repair, but a suitable replacement was sourced in Belgium.
The rare turret race ring and a 90 mm M3A1 gun were eventually obtained. The latter salvaged from a damaged Pershing wreck on a German range and meticulously rebuilt.

Research revealed that this M46 had begun life as an M26 Pershing before being upgraded, then served in Korea where it retained its wartime markings. Later it was sent to Italy for training during the transition to the M47, where crews added the distinctive “Calimero” emblem.
Despite turret removal during training use, the hull and interior remained remarkably intact.

BAIV’s team of specialists restored every major system to operational condition. In June 2023 the M46 completed successful proving trials.

To honor the legacy of Korean War tank crews, the vehicle was finished as a tribute to Corporal Thomas A. Lyke of the 6th Tank Battalion. Lyke’s extraordinary story; combat at Seoul and Pyongyang, the destruction of his tank in April 1951, and 855 harrowing days as a POW, symbolizes the courage of those who fought in the early Cold War era.

The restored M46 Patton now stands as one of the only running examples in the world: a rare survivor brought back to life and a powerful memorial to the soldiers who served with it.

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