Since the Israeli 1948 War of Independence, Israel was in dire need of replacements for their aging Sherman and AMX 13 tanks. The most viable options were the British Centurion and the US M48 Patton tank. Israeli Patton tanks were first used in combat in the Gaza strip and in the Sinai during the Six Day War in early June 1967.  After many years of negotiations, the US finally agreed to sell Patton tanks to Israel in the early 1960s. However, it was not possible to sell them openly from US stocks. Therefore, a deal was struck between West Germany, the US and Israel where Germany was to deliver 150 M48A1 and M48A2C tanks to Israel. From 1960 to 1964, Israel received 40 M48A1 and M48A2C tanks from Germany. However, the deal had to be abandon after press leaks and a political outcry over the purchase from Germany. Since Germany was no longer able to supply the tanks, the US administration decided to supply the remaining 110 M48A1 tanks to the Israelis directly and added an additional 100 M48A2 tanks. All the tanks were armed with the 90mm main gun and powered by gasoline engines. They were old and used tanks requiring an amount of work to make them combat ready. Magach was the Israeli designation for the US M48 Patton tanks (and later M60 tanks). Contrary to a popular belief, "Magach" is not an abbreviation but a Hebrew word meaning "battering ram", “Strike with a Ram” or “Strike with a Horn”. Magach VersionsMagach 1: Magach 2: Magach 3:
Video: Magach: The Israeli M48?! | Part 1 Video: Magach: The Israeli M48?! | Part 2 A Magach 1 tank training in the Negev desert in southern Israel in the mid 1960s. Note the curved front fenders and that there are no tactical markings, only the registration number 818480 on the front hull.  The Magach 1 tanks that originally arrived from Germany and the USA were removed from active service and transferred to a reserve training unit or to storage and they were replaced by M48A2s that arrived from the USA. All the Magach 1 tanks were eventually upgraded. A month or more before the outbreak of the Six Day War, Israeli ordnance workshops worked long hours to make the Magach tanks combat ready. They were only able to ready enough tanks to equip two tank battalions with 90mm Magach 2 tanks and one company equipped with 105mm Magach 3 tanks. 84th Armoured “Tal” Division – General Israel Tal 79th Tank Battalion, 7th Armored Brigade - Ehud Elad
46th Tank Battalion, 401st Reserve Armored Brigade
The 46th Tank Battalion was attached to the Israeli 35th Paratrooper Brigade. Tactical MarkingsThe direction of the chevrons on the turret represent the company in the battalion. A Company used a "v" chevron (pointing down), B Company "<" chevron (pointing forward), C Company "^" chevron (pointing up) and D Company ">" chevron (pointing to the rear).  During the Six Day War, the Magach tanks carried white stripes on the main gun barrel which also represented the company in the battalion. Since there were only two Magach tank battalions, there was no need to identify the battalion number at that time. In each company, the platoons' tanks were marked with numbers 1, 2, and 3. In each platoon, the Platoon Commander's tank was marked only with the platoon number while the individual tanks in the platoon were marked with the combination of the platoon number and the Hebrew letters, "Alef", "Beth", "Gimel" and "Dalet". In some units, the size of some companies were increased and a 4th Platoon was added with tactical markings starting with number 4. From left to right are the Hebrew letters "Alef" (A), "Beth" (B), "Gimel" (C), and "Dalet" (D).  This Magach 2 tank is from the 79th Tank Battalion during training. The 4 stripes on the 90mm barrel and the chevron pointing to the rear on the left side of the turret indicate that this tank belonged to the 3rd Platoon commander of D Company. However, on the right side of the turret the chevron is pointing forward. The soldier who painted the markings on this tank before the outbreak of the war incorrectly painted "3>" on both sides of the turret. On the right side, "3>" indicate it belongs to B Company. The markings on the right side of the turret should been "<3".  Six Day WarFrom 16 May 1967 to the outbreak of war in early June 1967, the Magach tanks of the 79th Tank Battalion were positioned in the Kibbutz "Mashabei Sadeh" in the Negev desert. A few days before the war began, they were moved closer to their initial objective, which was Khan Yunis in the Gaza strip and stationed in Kibbutz "Gvulot" located in the north western Negev desert in southern Israel. The Magach tanks of the 46th Tank Battalion were positioned in the cooperative village "Dekel" near the border of Egypt before the outbreak of war while D Company was training in the Negev training grounds with their new Magach 3 tanks armmed with 105mm guns.  After the code name "Red Sheet" was broadcasted on the radios on 5 June 1967, the Magach tanks of the 46th Tank Battalion and the 79th Tank Battalion quickly advanced from Dekel and Gvulot towards the border of the Gaza strip. In the 79th Battalion area, B Company commanded by Captian Avigdor Kahalani, was moving on the main road, with the Battalion commander Major Ehud Elad in the lead. As they arrived at the front line they advanced towards Khan Yunis and then from there moved southwest to Rafah, which was their first major objective.  79th Tank BattalionMoving through the populated areas of the Gaza strip was not as easy as expected. The Egyptians anticipated such a maneuver and dug ditches across each road or street and placed other obstacles such as “dragoon teeth” that were all protected by gun fire, tanks and artillery. The Magach tanks were forced to navigate around the ditches or take alternate streets that were too narrow for the tanks or was a dead end, and all of this was while under constant fire which included sniper fire, machine guns and anti-tank weapons. The advance of the 79th Battalion companies was slow due to enemy fire. In many areas, tanks were stuck and the formation of the companies and platoons were dispersed since tanks lost their positions in the streets and were mixed with other units. Major Elad and the company commanders took the lead and tried to break in to the front and organize the force as much as possible while each company commander “adopted” tanks from other companies. The mixed companies then moved forward and crossed the city as fast as possible to reach the railroad tracks outside the populated area which was a landmark that would lead them to Rafah and Rafa Junction if they were followed. While crossing the streets, several tanks were hit and officers and tank commanders standing exposed in open hatches were either KIA or WIA. The Palestinian forces of the two brigades that protected the Gaza strip fought well with courage faced the Israeli tanks at close range, firing bazookas and throwing grenades. In the narrow streets of Khan Yunis, a constant fire hit the Israeli tanks from all directions, from trenches, houses, roofs, yards, and alleys. As the result of the slow advance of the 79th Battalion, the 82nd sister battalion with Centurion tanks was sent to assist with the assault on Khan Yunis. Then a combined force of Magach and Centurion tanks charged through the streets of Khan Yunis with Palestinian and Egyptian soldiers shooting at them with all kinds of weapons. After a long hour, they were able to cross the city and move towards Rafah and its army bases which were quickly overrun. The enemy defenses started to collapse and hundreds of enemy soldiers posted at the bases retreated towards the sea and sand dunes, dropping their weapons and equipment as they fled. A Magach 2 tank marked with Hebrew letter "Gimel" on a canvas panel belongs to B Company moving up for an attack. Note the mountain ridge and the Jeeps and other vehicles in the background. Only the tank commander is standing in his open hatch.  This is the same Magach 2 tank in the above photo later after the company has attacked an Egyptian army base in which heavy smoke is raising into the air in the background. Three of the crew are now standing exposed on top of the turret. The hull registration number of the tank is 817648.  This Magach 2 tank is firing at enemy positions inside a Rafa army camp. The orange identification panel on the back of the turret storage basket can be seen.  Around noon, the tanks of the 79th Battalion stood in front of their main objective, the Rafa Junction. The Egyptians were already aware of the Israeli attack and had been on full alert. A full Egyptian Brigade was dug in at the junction area and was well camouflaged, waited for the Israeli tanks to approach and enter the killing zones of their anti-tank guns and tanks. The Magach tanks charged the enemy positions with Major Elad’s tank leading along the main road in a direct attack, while other companies was flanking the junction and Centurions of the 82nd Battalion lead by the 7th Brigade charged from the other direction. The Israeli tanks hit the Egyptian tanks/guns and crushed enemy positions, including enemy bazooka teams, under their tracks. With the assist of Magach tanks from the 46th Battalion from the south, the 7th Brigade forces were able to clear the area. This Magach 2 tank is marked as 3 and Hebrew letter "Beth" with a D Company chevron which is pointing to the rear. The 2 stripes on the gun barrel would probably mean that the chevron on the left side of the turret is pointing forward indicating B Company. In the foreground is an Israeli M38 Jeep with a 106mm Recoilless Rifle from an infantry anti-tank company providing fire support. This photo was captured from a film frame which is why the quality is poor.  Not all of the Magach tanks were lucky. A number of Magach tanks were knocked out by Egyptian guns. This is a Magach 2 tank with three return rollers.   When the Magach tanks were hit, the Israelis found the tank was consumed by fire at a tremendous speed. The flames sped to the turret where the ammunition was stored. Whenever the turret was hit, the crew usually do not survive. The Israelis called the Pattons "Goznikim", a Hebrew slang for the primitive torches they used to mark targets and paths at night. Also, they were not enthusiastic about the 90mm gun compared to the British 105mm gun. Captain Avigdor Kahalani had experienced being on fire when his tank was hit and he survived the ordeal. His tank company was ambushed by Egyptian forces near Sheikh Zuweid. While observing the terrain, his tank was suddenly hit. The turret was engulfed in flame. Badly burnt and in fierce pain, he managed to climb out of the commander's hatch, being the only survivor of the crew. He climbed down onto the tank's engine deck and leaped from the hull onto the sand behind the tank. He landed on the ground, climbed to his feet and began to run with whatever strength he had left. Running only aggravated the flames, making him a human torch. Quickly realizing this, he dropped to the ground and began rolling in the sand trying to smother the flames. Most of his uniform was burnt off leaving him almost completely naked. He flagged down one of the tanks in his company and signaled that he wanted to come aboard. He climbed aboard and was transported to an aid station. He sustained burns over 60% of his body and spent a year in recovery, undergoing 12 plastic surgeries. In the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Lieutenant Colonel Kahlani commanded the 77th Tank Battalion equipped with Centurion tanks which fought on the Golan Heights and he was awarded the Israeli Metal of Valor for excellent conduct during numerous armored battles. After the tanks and half-tracks of the 79th Battalion had a bloody fight with Egyptian forces, a helicopter was called in to airlift the wounded soldiers to the hospital. While the helicopter is banking to come in for a landing, crewmen and infantry soldiers are standing on a Magach 2 tank watching it as well as scanning the area for any enemy forces that could shoot down the helicopter.  This is a close up of the helicopter landing. It is a French built Sud Aviation SA 321K Super Frelon heavy transport helicopter. The Magach 2 tank in the foreground has markings 1 "Beth" of C Company.  This is one of four SA 321Ks belonging to the IAF 114 Squadron "Night Leaders" based at Tel Nof Airbase and during the Six-Day War this squadron flew 41 sorties. Note the rear loading ramp of the helicopter is lowered. The gun barrel of the Magach tank in the foreground has one stripe for A Company.  The 7th Brigade forces then advanced southwest to Sheikh Zuweid, where they were able to take a short break and rest for the first time since the outbreak of the war. The rest stop was cut short when the tanks of the 79th battalion was called to assist the paratroopers of the 35th Brigade who had been cut away from their support tank companies of the 46th battalion that were in a fight against Egyptian tanks to the south. Meanwhile, the Centurion tanks of the 82nd Battalion advanced along the coast to the southwest, towards Jiradi pass. Jiradi Pass was a 14 km (8.7 miles) long defile along the coastal road, lead northwest into the south side of El Arish. A reinforced Egyptian infantry brigade was dug in with three lines supported by barbed wire emplacements, minefields, fortified pillboxes and dug-in tanks. At 1430 hours, Centurion tanks of the 82nd Battalion rolled down the center of the defile, past the unaware or unbelieving Egyptians. Only at the last minute, the defenders opened fire on the tail end of the Israeli column as it raced past, inflicting only a few casualties despite the overwhelming Egyptian numbers. Other elements of the Israeli 7th Brigade did not follow the 82nd Battalion to "mop-up" and clear the pass. At 1630 hours, Magach tanks of the 79th Battalion approached Jiradi pass and met heavy resistance. Unable to use their advantages in maneuver, the Israelis had to come head-on against dug-in Egyptian tanks and infantry and suffered heavy losses in fierce fighting that lasted into the night. The Israelis finally worked their way around the Egyptian positions. Outflanked, the Egyptians failed to counter-attack but fought to the death to hold their positions, and Tal had to commit his reserve, a crack brigade of paratroopers, who helped the armor and mechanized infantry clear the pass in hours of bitter hand-to-hand fighting. Ehud Elad (Eidelman)While leading the 79th Battalion during the assault on Rafa Junction, Major Elad was wounded but continued to fight and commanded the battalion. Later near Sheikh Zuweid, his Magach tank was hit by two cannon shells and again he was wounded on his hands and face. Although wounded, he continued on to the Jiradi pass where his tank took another direct and fatal hit. While standing in his turret with half of his body exposed to enemy fire, he was killed in action. Praised by the Israeli Chief of Staff for his courage and devotion to duty, he was posthumous promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. The 82nd Battalion Centurion tanks and the remnants of the 79th Battalion Magach tanks setup a night laager in the outskirts of El Arish. Since the Israeli forces were moving fast and left roaming enemy pockets behind them, the supply columns could not reach the tanks until the main roads were cleared of the enemy. On the morning of June 6, the supply trucks finally arrived and the Israeli tank crews were able replenish their tanks with fuel and ammunition. Magach 2 tanks lined up are refueling and rearming. The chevrons show the surviving tanks from the A, B and C companies in the same formation. Beside the tanks is a column of support vehicles.   The tanks of the 79th and 82nd Battalions then charged onto El Arish and after heavy street fighting captured the city, the capital of the Sinai Peninsula. Later, the combined forces of the 79th and 46th Battalions continued and overrun other Egyptian bases and posts such as the El Arish airbase. From there, they continued south to Bir Lahfan, which was quickly captured with the help of the 82nd Battalion. This Magach 2 tank had broken down and its crew waits for the repair crews to reach them. It is marked as 1 and Hebrew letter "Beth" next to a small chevron pointing forward for B Company in contrast to the 4 stripes on the gun barrel for D Company. Probably another incorrectly marked tank. Note that both the main weapons are in an elevated position to ensure that if a round is ejected or fired by mistake it would not hit any nearby Israeli forces.  46th Tank BattalionAt the outbreak of the war, the 46th Battalion C Company was the first unit to cross the border into the southern area of the Gaza strip and was the first that engaged the Egyptian anti-tank guns and tank forces which hit the leading Magach tank killing the Company commander. A few minutes later, the half-tracks of the 35th Paratrooper Brigade, supported by the other companies of the 46th Battalion, crossed the border. Each Magach company supported a battalion of the Paratrooper half-tracks, which also included D Company equipped with the 105mm Magach 3 tanks. A Magach 2 tank marked 2 "Alef" of the 46th Battalion C Company moving forward descending down a hill.  Although the area was considered by the Egyptians to be un-crossable sand dunes, the Magach tanks quickly moved toward the Raja Junction and Kfar Shen (the location where the Egyptian artillery was concentrated) while surprising and hitting several Egyptian posts and tanks from behind. Magach tanks of 46th Battalion A Company break in towards the Rafa Junction area from the southeast and turned north in a pincer attack together with the 7th Armoured Brigade that was advancing down from the north.  This is my close up of the above photo. The tanks has their main guns pointed in different directions with a round loaded. Each tank was ready to fire at any enemy tank which could pop up from any direction. Note the Sabra cactus bushes along the side of the road. In some areas, these cactus bushes were so thick and dense that the tanks and other vehicles had difficulties driving through them.  As the Egyptians recognized the new threat to their rear, they immediately deployed a battalion of Josef Stalin IS-3M heavy tanks armed with 122mm guns to support the defense positions at Rafa Junction. As the Magach 2 tanks of the 79th Battalion arrived in the area from the north, these heavy beasts attacked them. The same happened in the south area of the junction when elements of the 46th Battalion were attacked by another group of Egyptian Stalin tanks. During these engagements, several Magach 2 and Magach 3 tanks were hit but by quick responses and fast maneuvering the Magach tanks destroyed all of the Stalin tanks. Magach 3 tanks of the 46th Battalion charging forward to engage the Egyptian IS-3M tanks. Note the 105mm gun and the boxed air filters on the side fender. These newly modified tanks are based on the M48A1 with 5 return rollers and still have the M1 commander cupola.  A Magach 3 tank of 46th Battalion D Company in the Rafa Junction area. It has a black color marking of 1 "Beth" outlined with a thin white color painted on a canvas panel. Note that the M1 Commander's copula had the .50 Cal machine gun removed. In the forground is a half-track of the 35th Brigade with a winch mounted on the front bumper and an aerial identification stripe painted on the front fender.  This knocked out IS-3M tank is in an open field of sand dunes with small bushes. Its light, sand-yellow camouflage fitted and blended very well with the desert surroundings. But in the case of this tank, it did not help much.  The 46th Battalion B Company Magach tanks that charged the junction found themselves in lower topographic positions during an attack by Egyptian tanks and artillery. A Company commanded by Amos Katz came to assist them and together they were successful in defeating the enemy and destroying multiple enemy tanks. This Magach 2 tank marked 2 "Alef" of 46th Battalion B Company had just hit an Egyptian T-34/85 tank which started to catch fire. The tank crew had turned their gun and are looking for any other enemy tanks in the area. The registration number of this tank is 817922 on the left rear fender.  Israeli soldiers examining a knocked out Egyptian T-34/85 tank. The burning rubber on the road wheels created the piles of white ash.  Since the Magach tanks moved faster towards the enemy positions while the half-tracks had more difficulty driving in the sand dunes with their narrow tracks, the contact with the supporting tanks was quickly lost and the paratroopers ended up assaulting the enemy fortifications alone. Meanwhile the 46th Battalion Magach tanks were busy fighting as they moved northward, they did not pay attention to their major mission which was to support the paratroopers. As the battle continued, the Paratrooper half-tracks were attacked by a force of T-34/85 and IS-3M Stalin tanks from the 16th Egyptian Brigade, inflicting on them heavy losses. After the Magach tanks of the 79th Battalion had finished their mission in the north area of the Rafa Junction and took a short rest in the Sheikh Zuweid area, they were ordered to assist the paratroopers, however there was no need to since the 46th Battalion Magach tanks, after defeating the Egyptian tanks, returned back to assist the paratroopers with their mission of clearing enemy fortifications. On their way to help the paratroopers, the remnants of the A and B Companies spotted Egyptian tanks, including IS-3M Stalin tanks, while they were engaging the paratroopers. In a scary battle, the faster Magach 2 tanks with their less powerful 90mm guns were able to maneuver and position themselves at the flanks and rear of the heavier Stalin tanks and hit them in their most vulnerable areas and penetrated the thinner armor. Knocked out Egyptian IS-3M Stalin heavy tanks.   After Rafah and Rafa Junction were secured, the 46th Battalion was split. A Company and the 35th Paratrooper Brigade then moved to the northeast to capture and clear the rest of the Gaza strip of enemy forces including the main populated area of Gaza city, while the rest of the 46th Battalion companies joined the 7th Brigade and advanced southwest towards El Arish. The Egyptian 20th Infantry Division known as the "Palestinian" division was defending the northern areas of the Gaza strip. Magach tanks of the 46th Battalion A Company supported by half-tracks of the 35th Paratrooper Brigade advancing along main street of Gaza city. The Magach tank on the right side of the photo is marked as 4 "Beth".  Two days later, as the Gaza strip was cleared, A Company advanced along the coast, while fighting the enemy day and night with other forces reached the Sinai area. Several Magach tanks were sent to the sea shore of Gaza to secure the beach area as well as to verify that no Egyptian forces had landed from the sea as rumored. This Magach 2 tank carrying paratroopers passes local fishing boats on the beach. The rear left side fender of the tank has the Hebrew letter "Alef" applied to all tanks of the 46th Battalion and on the rear right side fender is the registration number 818641.  The Magach tanks of the 79th Battalion together with the rest of the companies of the 46th Battalion, advanced southward and then to west Sinai to fight along side the 31st Division Armor Brigades and assist them in capturing the whole center of the Sinai. During the last four days of the war, several tank battles occurred along all the front areas of the Sinai Peninsula between Magach tanks and the best Egyptian armor battalions that were operating modern Soviet built T-54 and T-55 tanks and all the battles ended as Israeli victories. The whole Egyptian army was in a state of collapse and was retreating west towards the Suez Canal to try to stabilize a second line of defense. The rapid Israeli advance caught the Egyptian army in the middle, and with the Israeli Air Force which bombed the enemy columns, the Egyptian army was defeated. After the various Israeli forces reached the Suez Canal and the Red Sea Shores, the Six Day War in the south ended. Magach tanks racing along west through the Sinai towards the Suez Canal. On the horizon are burning Egyptian vehicles.  A Magach 2 tank from C Company marked as Hebrew letter "Alef" and number 4 (painted on canvas) near the Rafah-El-Arish road (today Route 40). In the foreground is a burning Egyptian vehicle.  A Magach 2 tank passing an abandoned or knocked out Egyptian T-54A tank and a burnt out GAZ (Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod) truck.  This is a close up of the Magach 2 tank in the above photo. Its markings is for the 2nd Platoon commander's tank of B Company (forward pointing chevron and two stripes on the gun barrel). The number 2 is painted on a dark canvas tied down on the turret side. On the mantlet above the 90mm gun is a large round French made searchlight painted in French olive drab. It is the same searchlight used on the M50/51 Shermans. The tank's hull registration number is 817726 and the turret registration number is 6080.  TodayYad La-Shiryon is the IDF Armored Corps Memorial Site and Museum at Latrun, Israel. It is Israel's official memorial site for fallen soldiers from the armored corps, as well as one of the most diverse tank museums in the world. The cornerstone for Yad La-Shiryon was laid on 14 December 1982. A Magach tank with a low profile commander's cupola and a .50 Cal MG mounted above the original 90mm gun.  This Magach 3 tank has a low profile commander's cupola and is armed with a British 105mm L7 cannon.  The tactical markings on the two Magach tanks above are not correct for the Six Day War. The Chevrons indicate C Company and the gun barrel has one stripe for A Company. These tanks were probably upgraded after the Six Day war and as the number of Magach tank battalions increased, the stripes on the gun barrel later indicated the battalion number. The Israelis captured this Egyptian IS-3M Stalin heavy tank intact during the Six Day War.  Egypt received Czech built T-34/85 tanks from the Soviet Union in the 1950s. The Israelis captured this one in the Sinai during the Six Day War. Note the missing center road wheel. The Egyptian crew spiked the 85mm gun barrel to prevent the Israelis from using it against them.  Walk around: Latrun Museum, Israel Model kits and Decals1/35 Star Decals 35-C1227 Israeli AFVs # 10. M48 Magach. 1/72 Star Decals 72-A1058 Israeli AFVs Magach and Six Day War markings |
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Montag, 27. Januar 2025
Israeli Patton Tanks 1967
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