This M48 Patton is located in the room called "Salle Monde contemporain" (The Contemporary World) in the front of the museum.  Combat Vehicle Compared to its predecessor, the M47, the M48 offers a smaller footprint, longer gun, and improved armor. One interesting feature of the M48 is that it features a small telephone on the back to communicate with infantry units. Also, the M48 was the first U.S. tank to offer the circular turret shape that is common today. In terms of its combat record, the M48 saw action throughout the 1960's in Vietnam and was particularly useful for clearing land mines due to the ease with which its tracks could be replaced. In this way the M48 greatly aided and protected infantry troops. 

"Meant to take the place of the M47, that tank was too quickly made and suffers from many faults of which an excessive consumption. Its diesel version will partly settle those problems. It was to be exported in many countries of which Israel that modernized it by adapting a 105 mm British gun."