American-made M48 ‘Patton’ tank back home from Jordan

The Flying Heritage Collection’s new M48A1 Patton tank has taken the long way around to its final destination.

The tank was built in the United States and then sold to the Kingdom of Jordan in Western Asia. Jordan, an ally of the US, UK, and France, received 197 M48 and 200 M48A1 tanks beginning in the mid-1960s.

Many Jordanian tanks saw combat during the Six Day War with Israel in 1967. It is unknown where this particular tank was assigned at the time. When newer tanks like the M60 became available, Jordan retired many of its M48s. This tank was a gift to the Flying Heritage Collection from the Royal Tank Museum in Aqaba, Jordan.

Cory Graff is the military aviation curator at the Flying Heritage Collection.