Tank origin

Development work on the T95 series of tanks, which shared several components with the experimental T96 prototype tank, began in 1954. A total of nine prototypes were manufactured, four of which were initially designed to use a T96 turret coupled with a 105mm gun. Because the T96 turret was not ready at the time of manufacture, two of the new vehicles received turrets from the mass-produced M48A2 tank, which were equipped with the M41 rifled gun. These prototypes, designated as the T95E2, were produced from May through July of 1957.