Jackalope

*Jackalope* is the callsign for the Mojave Rose Tankery Team's T26E4 Super Pershing, commanded by Louise Ojeda, who joined in the latter stages of the US National Tankery Tournament. Equipped with the experimental and devastating 90mm T15E1 Tank Gun and extremely well-armored, the Super Pershing is a incredibly potent machine for Mojave Rose, being able to be a terrifying presence in both defensive and offensive operations.

## Former Affiliation

Vehicles that participate in tankery are either manufactured during wartime that soon found their way into tankery teams modified to have protective carbon linings or accurately reproduced by engineering firms for the purpose of being sold to teams.

The introduction of the M26 Pershing during the final days of WWII was the United State's response to the deadly Panthers and Tigers that still roamed the German countryside. Armed with an 90mm cannon, it gave US armored forces a much need punch to deal with stronger tanks head-on. However, there was still concern about the King Tiger, with it's thicker armor and more powerful 88mm gun. Consequently, there was a push to up-gun the M26 Pershing with an improved 90mm, which was dubbed the T26E4. Initially, 1000 T26E4s were ordered though this number would be heavily reduced to 25 when the war concluded.

Only one T26E4 was ever sent to Europe to be attached to 3rd Armored Division, with it's full name being T26E4 Pilot Prototype No.1. Though a formidable weapon's platform, it's front turret mantlet was found to be weak to the point that the 88mm from the Tiger 1 could easily piece it. As a result, solutions were sought to improve the protection of the tank. The solution found was unorthodox, with the frontal armor from a wrecked Panther being welded directly onto the T26E4's turret mantlet. Further armor was welded onto the tank's front hull as a form as spaced armor. It would be this iteration of the T26E4 that would be widely known as the Super Pershing.

The Super Pershing only saw combat twice. One was where it destroyed an unidentified armored target between Weser and Nordheim, with no further information available. The other account has more information where in the city in Dessau, the Super Pershing was *claimed* to have shoot and destroyed a King Tiger. However, this is widely disputed as the nearest German tank unit with King Tigers was 70 miles away. What's more likely was that the Super Pershing destroyed a Panzer IV as Allied tankers would often mistakenly identify any large German tanks as Tigers

After the war, the Super Pershing was left at the tank dump in Kessel, Germany. It would later be retrieved and shipped back to the United States. The tank was almost forgotten about in an army warehouse before being fitted for tankery and sold to an American school. The Super Pershing, being such a unique vehicle, became somewhat popular though this popularity was dampened by the fact that it's experimental gun meant that ammo for it was pricey and that it's ad-hoc armor put stress on the Pershing's components. Overall, it made the tank more expensive to operate compared to the standard Pershings available on the market.

The old Mojave Rose tankery team would purchase the Super Pershing and it was delivered to the school on July 4th, 1990. However, it was on the same day of Gabrielle Buchanan's near death accident. As the school dealt with the aftermath, along with the plummeting popularity of tankery in the Mojave area, the Super Pershing was placed in the school's old fallout shelter for storage, when it was then later accidentally sealed when the shelter was decommissioned. Years later, in 2013, students Ashley Holiday and Heather Sloan convinced the school's vice principal, Martin Redwood, to open the shelter. As it was being explored, the tank was found and quickly absorbed into the new Mojave Rose tankery team.

## Under Mojave Rose's Ownership

The acquisition of the Super Pershing provided Mojave Rose a substantial increase in firepower. Though classified as a medium tanks, it's heavy armor is comparable to the heavy tanks of its era. As such, it is more often than not used in conjunction with the team's actual heavy tanks as it can easily compete with them. It's callsign is painted on the left side of its turret, with it being a depiction of a jackalope.

*Jackalope* is operated by a crew of four:

* Louise Ojeda *( Commander )*
* Taylor *( Driver )*
* Jocelyn *( Gunner )*
* Elise *( Loader )*