WWII foreign variants and use: Lend-Lease Sherman tanks. See also M4 Sherman The United States provided tens of thousands of its Medium Tank M4 nicknamed the Sherman to many of its Allies during the Post-WWII foreign variants and use: Postwar Sherman tanks

Medium Tank M4
A M4 Sherman tank made during the Second World War
Type	medium tank
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1942–1955 (US service)
Used by	see text
Wars	World War II Greek Civil War Arab-Israeli War Korean War Suez Crisis Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Six-Day War Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Yom Kippur War
Production history
Designed	1940
Variants	See M4 Sherman variants and Postwar Sherman tanks
Specifications
Weight	30. see M4 Sherman tank main article for background to 1945 Postwar Sherman tanks saw extensive use around the world after WWII World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Tank classification is a Taxonomy of identifying either the intended role or weight class of Tanks The classification by role was used primarily during The United States of America —commonly referred to as the World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Greek Civil War (ο Eμφύλιος, "the Civil War" fought from 1946 to 1949 by the Governmental forces receiving logistical support by the United Kingdom The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, (أزمة السويس - العدوان الثلاثي Crise du canal de Suez מבצע קדש Kadesh The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 was a culmination of Skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between India and Pakistan. Background Suez Crisis aftermath The Suez Crisis of 1956 represented a military defeat but a political victory for Egypt The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a major military conflict between India and Pakistan. The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War (מלחמת יום הכיפורים transliterated: Milkhemet Yom HaKipurim or מלחמת יום See also M4 Sherman The following is an extensive catalogue of the variants and specific unique elements of each variant and/or design stage of the M4 Sherman tank see M4 Sherman tank main article for background to 1945 Postwar Sherman tanks saw extensive use around the world after WWII 3 tonnes (66,800 lb)
Length	5. 84 m (19 ft 2 in)
Width	2. 62 m (8 ft 7 in)
Height	2. 74 m (9 ft)
Crew	5 (Commander, gunner, loader, driver, co-driver)
Armor	19–91 mm
Primary armament	75 mm M3 L/40 gun 90 rounds
Secondary armament	1× .50 cal Browning M2HB machine gun 300 . For body armour see Armour, for armoured forces see Armoured warfare, for other uses see Armour (disambiguation. The American army fielded two medium tanks in World War 2 the M3 and the M4 both of which used the 75 mm gun This article is about the.50 caliber M2 machine gun For the.30-06 M2 machine gun see M1919 Browning machine gun. 50 rounds 2×.30-06 Browning M1919A4 machine guns 4,750 . The Browning M1919 is a.30 caliber Medium machine gun family widely used during the 20th century 30-06 rounds
Engine	Continental R975 C1 gasoline 400 hp (298 kW) gross @ 2400 rpm 350 hp (253 kW) net @ 2400 rpm
Power/weight	14 hp/tonne
Suspension	Vertical Volute Spring Suspension (VVSS)
Operational range	120 miles @ 175 US gal (145 imp. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout During the 1930s many innovations in components of light tanks would make US tanks considerably reliable gal) / 80 octane 193 km @ 660 l / 80 octane
Speed	38. 5 km/h (25 mi/h)

The M4 Sherman was the primary tank produced by the United States for its own use and the use of its Allies during World War II. A tank is a tracked, Armoured fighting vehicle designed for Front-line combat which combines Operational mobility and tactical The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers during the Second World War. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Production of the M4 medium tank exceeded 50,000 units and its chassis served as the basis for numerous other armored vehicles such as tank destroyers, tank retrievers, and self-propelled artillery. In the United Kingdom the M4 was dubbed the Sherman after Union General William Tecumseh Sherman, following the British practice of naming its American-built tanks after famous American Civil War generals. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty-three Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South Subsequently the British name found its way into common use in the US. Following WWII the M4 medium tank was used by the US until the end of the Korean War. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the Many nations continued to use the tank in both training and combat roles into the late 20th century. ^[1]

U. S. design prototype

A cutaway showing the internal arrangement of a M4A4 Sherman.

The US Army Ordnance Department designed the Medium Tank M4 as a replacement for the M3 Lee. The Medium Tank M3 was an American Tank used during World War II. The Lee was an upgunned development of the M2 Medium Tank, which was itself derived from the M2 Light Tank. The Medium Tank M2 was a United States Tank that was produced in small numbers at the start of the Second World War by the Rock Island Arsenal The Light Tank M2 was an American Pre - World War II light tank that saw use in early battles of the Pacific War. Quickly developed as stopgap until a new 75 mm turret could be designed, the M3 suffered from a high silhouette from its top 37mm turret and inflexibility of its archaic side sponson mounting of the main gun. Sponsons are projections from the sides of a Watercraft, for protection stability, or the mounting of equipment such as armaments or lifeboats etc

Detailed design characteristics for the M4 were submitted by the Ordnance Department on 31 August 1940, but development of a prototype had to be delayed so final production designs for the M3 could be finished, and the tank put into full scale production. Events 1056 - Byzantine Empress Theodora becomes ill dying suddenly a few days later without children to succeed the Throne Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

On 18 April 1941 The U. Events 1025 - Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. S. Armored Force Board chose the simplest of 5 designs. The T6 combined a modern turret with the Lee's main gun with a modified M3 hull and chassis. ^[2] The Sherman's reliability would benefit from inheriting many design features first developed in US light tanks during the 1930s including vertical volute spring suspension, rubber-bushed tracks, and rear mounted radial engine with drive sprockets in front. A Volute spring is a compression spring in the form of a cone (a Volute) designed so that under compression the coils are not forced against each other thus permitting The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion Engine configuration in which the cylinders point outward from a central The stated goal was to produce a fast, dependable medium tank that was capable of defeating any other tank currently in use by the Axis nations. The Axis powers also known as the Axis alliance Axis nations Axis countries or sometimes just the Axis were those Countries

The first pilot model of the M4 was completed on September 2, 1941. Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Like later M3s, the hull was welded. It had a side hatch which was eliminated from production models. The T6 became standardized as the M4, and production began in October 1941. ^[3]

U. S. production history

During the production period the US Army's seven main sub-designations, M4, M4A1, M4A2, M4A3, M4A4, M4A5, and M4A6, did not necessarily indicate linear improvement: for example, A4 is not meant to indicate 'better than' A3. These sub-types indicated standardized production variations, which were in fact often manufactured concurrently at different locations. The sub-types differed mainly in engines, although M4A1 differed from M4 by its fully cast upper hull rather than by engine; M4A4 had a longer engine system that also required a longer hull, longer suspension system, and more track blocks; M4A5 was an administrative placeholder for Canadian production; and M4A6 also elongated the chassis but totaled fewer than 100 tanks. Only the M4A2 and M4A6 were diesel: most Shermans were gasoline. "M4" might refer specifically to the initial sub-type with its Continental radial engine or generically to the entire family of seven Sherman sub-types depending on context. Many details of production, shape, strength, and performance improved throughout production without a change to the tank's basic model number; more durable suspension units, safer "wet" (W) ammunition stowage, and stronger armor arrangements such as the M4 Composite, which had a cast front hull section mated to a welded rear hull. The British nomenclature differed from that employed by the US.

M4 and M4A1 (shown), the first Shermans, share the inverted U backplate and inherited their engine and exhaust system from the earlier Lee. General Motors Corporation ( GM) ( is a multinational automobile manufacturer founded in 1908 and headquartered in the United States. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Medium Tank M3 was an American Tank used during World War II.

Early Shermans mounted a 75 mm medium-velocity general-purpose gun. The American army fielded two medium tanks in World War 2 the M3 and the M4 both of which used the 75 mm gun Although Ordnance began work on the Medium Tank T20 as a Sherman replacement, ultimately the Army decided to minimize production disruption by incorporating elements of other tank designs into Sherman production. The Medium Tank T20 was part of a series of medium tanks designed by the United States during the Second World War, to be the successor to the Medium Tank Later M4A1, M4A2, and M4A3 models received the larger T23 turret with a high-velocity 76 mm gun M1, which traded reduced HE and smoke performance for improved anti-tank performance. The 76 mm M1 Gun was an American Forces World War II -era Tank gun which replaced the 75 mm gun on late Medium tank M4s, and was equipped The British offered the QF 17 pounder (76. The Ordnance QF 17-pounder (or just 17-pdr) was a 762 mm (3 inch Gun developed by the United Kingdom during World War II. 2 mm) anti-tank gun with its significantly better armor penetration to the Americans but the US Ordnance Department was working on a 90 mm tank gun and declined. Later M4 and M4A3 were factory-produced with a 105 mm howitzer and a new distinctive mantlet in the original turret. The first standard-production 76 mm-gun Sherman was an M4A1 accepted in January 1944 and the first standard-production 105 mm-howitzer Sherman was an M4 accepted in February 1944.

M4 with 105 mm howitzer and a dozer blade, note the square-edged, welded, upper-hull plates found on most Shermans.

The US accepted in June-July 1944 a limited run of 254 M4A3E2 Jumbo Shermans with very thick armor and the 75 mm gun in a new heavier T23-style turret in order to assault fortifications. The M4A3 was the first to be factory-produced with the new HVSS (horizontal volute spring suspension) suspension with wider tracks for lower ground pressure and the smooth ride of the HVSS with its experimental E8 designation led to the nickname Easy Eight for Shermans so equipped. Ground pressure is the Pressure exerted on the ground by the Tires or tracks of a motorized vehicle and is one measure of its potential mobility especially The US developed a wide array of special attachments for the Sherman; few saw combat and most remained experimental but those which saw action included the bulldozer blade for Sherman dozer tanks, Duplex Drive for "swimming" Sherman tanks, R3 flame thrower for Zippo flame tanks, and the T34 60-tube 4.5 inch Calliope rocket launcher for the Sherman turret. Combat engineering vehicles (CEVs are armoured vehicles built for Engineering work on the battlefield or for the transportation of Sappers Types of combat DD tanks (for D uplex D rive but nicknamed Donald Duck-tanks were amphibious swimming Tanks developed during the A flame tank is a term commonly applied to a Tank or other Armoured fighting vehicle equipped with a Flamethrower. The Rocket Launcher T34 (Calliope was a tank-mounted rocket launcher used by the United States Army during the Second World War.

The M4 Sherman's basic chassis further undertook all the sundry roles of a modern, mechanized force, totaling roughly 50,000 Sherman tanks plus thousands more derivative vehicles under different model numbers including M32 and M74 "tow truck"-style recovery tanks with winches, booms, and most with an 81 mm mortar for smoke screens, M34 (from M32B1) and M35 (from M10A1) artillery prime movers, M7B1, M12, M40, and M43 self-propelled artillery, and upgunned M10 and M36 tank destroyers. An armoured recovery vehicle (ARV is a type of Armoured fighting vehicle used to repair battle- or mine-damaged as well as broken-down armoured vehicles during combat Artillery tractor is a kind of Tractor, also referred to as a gun tractor, a Vehicle used to tow Artillery pieces of varying weights The 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 was an American Self-propelled artillery vehicle produced during World War II. The 155mm Gun Motor Carriage M12 was a US Self-propelled gun developed during the Second World War. The 155 mm Gun Motor Carriage M40 was a US Self-propelled artillery vehicle built on a widened and lengthened Medium Tank M4A3 chassis but with Continental engine The 90mm Gun Motor Carriage M36 was an American Tank destroyer in World War II.

As part of the deception plan of Operation Fortitude that drew German attention to the Pas de Calais rather than Normandy, inflatable rubber Shermans were manufactured and deployed across fields in Kent alongside plywood artillery pieces; another version of dummy Sherman was made from painted canvas over a steel frame and could be built over a Jeep and driven to simulate a moving tank. Operation Fortitude was the codename for the Deception operations used by the Allied forces during World War II in connection with the Normandy landings Pas-de-Calais is a department in northern France. Its name is the French language equivalent of the Strait of Dover, which it borders Normandy (Normandie Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. Plywood is a type of Engineered board made from thin sheets of Wood, called plies or veneers

See also: American armored fighting vehicle production during World War II

U. This page details Tank production by the United States of America during World War II. S. service history

First type in US service: A US 7th Army M4A1 lands at Red Beach 2, Sicily on July 10, 1943 during the Allied invasion of Sicily. The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis

The M4 Sherman served with the US Army and US Marine Corps during World War II. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. The US also transferred large numbers of US Shermans to the allied forces of the United Kingdom (including Commonwealth), Soviet Union, Free French government-in-exile, Polish government-in-exile, Brazil, and China. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The Free French Forces (Forces Françaises Libres FFL) were French fighters in World War II who decided to continue fighting against Axis forces The Government of the Polish Republic in Exile was the government of Poland after the country had been occupied by Germany and the Soviet Union during September–October |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National

The US Marine Corps used the diesel M4A2 and gasoline-powered M4A3 in the Pacific. The Chief of the Armored Force, Lt. Gen. Jacob L. Devers ordered that no diesel-engined Sherman tanks be used outside the Zone of Interior (ZI). General Jacob "Jake" Loucks Devers ( September 8, 1887 - October 15, 1979) who is best remembered for his command of the The US Army used all types for either training or testing within the United States but intended the M4A2 and M4A4 to be the primary Lend-Lease exports. Lend-Lease (Public Law 77-11 was the name of the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, British needs also claimed a large share of the M4 and M4A1.

Last type in US service: M4A3E8(76)W Sherman used as artillery position during the Korean War

The first US Shermans in combat were M4A1 used for Operation Torch in November 1942, shortly after the first M4A1 Shermans saw battle with the British 8th Army at the Second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the Operation Torch (initially called Operation Gymnast) was the British - American invasion of French North Africa in World War II The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations in World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns It was a British The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of World War II. Additional M4 and M4A1s replaced M3 Lees in US tank battalions over the course of the North African campaigns. The M4 and M4A1 were the main types in US units until late 1944, when the preferred M4A3 with its more powerful 500 hp (370 kW) engine began replacing M4s and M4A1s as the main US version. Older M4s and M4A1s continued in US service for the rest of the war.

The first 76 mm gun Sherman to enter combat (in July 1944) was the M4A1, closely followed by the M4A3. By the end of the war half the US Army Shermans in Europe had the 76 mm gun. The first HVSS Sherman to see combat was the M4A3E8(76)W in December 1944.

M4A3E8 participating in a WWII victory parade

After World War II, the US kept the M4A3E8 "Easy Eight" in service with either 76 mm gun or 105 mm howitzer. The Sherman remained a common US tank in the 1950-1953 Korean War but the Army replaced Shermans with Patton tanks over the 1950s. M46, M47, M48 and M60 Patton were the United States Army 's principal Main battle The US continued to transfer Shermans to allies which contributed to wide foreign use worldwide.

U. S. combat performance

Armament

When the Sherman first saw combat in 1942, its 75 mm M3 gun could penetrate the armor of the older model German tanks it faced in North Africa at normal combat ranges. The American army fielded two medium tanks in World War 2 the M3 and the M4 both of which used the 75 mm gun However, immediately following the invasion of Normandy, it was discovered that the 75 mm M3 gun was completely ineffective against the front of the German Panther & Tiger I and the front of more common later version German tanks such as the Panzer IV tanks at typical combat ranges. The Panther ( was a Tank fielded by Germany in World War II that served from mid-1943 to the end of the European war in 1945 Tiger I ( is the common name of a German heavy Tank of World War II. The Panzerkampfwagen IV (PzKpfw IV commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a Medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively The 75 mm M3 gun was thereby rendered obsolete, and the European Theater of Operations quickly demanded deliveries of the Sherman armed with the 76 mm M1 gun, as well as tanks and tank destroyers carrying the 90 mm M3 gun. The European Theater of Operations (ETO is the term used in the United States to refer to US operations north of Italy and The American 90 mm family of guns served as primary heavy anti-aircraft and Anti-tank guns playing a role similar to the renowned German 88 mm Although Shermans armed with 105 mm M4 howitzers provided even more powerful high-explosive armament, they were of limited use in fighting enemy tanks due to the problems of hitting the small targets with a howitzer, and the lack of power traverse which hindered getting the howitzers on target in a timely fashion. The 105 mm Howitzer M2A1(M101 was the standard medium field Howitzer for the United States in World War II, seeing action in both European and Pacific

This M4A2(76) HVSS shows the T23 turret with later 76 mm gun's muzzle brake. This one also has fenders, usually omitted on US vehicles to ease maintenance.

The growing numbers of Panthers on the western front led the US Army to deploy 76 mm-gun Shermans to Normandy in July 1944. The higher-velocity 76 mm gun M1 gun gave Shermans anti-tank firepower at least equal to most of the German vehicles they encountered, particularly the Panzer IV, and StuG. The Panzerkampfwagen IV (PzKpfw IV commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a Medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively The Sturmgeschütz III ( StuG III) Assault gun was Germany's most produced Armoured fighting vehicle during World War II. However, with a regular AP (Armour Piercing, Shot) ammunition (M79) or APCBC (M62) shells, the 76 mm could only have a chance to knock out a Panther at close range with a shot to its front manlet, or with a shot to its flank. At long range, the Sherman was badly outmatched by the Panther's 75 mm gun, which could easily penetrate the Sherman's armor. This contributed to the high losses of Sherman tanks experienced by the U. S. Army in the European Theater of Operations (ETO). ^[4]

Hypervelocity Armor Piercing HVAP ammunition standardized as M93, was developed for the 76 mm gun in July 1944. A shell is a payload-carrying Projectile, which as opposed to shot, contains an explosive or other filling though modern usage includes large solid projectiles This new projectile could penetrate the front turret of the Panther at longer ranges than standard ammunition. Its distribution was, however, prioritized to US Tank Destroyer units. A self-propelled anti-tank gun or tank destroyer, is a type of Armoured fighting vehicle designed specifically to engage enemy armor forces and not produced for an infantry

A USMC M4A3R3 uses its flame thrower armament during the Battle of Iwo Jima. The Battle of Iwo Jima ( February 19, 1945 &ndash March 26, 1945) was the United States capture of the island of Iwo Jima

In the relatively few Pacific tank battles, even the 75 mm gun Shermans outclassed the Japanese in every engagement. The Pacific War was the part of World War II —and preceding conflicts—that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands and in East Asia, between For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The use of HE (High Explosive) ammunition was preferred because anti-tank rounds punched cleanly through the thin armor of the Japanese tanks (light tanks of 1930s era design) without necessarily stopping them. A shell is a payload-carrying Projectile, which as opposed to shot, contains an explosive or other filling though modern usage includes large solid projectiles Although the high-velocity guns of the tank destroyers were useful for penetrating fortifications, Shermans armed with flame throwers also destroyed Japanese fortifications. There was a variety of types of flame throwers, differing primarily in the type and location of launcher.

Armor

This early 75 mm gun turret shows the single hatch - note the additional rectangular external (welded on) applique armor patch reinforcing the ammunition bin protection on the hull side.

The Sherman's armor was effective against most early war tank guns. The frontal thickness was the gun mantlet at 91 mm, frontal turret 76 mm, and frontal hull 63 mm. The Sherman's frontal armor was designed to withstand the lower velocity 50mm Kwk 38 L/42 gun, which was a common German anti-tank gun and the gun on the Panzer III medium tank during the North African Campaign in 1942. Panzer III is the common name of a Medium tank that was developed in the 1930s by Germany and used extensively in World War II. However, the Sherman's armor, while good for an early war tank, was inadequate against the German 75 mm KwK 40 L/48 used by the later Panzer IV's, the higher velocity 75mm KwK 42 L/70 used by the Panther tank, and the infamous 88mm kwk 36 L/56 used on the Tiger tanks. It was this deficiency in its frontal armor that made the Sherman very vulnerable to most German anti-tank rounds in 1944.

The M4 had an escape hatch on the hull bottom to help the crew survive and, in the Pacific, Marines used this Sherman feature in reverse to recover wounded infantry under fire. Combat experience indicated the single hatch in the 3-man turret to be inadequate for timely evacuation so Ordnance added a loader's hatch beside the commander's. Later Shermans also received redesigned hull hatches for better egress.

The 1943 modernization program for older tanks added welded patches of applique armor to the sides of the turret and hull. Note also the "Rhino" Culin cutter on the front, a field improvisation to break through the thick hedgerows of the Normandy bocage. Bocage is a Norman word which has entered both the French and English languages

Early Sherman models were prone to burning when struck by high velocity rounds. The Sherman gained grim nicknames like "Tommycooker" (by the Germans who referred to British soldiers as "Tommys"; a tommy cooker was a World War I era trench stove). A Tommy cooker was a compact portable solidified alcohol fuelled stove issued to British troops ( Tommies) in World War I World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All A stove is an enclosed heated space The term is commonly taken to mean an enclosed space in which fuel is burned to provide heating either to heat the space in which the stove is situated With gallows humor, the British called them "Ronsons", after the cigarette lighter with the slogan "Lights up the first time, every time!", while Polish tankers referred to them as "The Burning Grave". Gallows humor is a type of humor that arises from stressful, traumatic or life-threatening situations such as wartime events hostilities mass murder often in circumstances A lighter is a portable device used to create a Flame. It consists of a metal or plastic container filled with lighter fluid (usually Naphtha or liquid Butane This vulnerability increased crew casualties and meant that damaged vehicles were less likely to be repairable. US Army research proved that the major reason for this was the use of unprotected ammo stowage in sponsons above the tracks. The common belief that the use of gasoline (petrol) engines was a culprit is unsupported; most World War II tanks used gasoline engines and petrol was unlikely to ignite when hit with armour piercing shells. At first a partial remedy to ammunition fire was found by welding one-inch thick applique armour plates to the vertical sponson sides over the ammunition stowage bins. Later models moved ammunition stowage to the hull floor, with additional water jackets surrounding the main gun ammunition stowage. This decreased the likelihood of "brewing up".

M4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo: Some units replaced the original 75 mm gun with a 76 mm gun.

Progressively thicker armor was added to hull front and turret mantlet in various improved models, while field improvisations included placing sandbags, spare track links, concrete, wire mesh, or even wood for increased protection against shaped-charge rounds. A shaped charge is an Explosive charge shaped to focus the effect of the explosive's energy General George S. Patton, informed by his technical experts that the standoff produced by sandbags actually increased vulnerability to shaped-charge weapons (a controversial opinion) and that the machines' chassis suffered from the extra weight, forbade the use of sandbags and instead ordered tanks under his command to have the front hull welded with extra armour plates, salvaged from knocked-out American and German tanks. For the 19th century Scottish jurist/politician see George Patton Lord Glenalmond. Approximately 36 of these up-armored Shermans were supplied to each of the armored divisions of the Third Army in the spring of 1945.

The (rare) M4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo variant had even thicker frontal armor than the Tiger I. Intended for the assault to break out of the Normandy beachhead, it entered combat in August 1944

Mobility

Strategic mobility

The US Army required the Sherman not to exceed certain widths and weights to permit it to use a wide variety of bridge, road and rail travel for predicted strategic, industrial, logistical and tactical flexibility. In mid-1943, Lt. General Jacob L. Devers, commanding the ETOUSA, demanded 250 examples of the T26, later to be designated the M26 Pershing, heavy tanks from Lt. The Heavy Tank M26 Pershing was an American heavy tank used during World War II and the Korean War. General Leslie J. McNair for use in the invasion of France. General Lesley James McNair ( May 25, 1883 &ndash July 25, 1944) was an American Army officer who served during McNair refused, and Devers appealed to General George Marshall, the Army Chief of Staff. George Catlett Marshall Jr (December 31 1880 &ndash October 16 1959 was an American military leader Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of Marshall summarily ordered the tanks to be provided to the ETO as soon as they could be brought into production. Shortly after the invasion of Normandy, General Eisenhower urgently requested the T26 tanks, but production had been delayed due to Lt. Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (October 14 1890 – March 28 1969 was President of the United States from 1953 until 1961 and a five-star general General McNair's continued opposition to the project. General Marshall intervened, and the tanks were eventually brought into production. Unfortunately, they did not arrive in the ETO until early 1945, too late to have any effect on the battlefield. The size and weight of the new tank created no serious problems in transportation to the theater or in its tactical employment. Thus, the theoretical advantages of the M4 Sherman in this respect proved to be illusory. However, the M26 could not be landed across a beach and required a fully equipped port with cranes. This disadvantage would have become apparent had it entered service before Normandy.

This M32 Tank Recovery Vehicle shows the E8 HVSS wider-track suspension for lower ground pressure.

Tactical mobility

The Sherman had good speed both on- and off-road. Off-road performance varied. In the desert, the Sherman's rubber tracks performed well. In the confined, hilly terrain of Italy, the Sherman could often cross terrain German tanks could not. However, US crews found that on soft ground, such as mud or snow, the narrow tracks gave poor ground pressure compared to wide-tracked second-generation German tanks such as the Panther. Soviet experiences were similar and tracks were modified to give better grip in the snow. The US Army issued extended end connectors or 'duckbills' to add width to the standard tracks as a stopgap solution. Duckbills were original factory equipment for the heavy M4A3E2 Jumbo to compensate for the extra armor weight. The M4A3E8 'Easy Eight' Shermans and other late models with wider-tracked HVSS suspension corrected these problems, but formed only a small proportion of the tanks in service even in 1945.

Summary

The Sherman tank was comparatively fast and maneuverable, mechanically reliable, easy to manufacture and service, and produced in many special-purpose variants, whose capabilities differed greatly. It was effective in the infantry support role.

The Sherman performed well against World War II Japanese tanks, Italian tanks, and the German standard tank of the time, the Panzer IV medium series. However, the typical Sherman was significantly inferior in both armor and armament to the German Tiger heavy tanks, Panther "medium" (heavy by US standards) and some of the tank destroyers fielded by the Germans in 1944. Tank classification is a Taxonomy of identifying either the intended role or weight class of Tanks The classification by role was used primarily during

When the US encountered German tank units containing large numbers of Panther tanks in 1944 high US losses sometimes resulted. However, Panther and Tiger-equipped units frequently suffered defeats.

Shermans defeated heavier tanks by use of better tactics, superior numbers, or by using upgunned Shermans working with tank destroyers such as the M36 Jackson (with a 90 mm anti-tank gun) and the M18 Hellcat (a mobile, fast tracked vehicle with the same 76 mm gun). The 90mm Gun Motor Carriage M36 was an American Tank destroyer in World War II. The 76 mm Gun Motor Carriage (GMC M18 was an American Tank destroyer of World War II.

The majority of losses of Shermans were not from battle with other tanks, but rather from mines, aircraft, infantry anti-tank weapons and, on occasion, friendly fire. A land mine is an Explosive device designed to be placed on or in the ground to explode when triggered by an operator or the Proximity of a vehicle person Friendly fire or non-hostile fire, a term originally adopted by the United States military, refers to fire from one's own side or allied forces as Although American tanks were less powerful than their German counterparts, US armored forces ultimately triumphed because of numerical superiority, a more consistent supply of fuel and ammunition, and the allied air superiority (with aircraft being the biggest danger to the lines of supply for German tank units).

Nonetheless, the fact that the Sherman tank was significantly inferior to the German Panther has remained a subject of sometimes bitter controversy and recrimination to this day. Sherman crews had been told prior to Normandy that the Sherman was the best tank in the world but this was patently untrue as demonstrated during that campaign.

According to Belton Cooper's memoir of his 3rd Armored Division service, the Shermans were "death traps"; the overall combat losses of the division were extremely high. The 3rd Armored Division &mdashnicknamed the Spearhead Division &mdash and sometimes colloquially referred to within the U The unit was nominally assigned by table of organization 232 Sherman medium tanks. 648 Sherman tanks were totally destroyed in combat, and a further 1,100 needed repair, of which nearly 700 were as a result of combat. According to Cooper, the 3rd Armored therefore lost 1,348 medium tanks in combat, a loss rate of over 580%, in the space of about ten months. Cooper was the junior officer placed in charge of retrieving damaged and destroyed tanks. As such, he had an intimate knowledge of the actual numbers of tanks damaged and destroyed, the types of damage they sustained, and the kinds of repairs that were made. His figures are comparable to those given in the Operational History of 12th U. S. Army Group: Ordnance Section Annex. Some WWII Army officers made similar arguments during the war. Other officers disagreed with the negative assessment and Gen. George S. Patton argued that the Sherman tank was overall a superior tool of war.

The only other Second World War tank produced in comparable numbers to the Sherman was the Soviet T-34 series, which many critics consider as a contender for best tank of World War II. The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank produced from 1941 to 1958 It is widely regarded as having been the world's best Tank when the Soviet Union Compared to the T-34, each contemporary version of the M4 Sherman had better frontal armor. The later 76 mm versions had superior anti-tank power capablities to the Soviet 85 mm. The Sherman excelled in mechanical reliability. The T-34's advantages were its low profile, wide tracks which made crossing muddy terrain easier, speed and superior mobility to the Sherman. Each was a medium design that served as the primary battlefield tank of its respective country in WWII, was upgraded, served into the Cold War, and outfitted allies. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the During the Korean War, US Shermans performed well against their T-34-85 adversaries, although a direct comparison is difficult due to the superior training of US crews.

US variants

The M4A1,A2 and A3 compared.

Main article: M4 Sherman variants

• Vehicles that used the Medium Tank M4 chassis or hull, discussed in greater detail or greater context and in other articles:
  • 3in Gun Motor Carriage M10 - Tank Destroyer, aka Wolverine
  • 90 mm Gun Motor Carriage M36 - Tank Destroyer, aka Jackson
  • 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 - self-propelled artillery, aka Priest
  • 155 mm Gun Motor Carriage M12 - GMC M12 with Cargo Carrier M30 (both used Sherman components)
  • 155/203/250 mm Motor Carriages - 155 mm GMC M40, 8 in. See also M4 Sherman The following is an extensive catalogue of the variants and specific unique elements of each variant and/or design stage of the M4 Sherman tank A self-propelled anti-tank gun or tank destroyer, is a type of Armoured fighting vehicle designed specifically to engage enemy armor forces and not produced for an infantry The 90mm Gun Motor Carriage M36 was an American Tank destroyer in World War II. The 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 was an American Self-propelled artillery vehicle produced during World War II. Self-propelled Artillery (also called mobile artillery or locomotive artillery) vehicles are a way of giving mobility to Artillery. The 155mm Gun Motor Carriage M12 was a US Self-propelled gun developed during the Second World War. The 155 mm Gun Motor Carriage M40 was a US Self-propelled artillery vehicle built on a widened and lengthened Medium Tank M4A3 chassis but with Continental engine (203 mm) HMC M43, 250 mm (10 inch) MMC T94, and Cargo Carrier T30
  • Flame Tank Sherman - M4A3R3 Zippo, M4 Crocodile, and other flame-throwing Shermans
  • Rocket Artillery Sherman - T34 Calliope, T40 Whizbang, and other Sherman rocket launchers
  • Amphibious tanks - Duplex Drive (DD) swimming Shermans and deep wading Shermans
  • Engineer tanks - D-8, M1, and M1A1 dozers, M4 Doozit, Mobile Assault Bridge, and Aunt Jemima and other mine-clearers
  • Recovery tanks - M32 and M74 TRVs
  • Artillery tractors - M34 and M35 prime movers

Foreign variants and use

• Lend-Lease Sherman tanks
• Postwar Sherman tanks
• Sherman Firefly

The Sherman was extensively supplied through Lend-Lease to the British Commonwealth, with the exception of Canada which produced its own. A flame tank is a term commonly applied to a Tank or other Armoured fighting vehicle equipped with a Flamethrower. The Rocket Launcher T34 (Calliope was a tank-mounted rocket launcher used by the United States Army during the Second World War. Combat engineering vehicles (CEVs are armoured vehicles built for Engineering work on the battlefield or for the transportation of Sappers Types of combat An armoured recovery vehicle (ARV is a type of Armoured fighting vehicle used to repair battle- or mine-damaged as well as broken-down armoured vehicles during combat Artillery tractor is a kind of Tractor, also referred to as a gun tractor, a Vehicle used to tow Artillery pieces of varying weights See also M4 Sherman The United States provided tens of thousands of its Medium Tank M4 nicknamed the Sherman to many of its Allies during the see M4 Sherman tank main article for background to 1945 Postwar Sherman tanks saw extensive use around the world after WWII The Sherman Firefly was a World War II British variation of the American Sherman Tank, fitted with the powerful British The British took nearly 80% of Lend-Lease production some of which was passed on to other allies including those forces of governments in exile.

The British were planning to develop and use a 17 pounder gun version of their Cromwell tank but delays led to the expediency of mounting a 17 pdr in a Sherman giving the Sherman Firefly. The Ordnance QF 17-pounder (or just 17-pdr) was a 762 mm (3 inch Gun developed by the United Kingdom during World War II. The Tank Cruiser Mk VIII Cromwell (A27M, named after the English Civil War leader Oliver Cromwell, was one of the The Sherman Firefly was a World War II British variation of the American Sherman Tank, fitted with the powerful British

See also

• Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant
• List of vehicles of the U.S. Armed Forces
• Vickers Tank Periscope MK.IV
• Allied Technological Cooperation During WW2
• M4 Sherman Photos and Walk Arounds on Prime Portal

Sources

• Cooper, Belton Y. The Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant was the first Manufacturing plant ever built for the Mass production of Tanks in the United States. Land vehicles by type and current level of use This list is incomplete The Vickers Tank Periscope MKIV, invented by Polish engineer Rudolf Gundlach, was first patented in 1936 as Gundlach Peryskop obrotowy. The Second World War was not won by one nation the Allies not only had to cooperate while fighting on the ground but pooling of technological resources in weaponry aircraft and new technologies Death Traps: The Survival of an American Armored Division in World War II. Novato, CA: Presidio, 1998. ISBN 0-89141-670-6.
• Rodrigo Hernandez Cabos, John Prigent. M4 Sherman Osprey Publishing ISBN 1-84176-207-5
• M4 Sherman photo galleries at ww2photo. mimerswell. com: [1], [2], [3]
• Sherman Register
• OnWar
• AFV Database
• WWII vehicles
• battlefront.co.nz
• M4(105 mm) at tamiya.com
• israeli-weapons.com

References

External links

• Interview with Soviet Tanker Dmitriy Loza detailing the comparative utility of Shermans in the 6th Guards Tank Army (www. iremember. ru).
• U.S. 75mm M61 Tank Round - WWII