NationMaster - Encyclopedia: M4 Sherman

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. Production of the M4 Medium tank exceeded 50,000 units, and its chassis served as the basis for thousands of 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. 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. Many nations continued to use the tank in both training and combat roles into the late 20th century.^[1] Partially-sectioned Wright J-6 at Canada Aviation Museum The Wright Whirlwind was a family of 7 & 9-cylinder air-cooled radial aero-engines developed by the Wright Aeronautical Corporation. ... A representation of the changes in territory controlled by Allies and Axis powers over the course of the war. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... In this map: Union states prohibiting slavery Union territories Border states on the Union side which allowed slavery Kansas, which entered and fought with the Union as a free state after the Bleeding Kansas crisis The Confederacy Confederate claimed and sometimes held territories During the American Civil War, the Union... William Tecumseh Sherman (February 8, 1820 â€“ February 14, 1891) was an American soldier, businessman, educator, and author. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... Combatants United Nations: Republic of Korea, Australia, Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States Medical staff: Denmark, Australia, Italy, Norway, Sweden Communist states: Democratic Peopleâ€™s Republic of Korea, Peoples Republic of China, Soviet Union Commanders... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999...

US Design Prototype

The US Army Ordnance Department designed the Medium Tank M4 as a replacement for the Medium Tank M3. 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 M4 could be finished, and the tank put into full scale production. On 18 April 1941 the final design characteristics for the new tank were approved at a conference at Aberdeen Proving Grounds attended by representatives of the Armored Force and the Ordnance Department. 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 first pilot model of the M4 was completed on September 2, 1941. The M4 was standardized and placed into production in February of 1942.^[2] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2869x1666, 279 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): M4 Sherman Talk:M4 Sherman ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2869x1666, 279 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): M4 Sherman Talk:M4 Sherman ... The Medium Tank M3 was an American tank used during World War II. In Britain the tank was called General Lee named after General Robert E. Lee, and its modified version built to British specification, with a new turret, was called General Grant named after General Ulysses S. Grant. ... is the 242nd day of the year (243rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 108th day of the year (109th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film). ... Area under Axis control over the course of the war shown in black The Axis powers, also interpreted as Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries or sometimes just the Axis were those countries opposed to the Allies during the Second World War. ... September 2 is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film). ...

US 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. Instead, these sub-types indicated standardized production variations, which were in fact often manufactured concurrently at different locations. The sub-types differed mainly in terms of engine, 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 single 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 life 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.

Early Shermans mounted a 75 mm medium-velocity general-purpose 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. 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 British offered the QF 17 pounder (76.2 mm) anti-tank gun with its significantly better armour 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. General Motors Corporation, also known as GM, is the worlds largest auto company by annual production volume as of 2006, and the second largest by sales volume as of the first half of 2007, behind Toyota Motor Corporation. ... Wright R-1820 Cyclone The Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9 was an American radial engine developed by Curtiss-Wright and widely used on 1930s through 1950s aircraft. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x775, 221 KB) Rear view of a M4 Sherman, on display in the military museum of the german Bundeswehr in Dresden Picture taken/uploaded by Darkone List of references and voucher please send to darkone@despammed. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x775, 221 KB) Rear view of a M4 Sherman, on display in the military museum of the german Bundeswehr in Dresden Picture taken/uploaded by Darkone List of references and voucher please send to darkone@despammed. ... The Medium Tank M3 was an American tank used during World War II. In Britain the tank was called General Lee named after General Robert E. Lee, and its modified version built to British specification, with a new turret, was called General Grant named after General Ulysses S. Grant. ... A number of 75 mm guns were fielded for service by the United States in World War II, in both the Army and the Marine Corps. ... 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 M4, and culminated in the M27. ... The 76 mm M1 Gun was a American Forces WWII-era tank gun, which replaced the 75 mm gun on late M4 Sherman tanks, and was equipped on all M18 Hellcat tank destroyers. ... The Ordnance QF 17-pounder (or just 17-pdr) was a 76. ...

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 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. 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. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1176x829, 264 KB) Summary Description: M4A3 Sherman medium tank with 105 mm howitzer and a dozer blade in Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1176x829, 264 KB) Summary Description: M4A3 Sherman medium tank with 105 mm howitzer and a dozer blade in Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel. ... 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,[1] especially over soft ground. ... The EBG combat engineering vehicle, based on the AMX 30 tank, is used by the engineers of the French Army for a variety of missions. ... DD Sherman tank with its floatation screen lowered. ... Marine M67 in Vietnam, 1968. ... The T34 Calliope was a tank-mounted rocket launcher used by the United States Army during World War II. The launcher was mounted atop the M4 Sherman tank and fired a barrage of 4. ...

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. Conqueror Armoured Recovery Vehicle 2 An armoured recovery vehicle (ARV) is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to repair battle-damaged or broken-down armoured vehicles during combat, or to tow them off the battlefield for more extensive repairs. ... Komsomolets tractor 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 Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 was an American self-propelled artillery vehicle produced during World War II. It was given the official nickname Priest in British service, due to the pulpit like machine gun ring and following on from the Bishop self propelled gun. ... The M12 Gun Motor Carriage was a US self propelled gun developed during the Second World War. ... The M40 Gun Motor Carriage was a US self propelled artillery vehicle that was introduced at the end of the Second World War. ... The M10 Gun Motor Carriage known as Wolverine in British service was a US tank destroyer of World War II. // Usage American doctrine planned for tank destroyers to engage enemy tanks while tanks were used principally to support infantry. ... M36 during the Battle of the Bulge in January, 1945 The Gun Motor Carriage M36 was an American tank destroyer in World War II. It was often referred to as the Jackson or Slugger. ...

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 (Operation Overlord). ... Pas-de-Calais is a dÃ©partement in northern France named after the strait which it borders. ... Flag of Normandy Normandy (in French: Normandie, and in Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region in northern France. ... Toy constructed from plywood. ...

see also American armored fighting vehicle production during World War II This page details tank production by the United States of America during World War II. Light tanks Stuart series The USA began 1940 with the M1 and M2 Combat Cars (later designated M1 Light Tank). ...

US Service History

During World War II, the M4 Sherman served with the US Army and US Marine Corps. US service history accommodated the large transfer 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. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 752 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2115 Ã— 1687 pixel, file size: 778 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 752 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2115 Ã— 1687 pixel, file size: 778 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Free French Nazi Germany Italy Commanders Dwight D. Eisenhower Harold Alexander Bernard Montgomery George S. Patton, Jr. ... The United States Army is the largest and oldest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is the second smallest of the five branches of the United States armed forces, with 170,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2002. ... A representation of the changes in territory controlled by Allies and Axis powers over the course of the war. ... The Free French Forces (Forces Françaises Libres in French) were French fighters who decided to go on fighting against Germany after the Fall of France and German occupation and to fight against Vichy France in World War II. General Charles de Gaulle was a member of the French Cabinet... The Government of the Polish Republic in exile maintained a continuous existence in exile from the time of the German occupation of Poland in September 1939 until the end of the Communist rule in Poland in 1990. ...

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). 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. British needs also claimed a large share of the M4 and M4A1. United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is the second smallest of the five branches of the United States armed forces, with 170,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2002. ... General Jacob Jake Loucks Devers (September 8, 1887 - October 15, 1979), who is best remembered for his command of the 6th Army Group in Europe during World War II, graduated from the US Military Academy in 1909. ... The Lend-Lease program was a program of the United States during World War II that allowed the United States to provide the Allied Powers with war material without becoming directly involved in the 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. 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 engine began replacing M4s and M4A1s as the main US version. However, older M4s and M4A1s continued in US service for the rest of the war. Download high resolution version (740x601, 79 KB) Photo #: SC 398704 M4A3E8 Sherman Tank Of Company B, 72nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, fires its 76mm gun at enemy bunkers on Napalm Ridge, in support of the 8th ROK Division. ... Download high resolution version (740x601, 79 KB) Photo #: SC 398704 M4A3E8 Sherman Tank Of Company B, 72nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, fires its 76mm gun at enemy bunkers on Napalm Ridge, in support of the 8th ROK Division. ... Combatants United Nations: Republic of Korea, Australia, Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States Medical staff: Denmark, Australia, Italy, Norway, Sweden Communist states: Democratic Peopleâ€™s Republic of Korea, Peoples Republic of China, Soviet Union Commanders... Combatants United States United Kingdom Free French Forces Vichy France Commanders Dwight Eisenhower Andrew Cunningham FranÃ§ois Darlan Strength 73,500 60,000 Casualties 479+ dead 720 wounded 1,346+ dead 1,997 wounded Operation Torch (initially called Operation Gymnast) was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in... A number of nations have an Eighth Army: 8th Route Army British Eighth Army US Eighth Army This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... For the Battle of Alam Halfa, which is also often termed the Second Battle of El Alamein, see Battle of Alam Halfa Combatants British Eighth Army: United Kingdom Australia New Zealand South Africa India Panzer Army Africa: Nazi Germany Fascist Italy Commanders Bernard Montgomery Erwin Rommel Strength 220,000 men...

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.

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. The US continued to transfer Shermans to allies which contributed to wide foreign use worldwide. Image File history File links 8th_shrm. ... Image File history File links 8th_shrm. ... Combatants United Nations: Republic of Korea, Australia, Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States Medical staff: Denmark, Australia, Italy, Norway, Sweden Communist states: Democratic Peopleâ€™s Republic of Korea, Peoples Republic of China, Soviet Union Commanders... M46, M47, M48 and M60 Patton were the U.S armys principal main battle tanks of the Cold War, with models in service from the late 1940s to the 1990s. ...

US Combat performance

Armament

When the Sherman first saw combat in 1942, its 75 mm M3 gun could penetrate the armor of the German tanks it faced in North Africa at normal combat ranges. 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 and Tiger I tanks at typical combat ranges. 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. 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 75 mm (3 inch) was a popular size of gun in US service. ... The Panther ( ) was a tank fielded by Nazi 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 initial official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen VI AusfÃ¼hrung H (abbreviated PzKpfw VI Ausf. ... The European Theater of Operations, or ETO, was the term used by the United States in World War II to refer to most United States military activity in Europe north of the Mediterranean coast. ... The 76 mm M1 Gun was a American Forces WWII-era tank gun, which replaced the 75 mm gun on late M4 Sherman tanks, and was equipped on all M18 Hellcat tank destroyers. ... A powerful American anti-tank and anti-aircraft gun similar to the renowned German 88. ...

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 superior to most of the German vehicles they encountered, particularly the Panzer IV, and StuG vehicles. However, with a regular AP (Armour Piercing, Shot) ammunition (M79) or APCBC (M62) shells, the 76 mm could only reliably knock out a Panther at close range, 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). ^[3] Download high resolution version (997x557, 328 KB)Sherman tank from WW2 from [1] File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (997x557, 328 KB)Sherman tank from WW2 from [1] File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (950x524, 124 KB) Sherman II A M4A2E8 (with 76mm gun) Worthington Tank Museum at CFB Borden (Ontario, Canada). ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (950x524, 124 KB) Sherman II A M4A2E8 (with 76mm gun) Worthington Tank Museum at CFB Borden (Ontario, Canada). ... The 76 mm M1 Gun was a American Forces WWII-era tank gun, which replaced the 75 mm gun on late M4 Sherman tanks, and was equipped on all M18 Hellcat tank destroyers. ... Panzer IV is the common name of a medium tank that was developed in the late 1930s by Nazi Germany and used extensively in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen IV (abbreviated PzKpfw IV) and the tank also had the ordnance inventory designation SdKfz 161. ... The SturmgeschÃ¼tz III (StuG III) assault gun was Nazi Germanys most produced armoured fighting vehicle during World War II. It was built on the chassis of the Panzer III tank. ... The European Theater of Operations, or ETO, was the term used by the United States in World War II to refer to most United States military activity in Europe north of the Mediterranean coast. ...

Hypervelocity Armor Piercing HVAP ammunition standardized as M93, was developed for the 76 mm gun in July 1944. This new projectile could penetrate the front turret of the Panther at longer ranges than standard ammunition. Its distribution was, however, limited to US Tank Destroyer units. A shell is a payload-carrying projectile, which, as opposed to a bullet, contains an explosive or other filling, though modern usage includes large solid projectiles previously termed shot (AP, APCR, APCNR, APDS, APFSDS and Proof shot). ...

In the relatively few Pacific tank battles, even the 75 mm gun Shermans outclassed the Japanese in every engagement. 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. 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 (and the US used similar devices on other tanks and LVTs, and also used flame-throwing Shermans in Europe). Image File history File links Ronson_flame_tank_Iwo_Jima. ... Image File history File links Ronson_flame_tank_Iwo_Jima. ... United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is the second smallest of the five branches of the United States armed forces, with 170,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2002. ... Combatants United States Empire of Japan Commanders Holland Smith Tadamichi Kuribayashi â€ Strength 110,000 21,000 Casualties 8,226 dead 19,189 wounded,[1] 494 missing[1] Total: 27,909 20,703 dead,[1] 216 captured[1] Total: 20,919 Volcano and Ryukyu Islands campaign Iwo Jima â€“ Okinawa â€“ Ten-Go... It has been suggested that Greater East Asia War in the Pacific be merged into this article or section. ... A shell is a payload-carrying projectile, which, as opposed to a bullet, contains an explosive or other filling, though modern usage includes large solid projectiles previously termed shot (AP, APCR, APCNR, APDS, APFSDS and Proof shot). ... The Landing Vehicle Tracked (LVT) was an amphibious vehicle used by the United States Navy, Marine Corps and Army during World War II. It was widely known as amphtrack, amtrak, amtrac etc. ... Marine M67 in Vietnam, 1968. ...

Armor

The Sherman's armor was effective against most early war tank guns, the frontal thickness was the gun mantle at 91 mm, frontal turret 76 mm, and frontal hull 63 mm. The Sherman's frontal armor was designed to withstand a 50 mm 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. However, the Sherman's armor, while good for an early war tank, was inadequate against the German 75 mm KwK42L70, used only on the Panther tank, and the famous 88 mm used on the Tiger tanks. It was this deficiency in its frontal armor that made the Sherman very vulnerable to German high velocity 75 mm and 88 mm tank guns that the German Tigers and Panthers were equipped with in 1944. The Sherman's armor was not invulnerable to the 75 mm KwK40/42 used on the German Panzer IV-G/J series vehicles, but could take a hit and have time to react, unlike being instantly destroyed by a high velocity 75 mm or 88 mm shell. The lower velocity of the earlier Panzer IV guns and their thin armor's vulnerability to the Sherman's main armament gave Sherman a competitive edge against the most common German tanks. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1295x758, 161 KB) Summary Description: M4 Sherman medium tank in Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1295x758, 161 KB) Summary Description: M4 Sherman medium tank in Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel. ... The Panzerkampfwagen III (PzKpfw III), more commonly referred to as the Panzer III, was a tank developed in the 1930s by Nazi Germany and used extensively in World War II. It was designed to fight other armoured fighting vehicles, serving alongside the infantry-support Panzer IV. It soon became obsolete...

For crew survivability, the M4 had an escape hatch on the hull bottom 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.

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). 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". 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 myth 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". Download high resolution version (1377x1112, 324 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1377x1112, 324 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Bocage is a French word referring to a terrain of mixed woodland and pasture, with tortuous side-roads and lanes bounded on both sides by banks surmounted with high thick hedgerows limiting visibility. ... A Tommy cooker was a compact, portable, solidified alcohol fuelled stove issued to British troops (Tommies) in World War I[1]. It was notoriously ineffective and a variety of improvised alternatives were in use, but a refined version remained in use during World War II. The term also came to... â€œThe Great War â€ redirects here. ... A stove is a heat-producing device. ... Gallows humor is humor that makes light of death or other serious matters. ... A metal naphtha lighter A lighter is a device used to create fire with the intent to ignite another substance such as a cigarette, smoking pipe, or charcoal in a grill. ... Gasoline or petrol is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting mostly of hydrocarbons and enhanced with benzene or iso-octane to increase octane ratings, primarily used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ... Gasoline, as it is known in North America, or petrol, in many Commonwealth countries (sometimes also called motor spirit) is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting primarily of hydrocarbons, used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ...

Progressively thicker armour was added to hull front and turret mantlet in various improved models, while field improvisations included placing sandbags, spare track links, helmets, wire mesh, or even wood for increased protection against shaped-charge rounds. 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. Approximately 36 of these up-armored Shermans were supplied to each of the armored divisions of the Third Army in the spring of 1945. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (3495x2668, 964 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): M4 Sherman User:Megapixie/Photographs M4 Sherman variants Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (3495x2668, 964 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): M4 Sherman User:Megapixie/Photographs M4 Sherman variants Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the... Sectioned HEAT round with the inner shaped charge visible A shaped charge is an explosive charge shaped to focus the effect of the explosives energy. ... George Smith Patton Jr. ... For other uses, see Heat (disambiguation) In physics, heat, symbolized by Q, is energy transferred from one body or system to another as a result of a difference in temperature. ...

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

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 the summer of 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. General Leslie J. McNair for use in the invasion of France. McNair refused, and Devers appealed to General George Marshall, the Army Chief of Staff. 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. 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. General Jacob Jake Loucks Devers (September 8, 1887 - October 15, 1979), who is best remembered for his command of the 6th Army Group in Europe during World War II, graduated from the US Military Academy in 1909. ... The Heavy Tank M26 Pershing was an American tank used during World War II and the Korean War. ... Lesley J. McNair General Lesley James McNair (May 25, 1883 â€“ July 25, 1944) was an American Army officer who served during World War I and World War II. He was born in Verndale, Minnesota, which was then a farming and mercantile community of 1,500. ... For other persons named George Marshall, see George Marshall (disambiguation). ... Dwight David Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 â€“ March 28, 1969) was an American General and politician, who served as the thirty-fourth President of the United States (1953â€“1961). ...

Tactical Mobility Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1280x844, 215 KB) Summary Description: M32 ARV (aka M32 TRV), an armored recovery vehicle (tank recovery vehicle) on M4 Sherman tank chassis, in Batey ha-Osef Museum, Tel Aviv, Israel. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1280x844, 215 KB) Summary Description: M32 ARV (aka M32 TRV), an armored recovery vehicle (tank recovery vehicle) on M4 Sherman tank chassis, in Batey ha-Osef Museum, Tel Aviv, Israel. ...

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. Panzer IV is the common name of a medium tank that was developed in the late 1930s by Nazi Germany and used extensively in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen IV (abbreviated PzKpfw IV) and the tank also had the ordnance inventory designation SdKfz 161. ... First Tiger I tank captured near Tunis The Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. ... Tank classification can be done either by weight or by role. ... The Panther ( ) was a tank fielded by Nazi Germany in World War II that served from mid-1943 to the end of the European war in 1945. ...

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 superior tactics, 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). M36 during the Battle of the Bulge in January, 1945 The Gun Motor Carriage M36 was an American tank destroyer in World War II. It was often referred to as the Jackson or Slugger. ... The 76mm Gun Motor Carriage M18 was an American tank destroyer of World War II. It was often given the nickname Hellcat and is recorded as being the fastest tracked armored fighting vehicle during the war, and for a while after that. ...

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. Although American tanks were less powerful than their German counterparts,US armoured 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). Image File history File links 3adCologne. ... Image File history File links 3adCologne. ... â€œMinefieldâ€ redirects here. ... Friendly fire or non-hostile fire, a term originally adopted by the United States military, is fire from allied or friendly forces, as opposed to fire coming from enemy forces or enemy fire. ...

Nonetheless, the fact that the Sherman tank was significantly inferior to the 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 Y. 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 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 approximately only 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. Shoulder sleeve patch of the United States Army 3rd Armored Division, Spearhead. ...

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, although it too had high losses during the war. Compared to the M4 Sherman, the T-34 had lower ground pressure, better armor and a better gun (at least on the T-34/85 models) while the M4's advantages included fire-resistant "wet" ammunition stowage on late models. 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. During the Korean War, US Shermans performed well against their T-34/85 adversaries, which could be due to a combination of better training and better equipment such as gunsights and gun stabilization. The T-34 is a Soviet medium tank first produced in 1940. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... Combatants United Nations: Republic of Korea, Australia, Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States Medical staff: Denmark, Australia, Italy, Norway, Sweden Communist states: Democratic Peopleâ€™s Republic of Korea, Peoples Republic of China, Soviet Union Commanders...

US Variants

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. ... The M10 Gun Motor Carriage known as Wolverine in British service was a US tank destroyer of World War II. // Usage American doctrine planned for tank destroyers to engage enemy tanks while tanks were used principally to support infantry. ... A self-propelled anti-tank gun, or tank destroyer, is a type of armoured fighting vehicle. ... M36 during the Battle of the Bulge in January, 1945 The Gun Motor Carriage M36 was an American tank destroyer in World War II. It was often referred to as the Jackson or Slugger. ... The Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 was an American self-propelled artillery vehicle produced during World War II. It was given the official nickname Priest in British service, due to the pulpit like machine gun ring and following on from the Bishop self propelled gun. ... A U.S. M109A6 Paladin self-propelled howitzer Self-propelled artillery (also called mobile artillery or locomotive artillery) vehicles are a way of giving mobility to artillery. ... The M12 Gun Motor Carriage was a US self propelled gun developed during the Second World War. ... The M40 Gun Motor Carriage was a US self propelled artillery vehicle that was introduced at the end of the Second World War. ... Marine M67 in Vietnam, 1968. ... M270 MLRS. Rocket artillery is artillery equipped with rocket launchers instead of conventional guns or mortars. ... DD Sherman tank with its floatation screen lowered. ... The EBG combat engineering vehicle, based on the AMX 30 tank, is used by the engineers of the French Army for a variety of missions. ... Conqueror Armoured Recovery Vehicle 2 An armoured recovery vehicle (ARV) is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to repair battle-damaged or broken-down armoured vehicles during combat, or to tow them off the battlefield for more extensive repairs. ... Komsomolets tractor Artillery tractor is a kind of tractor, also referred to as a gun tractor, a vehicle used to tow artillery pieces of varying weights. ...

Foreign variants and use

Main article: M4 Sherman The United States provided tens of thousands of its Medium Tank M4, nicknamed the Sherman, to many of its Allies during the Second World War, under the terms of Lend-Lease Act. ... see M4 Sherman tank main article for background to 1945 Postwar Sherman tanks saw extensive use around the world after WWII. This article catalogues foreign postwar use and conversions of Sherman tanks and variants based on the Sherman chassis. ... The Sherman Firefly (M4A4 VC Firefly) was a British variation of the M4 Sherman tank, fitted with the more powerful 17 pounder main gun. ...

Contents

US Design Prototype

US Production history

US Service History

US Combat performance

Armament

Armor

Mobility

Summary

US Variants

Foreign variants and use

See also

Sources

References

External links

Contents

US Design Prototype GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

US Production history

US Service History

US Combat performance

Armament

Armor

Mobility

Summary

US Variants

Foreign variants and use

See also

Sources

References

External links

US Design Prototype