M4 Sherman part 1

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M4 Sherman part 1 photo gallery

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After the introduction into series production M3 Lee tank , it became clear that this type of vehicle will be only temporary construction until the introduction to the U.S. Army wholesome type of medium tank with main armament placed on rotating turret, and not in the hull of the vehicle, because this location of the cannon was giving very limited field of fire. In April 1941, after the completion of work on the tank M3 Lee, Rock Island Arsenal presented four preliminary projects of the new M4 tank. For implementation was chosen project using many components of M3 tank , among others, suspension wheel drive, driving wheel, engine, gearbox. New were escape doors placed on both sides of the hull (same as in the Canadian tank Ram Mk I). In May 1941 there was built a wooden mock-up of the vehicle called as T6 and prototype was completed in September 1941, and T6 tests were started since September 17 in Aberdeen. Despite some similarities tank T6 was not derived from a Canadian tank RAM. They were two different constructions that were developed independently. In October 1941, the new tank was incorporated to the US Army under the name Medium Tank M4. It was planned that the production of the tank will be held at 11 plants (including Pacilic Car & Foundry, Fisher, Ford, Federal Machine & Welder, Lima Locomotive Works ). Production prototype was created in Lima plant in January 1942. First to mass production was enter M4A1 version. Tank differed from T6 by lack of a side door. While remained additional equipment in form of two fixed machine guns placed in the hull. Summer of 1942 M4A1 tank entered serial production. M4A1 tanks (called “Sherman”) passed baptism of fire during the battle of El Alamein in October 1942. Despite deficiencies resulting from inadequate armor, the obsolete weapons and the average off-road traction , M4 tank due to its technical simplicity, reliability and above all, the huge scale of production (over 49000 units) was next to the Soviet T-34 main Allied tank. Tanks M4 in all versions have essentially the same basic components, the differences resulted from modifications to chassis components, weapons (guns caliber 76.2 mm and howitzers 105 mm) and equipment. Two types of hulls we used: one a cast structure and the second of welded construction, also made a number of tanks with mixed hull with welded casting so called Composite Hull. Tanks were driven with carburation engine (tanks for the US Army) or diesel (mainly tanks for export).
Basic production versions :

  • M4 – welded hull, gasoline engine Continental R975 radial 400hp. Total production: 6748 (July 1942 – January 1944)
    • early: three-piece bolted differential cover, and vision slots (later eliminated) for driver and hull gunner, narrow M34 mantlet
    • late: one-piece cast differential cover, cast/rolled hull front and wide M34A1 mantlet
  • M4(105) – howitzer 105 mm
  • M4A1 –First model. M4 but with cast hull, gasoline engine Continental R975 radial 400hp. Total production: 6281 (February 1942 – December 1943).
    • early: M2 gun with counter weight, two machine guns in hull front, M3 bogies, hull vision slots, three-piece bolted differential cover
    • late: M3 gun, one-piece cast differential cover, M34A1 mantlet
  • M4A2 – welded armor, twin General Motors 6-71 diesel engines. Used only by USMC. Most went into Lend-Lease stocks. Total production: 8053 (April 1942 – May 1944)
  • M4A3 – welded armor, engine: gasoline Ford GAA V8 500hp engine. Total production: 1690 (June 1942 – September 1943).
  • M4A3(75)W – improved M4A3 75mm with vision cupola for the commander, a loader’s hatch, 47° hull front, and “wet stowage” (water+glycerine mixture) for the ammunition. Total production: 3071 (February 1944 – March 1945).
  • M4A3(105) – howitzer 105 mm
  • M4A3R3 – flame thrower
  • M4A3E2 “Jumbo” – thick welded armor
  • M4A3E8 “Easy Eight” –  HVSS suspension , 76 mm gun
  • M4A4 – welded armor, engine: gasoline Chrysler A57 5×6-cyl inline, 420hp
  • M4A6 – engine: diesel Caterpillar D200A radial
  • Sherman ARV – recovery tank
  • Sherman DD – amphibious tank
  • T-34 Calliope – rocket launcher
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