This book covers both the 75 and 76 tanks, but not overly well this book is an early new vanguard book and shares a lot with nv 73, that focusses just on 76mm shermans. It played pivotal roles in every major theater of the war and was a major product of the allied arsenal of democracy. First, the sherman was designed for mass production and this allowed the allies to enjoy a 41 superiority in numbers. Xenophon already mentioned the problem wasnt unique to the sherman at all but i figured i would back that up with some actual data, and then i wanted. It also fails to really cover the panthers true flaws that make it an inferior tank to the sherman. Jan 06, 2011 the m4 sherman tank was a fast and reliable medium tank that served the allies during wwii. The prototype model was first built in feb 1941, by the autumn of 1942 the tank was in full production and the shermans saw action in oct 1942 at the battle of alamein with british forces. It has a lot of good color photos and is a highquality paperback book. It had a welded hull and used the a57 multibank motor. At the time of construction, the m4 had the thickest armor ever used on an american tank. Asuka model 35028 ic firefly with accesories by threadbear sept 9, 20 17. For many ingame its one of their first tier 5 tanks where the game truly begins to take shape. Thousands were also distributed to the allies including the british commonwealth and the soviet union via lend lease. Usa 1941 medium tank 49,234 built quantity and quality.
One of the most popular myths surrounding the sherman is concerning catastrophic hits to the tank. T he m4 sherman tank is wellknown because it was built in large numbers there were nearly 50,000 units built, but it is also a tank well know for having been built in several versions. In the united kingdom, the m4 was named after union general william tecumseh sherman, following the british practice of. The simplicity of the m4 shermans design enabled the allies to manufacture enough units to overwhelm the qualitatively superior.
Improvised armor on m4 shermans in the pto tanks encylopedia. Coopers indictment of the sherman tank s inferiority compared to the heavier german panther and tiger tanks ignores many important facts. Metal bars have also been added to the running gear to stop explosives being thrown under the tank. The sherman tank featured up to 50mm of frontal armor that was angled at around 45 degrees which was nearly identical to that of the t34 which had. The m4 sherman formally medium tank m4 was the primary tank used by the united states during world war ii. Sherman tank, officially m4 general sherman, main battle tank designed and built by the united states for the conduct of world war ii. M4 sherman tank the national wwii museum new orleans. Wechslers building and detailing realistic sherman tanks is a great resource for modelers of the sherman, but the techniques described and illustrated in the book will work when building a model of any armored fighting vehicle. The iconic american tank of world war ii, the m4 sherman was employed in all theaters of the conflict by the u. Unlike the m3, which had its main gun in a side sponson, the m4 sherman medium tank had a turret with full rotation. Reviews on all kits of the sherman and its variants. Nov 22, 20 sherman tanks were not nearly as efficient or as armored as the primary german tank, the panzer iv.
So as uxenophontheathenian said, judging a tank simply on how readily it might burn when knocked out is a pretty narrow metric with which to measure the effectiveness of a tank, and by that metric the sherman doesnt actually do that poorly. With numbers and 14 the osprey modelling series sees the start of a regular subseries on modelling specific afvs. Sherman m4 is an oldie combat tank simulation by loriciel. Barbara ehrenreichs natural causes is a hilarious and informative perspective on all the ways we and the medical system try to keep us alive. I would say this is the least useful new vanguard or vanguard book on the sherman at this point. Sherman was the classic american tank of ww2 used by all allied nations under the lendlease scheme. Mired m4 sherman tank on a normandy invasion beach, 12 june 1944. The m4 sherman main battle tank was designed and built by the united states for the conduct of world war ii. It does have some nice photos and a really great marine radio transcript.
Over 40,000 were built and they were used on every front in the war. The m4 sherman line had been by far the most largely manufactured, most commonly used, as well as most essential of all the tanks operating by us, british, as well as other allied armies in ww2. Publisher, presidio press 1st edition ballantine books paperback. Army and marine corps, as well as most allied nations. Although it is not really the most efficient allied tank in qualitative conditions, and definitely unfavorable in hitting power as well as armour to the top german and soviet medium tanks like the. M4 sherman at war is an account of the design, evolution, and employment of an underpowered, underarmored, undergunned tank, whose contribution to midtwentieth century armored warfare ensures its place as the single most important tank of all time. Neither tank was perfect, but they were good enough to do the job that was expected of them and they did them well.
I had a great time taking team defiant out, if you want to come play world of tanks with us my ign is therealfpsrussia, also. A tank motor made from combining five car motors on one crankcase. In theunited kingdom, the m4 was named after union general william tecumseh sherman, following the british practice of naming their americanbuilt tanks after famous. The wide array of special duties that a tank could be used for were just being explored by armies around the world in the early 1940s. Shermans were undergunned when fighting german tiger tanks and outmaneuvered when facing german panther tanks. In addition, the m4 chassis served as the platform for several derivative armored. The book begins with the m4 s evolution from the m3 and m2 tanks and continues through the rapid production of more than fiftythree. I had a great time taking team defiant out, if you want to come play world of tanks with us my ign is therealfpsrussia, also you can use this link to get free gold and. With detailed stepbystep model photography, specially commissioned walkround photography, scale drawings and wartime shots, these books will provide all the. A sherman tank crew from 27th armoured brigade with a german swastika flag they captured during the attack on caen, normandy, 10 july 1944. Sep 03, 2014 the sherman is just over 19 ft long and 9 ft high, weight around 5 tons.
Sherman specifics a guide to sherman tank types and terms by cookie sewell no matter which sets of components it uses, a sherman tank always looks like a sherman tank. The m4 was the most widely used tank series in the war, being employed not only by the u. To recognize a sherman version from another one, a specific vocabulary is used, which ill try to explain on this page. This meant that the tank needed only five crewmembers, rather than the six that were carried by. More than 50,000 shermans were produced between 1942 and 1945. Shop tractor, t10, also known as canal defence light. The medium tank powered by the coolest tank motor ever. Development of the medium tank m3 leegrant were definitely carried out as an advancement of the m2a1 on the distinct awareness that it was to be regarded as a temporary development to have a tank with 75mm gun armament into manufacturing and operation as soon as practical. In spite of being outclassed by german medium and heavy tanks late in the war, the m4 sherman was cheaper to produce and available in greater numbers. Dispelling the myths surrounding the m4 sherman knowledge glue. Building and detailing realistic sherman tanks finescale. The game is set in a world war ii scenario and offers most of the things you would expect from a game in this genre.
M4a1 sherman of the 2nd armored division, tank named eternity leaves red beach sicily italy 10 july 1943. Its hull armor is a bit lacking and will most likely be penetrated by other tanks of its tier. Canadian crew of a sherman tank south of vaucelles, june 1944. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Sherman and cromwell tanks of the royal marines armoured support group near tillysurseulles, june 1944.
Tens of thousands were distributed through the lendlease program. The m4 sherman tank was hell on wheels and a death trap. Both tanks were armed and armored in similar ways, and they both served about the same roles in their respective armies. The battle of the bulge exposed deficiencies in the m4 so glaringly obvious, what became known as the sherman tank scandal would be splashed across front pages all over the allied world. The sherman is just over 19 ft long and 9 ft high, weight around 5 tons. Army and marine corps but also by british, canadian, and free french forces. Sherman production table corrections and additional information is welcomed. This book is an early new vanguard book and shares a lot with nv 73, that focusses just on 76mm shermans. It was considered by the trials team that overall the churchill was preferable to the sherman for operations in jungle. An insight into the history, development, production, uses, and ownership of the worlds most iconic tank haynes owners workshop manuals armored thunderbolt. Rpg elements like inventory management, action elements with direct control over units, and the tactical depth of games like jagged alliance, soldiers proved to be ahead of its time. The sherman became the most widely produced allied tank of the second world war with total production.
It was also the basis of several successful tank destroyers, such as the m10, achilles and m36. New vanguard 3, sherman medium tank 194245, by steven zaloga and peter sarson. Sherman tanks were not nearly as efficient or as armored as the primary german tank, the panzer iv. Despite being inferior to the heavier german tanks it was a reliable and capable tank and would play a part in winning the war. It will also be packed with model specific technical drawings and photos, if the tank had a 76 armed model it will have a subpage.
This versatile tank operated in every theater of operation during wwii. The m4 had the same basic chassis as the m3 medium tank, with a front drive, a rear engine and a vertical volute spring suspension. A sherman tank used in the film fury is currently for sale by auction. Whoever was responsible for supplying the army with tanks is guilty of supplying material inferior to its enemy counterpart for at least two years or more, one an angry armoured cavalry lieutenant told. See more ideas about books, military vehicles and armored fighting vehicle. Second, fewer than 50% of the german armor in france in 1944 were tigers or panthers. Really, the sherman was a tank that was comparable to other medium tanks of the era, for instance the t34. Shermans has been proudly selling down east books since they published their very first book. The m4 sherman tank was a fast and reliable medium tank that served the allies during wwii. Although it was not the most powerful tank made during the second world war, the m4 sherman was the epitome of the american fighting spirit during the time period maneuverable, fast, and massproduced over 50,000 m4 sherman tanks were produced in seven different varieties in almost every allied country canada produced the ram ii, while great britian produced a model with a 17 pounder cannon. The m4 general sherman was the most widely used tank series among the western allies, being employed not only by the u. Each page will contain a data sheet for the tank and its gun.
This book covers both the 75 and 76 tanks, but not overly well. Pzgrenadierdivision source bundesarchiv source bundesarchiv 1944, march, nettuno. M4 sherman tanks is the definitive illustrated history of the sherman tank, covering the entire scope of its development, manufacture, service, armaments, turrets, tracks, drivetrains, and its many variants. A few sherman iiic are believed to have existed, issued to units equipped with standard sherman iii for mechanical commonality. This was a fact even before the upgrading of panzer gun barrels and armor in 1943. The m4 sherman was the workhorse medium tank of the u. At the time of its introduction, the m4 was head and shoulders above any medium tank built here in the uk. The second covers the allies most important tank of ww2, the us m4 sherman, of which 49, 234 gun tanks were built. The book relates coopers experiences during world war ii and puts forth an argument against the us armys use of the m4 sherman tank during the war. As a comparison, the pziv ausf g had frontal armor of only about 50mm at a 60 to 90 degree angle depending on upperlower sides a relative thickness of only 55mm. This page will be an easy to find place for specific info on sherman submodels.
Sherman is one of the few really iconic fighting vehicles of the allies during world war two, and one of the most famous tanks in history. The m4 sherman, officially medium tank, m4, was the most numerous battle tank used by the united states and some other western allies in world war ii. The survival of an american armored division in world war ii is a 1998 memoir by belton y. The m4 sherman proved to be reliable, relatively cheap to produce, and available in great numbers. Ehrenreich begs the question of whether or not those things. The sherman tank was the most commonly used american tank in world war ii. The m4 sherman is considered a very well rounded tank like the t34 or pzkpfw iv, and is often considered one of the best, if not the best, tier v medium.
National archives photo even when fitted with m17 rocket launchers, these shermans. The first production version of the sherman, the most common american tank, with an amazing total of 49,234 vehicles manufactured. But the m4 sherman was good enough to win that war and help win a few more decades after its birth. The sherman may not have been the best tank of world war ii that honor belongs to the russian t34, which fought from beginning to end, inspired the bigger german designs, and continues to serve around the world today.
Thousands were distributed through the lendlease program to the british commonwealth and soviet union. That is, hits that would cause the tank to either explode or catch on fire violently. Thousands were also distributed to the allies, including the british commonwealth and the soviet union, via lendlease. The tank is covered in spare track links, a common practice of this battalion. Tank busting blowing up the myth of the mighty m4 sherman. Maines oldest bookstore visit us at all 6 great locations bar. Considered a medium tank, the sherman initially had a mounted 75mm gun and had a crew of five. It was reliable, rugged and practical and while we know the design had its faults. This world of tanks m4 sherman guide will go over the tanks strengths, weaknesses, and tactics to use to master playing it. Marines take cover behind one of their medium tanks, saipan, july 8, 1944. Another m4a1 was captured in north africa by the 1 st company of the 501 st tank battalion, nicknamed war daddy ii.
The m4 general sherman was the main battle tank designed and built by the united states for the conduct of world war ii. Thousands were also distributed to the allies, including the british commonwealth and soviet armies, via lendlease. Sherman 17pdr aka firefly british sherman i or v rearmed with qf 17 pounder 76. An insight into the history, development, production, uses, and ownership of the worlds most iconic tank haynes owners workshop manuals by ware, pat 2012 hardcover by isbn. The m4 sherman is an iconic tank both in and outside of world of tanks.
The m4 sherman tank was a central player in the complex historical drama of world war ii. The average distance covered by each tank during the trials, which lasted 32 days, was miles. The m4 sherman named after the famous american civil war general william t. The importance of the sherman to my own country cannot be underestimated. M4 sherman tank, formally known as the medium tank m4 was the main tank used by the u. M4 sherman crocodile m4 tank modified with the flamethrower and fuel trailer from a churchill crocodile. These books are packed with photos of the sherman tank. They were used in all combat theatersnot only by the united states, but also by great britain, the free french, china, and even the soviet union. Medium tank, with 2 gm 6cilinder diesel engines, armament primary 105 mm howitzer, m4 in mount m52 in turret, running gear t80 double pin 23.
The book begins with the m4s evolution from the m3 and m2 tanks and continues through the rapid production of more than fiftythree. Americas m4a1 medium tank in world war ii legends of warfare. The m4 sherman, formally medium tank, m4, was the primary tank used by the united states during world war ii. The m4 sherman medium tank boasted thick armor and was powerful enough to match nearly any tank of its era. Theories of what vehicles were supposed to be engaging enemy tanks changed as vehicles like the sherman often found themselves up against enemy armor, and consequently some of the most important initial changes centered around upgunning the basic vehicle.