M4A2E8 Sherman Medium Tank

M4A2E8 Sherman Medium Tank. . Although the last M3 Grant medium tank was produced in December 1942, work on engineering its replacement had begun in 1941. The British adopted the new model, with its 75mm smoothbore gun, and immediately christened it the Sherman after the Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman. The M4 Sherman demonstrated outstanding speed, maneuverability, reliability and ease of maintenance when compared with other World War II tanks. Even today, the ability of the M4 Sherman to move as far as 2,500 miles on a set of tracks without major maintenance remains as good as any other tank ever built. Beginning in February 1942 through July 1945, United States war factories turned out 49,234 M4 Sherman tanks of various versions., The M4A2 carried a welded hull and twin General Motors diesel engines, each a 6-cylinder liquid-cooled Model 6-71, rated at 180 horsepower at 2,100 rpm. Some 8,053 M4A2s were produced with this type having the longest continuous production run, from April 1942 to May 1945. Initially produced at the Fisher Tank Arsenal and Pullman Standard Car Co., later production runs took place at American Locomotive Co., Baldwin Locomotive Works, and the Federal Machine and Welding Co., The Sherman Medium Tank served as the backbone of U.S. and British armor units in World War II. The M4 tank proved to be a devastating weapon because it was relatively inexpensive and quick to produce. Toward the end of the war, it became evident that its armor and its firepower were under strength, especially against late model German tanks such as the Tiger II., In the Korean War, the M4 Sherman went to war again, being part of the armored force that broke out of the Pusan Perimeter. It continued to be used in fighting throughout the war and then to be used for peacekeeping duties until declared obsolete in 1956. Sherman tanks remained in the inventories of many countries and were employed by Israel in all of their wars up to 1973., This M4A28 Sherman tank was manufactured in January 1944 at the Baldwin Locomotive Works. The E8 designation meant that the tank had an improved suspension system. Its 75mm gun was made by the General Motors Oldsmobile Division. As few Sherman M4A28s saw action in the European Theater under the US flag, it is likely that this tank saw action in the Pacific Theater or in Korea., Specifications: , Weight: 70,000 to 72,800 pounds , Armament: 75mm Gun M3, one .50 caliber M2-HB Browning machine gun, two .30 caliber M1919A4 Browning machine guns , Crew: five , Speed: 29 mph, maximum on road , Armor: varies from 0,5 to 3 inches, (captions) , This pair of Sherman tanks provided support for US Marines in the Philippines in 1945. The Marines were some of the only US troops to employ the M4A2EB version of the Sherman. (Department of Defense), During a lull in combat action, a tank crew performed routine maintenance which included replacing track shoes or sections damaged during combat maneuvers. (Department of Defense), This photograph from the Pacific theater of world war two shows a Sherman tank beside a disabled and smaller Japanese medium tank. (Department of Defense), An Australian unit Sherman, named The Stag, approaches an obstacle during tank tests at HQ 4 Armoured Brigade. (Australian War Memorial), A M4A38 Sherman Tank of Company B, 72nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division fired its gun at enemy bunkers on Napalm Ridge in support of the 8th Republic of Korea Division in this photograph from the Korean War dated 11 May 1952. This tank sat in a prepared firing position with ammunition cases piled to the left. (National Archives), A long line of General Sherman (M-4) and M-3 (General Grant) tanks took part in training maneuvers at Fort Knox, Kentucky, in June of 1942. The Armored Force School and the Armored Force Replacement Center were officially established at Fort Knox 1 October 1940. M-4s in this photograph can be distinguished by their lower profile, larger gun, and two hatches in front of the turret. (Library of Congress), As part of the Lend Lease program, Sherman tanks were provided to New Zealand forces during world war two. This photograph shows the crew of a 20th Armoured Regiment Sherman cleaning the gun's barrel while the unit was stationed near Faenza in December 1944. (Courtesy of Kiwis In Armour on the WWW), The 4th New Zealand Armoured Brigade placed their M4A2 Sherman tank under a camouflage net near Cassino, Italy. The squadron insignia and vehicle number suggest that this tank is from the 20th Armoured Regiment. (Courtesy of Kiwis In Armour on the WWW)