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148-570: The M4 Sherman , officially medium tank, M4 , was the medium tank most widely used by the United States and Western Allies in World War II . The M4 Sherman proved to be reliable, relatively cheap to produce, and available in great numbers. It was also the basis of several other armored fighting vehicles including self-propelled artillery , tank destroyers , and armored recovery vehicles . Tens of thousands were distributed through

296-637: A BergeTiger recovery vehicle. As many as three may have been built. It carried a demolition charge on a small crane on the turret in place of the main gun. It was to move up to a minefield and drop the charge, back away, and then set the charge off to clear the minefield. There is no verification of any being used in combat. Another variant was the Fahrschulpanzer VI Tiger tanks (driving school Tiger tanks). These tanks were Tigers with modified engines to run on either compressed Towngas gas (Stadtgas System) or wood gas (Holzgas System). This

444-615: A VK 45.01 (H) H1 with an 8.8 cm L/56 cannon, and a VK 45.01 (H) H2 with a 7.5 cm L/70 cannon. On 22 June 1941, Germany launched Operation Barbarossa , the invasion of the Soviet Union . The Germans encountered large numbers of Soviet T-34 medium and KV-1 heavy tanks. According to Henschel designer Erwin Aders , "There was great consternation when it was discovered that the Soviet tanks were superior to anything available to

592-520: A 16 by 18 in (410 by 460 mm) target at a range of 1,200 yards (1,100 m). Compared with the other contemporary German tank guns, the 8.8 cm KwK 36 had superior penetration to the 7.5 cm KwK 40 on the Sturmgeschütz III and Panzer IV but inferior to the 7.5 cm KwK 42 on the Panther tank under ranges of 2,500 metres. At greater ranges, the 8.8 cm KwK 36

740-601: A 38 cm (15 in) rocket launcher. A tank recovery version of the Porsche Tiger I ( Bergetiger ), and one Porsche Tiger I, was issued to the 654th Heavy Tank Destroyer Battalion, which was equipped with the Ferdinand/ Elefant . In Italy, a demolition carrier version of the Tiger I without a main gun was built by maintenance crews in an effort to find a way to clear minefields. It is often misidentified as

888-633: A Panzer IV and four times as much as a StuG III assault gun . Partly because of their high cost, only 1,347 Tiger I and 492 Tiger II tanks were produced. The closest counterpart to the Tiger from the United States was the M26 Pershing (around 200 deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO) during the war ) and the IS-2 from the USSR (about 3,800 built during the conflict). From

1036-595: A Tiger I as another German tank of the period. When the improved Tiger II began production in January 1944, the Tiger I was soon phased out. In 1943, Japan bought several specimens of German tank designs for study. A single Tiger I was apparently purchased, along with a Panther and two Panzer IIIs, but only the Panzer IIIs were actually delivered. The undelivered Tiger was loaned to the German Wehrmacht by

1184-533: A bulldozer blade, the Duplex Drive system, flamethrowers for Zippo flame tanks , and various rocket launchers such as the T34 Calliope . British variants (DDs and mine flails ) formed part of the group of specialized vehicles collectively known as " Hobart's Funnies " (after Percy Hobart , commander of the 79th Armoured Division ). The M4 Sherman's basic chassis was used for all the sundry roles of

1332-453: A fuel tank, radiator and fans) were floodable. However, this ability was found to be of limited practical value for its high cost and was removed from production lines in August 1943. As a result, only the first 495 units were fitted with this deep fording system; all later models were capable of fording water only two metres deep. The internal layout was typical of German tanks. Forward

1480-693: A key component of the Allied war effort. The Sherman's role as the backbone of U.S. armored forces in World War II cemented its legacy as one of the most influential tank designs of the 20th century. Despite its limitations—such as relatively thin armor compared to German heavy tanks like the Tiger and Panther —the M4 was designed to be both affordable and adaptable. Its widespread deployment, durability, and ease of maintenance ensured it remained in service throughout

1628-430: A limited post-war arms race of progressively more heavily armed and armoured designs. With the rise of more sophisticated anti-tank missile weapons, to which heavy tanks had demonstrated high vulnerability, these too were eventually phased out. With advances in technology, aspects such as mobility, armour and weaponry pushed the medium tank to form the core of a country's armoured fighting capability, eventually merging into

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1776-746: A modern mechanized force. These included the M10 and M36 tank destroyers; M7B1 , M12 , M40 , and M43 self-propelled artillery; the M32 and M74 "tow truck"-style recovery tanks with winches, booms, and an 81 mm mortar for smoke screens; and the M34 (from M32B1) and M35 (from M10A1) artillery prime movers . Pullman-Standard Car Company American Locomotive Co. Baldwin Locomotive Works Federal Machine and Welder Co. During World War II, approximately 19,247 Shermans were issued to

1924-421: A more capable but heavier tank. Tank destroyer battalions using vehicles built on the M4 hull and chassis, but with open-topped turrets and more potent high-velocity guns, also entered widespread use in the Allied armies. Even by 1944, most M4 Shermans kept their dual-purpose 75 mm gun. By then, the M4 was inferior in firepower and armor to increasing numbers of German upgraded medium tanks and heavy tanks but

2072-506: A more efficient and versatile design, leading to the development of the M4 Sherman. The M4 Sherman retained much of the mechanical design of the M3, but it addressed several shortcomings and incorporated improvements in mobility, firepower, and ergonomics. One of the most significant changes was the relocation of the main armament—initially a 75 mm gun—into a fully traversing turret located at

2220-605: A pivotal role in the success of the Allied forces. In terms of tank production, the only World War II-era tank to exceed the M4’s production numbers was the Soviet T-34 , with approximately 64,549 units built. On the battlefield, the Sherman was particularly effective against German light and medium tanks during the early stages of the war, notably between 1939 and 1942. Its 75 mm gun and relatively superior armor provided an edge over

2368-469: A production program calling for 120,000 tanks for the Allied war effort. Although the American industrial complex was not affected by enemy aerial bombing or submarine warfare as was Japan , Germany and, to a lesser degree, Great Britain , an enormous amount of steel for tank production was diverted to the construction of warships and other naval vessels. Steel used in naval construction amounted to

2516-460: A stop. This feature proved useful in ensuring the tank could quickly take aim after halting to fire, enhancing its effectiveness in combat. However, by modern standards, this system was relatively rudimentary compared to more advanced stabilizers. The development of the M4 Sherman emphasized key factors such as reliability, ease of production, and standardization. The U.S. Army and the designers prioritized durability and maintenance ease, which ensured

2664-839: A successor to the BT tank series, they combined its excellent mobility with thick, sloped armour and the unprecedented firepower of a 76.2 mm high-velocity gun. The result was the T-34 medium tank , whose superb capabilities shocked the German Wehrmacht when it invaded the Soviet Union. The lessons of Blitzkrieg , first employed by the Germans and eventually adopted by other nations, found their best expression in formations of mutually-supporting medium tanks and motorised infantry . The traditional view of infantry and cavalry tank roles

2812-552: A tank designed by the Canadian General Staff, also influenced the development of the American Sherman tank. Before long American military agencies and designers had accumulated sufficient experience to forge ahead on several points. In the field of tank armament, the American 75 mm and 76 mm dual-purpose tank guns won the acknowledgment of British tank experts. Detailed design characteristics for

2960-465: A technical point of view, it was better than its contemporaries. Despite the low number produced, shortages in qualified crew and the considerable fuel consumption in the face of ever shrinking resources, Tigers (including Tiger IIs) destroyed at least 10,300 enemy tanks and 11,380 anti-tank guns and artillery pieces for the loss of 1,725 Tigers (including large numbers of operational and strategic losses, i.e. abandoned, broken down, etc.). Production of

3108-747: A third of the battalions and none of the divisions were deployed to the Pacific Theater. The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) deployed only their 1st Tank Division and 2nd Tank Division to the Pacific during the war with the 3rd Tank Division being deployed in Burma , China and Manchukuo 's border with the Soviet Union and the 4th Tank Division remaining on the Japanese home islands in preparation for an allied invasion that never came. Armor from both sides mostly operated in jungle terrain that

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3256-558: A typical U.S. infantry division had attached for armor support an M4 Sherman battalion, a tank destroyer battalion, or both. After World War II, the Sherman, particularly the many improved and upgraded versions, continued to see combat service in many conflicts around the world, including the UN forces in the Korean War , with Israel in the Arab–Israeli wars , briefly with South Vietnam in

3404-514: A unique design that featured the main armament mounted in a side sponson. The Grant variant, used by British forces, employed a lower-profile turret based on British designs, while the Lee variant, used by the United States, retained the original American turret design. Despite the M3's effectiveness, the tank’s unconventional layout and the limitations of its hull-mounted gun prompted the need for

3552-487: A varying thickness of 120 to 200 mm (4.7 to 7.9 in). The Tiger had 60 mm (2.4 in) thick hull side plates and 80 mm (3.1 in) armour on the side superstructure/sponsons, while turret sides and rear were 80 mm. The top and bottom armour was 25 mm (1 in) thick; from March 1944, the turret roof was thickened to 40 mm (1.6 in). Armour plates were mostly flat, with interlocking construction. This flat construction encouraged angling

3700-560: A vehicle with the 76 mm gun, B for the 105 mm howitzer, C for the 17-pounder gun, and Y for any vehicle equipped with horizontal volute spring suspension (HVSS), e.g. British operated M4A1(76) was known as Sherman IIA. Early Shermans mounted a 75 mm medium-velocity general-purpose gun . Although Ordnance began work on the T20/22/23 series as Sherman replacements, the Army Ground Forces were satisfied with

3848-410: Is essential for the successful deployment of the Tiger, he must have a good technical training and has to keep his nerve in critical situations… The engine drove the front sprockets through a drivetrain connecting to a transmission in the front portion of the lower hull; the front sprockets had to be mounted relatively low as a result. The Krupp-designed 11-tonne turret had a hydraulic motor whose pump

3996-470: Is in offensive operations against hostile rear areas. The M4 was, therefore, not originally intended primarily as an infantry support tank . It placed tanks in the "striking echelon" of the armored division and placed the infantry in the "support echelon", without directing that tanks should only seek to attack other tanks, thus leaving target selection up to the field commander based on what types of units were available to him to attack. A field manual covering

4144-506: The Waffenamt-Prüfwesen 1 gave the calculated probability of perforation at range, on which various adversaries would be defeated reliably at a side angle of 30 degrees to the incoming round. The Wa Prüf report estimated that the Tiger's 88 mm gun would be capable of penetrating the differential case of an American M4 Sherman from 2,100 m (1.3 mi) and the turret front from 1,800 m (1.1 mi), but

4292-503: The Axis nations . The T6 prototype was completed on 2 September 1941. The upper hull of the T6 was a single large casting. It featured a single overhead hatch for the driver and a hatch in the side of the hull. In the later M4A1 production model, this large casting was maintained, although the side hatch was eliminated, and a second overhead hatch was added for the assistant driver. The modified T6

4440-460: The Cruiser tank class, while other tank doctrines formed around the medium tank making the main advance. In this later use, medium tanks represent the designer's intent of producing a successful balance of firepower, mobility, and protection. Medium tanks aim to be suitable to the widest variety of roles, with less reliance on other types of tank during normal operations. Background: History of

4588-608: The Heer ." Weight increase to 45 tonnes and an increase in gun calibre to 8.8 cm (3.5 in) were ordered for it on 26 May 1941. The due date for the new prototypes was set for 20 April 1942, Adolf Hitler 's 53rd birthday. Unlike the Panther tank , the designs did not incorporate sloped armour . Porsche and Henschel submitted prototype designs, each making use of the Krupp-designed turret. They were demonstrated at Rastenburg in front of Hitler. The Henschel design

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4736-655: The Korean War , the M4A3E8 Easy Eight was the main tank force of the U.S. military until the signing of the armistice agreement. At the outbreak of the war, the U.S. military tried to deploy the M4A3E8, a medium-sized tank of the same class, to respond to North Korean T-34-85, but there were few tanks available for rapid deployment from the Far East due to disarmament after World War II. The U.S. Far East Command collected 58 M4A3E8 scattered throughout Japan, created

4884-762: The Lend-Lease program to the British Commonwealth , Soviet Union , and other Allied Nations . The tank was named by the British after the American Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman . The M4 Sherman tank evolved from the M3 Lee , a medium tank developed by the United States during the early years of World War II. The M3, also known by its service names "Grant" and "Lee," was characterized by

5032-590: The Leopard 1 and T-72 each of which weigh around 40 short tons, while third and subsequent generations have increased markedly in weight and have included some of the heaviest main battle tanks such as the M1 Abrams which is over 60 short tons. In the 1990s the "medium" main battle tanks still proved useful, such as the Canadian Leopard 1 tanks deployed to Kosovo in 1999 which were much better suited to

5180-619: The North African campaign ) at the UK's Tank Museum is the only example restored to running order. Henschel & Sohn began the development of a large tank design in January 1937 when the Waffenamt requested Henschel to develop a Durchbruchwagen ("breakthrough vehicle") in the 30–33 tonne range. Only one prototype hull was ever built, and it was never fitted with a turret. The Durchbruchwagen I's general shape and suspension resembled

5328-642: The Panzer III , while the turret resembled the early Panzer IV C turret with the short-barrelled 7.5 cm (3.0 in) L/24 cannon. Before Durchbruchwagen I was completed, a request was issued for a heavier 30-tonne class vehicle with thicker armour, the Durchbruchwagen II, which would have had 50 mm (2.0 in) of frontal armour and mounted a Panzer IV turret with a short-barrelled (24 calibres long) 7.5 cm KwK 37 gun. The overall weight would have been 36 tonnes. Only one hull

5476-686: The Republic of Korea Marine Corps during the war while the Army operated M36 GMCs as its main armored asset. After World War II, the U.S. kept the M4A3E8 Easy Eight in service, with either the 76 mm gun or a 105 mm M4 howitzer. The U.S. Army replaced the M4 in 1957, in favor of the M47 Patton , M48 Patton and, M60 Patton . The U.S. continued to transfer Shermans to its allies, which contributed to widespread foreign use. The Israeli Defense Force used Shermans from its creation in 1948 until

5624-930: The Second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942 with the British 8th Army . At the start of the offensive, there were 252 tanks fit for action. These equipped the British 9th Armoured Brigade (for the battle under the New Zealand Division ), 2nd Armoured Brigade (1st Armoured Division), and 8th and 20th Armoured Brigades (10th Armoured Division). Their first encounter with tanks was against German Panzer III and IV tanks with long 50 mm and 75 mm guns engaging them at 2,000 yards (1,800 m). There were losses to both sides. The first U.S. Shermans in battle were M4s and M4A1s in Operation Torch

5772-555: The Sherman Firefly tank, and self-propelled guns) firing its normal APCBC ammunition, would penetrate the turret front and driver's visor plate of the Tiger out to 1,900 yards (1,700 m). When engaging targets, Tiger crews were encouraged to angle the hull to the 10:30 or 1:30 clock position (45 degrees) relative to the target, an orientation referred to as the Mahlzeit Stellung . This would maximize

5920-543: The Sherman Firefly ). Some were fitted with a 105 mm howitzer to act as infantry support vehicles. The relative ease of production allowed large numbers of the M4 to be manufactured, and significant investment in tank recovery and repair units allowed disabled vehicles to be repaired and returned to service quickly. These factors combined to give the Allies numerical superiority in most battles, and many infantry divisions were provided with M4s and tank destroyers. By 1944,

6068-465: The Soviet Union , usually in independent heavy tank battalions . It gave the German Army its first armoured fighting vehicle that mounted the 8.8 cm (3.5 in) KwK 36 gun (derived from the 8.8 cm Flak 36 , the famous "eighty-eight" feared by Allied troops). 1,347 were built between August 1942 and August 1944. After August 1944, production of the Tiger I was phased out in favour of

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6216-625: The Tiger II . While the Tiger I has been called an outstanding design for its time, it has also been called overengineered , using expensive materials and labour-intensive production methods. In the early period, the Tiger was prone to certain types of track failures and breakdowns. It was expensive to maintain, but generally mechanically reliable. It was difficult to transport and vulnerable to immobilisation when mud, ice, and snow froze between its overlapping and interleaved Schachtellaufwerk -pattern road wheels, often jamming them solid. The tank

6364-597: The Vietnam War , and on both sides of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 . The United States Army Ordnance Department designed the M4 medium tank as a replacement for the M3 medium tank. The M3 was an up-gunned development of the M2 medium tank of 1939, in turn, derived from the M2 light tank of 1935. The M3 was developed as a stopgap measure until a new turret mounting a 75 mm gun could be devised. While it

6512-612: The main battle tank . Medium tanks of the interwar period included the British Vickers Medium Mark II and the Soviet multi-turreted T-28 . In the period leading up to World War II, the British stopped using the term Medium for their tanks as the new philosophy of ' Cruiser tank ' and ' Infantry tank ' which defined tanks by role rather than size came into use. There were medium tanks that focused on anti-infantry capabilities (such as in World War II:

6660-460: The main battle tank . Simpler and more economical self-propelled guns , and later anti-tank guided missiles , came to fulfil some fire-support and anti-tank roles, thus shifting the tactical approach how tanks were used. Although the term "medium tank" classification has largely fallen out of use after World War II, the term is informally used to describe some first and second-generation main battle tanks which fall between 20 and 50 tons, such as

6808-574: The 1967 Six-Day War. Medium tank The first tanks to carry the name "Medium" appeared in the First World War with the British Medium Mark A Whippet . It was smaller, lighter and faster than the British heavy tanks of the time and only carried machine guns. The medium tank doctrine came into use in the interwar period . Its existence outlasted the super-heavy tank and the heavy tank and gradually transitioned into

6956-562: The 1980s, having first acquired a single M4A2 lacking the main armament from British forces as they withdrew from Israel. The popularity of the tank (having now been re-armed) compared to the outdated, 1934-origin French Renault R35 interwar light tanks with their 37 mm short-barreled guns, which made up the bulk of the IDF's tank force, led to the purchase of 30 unarmed M4(105 mm)s from Italian scrapyards. Three of these, plus

7104-429: The 55 cm (22 in) disc. Klaue was acknowledged in the patent application that he had improved, it can even be traced back to British designs dating to 1904. It is unclear whether Klaue's patent ring brake was used in the Tiger brake design. The clutch-and-brake system, typical for lighter vehicles, was retained only for emergencies. Normally, steering depended on a double differential , Henschel's development of

7252-597: The 8.8 cm KwK 36 gun could pierce the T-34/76 frontal beam nose from 1,500 m (4,900 ft), and the front hull from 1500 m. A hit to the driver's hatch would force it to collapse inwards and break apart. According to the Wa Prüf 1 report, the Soviet T-34-85's upper glacis and turret front armour would be defeated between 100 and 1,400 m (0.062 and 0.870 mi) at a side angle of 30 deg, while

7400-441: The 8072nd Temporary Tank Battalion (later renamed to the 89th Tank Battalion) on 17 July and landed them in Busan on 1 August. The 8072nd Temporary Tank Battalion was immediately deployed for Battle of Masan to support the 25th U.S. Infantry Division. Since then, a total of 679 M4A3E8 were deployed on the Korean Peninsula in 1950. The M4A3E8 and T-34 -85 were comparable and could destroy each other at normal combat ranges, although

7548-410: The American tanks to the British ones, but preferred Soviet ones most of all. While combat in the European theater often consisted of high-profile armored warfare, the mainly naval nature of the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO) relegated it to secondary status for both the Allies and the Japanese. While the U.S. Army fielded 16 armored divisions and 70 separate tank battalions during the war, only

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7696-430: The Army accepted a limited run of 254 M4A3E2 "Jumbo" Shermans, which had very thick hull armor and the 75 mm gun in a new, better-protected T23-style turret ("Jumbos" could mount the 76 mm M1 cannon), to assault fortifications, leading convoys, and spearhead armored columns. The M4A3 model was the first to be factory-produced with the HVSS system with wider tracks to distribute weight, beginning in August 1944. With

7844-413: The British Merritt-Brown system first encountered in the Churchill tank . The vehicle had an eight-speed gearbox, and the steering offered two fixed radii of turns on each gear, thus the Tiger had sixteen different radii of turn. In first gear, at a speed of a few km/h, the minimal turning radius was 3.44 m (11 ft 3 in). In neutral gear, the tracks could be turned in opposite directions, so

7992-504: The British tank mission in the U.S., the tank was displayed in London and is now an exhibit at The Tank Museum , Bovington, UK. In World War II, the U.S. Army ultimately fielded 16 armored divisions, along with 70 separate tank battalions, while the U.S. Marine Corps fielded six tank battalions. A third of all Army tank battalions, and all six Marine tank battalions, were deployed to the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO). Before September 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt had announced

8140-404: The Israeli Army upgraded about 180 M4A1(76)W HVSS Shermans with the French 105 mm Modèle F1 gun, re-engined them with Cummins diesel engines, and designated the upgraded tank Sherman M-51 . The Sherman tanks, fighting alongside the 105 mm Centurion Shot Kal and M48 Patton tanks, were able to defeat the T-34-85, T-54/55/62 series, and IS-3 tanks used by the Egyptian and Syrian forces in

8288-430: The Japanese government. Many modifications were introduced during the production run to improve automotive performance, firepower and protection. Simplification of the design was implemented, along with cuts due to raw material shortages. In 1942 alone, at least six revisions were made, starting with the removal of the Vorpanzer (frontal armour shield) from the pre-production models in April. In May, mudguards bolted onto

8436-461: The M3's 75 mm gun. This would later become the Sherman. The Sherman's reliability resulted from many features developed for U.S. light tanks during the 1930s, including vertical volute spring suspension , rubber-bushed tracks, and a rear-mounted radial engine with drive sprockets in front. The goals were to produce a fast, dependable medium tank able to support infantry, provide breakthrough striking capacity, and defeat any tank then in use by

8584-406: The M4 and Armored Force Board considered some features of the experimental tanks unsatisfactory. Continuing with M4 minimized production disruption but elements of the experimental designs were incorporated into the Sherman. Later M4A1, M4A2, and M4A3 models received the larger turret with high velocity 76 mm gun trialed on the T23 tank. The first standard-production 76 mm gun-armed Sherman

8732-403: The M4 was submitted by the Ordnance Department on 31 August 1940, but the development of a prototype was delayed while the final production designs of the M3 were finished and the M3 entered full-scale production. On 18 April 1941, the U.S. Armored Force Board chose the simplest of five designs. Known as the T6, the design was a modified M3 hull and chassis, carrying a newly designed turret mounting

8880-423: The M4A1 differed from the other variants by its fully cast upper hull, with a distinctive rounded appearance. The M4A4 had a longer engine that required a longer hull and more track blocks, and thus the most distinguishing feature of the M4A4 was the wider longitudinal spacing between the bogies. "M4A5" was an administrative placeholder designation for Canadian Ram tank . The M4A6 had a radial diesel engine as well as

9028-446: The Meteor. The 501st Heavy Panzer Battalion ( sPzAbt 501 ) reported in May 1943: …Regarding the overheating engines, the HL 210 engine caused no troubles during the recent time. All occurring breakdowns resulted from the low quality of driver training. In several cases engine failures have to be put down to the missing remote engine thermometer. Five engines have reached more than 3,000 km without essential failures. A good driver

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9176-459: The Middle East as quickly as possible." The US considered collecting all Shermans together to be able to send the 2nd Armored Division under Patton to reinforce Egypt, but delivering the Shermans directly to the British was quicker and over 300 – mostly M4A1s, but also including M4A2s – had arrived there by September 1942. The Shermans were modified for desert warfare with shields over the tracks and another stowage. The Sherman first saw combat at

9324-485: The Pacific. However, the Chief of the Army's Armored Force, Lt. Gen. Jacob L. Devers , ordered that no diesel-engined Shermans be used by the Army outside the Zone of Interior (the continental U.S.). The Army used all types for either training or testing within the United States but intended the M4A2 and M4A4 (with the A57 Multibank engine) to be the primary Lend-Lease exports. Shermans were being issued in small numbers for familiarization to U.S. armored divisions when there

9472-475: The Sherman. Such units included the 1st Guards Mechanized Corps , the 3rd Guards Mechanized Corps and the 9th Guards Mechanized Corps , amongst others. According to Soviet tanker Dmitriy Loza, the Sherman was held in good regard and viewed positively by many Soviet tank crews, with compliments given to its reliability, ease of maintenance, generally good firepower (referring especially to the 76 mm gun version) as well as an auxiliary power unit (APU) to keep

9620-494: The T-34's 85 mm gun was estimated to penetrate the front of a Tiger between 200 and 500 m (660 and 1,640 ft) at a side angle of 30 degrees to the incoming round. Soviet testing showed that the 85 mm gun could penetrate the front of a Tiger from 1,000 m (3,000 ft) with no side angle At a side impact angle of 30 degrees the 120 mm hull armour of the Soviet IS-2 model 1943 would be defeated between 100 and 300 m (330 and 980 ft) at

9768-402: The Tiger I began in August 1942 at the factory of Henschel und Sohn in Kassel , initially at a rate of 25 per month and peaking in April 1944 at 104 per month. An official document of the time stated that the first Tiger I was completed on 4 August. 1,355 had been built by August 1944, when production ceased. Deployed Tiger I's peaked at 671 on 1 July 1944. It took about twice as long to build

9916-414: The Tiger I pivoted in place. There was a steering wheel instead of either a tiller – or, as most tanks had at that time, twin braking levers – making the Tiger I's steering system easy to use, and ahead of its time. Powered turret traverse was provided by the variable speed Boehringer-Sturm L4 hydraulic motor, which was driven from the main engine by a secondary drive shaft. On early production versions of

10064-409: The Tiger I's suspension, providing a high uniform distribution of the load onto the track, at the cost of increased maintenance. Removing an inner wheel that had lost its solid rubber tire (a common occurrence) required the removal of up to nine other wheels first. During the rainy period that brought on the autumn rasputitsa mud season and onwards into the winter conditions on the Eastern front ,

10212-412: The Tiger hull roughly 30-45° when firing in order to increase effective thickness. The 56-calibre long 8.8 cm KwK 36 was chosen for the Tiger. A combination of a flat trajectory from the high muzzle velocity and precision from the Leitz Turmzielfernrohr TZF 9b sight (later replaced by the monocular TZF 9c) made it very accurate. In British wartime firing trials, five successive hits were scored on

10360-449: The Tiger maximum turret traverse was limited to 6 degrees per second, whilst on later versions a selectable high speed traverse gear was added. Thus, the turret could be rotated 360 degrees at up to 6 degrees per second in low gear independent of engine rpm (same as on early production versions), or up to 19 degrees per second with the high-speed setting and engine at 2,000 rpm, and at over 36 degrees per second at

10508-461: The Tiger's 88 mm gun would not penetrate the upper glacis plate at any range assuming a side angle of 30 degrees. The M4 Sherman's 75 mm gun would not penetrate the Tiger frontally at any range, and needed to be within 100 m (300 ft) to achieve a side penetration against the 80 mm upper hull superstructure. The Sherman's upgraded 76 mm gun might penetrate the Tiger's driver's front plate from 600 m (2,000 ft),

10656-408: The Tiger, the tracks were 725 mm (28.5 in) wide. To meet rail-freight size restrictions , narrower 520 mm (20 in) wide 'transport' tracks ( Verladeketten ) could be installed. For Tigers equipped with rubber-tired wheels, this also required the outermost roadwheel on each axle (16 total) to be removed. The track replacement and wheel removal took 30 minutes for each side of

10804-535: The U.S. Army and about 1,114 to the U.S. Marine Corps. The U.S. also supplied 17,184 to United Kingdom (some of which in turn went to the Canadians and the Free Poles), while the Soviet Union received 4,102 and an estimated 812 were transferred to China . These numbers were distributed further to the respective countries' allied nations. The U.S. Marine Corps used the diesel M4A2 and gasoline powered M4A3 in

10952-458: The United States approached entry into World War II, armored employment was doctrinally governed by Field Manual 100–5, Operations (published May 1941, the month following selection of the M4 tank's final design). That field manual stated: The armored division is organized primarily to perform missions that require great mobility and firepower. It is given decisive missions. It is capable of engaging in all forms of combat, but its primary role

11100-466: The advantage of Allied armor over Axis armor and was superior to the lighter German and Italian tank designs. For this reason, the US Army believed that the M4 would be adequate to win the war, and relatively little pressure was initially applied for further tank development. Logistical and transport restrictions, such as limitations imposed by roads, ports, and bridges, also complicated the introduction of

11248-568: The antitank guns until they had fired the first shot. We were often hit right away, if the antitank crew was on top of things, because we had run into a wall of antitank guns. It was then advisable to keep as cool as possible and take care of the enemy, before the second aimed shot was fired. Eager to make use of the powerful new weapon, Hitler ordered the vehicle be pressed into service months earlier than had been planned. A platoon of four Tigers went into action on 23 September 1942 near Leningrad . Operating in swampy, forested terrain, their movement

11396-403: The center of the vehicle. This design allowed for more flexible and accurate fire control, enabling the crew to engage targets with greater precision than was possible on the M3. Additionally, the M4 featured a one-axis gyrostabilizer , which, while not precise enough to allow for accurate firing while in motion, helped keep the gun roughly aimed in the direction of the target when the tank came to

11544-819: The contract was awarded to Henschel, they were used for a new turretless, casemate -style tank destroyer ; 91 hulls were converted into the Panzerjäger Tiger (P) in early 1943. The Tiger was still at the prototype stage when it was first hurried into service, and therefore changes both large and small were made throughout the production run. A redesigned turret with a lower cupola was the most significant change. The river-fording submersion capability and an external air-filtration system were dropped to cut costs. The Tiger differed from earlier German tanks principally in its design philosophy. Its predecessors balanced mobility, armour and firepower and were sometimes outgunned by their opponents. While heavy, this tank

11692-423: The demands of mass production and quick deployment. The M4 Sherman was designed to be more versatile and easier to produce than previous models, which proved vital as the United States entered World War II. It became the most-produced American tank of the conflict, with a total of 49,324 units built, including various specialized variants. Its production volume surpassed that of any other American tank, and it played

11840-409: The destruction of other tanks counted as a success. On the other hand, antitank guns counted twice as much to the experienced tanker. They were much more dangerous to us. The antitank cannon waited in ambush, well camouflaged, and magnificently set up in the terrain. Because of that, it was very difficult to identify. It was also very difficult to hit because of its low height. Usually, we didn't make out

11988-457: The driver's front plate and nose. The IS-2's 122 mm gun could penetrate the Tiger's front armour from between 1,500 and 2,500 m (0.93 and 1.55 mi), depending on the impact angle. However, according to Steven Zaloga, the IS-2 and Tiger I could each knock the other out in normal combat distances below 1,000 m. At longer ranges, the performance of each respective tank against each other

12136-400: The effective front hull armour to 180 mm and side hull to 140 mm, making the Tiger impervious to any Allied gun up to 152 mm. The Tiger's lack of slope for its armour made angling the hull by manual means simple and effective, and unlike the lighter Panzer IV and Panther tanks , the Tiger's thick side armour gave a degree of confidence of immunity from flank attacks. The tank

12284-594: The elongated chassis of the M4A4, but only 75 of these were ever produced. Most Sherman sub-types ran on gasoline. The air-cooled Continental-produced Wright R-975 Whirlwind 9-cylinder radial gasoline engine in the M4 and M4A1 produced 350 or 400 horsepower (260 or 300 kW). The M4A3 used the liquid-cooled 450 hp (340 kW) Ford GAA V8 gasoline engine, and the M4A4 used the liquid-cooled 370 hp (280 kW) 30 cylinder Chrysler A57 multibank gasoline engine. There were also two diesel-engined variants. The M4A2

12432-552: The equivalent of approximately 67,000 tanks; and consequently, only about 53,500 tanks were produced during 1942 and 1943. The Army had seven main sub-designations for M4 variants during production: M4, M4A1, M4A2, M4A3, M4A4, M4A5, and M4A6. These designations did not necessarily indicate linear improvement; in that "M4A4" did not indicate it was better than "M4A3". These sub-types indicated standardized production variations, which were often manufactured concurrently at different locations. The sub-types differed mainly in engines, although

12580-626: The following month. On 6 December, near Tebourba, Tunisia , a platoon from the 2nd Battalion, 13th Armored Regiment was lost to enemy tanks and anti-tank guns. Additional M4s and M4A1s replaced M3s in U.S. tank battalions over the course of the North African campaign. The M4 and M4A1 were the main types in U.S. units until the fall of 1944 when the Army began replacing them with the preferred M4A3 with its more powerful 500 hp (370 kW) engine. Some M4s and M4A1s continued in U.S. service for

12728-481: The front during the beginning of any attack. The first production of the Sherman took place at the Lima Locomotive Works and was first used in 1941, with many early vehicles reserved for British use under Lend-Lease; the first production Sherman was given to the U.S. Army for evaluation, and the second tank of the British order went to London. Nicknamed Michael , probably after Michael Dewar, head of

12876-412: The heavier Type 4 Chi-To ; both tanks were armed with 75 mm guns, albeit of different type. Only 166 Type 3s and two Type 4s were built, and none saw combat; they were saved for the defense of the Japanese home islands , leaving 1930s era light and medium armor to do battle against 1940s-built Allied light and medium armor. During the later years of the war, general purpose high explosive ammunition

13024-466: The hull sides. The VK 36.01 (H) was intended to carry a 7.5 cm L/24, a 7.5 cm L/43, or a 7.5 cm L/70, or a 12.8 cm L/28 cannon in a Krupp turret that looked similar to an enlarged Panzer IV Ausf. C turret. The hull for one prototype was built, followed later by five more. The six turrets built were never fitted and were used as part of the Atlantic Wall . The VK 36.01 (H) project

13172-497: The initial short-barrel gun Panzer IV , and the initial 75 mm gun M4 Sherman ), and medium tanks which were more focused on the anti-tank role, mounting high-velocity tank guns . The French cavalry tanks ( Chars de Cavalerie ) such as the SOMUA S35 focused on speed in addition to power and protection of the other designs. They were similar to what other countries called medium tanks. When Soviet tank designers were preparing

13320-402: The left of the gun, and the commander behind him. There was also a folding seat on the right for the loader. The turret had a full circular floor and 157 cm (62 in) headroom. Early versions of the Tiger I's turret included two pistol ports ; however, one of these was replaced with a loader escape hatch and the other was removed from later designs. Post-war testing by the Allies found

13468-471: The maximum allowable engine speed of 3,000 rpm. The direction and speed of traverse was controlled by the gunner through foot pedals, the speed of traverse corresponding to the level of depression the gunner applied to the foot pedal. This system allowed for very precise control of powered traverse, a light touch on the pedal resulting in a minimum traverse speed of 0.1 degrees per second (360 degrees in 60 minutes), unlike in most other tanks of

13616-592: The new modifications could take several months. The humorous and somewhat racy crew manual, the Tigerfibel , was the first of its kind for the German Army and its success resulted in more unorthodox manuals that attempted to emulate its style. Among other variants of the Tiger, a heavily armoured casemate self-propelled rocket projector, today commonly known as the Sturmtiger , was built, which mounted

13764-576: The nose from 400 m (1,300 ft) and the turret front from 700 m (2,300 ft). The M3 90 mm cannon used as a towed anti-aircraft and anti-tank gun, and later mounted in the M36 tank destroyer and finally the late-war M26 Pershing , could penetrate the Tiger's front plate at a range of 1,000 m using standard ammunition, and from beyond 2,000 m (6,600 ft) when using HVAP. Soviet ground trial testing conducted in May 1943 determined that

13912-419: The original 75 mm main gun, with 2,095 mounting the more-capable 76 mm gun. The total number of Sherman tanks sent to the USSR under Lend-Lease represented 18.6% of all Lend-Lease Shermans. The first 76 mm-armed M4A2 Shermans started to arrive in the Soviet Union in the late summer of 1944. The Soviet records reported the receiving of 3,664 tanks; the difference mainly due to deliveries being sunk on

14060-437: The original M4A2, saw extensive service in the 1948-9 war of independence. The remainder were then serviced and rearmed with 75 mm guns and components whenever these became available, composing a large part of Israeli tank forces for the next eight years. The 75 mm-armed Shermans were replaced by M4A1 (76 mm) Shermans imported from France before the 1956 Suez Crisis after it was realized that their armor penetration

14208-555: The poor roads and soft ground than the French armoured cars there, but were still able to move along narrow streets and over lighter bridge classifications than the much heavier M1 Abrams tanks used by the Americans. The role of medium tanks started with a prioritisation of speed. Medium tanks could travel faster, but needed help to cross trenches, where heavy tanks were large enough to cross unaided. In British use, this evolved into

14356-459: The power output to 521 kW (699 hp). The engine was in V-form, with two cylinder banks set at 60 degrees. An inertia starter was mounted on its right side, driven via chain gears through a port in the rear wall. The engine could be lifted out through a hatch on the rear hull roof. In comparison to other V12 and various vee-form gasoline engines used for tanks, the eventual HL 230 engine

14504-411: The preferred U.S. tank in the later phases of the war. It was considered more advantageous in terms of maneuverability on rough terrain and ease of maintenance due to the mechanical reliability. Because of this feature, the M4A3E8 were widely used for providing close support to infantry units, particularly during battles for high ground and mountains. From December 1951, around 20 M4A3E8s saw service with

14652-805: The rest of the war. The first Sherman to enter combat with the 76 mm gun in July 1944 was the M4A1, then the M4A2, closely followed by the M4A3. By the end of the war, roughly half the U.S. Army Shermans in Europe had the 76 mm gun. The first HVSS-equipped Sherman to see combat was the M4A3(76)W in December 1944. Under Lend-Lease, 4,102 M4A2 medium tanks were sent to the Soviet Union. Of these, 2,007 were equipped with

14800-454: The roadwheels of a Schachtellaufwerk -equipped vehicle could also become packed with mud or snow that could then freeze. Presumably, German engineers, based on the experience of the half-tracks, felt that the improvement in off-road performance, track and wheel life, mobility with wheels missing or damaged, plus additional protection from enemy fire was worth the maintenance difficulties of a complex system vulnerable to mud and ice. This approach

14948-462: The side of the pre-production run were added, while removable mudguards saw full incorporation in September. Smoke discharge canisters, three on each side of the turret, were added in August 1942. In later years, similar changes and updates were added, such as the addition of Zimmerit (a non-magnetic anti-mine coating), in late 1943. Due to slow production rates at the factories, incorporation of

15096-403: The side surfaces. Four prototype hulls were completed for testing. Two of these were later modified to build the " Sturer Emil " (12.8 cm (5.0 in) Selbstfahrlafette L/61) self-propelled anti-tank gun. The VK 36.01 (H) was intended to weigh 40 tonnes, with 100 mm (3.9 in) of armour on front surfaces, 80 mm (3.1 in) on turret sides and 60 mm (2.4 in) on

15244-470: The smooth ride of the HVSS, it gained the nickname " Easy Eight " from its experimental "E8" designation. The M4 and M4A3 105 mm-armed tanks, as well as the M4A1 and M4A2 76 mm-armed tanks, were also eventually equipped with HVSS. Both the Americans and the British developed a wide array of special attachments for the Sherman, although few saw combat, remaining experimental. Those that saw action included

15392-649: The tank , Tank classification , Tanks in World War I Background: History of the tank , Tank classification , interwar period Background: History of the tank , Tank classification , Tanks in the Cold War Background: History of the tank , Tank classification Tiger I The Tiger I ( German: [ˈtiːɡɐ] ) was a German heavy tank of World War II that began operational duty in 1942 in Africa and in

15540-482: The tank could be quickly repaired in the field. A critical aspect of the design process was the standardization of parts, allowing for streamlined production and the efficient supply of replacement components. Additionally, the tank's size and weight were kept within moderate limits, which facilitated easier shipping and compatibility with existing logistical and engineering equipment, including bridges and transport vehicles. These design principles were essential for meeting

15688-435: The tank held an engine compartment flanked by two separate rear compartments each containing a fuel tank and radiator. The Germans had not developed an adequate diesel engine, so a petrol (gasoline) powerplant had to be used instead. The original engine used was a 21.35 L (1,303 in ) 12-cylinder Maybach HL210 P45 developing 485 kW (650 hp) at 3,000 rpm and a top speed of 38 km/h (24 mph). It

15836-403: The tank to be uncomfortable and spartan. For example, the gunner suffered from clumsy controls and a cramped area. This was in contrast to German crews who found them to be spacious and comfortable. A substantial problem with the Tiger was that its production required considerable resources in terms of manpower and material, which led to it being expensive: the Tiger I cost over twice as much as

15984-422: The tank's basic model number. These included stronger suspension units, safer "wet" (W) ammunition stowage, and stronger or more effective armor arrangements, such as the M4 "Composite", which had a cheaper to produce cast front hull section mated to a regular welded rear hull. British nomenclature for Shermans was by mark numbers for the different hulls with letters for differences in armament and suspension: A for

16132-685: The tank's batteries charged without having to run the main engine, as was required on the T-34. However, according to Soviet tank crews, the Sherman also had disadvantages, the greatest being its high center of gravity and the ease of hitting it by enemy fire. The Sherman’s relatively narrow-set tracks struggled to negotiate muddy terrain compared to the wider-set tracks of the T-34 or German Panther tank. David M. Glantz wrote: "[The Sherman’s] narrow treads made it much less mobile on mud than its German and Soviet counterparts, and it consumed great quantities of fuel..." Glantz noted that Soviet tankers preferred

16280-432: The tank. However, in service, Tigers were frequently transported by rail with their combat tracks fitted, as long as the train crew knew there were no narrow tunnels or other obstructions on the route that would prevent an oversized load from passing, despite this practice being strictly forbidden. The Tiger tank's combat weight of 56 tons was often too heavy for small bridges which had 35 ton weight limits, so it

16428-650: The tanks fielded by Nazi Germany during this period. The M4 Sherman saw widespread use across various theaters of combat, including North Africa, Italy, and Western Europe. It was instrumental in the success of several Allied offensives, particularly after 1942, when the Allies began to gain momentum following the Allied landings in North Africa (Operation Torch) and the subsequent campaigns in Italy and France. The tank’s ability to be produced in large numbers, combined with its operational flexibility and effectiveness, made it

16576-481: The time (e.g., the US M4 Sherman or Soviet T-34) this allowed for fine laying of the gun without the gunner needing to use his traverse handwheel. The suspension used sixteen torsion bars , with eight suspension arms per side. To save space, the swing arms were leading on one side and trailing on the other side; this is called an H suspension setup. There were three road wheels (one of them double, closest to

16724-507: The time M4s reached combat in significant numbers, battlefield demands for infantry support and tank-versus-tank action far outnumbered the occasional opportunities of rear-echelon exploitation. United States doctrine held that the most critical anti-tank work – stopping massed enemy tank attacks – was primarily to be done by towed and self-propelled anti-tank guns, operated by "Tank Destroyer" battalions , with friendly tanks being used in support if possible. Speed

16872-480: The track's centre) on each arm, in a so-called Schachtellaufwerk overlapping and interleaved arrangement, similar to that pioneered on German half-tracked military vehicles of the pre-World War II era, with the Tiger I being the first all-tracked German AFV built in quantity to use such a road wheel arrangement. The wheels had a diameter of 800 mm (31 in) in the Schachtellaufwerk arrangement for

17020-474: The use of High-Velocity Armor Piercing ammunition, advanced optics, and better crew training gave the Sherman an advantage. The M4A3E8, using 76 mm HVAP ammunition, destroyed 41 enemy tanks from July to November 1950. The M4A3E8 had weaker anti-tank combat capability compared to the larger caliber M26 Pershing and the M46 Patton that were operated at the same time. However, the lighter M4A3E8 became

17168-399: The use of the Sherman (FM 17–33, "The Tank Battalion, Light and Medium" of September 1942) described fighting enemy tanks, when necessary, as one of the many roles of the Sherman, but devoted only one page of text and four diagrams to tank-versus-tank action out of 142 pages. This early armored doctrine was heavily influenced by the sweeping early war successes of German blitzkrieg tactics. By

17316-533: The war, and it continued to see action even in the years following World War II in various conflicts and regions. The M4 Sherman remains one of the most iconic tanks in military history, symbolizing the industrial might and innovation of the United States during the war. When the M4 tank went into combat in North Africa with the British Army at the Second Battle of El Alamein in late 1942, it increased

17464-477: The way and discrepancies between the United States and Soviet Union archives The Red Army considered the M4A2 to be much less prone to catch fire due to ammunition detonation than the T-34/76 , but the M4A2 had a higher tendency to overturn in road accidents and collisions or because of rough terrain than the T-34 due to its higher center of gravity. By 1945, some Red Army armored units were equipped entirely with

17612-496: Was a big improvement when used by the British in Africa against German forces , the placement of a 37 mm gun turret on top gave it a very high profile, and the unusual side-sponson mounted main gun, with limited traverse , could not be aimed across the other side of the tank. Though reluctant to adopt British weapons into their arsenal, the American designers were prepared to accept proven British ideas. These ideas, as embodied in

17760-653: Was a turn of events in the Western Desert campaign . On 21 June 1942, Axis forces captured Tobruk , threatening Egypt and Britain's supply line through the Suez Canal . British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was at the Second Washington Conference when news of the defeat broke; President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked what he could do to help and Churchill replied at once, "Give us as many Sherman tanks as you can spare and ship them to

17908-436: Was able to fight on with the help of considerable numerical superiority, greater mechanical reliability, better logistical support, and support from growing numbers of fighter-bombers and artillery pieces. Later in the war, a more effective armor-piercing gun, the 76 mm gun M1 , was incorporated into production vehicles. For anti-tank work, the British refitted Shermans with a 76.2 mm Ordnance QF 17-pounder gun (as

18056-618: Was accepted, mainly because the Porsche VK 4501 (P) prototype design used a troubled petrol-electric transmission system which needed large quantities of copper for the manufacture of its electrical drivetrain components, a strategic war material of which Germany had limited supplies with acceptable electrical properties for such uses. Production of the Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. H began in August 1942. Expecting an order for his tank, Porsche built 100 chassis. After

18204-471: Was already standard on German half-tracks such as the Sd. Kfz. 7 . The VK 30.01 (H) was intended to mount a low-velocity 7.5 cm L/24 infantry support gun, a 7.5 cm L/40 dual-purpose anti-tank gun, or a 10.5 cm (4.1 in) L/28 field gun in a Krupp turret. Overall weight was to be 33 tonnes. The armour was designed to be 50 mm (2.0 in) on frontal surfaces and 30 mm (1.2 in) on

18352-526: Was also immune to Soviet anti-tank rifle fire to the sides and rear. Its large calibre 8.8 cm provided superior fragmentation and high explosive content over the 7.5 cm KwK 42 gun. Therefore, comparing the Tiger with the Panther, for supporting the infantry and destroying fortifications, the Tiger offered superior firepower. The destruction of an antitank gun was often accepted as nothing special by lay people and soldiers from other branches. Only

18500-459: Was an M4A1, accepted in January 1944, which first saw combat in July 1944 during Operation Cobra . Variants of the M4 and M4A3 were factory-produced with a 105 mm howitzer and a distinctive rounded gun mantlet , which surrounded the main gun, on the turret. The first Sherman variant to be armed with the 105 mm howitzer was the M4, first accepted in February 1944. From May to July 1944,

18648-404: Was an open crew compartment, with the driver and radio-operator seated at the front on either side of the gearbox. Behind them the turret floor was surrounded by panels forming a continuous level surface. This helped the loader to retrieve the ammunition, which was mostly stowed above the tracks. Three men were seated in the turret; the loader to the right of the gun facing to the rear, the gunner to

18796-637: Was built, and no turret was fitted. Further development of the Durchbruchwagen was dropped in 1938 in favour of the larger and better-armoured VK 30.01 (H) and VK 36.01 (H) designs. Both the Durchbruchwagen I and II prototype hulls were used as test vehicles until 1941. The VK 30.01 (H) medium tank and the VK 36.01 (H) heavy tank designs pioneered the use of the complex Schachtellaufwerk track suspension system of torsion bar -sprung, overlapped and interleaved main road wheels for tank use. This concept

18944-474: Was carried on, in various forms, to the Panther and the non-interleaved wheel design for the Tiger II . Eventually, a new 80 cm diameter 'steel' wheel design with an internally sprung steel-rim tire was substituted. As these new wheels could carry more weight, the outermost wheel on each suspension arm was removed. The same wheels would also be used on the Tiger II. To support the considerable weight of

19092-421: Was dependent on the crew and the combat situation. The British Churchill Mk IV was vulnerable to the Tiger from the front at between 1,100 and 1,700 m (3,600 and 5,600 ft) at a 30 degrees side angle, its strongest point being the nose and its weakest the turret. According to an STT document dated April 1944, it was estimated that the British 76.2 mm 17-pounder (used as an anti-tank gun, on

19240-414: Was designed to ford bodies of water up to 5 m (15 ft) deep. This required unusual mechanisms for ventilation and cooling when underwater. At least 30 minutes of set-up time was required, with the turret and gun being locked in the forward position, and a large snorkel tube raised at the rear. An inflatable doughnut-shaped ring sealed the turret ring. The two rear compartments (each containing

19388-859: Was discontinued in early 1942 in favour of the VK 45.01 project. Combat experience against the French SOMUA S35 cavalry tank and Char B1 heavy tank, and the British Matilda II infantry tanks during the Battle of France in June 1940 showed that the German Army needed better armed and armoured tanks. On 26 May 1941, Henschel and Ferdinand Porsche were asked to submit designs for a 45-tonne heavy tank, to be ready by June 1942. Porsche worked on an updated version of their VK 30.01 (P) Leopard tank prototype while Henschel worked on an improved VK 36.01 (H) tank. Henschel built two prototypes:

19536-440: Was due to shortages in fuel supply. They used a mixture of turreted and turretless hulls. They were used to train Tiger tank crews, and were not used in combat. Hitler's order, dated 27 February 1944, abolished the designation Panzerkampfwagen VI and ratified Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. E, which was the official designation until the end of the war. For common use it was frequently shortened to Tiger . A report prepared by

19684-404: Was essential to bring the tank destroyers from the rear to destroy incoming tanks. This doctrine was rarely followed in combat, as it was found to be impractical. Commanders were reluctant to leave tank destroyers in reserve; if they were, it was also easier for an opposing armored force to achieve a breakthrough against an American tank battalion, which would not have all of its anti-tank weapons at

19832-540: Was found to be underpowered for the vehicle from the 251st Tiger onwards. It was replaced by the upgraded HL 230 P45, a 23.095 L (1,409 in ) engine developing 521 kW (699 hp) at 3,000 rpm. The main difference between these engines was that the original Maybach HL 210 used an aluminium engine block while the Maybach HL 230 used a cast-iron engine block. The cast-iron block allowed for larger cylinders (and thus, greater displacement) which increased

19980-657: Was given its nickname "Tiger" by the ministry for armament and ammunition by 7 August 1941, and the Roman numeral was added after the Tiger II entered production. It was classified with ordnance inventory designation Sd.Kfz. 182 . The tank was later re-designated as Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausführung E (abbreviated as Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf. E ) in March 1943, with ordnance inventory designation Sd.Kfz. 181 . Today, only nine Tiger I tanks survive in museums and private collections worldwide. As of 2021 , Tiger 131 (captured during

20128-688: Was insufficient for combat against newer tanks such as the IDF Centurions as well as the T-34-85s being delivered to Egyptian forces. During further upgrades, the French military helped develop a conversion kit to upgrade about 300 Shermans to the long high-velocity 75 mm gun CN 75-50 used in the AMX-13 . These were designated Sherman M-50 by the Israelis. Before the Six-Day War in 1967,

20276-410: Was largely confined to roads and tracks, making defence against them far easier. Many of these early models were plagued by problems with the transmission, which had difficulty handling the great weight of the vehicle if pushed too hard. It took time for drivers to learn how to avoid overtaxing the engine and transmission, and many broke down. The most significant event from this engagement was that one of

20424-648: Was nearly 4 L (240 in ) smaller in displacement than the Allied British Rolls-Royce Meteor V12 AFV power plant, itself adapted from the RR Merlin but de-rated to 448 kW (601 hp) power output; and the American Ford-designed precursor V12 to its Ford GAA V-8 AFV engine of 18 litre displacement, which in its original V12 form would have had the same 27 L (1,600 in ) displacement as

20572-751: Was newer by five years. By 1943, the IJA still used the Type 95 and Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tanks, while Allied forces were quickly replacing their light tanks with 75 mm-armed M4s. The Chinese in India received 100 M4 Shermans and used them to great effect in the subsequent 1944 and 1945 offensives in the China Burma India Theater . To counter the Sherman, the Japanese developed the Type 3 Chi-Nu and

20720-552: Was not slower than the best of its opponents. Although the general design and layout were broadly similar to the Panzer IV medium tank, the Tiger weighed more than twice as much. This was due to its substantially thicker armour, the larger main gun , greater volume of fuel and ammunition storage, larger engine, and a more solidly built transmission and suspension. The Tiger I had frontal hull armour 100 mm (3.9 in) thick, frontal turret of 100 mm and gun mantlet with

20868-648: Was poorly suited to armored warfare. For this type of terrain, the Japanese and the Allies found light tanks easier to transport and deploy. During the early stages of combat in the Pacific, specifically, the Guadalcanal Campaign , the U.S. Marine Corps' M2A4 light tank fought against the equally matched Type 95 Ha-Go light tank; both were armed with a 37 mm main gun. However, the M2 (produced in 1940)

21016-472: Was powered by a pair of liquid-cooled GMC Detroit Diesel 6–71 two-stroke inline engines, that produced a total of 375 hp (280 kW), while the M4A6 used an RD-1820 (a redesigned Caterpillar D-200A air-cooled radial diesel engine, adapted from Wright Aeronautical 's Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9 nine-cylinder radial aircraft engine.) that produced 450 hp (340 kW). A 24-volt electrical system

21164-521: Was powered by mechanical drive from the engine. A full rotation took about a minute. Another new feature was the Maybach-Olvar hydraulically controlled semi-automatic pre-selector gearbox . The extreme weight of the tank also required a new steering system. Germany's Argus Motoren , where Hermann Klaue had invented a ring brake in 1940, supplied them for the Arado Ar 96 and also supplied

21312-482: Was preferred for fighting Japanese tanks because armor-piercing rounds, which had been designed for penetrating thicker steel, often went through the thin armor of the Type 95 Ha-Go (the most commonly encountered Japanese tank) and out the other side without stopping . Although the high-velocity guns of tank destroyers were useful for penetrating fortifications, M4s armed with flamethrowers were often deployed, as direct fire seldom destroyed Japanese fortifications. During

21460-483: Was rendered obsolete. Both the Soviet Union and the United States benefited from their industrial capacity to manufacture a well-balanced medium tank in very large numbers — around 57,000 T-34 and 49,234 M4 Sherman tanks were built during the war. During and after World War II, the roles of light tanks were gradually taken over by less-expensive armoured cars and specialised reconnaissance vehicles. Heavy tanks, having shown their limitations in combat, experienced

21608-534: Was standardized as the M4, and first production completed in February 1942. The cast-hull models would later be re-standardized as M4A1, with the first welded-hull models receiving the designation M4. In August 1942, a variant of the M4 was put forth by the Detroit Arsenal to have angled, rather than rounded hull and turret armor. The changes were intended to improve the tank's protection without increasing weight or degrading other technical characteristics. As

21756-469: Was superior in penetration and accuracy. British trials found the gun took from 6 to 16 seconds to reload varying on turret position and consequently which storage bin was being used. The ammunition for the Tiger had electrically fired primers. Four types of ammunition were available but not all were fully available; the PzGr 40 shell used tungsten, which was in short supply as the war progressed. The rear of

21904-401: Was used in the M4. The M4A2 and M4A4 were mostly supplied to other Allied countries under Lend-Lease . The term "M4" can 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 while in production, without a change to

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