

The Sherman first saw combat in North Africa. The first production version of the Sherman, the most common American tank, with an amazing total of 49,234 vehicles manufactured. Gift of the West Bank Optimist Club, 2000. The M4A1 Sherman is an American tier 5 medium tank. The names typically started with the letter of the company to which the vehicle was assigned. It was common practice in the US Army and Marine Corps to have nicknames for armored vehicles. The tank’s nickname, “Draftee,” is from a tank in the unit commanded by Staff Sergeant Julian Czekanski of Cleveland, Ohio. The tank was restored with the markings of an actual vehicle which served with D company, 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 2nd Armored Division. Restoration work began in late October 2004, when the tank received a running Ford GAA engine and a new paint job. When the Sherman tank arrived at the Museum in December 2000, its engine was completely rusted and it was painted in a color appropriate to the Korean War era rather than World War II. Because the tank was manufactured in 1943, it is almost certain that it was deployed overseas during the war, although no battle damage was discovered. No unit markings were discovered when previous coats of paint were removed from the tank. Evolved from previous medium and light tanks, it was the first American medium tank with the main gun mounted on a fully traversing turret, unlike the older. It was used from 1942 to 1973, seen action both on east and western front. It was also distributed to the Allies via lend-lease. The Museum’s Sherman is an M4A3, built by Ford Motor Company in 1943. The M4 Sherman, formally Medium Tank, M4, was the primary tank used by the United States during World War II. This particular tank, a rare M4A3E9 model (only a few hundred were built), carries appliqué armor for additional protection. Though frequently outgunned by their German counterparts, Shermans proved easier to maintain-often fixed on the battlefield.
#M4 sherman commander gun full#
The Sherman tank’s primary role was infantry support, spearheading attacks as well as bolstering defensive positions. A famous derivative, commonly known as the M4A3E8 or Easy Eight, first produced by Detroit Arsenal factory, had a 47 degree sloped glacis with large hatches, wet ammo bins, full up-armored sides, new HVSS suspensions, a revised turret with the long 76.2 mm (3 in) gun fitted with a muzzle brake. Notorious for their flammability, Shermans were nicknamed “Ronsons” after a lighter with the slogan “lights every time.” The model proved itself somewhat effective against German Mk II and Mk IV Panzers, but it was thoroughly outclassed by the Tiger, Panther, and King Tiger tanks. the battlefield around him with far less hindrance than a tank commander. Initially developed to replace the M3 "Grant/Lee" medium tank, the first Shermans were manufactured in 1942 and some early productions examples saw combat in North Africa in 1943. The length of the 75mm gun on the Sherman V in foreground can be compared to.
#M4 sherman commander gun free#
They were used in all combat theaters-not only by the United States, but also by Great Britain, the Free French, China, and even the Soviet Union. More than 50,000 Shermans were produced between 19. The Sherman tank was the most commonly used American tank in World War II.
