Sherman – The Gun (Pt. 1 of 2)

M3 75mm Gun The Sherman was armed with a M3 75mm gun. The gun was fitted for gyro-stabilization for the elevation axis, this made it one of the first tanks to be stabilized in such a manner. This feature sounded like a step forward however crews found it to be worthless and often left if …

Sherman – Configurations

The 2 main versions of the Sherman were known as the M4 and the M4A1, both were identical internally and were powered by the Continental Whirlwind radial engine the difference lay in the construction and engineering on the hull, the M4 had a welded hull and the M4A1 had a cast hull. There was no …

Sherman – Development (Pt. 5 of 5)

M4 Sherman Going forward the M4 was developed. using the same chassis and power train as the M3 but it now had a turret that could accommodate a 75mm gun. The design also accounted for the unavailability of casting facilities so a welded hull version was developed so quantities could still be produced. They were …

Sherman – Development (Pt. 4 of 5)

Yet still tank development languished as a result of a cheap congress and antiquated tactical doctrines. The would only be spurred by their defeat in France in 1940. To this point the US still had an isolationist outlook, even after WWI the US didn't develop its armed forces and didn't really see taking part in …

Sherman – Development (Pt. 3 of 5)

T-26 Now the resistance to a new heavier had legitimate concerns, chief among them was logistics a heavier tank took up more capacity and tonnage that could be otherwise used for other equipment. A T-26 tank to supplement the Sherman meant that more weight not just in tanks but equipment and supplies had to be …

Sherman – Development (Pt. 2 of 5)

The American tank destroyers were also not the best and couldn't go toe to toe with their German counter parts. They were simply under-armoured tanks with larger guns or a half track with a large gun. This often left the crew exposed and thus vulnerable to attack. Things weren't all hopeless for the tank destroyer, …

Sherman – Development (Pt. 1 of 5)

The engineering of American tanks was undertaken by the Ordinance Department and was only done after a formal request was issued for use. It was also only limited to design studies. The request for a vehicle usually came from the Armoured Force and production required the approval of the Army Ground Forces (AGF) at that …

The 30s (Pt. 1 of 4)

The 1920s were regarded as the "Roaring Twenties", given what we know about the 30s and tanks and the subsequent development in mechanization we could call it the "Thundering Thirties". From the beginning of the 30s tank development continued only sporadically, there was no universally accepted doctrine and even less co-ordination overall. Despite some new …