M4A3 Medium Tank, Sherman:

Imperial War Museum

Imperial War Museum

Aberdeen Tank Museum
Standardized in January 1942.7 Built by Ford Motor Co.7
Welded hull.7 Used mainly by US Army. Late models had improved cupola, a loaders hatch, and wet stowage for ammunition. Had the GAA-III V-WC motor.
Called the Sherman IV by the British.1 Supplied to the Russians.
M4A3E2 Assault Tank, "Jumbo":

Imperial War Museum
Armor added hull 100 mm, turret 150 mm. 84,000 lb, 42 tons1,7, 42,672 kg1. Grousers added to track to improve ride. 22 mph. Originally 75 mm gun but some replaced by 76 mm once in Europe. 254 were produced at Grand Blanc from May to June 1944.1 Nicknamed "Jumbo."1 Had the Chrysler 5-line WC motor.
Had additional armor welded to the front. The turret had a total of 6" and the hull 4".7
M4A3E8:
Patton Museum in Ft Knox, Kentucky

Chris Bobo
Patton Museum in Ft Knox, Kentucky

Chris Bobo

Imperial War Museum

Imperial War Museum

Aberdeen Tank Museum
Had HVSS (horizontal volume spring suspension) and was nicknamed the "Easy Eight."1
| M4A3 1/72 Diecast Armor | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dragon Armor | Easy Models | |
| 60163: 60164: 60282: 60283: |
60297: 60298: 60315: 60316: |
36256: 36258: 36262: |
M4A3 (76mm):
Welded hull. Ford GAA-III petrol. Detroit Arsenal (2-7/44): 1,400, Grand Blanc (9-12/44): 525.
76 mm gun replaced 75 mm in turret. It had better velocity and thus armor penetration. 2,600 ft/sec, range of 16,100 yards, penetrate 4 inches at 1,000 yards. Gun can also be used in indirect fire mode as an azimuth indicator and elevation quadrant was also available. Water protected ammo racks installed.
The commander had a vision cupola mounted above the turret hatch. It had 6 prismatic vision blocks of 3" laminated bullet-resistant glass.
The ammunition racks were water protected and there was a traveling lock for the main armament in the front to hold it while traveling in non-combat areas.
M4A3 (105 mm):
Based on the M4A3 using a Ford GAA engine. Detroit Arsenal (4-8/44): 500.
105 mm howitzer installed in place of 75 mm in turret. A pintle for towing a trailer was installed.
M4A3 (105mm) HVSS:
New suspension. Detroit Arsenal (8/44 - 5/45): 2,539.
Tank Recovery Vehicle M32B3:
Based on M4A3. Later vehicles had HVSS.
Demolition Tank T31:
M4A3 HVSS with 105 mm howitzer and 2 7.2" rockets mounted in turret. Never used.
| M4A3 (Sherman IV) | M4A3E2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Crew | 54,5 | 54 |
| Physical Characteristics | ||
| Weight | 68,500 lb3,4 28.4 tons6, 32.284 tons5 |
84,000 lb4 42 tons7 |
| Length w/gun | 19' 4.5"4, 19' 5.5", 19'9"7, 24' 8"5 5.89 m6, 7.52 m5 |
20' 7"4 |
| Length w/o gun | 20' 7"5 6.27 m5 |
|
| Height | 9'3,4, 9' 3"7 11' 2.875"5 2.74 m6, 3.43 m5 |
11' 2 7/8"4 |
| Width | 8' 7"3,4, 8' 9"7, 8' 9.5"5 2.62 m6, 2.68 m5 |
9' 3.5"4 |
| Width over tracks | ||
| Ground clearance | 17 1/8" | |
| Ground contact length | 12' 3" | |
| Ground pressure | 14.1 psi | |
| Turret ring diameter | ||
| Armament | ||
| Main | 75 mm4 75 mm M33,6 |
75 mm4 |
| Secondary | ||
| MG | 3: MG4 2: .30 cal MG3 .50 cal MG, AA3 |
3: MG4 |
| Side arms | ||
| Quantity | ||
| Main | 973,6 | |
| Secondary | ||
| MG | .30: 4,7503 | |
| Side arms | ||
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 123 1" - 2"4 15 - 1005 Front: 756 Side: 376 |
4.5"4 - 5.5"4 Hull 4"7 Turret: 6" |
| Hull Front, Upper | 503 | |
| Hull Front, Lower | ||
| Hull Sides, Upper | ||
| Hull Sides, Lower | ||
| Hull Rear | ||
| Hull Top | ||
| Hull Bottom | ||
| Turret Front | 753 | |
| Turret Sides | ||
| Turret Rear | ||
| Turret Top | ||
| Engine (Make / Model) | GAA-III V-WC Ford GAA-III4,5 Ford GAA6,7 |
Ford GAA-III4 |
| Bore / stroke | ||
| Cooling | Water4 | Water4 |
| Cylinders | V-85,7, 84 | 84 |
| Capacity | ||
| Net HP | 4505,6, 5004,5 | 5004 |
| Power to weight ratio | ||
| Compression ratio | ||
| Transmission (Type) | ||
| Steering | ||
| Steering ratio | ||
| Starter | ||
| Electrical system | ||
| Ignition | ||
| Fuel (Type) | ||
| Octane | ||
| Quantity | 148 gallons | |
| Road consumption | ||
| Cross country consumption | ||
| Performance | ||
| Traverse | 360°3 | |
| Max speed | 25 mph4, 29 mph5, 30 mph7 43 kph6, 47 kph5 |
22 mph4 |
| Cross country speed | ||
| Road radius | 100 miles5, 130 miles7 161 km5 |
|
| Cross country radius | ||
| Turning radius | ||
| Elevation limits | -10° to +25°3 | |
| Fording depth | 3'3,5 0.91 m5 |
|
| Trench crossing | 7' 5"3,5 2.26 m5 |
|
| Vertical obstacle | 2'3,5 0.61 m5 |
|
| Climbing ability | ||
| Suspension (Type) | Vertical volute.3 Horizontal.5 |
|
| Wheels each side | ||
| Return rollers each side | ||
| Tracks (Type) | ||
| Length | ||
| Width | 16.5"3 | |
| Diameter | ||
| Number of links | ||
| Pitch | ||
| Tire tread | ||
| Track centers/tread | 6' 11"3 | |
| Production |
| M4A3 (76 mm) (Sherman IVA) | M4A3E8 (76 mm) | M4A3 (105 mm) (Sherman IVB) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | Commander, gunner, loader, driver, co-driver/hull gunner.3 52,3,4 |
59 | 54 |
| Physical Characteristics | |||
| Weight | 71,100 lb4 33.7 tons2 |
37.1 tons9 | 68,500 lb4,10 |
| Length w/gun | 20' 7.5"4, 24' 3"3, 24' 7" 7.54 m2 |
19.3'9 | 19' 4.5"4,10 |
| Length w/o gun | 20' 4"3, 20' 7.5" | ||
| Height | 9' 9"3,4 2.97 m2 |
9.9'9 | 9' 2 11/16"4 |
| Width | 8' 9.5"4 3 m2 |
9.8'9 | 8' 7"4 |
| Width over tracks | |||
| Ground clearance | 0.43 m2 | 17.1"9 | |
| Ground contact length | 147"9 | ||
| Ground pressure | 14.6 psi 0.77 (kg/cm2)2 |
10.6 psi9 | 14.1 psi |
| Turret ring diameter | |||
| Armament | |||
| Main | 76 mm2,3,4 76 mm M16 |
76 mm M1A2, L/539 | 105 mm howitzer4,6 |
| Secondary | |||
| MG | 3: MG2,4 | 1: .50 cal M2 MG, AA9 1: .30 cal M1919A4 MG, bow9 |
3: MG4 |
| Side arms | |||
| Quantity | |||
| Main | 712,3,6 | 719 | 666 |
| Secondary | |||
| MG | .30: 6,2503 6,8502 |
.50: 6009 .30: 6,2509 |
|
| Side arms | |||
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 123, 623 1.5" - 2"4 |
Front: 2"@46°9 Side: 1.5"9 |
1.5" - 2"4 |
| Hull Front, Upper | 50.8-1082 | ||
| Hull Front, Lower | |||
| Hull Sides, Upper | 38.12 | ||
| Hull Sides, Lower | |||
| Hull Rear | 38.12 | ||
| Hull Top | 192 | ||
| Hull Bottom | 12.7-25.42 | ||
| Turret Front | 63.5-88.92 | 3"9 Mantlet: 3.5"9 |
|
| Turret Sides | 63.52 | 2"9 | |
| Turret Rear | 63.52 | ||
| Turret Top | 25.42 | ||
| Engine (Make / Model) | GAA-III V-WC Ford2 Ford GAA-III4 |
Ford GAA9 | Ford GAA-III4, water cooled4 |
| Bore / stroke | 4 cycles9 | ||
| Cooling | Water2,4 | Water9 | |
| Cylinders | 82,4 | V-89 | 84 |
| Capacity | |||
| Net HP | 5002,4 @ 2,600 rpm2 | 500@2,600 rpm9 | |
| Power to weight ratio | 5004 | ||
| Compression ratio | |||
| Transmission (Type) | 5 forward, 1 reverse2 | Synchromesh9 5 forward, 1 reverse9 |
|
| Steering | Controlled differential9 | ||
| Steering ratio | |||
| Starter | Electric9 | ||
| Electrical system | 24-volt9 | ||
| Ignition | Magneto9 | ||
| Fuel (Type) | Gasoline2 | Gasoline9 | |
| Octane | |||
| Quantity | 636 liters2 | 168 gallons9 | |
| Road consumption | |||
| Cross country consumption | 0.6 mpg9 | ||
| Performance | |||
| Traverse | 360°3 | Power9 | 360° |
| Max speed | 26 mph4 41.8 kph2 |
26 mph9 | 26 mph4 |
| Cross country | |||
| Road radius | 100 miles 161 km2 |
155 miles9 | 130 miles |
| Cross country radius | 100 miles9 | ||
| Turning radius | 19 m2 | ||
| Elevation limits | -10° to +25°3 | ||
| Fording depth | 3'3 0.91 m2 |
36"9 | |
| Trench crossing | 7' 6"3 | 7.5'9 | |
| Vertical obstacle | 2'3 | 24"9 | |
| Climbing ability | 31° (60%) slope9 | ||
| Suspension (Type) | HVSS2 | Horizontal suspension, 3 bogies wheels of 2 wheels each9 | |
| Wheels each side | 62 | 3x29 | |
| Return rollers each side | 59 | ||
| Tracks (Type) | Dry pin, double pin per shoe, steel shoes with rubber backing9 | ||
| Length | |||
| Width | 23"3 584 mm2 |
23.9"9 | |
| Diameter | |||
| Number of links | 799 | ||
| Pitch | 6"9 | ||
| Tire tread | Rubber2 | ||
| Track centers/tread | 6' 11"3 | 7.4'9 | |
| Production |
Sources:
- The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
- Panzer Truppen The Complete Guide to the Creation and Combat Employment of Germany's Tank Force 1943-1945, Thomas L. Jentz, 1996
- British and American Tanks of World War Two, The Complete Illustrated History of British, American, and Commonwealth Tanks 1933-1945, Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis, 1969
- Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
- The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
- Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
- Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
- Battle Winning Tanks, Aircraft & Warships of World War II, David Miller, 2000
- Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?
- Tank Data 2, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, E. J. Hoffschmidt and W. H. Tantum IV, 1969
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