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United States' M4A3 medium tank¹³, Sherman:

M4A3 Medium Tank: U.S. Ordnance Dept.	M4A3 Medium Tank:	M4A3 Medium Tank:	M4A3 Medium Tank: Imperial War Museum
M4A3 Medium Tank: Imperial War Museum	M4A3 Medium Tank:	M4A3 Medium Tank drawing: Aberdeen Tank Museum
M4A3 76 mm Medium Tank:	M4A3 76 mm Medium Tank:	M4A3 76 mm Medium Tank in Europe in early 1945. Has add on armor kit and an additional .30 cal MG above the loader's hatch.	M4A3 76 mm Medium Tank:
M4A3 76 mm Medium Tank:	M4A3 76 mm Medium Tank:
M4A3E2 Medium Tank:	M4A3E2 Medium Tank: Imperial War Museum	M4A3E2 Medium Tank:
M4A3E8 Medium Tank: Aberdeen Tank Museum	M4A3E8 Medium Tank with the 761st Tank Battalion outside of Nancy, France, on November 8, 1944	M4A3E8 Medium Tank:	M4A3E8 Medium Tank:
M4A3E8 Medium Tank: Imperial War Museum	M4A3E8 Medium Tank: Imperial War Museum	M4A3E8 Medium Tank at the Patton Museum in Ft Knox, Kentucky Chris Bobo	M4A3E8 Medium Tank at the Patton Museum in Ft Knox, Kentucky Chris Bobo
M4A3E8 76 mm HVSS Medium Tank:	M4A3E8 Medium Tank: Mark Holloway	M4A3E8 Medium Tank: Mark Holloway	M4A3E8 Medium Tank: Mark Holloway
M4A3 105 mm Medium Tank:	M4A3 105 mm Medium Tank:

M4A3 1/72 Diecast Armor
Dragon Armor			Easy Models
60163: 60164: 60282:	60283: 60297: 60298:	60315: 60316:	36256: 36258: 36262:

Welded hull.⁷ Late models had improved cupola, a loaders hatch, and wet stowage for ammunition. Had the GAA-III V-WC motor.

Gun

The original armament of the M4A3 series was the M3 75 mm gun.¹¹ To be able to mount the gun in the turret it was turned on its side.¹¹ Loading was on the right side.¹¹

The M34 gun mount was used early on but as it only protected the main armament soldiers in the field requested it protect the coaxial MG.¹¹ The M34A1 was developed as a result and was standardized in October 1942.¹¹ This shield was full width and had a direct sighting telescope installed.¹¹

Turret

The turret was a cast one piece design with a bulge in the rear to allow for the installation of radio equipment.¹¹ The hatch for the commander could be rotated and there was a mount for a .50 cal HB AA machine gun.¹¹ There was a rotating periscope for the commander in the turret hatch.¹¹ The loader had rotating periscope in the roof of the turret.¹¹ The gunner had a telescopic periscope that was synchronized in azimuth and elevation with the main armament.¹¹ The roof of the turret also contained a 2" smoke mortar.¹¹

There was a pistol port in the side of the turret that could be used for ejecting or reloading shells.¹¹

There was a recessed ball race for the turret to revolve in that helped protect it from bullet splash.¹¹

The turret basket was bolted to the turret casting and rotated with the turret.¹¹

Later in production an armored cupola with six vision blocks replaced the rotating hatch.¹¹ A mount for the .50 cal Browning AA MG was placed next to the cupola.¹¹

Hull

The hull was welded armor plate.¹¹ At the expense of a desirable design it was easy and quick to manufacture.¹¹

There were two hatches in the top of the hull, one for the driver and the other for the co-driver.¹¹ Behind the co-driver's seat was an escape hatch.¹¹

During production a change was made in the hull front.¹¹ The full front was replaced with a 47° flat plate.¹¹ This simplified production and allowed for larger hatches for the front crew.¹¹ This plate also increased protection in the front.¹¹ A gun barrel lock was installed in this plate.¹¹

Later in production a sand shield was installed that covered the top run of the track.¹¹

Crew

The driver was on the left side and the co-driver on the right.¹¹ The co-driver also operated the hull machine gun.¹¹ The could see out vision blocks that were in the hull front of early models with hatch periscopes replacing them to simplify production.¹¹

The main gun loader was on the left and the gunner on the right.¹¹ The commander was behind the gunner.¹¹

Engine

The Ford V-8 engine was liquid cooled and placed in the rear of the hull.¹¹ The twin exhausts went out under the vertical hull backplate.¹¹ The cylinder block and crankcase were integrally cast in aluminum, but the cylinders were sleeved in steel.¹¹ There were two four cylinder magnetos mounted at the rear of the engine on a cross shaft.¹¹ The water pump was driven from the end of the crankshaft.¹¹

The four mounting points for the engine were rubber padded.¹¹ Two of these were on the bulkhead of the engine compartment and the others in the floor.¹¹

There was a door in the rear and flaps with grilles on the top of the hull.¹¹ The radiator was placed behind the engine.¹¹

There were two vertical and two horizontal fuel tanks flanking the engine.¹¹ They could carry 168 gallons and could be drained out the bottom of the hull if needed.¹¹ On each side of the hull top were two caps for fueling the tanks.¹¹

The driver could remotely operated two fire extinguishers in the hull compartment.¹¹ These could also be operated externally.¹¹

There were five forward and one reverse gear and a built in parking brake.¹¹

Steering and stopping was done by the controlled differential which transmitted engine power to the drive unit that was at the front of the tank.¹¹ The drive unit took power to the sprockets through a set of reduction gears.¹¹ The power unit could be completely removed for easier maintenance.¹¹

Wet Stowage

One of the most requested upgrades from the field was an improvement to the ammunition storage.¹¹ A direct hit to the ammunition storage would often lead to fire.¹¹ A system that would have jackets of ethylene glycol (later replaced by water) surround the stowage and when pierced would reduce fire and the chance of explosions.¹¹

This system required an additional 2,500 design changes of the M4.¹¹

Production

Standardized in January 1942.^7,11 Built by Ford Motor Co.^7,11

M4A3s with the wet stowage were produced starting in February 1944 at Detroit Arsenal (Chrysler) and May 1944 at Grand Blanc (Fisher).¹¹

Variants

M4A3E2 Assault Tank, "Jumbo": Armor added hull 100 mm, turret 150 mm. 84,000 lb, 42 tons^1,7, 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. 254¹¹ were produced at Grand Blanc from May to June 1944.¹ Nicknamed "Jumbo."¹ Had the Chrysler 5-line WC motor. Was intended to be used against the Siegried Line.¹²
Had additional armor welded to the front. The turret had a total of 6" and the hull 4".^7,11
M4A3E8: Had HVSS (horizontal volume spring suspension) and was nicknamed the "Easy Eight."^1,11
Each of the bogies had four wheels, one pair to each of the suspension arms.¹¹ The arms were sprung next to each other, parallel to the gound.¹¹ A rubber shock absorber was added to help reduce pitching when traveling over rough ground.¹¹
The top of the tracks was supported by rubber covered, two double and three single, rollers.¹¹ These were attached to the hull sides.¹¹ Maintenance was facilitated by the ability to remove a wheel without removing the boggie.¹¹The 76 mm gun could fire a 15.4 lb AP shell at a muzzle velocity of 2,600'/sec.⁹
M4A3 (76mm): Later in production a M1 76 mm gun was installed.¹¹ Starting in February 1944 the first M4A3s with a new turret to fit the M1 was produced.¹¹ These started leaving the Detroit Arsenal in March 1944.¹¹ Fisher started producing the 76 mm wet stowage tanks in September 1944.¹¹Gun can also be used in indirect fire mode as an azimuth indicator and elevation quadrant was also available. Water protected ammo racks installed.
M4A3 (105 mm): HQ Companies had M4A3s that had an 105 mm Howitzer installed.¹¹ Detroit Arsenal built all these models.¹¹ The first one rolling off the production line in May 1944 and ceasing production in June 1945.¹¹
The turret was rotated by hand.¹¹
A pintle for towing a trailer was installed.¹¹
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.

Usage

Used mainly by US Army.

Called the Sherman IV by the British.^1,12

Supplied to the Russians.

	M4A3 medium tank¹³, Sherman IV¹²	M4A3E2 medium tank	M4A3 (76 mm)¹¹, Sherman IVA	M4A3E8 (76 mm)	M4A3 (105 mm), (Sherman IVB)
Crew	5^4,5,13	5⁴	Commander, gunner, loader, driver, co-driver/hull gunner^3,11 5^2,3,4,11	5⁹	5⁴
Radio	SCR-508¹³
Radio - command tank	SCR-506¹³
Physical Characteristics
Weight	68,500 lb^3,4,13, 71,175 lb¹² 32.284 tons⁵ 32,284 kg¹²	84,000 lb⁴ 42 tons⁷	71,100 lb⁴, 71,175 lb¹¹ 33.7 tons²	37.1 tons⁹	68,500 lb^4,10
Empty weight			65,127 lb¹¹
Length w/gun	19' 4.5"^4,13, 19' 5.5", 19'9"⁷, 24' 8"^5,12 7.518 m¹², 7.52 m⁵	20' 7"⁴	20' 7.5"⁴, 24' 3"³, 24' 7", 24' 8"¹¹ 7.54 m²	19.3'⁹	19' 4.5"^4,10
Length w/o gun	20' 7"^5,12 6.27 m⁵, 6.274 m¹²		20' 4"³, 20' 7"¹¹, 20' 7.5"
Height	9'^3,4,13, 9' 3"⁷ 11' 2.875"^5,12 3.426 m¹², 3.43 m⁵	11' 2 7/8"⁴	9' 9"^3,4, 11' 2 7/8"¹¹ 2.97 m²	9.9'⁹	9' 2 11/16"⁴
Width	8' 7"^3,4,13, 8' 9"⁷, 8' 9.5"^5,12 2.68 m^5,12	9' 3.5"⁴	8' 9"¹¹, 8' 9.5"⁴ 3 m²	9.8'⁹	8' 7"⁴
Width over tracks
Ground clearance	17 1/8"¹³		0.43 m²	17.1"⁹
Ground contact length	12' 3"¹³			147"⁹
Ground pressure	14.1 psi¹³		14.6 psi 0.77 (kg/cm²)²	10.6 psi⁹	14.1 psi
Turret ring diameter
Armament
Main	75 mm⁴ 75 mm M3^3,13	75 mm⁴	76 mm^2,3,4 76 mm M1A1¹¹	76 mm M1A2, L/53⁹	105 mm howitzer⁴
OR			76 mm M1A1C¹¹
OR			76 mm M1A2¹¹
Secondary			1: 2" M3 mortar¹¹
MG	3: MG⁴ 2: .30 cal MG³	3: MG⁴	3: MG^2,4		3: MG⁴
MG - coaxial	1: .30 cal Browning M1919A4 MG¹³		1: M19A4 .30 cal MG¹¹
MG - hull	1: .30 cal Browning M1919A4 MG¹³		1: M19A4 .30 cal MG¹¹	1: .30 cal M1919A4 MG⁹
MG - antiaircraft	1: .50 cal MG³ 1: .50 cal M2 HB MG¹³		1: M2 .50 Cal HB MG¹¹	1: .50 cal M2 MG⁹
Side arms
Quantity
Main	97^3,13		71^2,3,11 APC M62 or M62A1¹¹ HE M42A1¹¹	71⁹
Secondary			2": 12 rounds¹¹
MG	.30: 4,750^3,13 .50: 300¹³		.30: 6,250^3,11 6,850² .50: 600¹¹	.50: 600⁹ .30: 6,250⁹
Side arms	.Mortar: 12¹³ (4: Fragmentation Mk III, 4: M8 Smoke, 2: M2 Offensive Mk III, 2: Thermite)¹³ .45: 600¹³		.45 cal: 900¹¹ Hand grenades: 4 fragmentation Mk II¹¹, 4: WP smoke¹¹, 4 M16 or M18 smoke colored¹¹
Armor Thickness (mm)	1" - 2"⁴ 12³, 15 - 100⁵	4.5"⁴ - 5.5"⁴ Hull 4"⁷ Turret: 6"	12³, 62³ 1.5" - 2"⁴	Front: 2"@46°⁹ Side: 1.5"⁹	1.5" - 2"⁴
Hull Front, Upper	2"¹³ 50³		2.5" @ 47°¹¹ 50.8-108²
Hull Front, Lower	1.5" - 2"¹³
Hull Sides, Upper	1.5" - 2"¹³		1.5" @ 90°¹¹ 38.1²
Hull Sides, Lower	1.5" - 2"¹³
Hull Rear	1.5"¹³		1.5" @ 90°¹¹ 38.1²
Hull Top	1"¹³		0.75"¹¹ 19²
Hull Bottom	0.5 - 1"¹³		1"¹¹ 12.7-25.4²
Turret Front	3"¹³ 75³		2.5"¹¹ 63.5-88.9²	3"⁹ Mantlet: 3.5"⁹
Turret Sides	2"¹³		2.5"¹¹ 63.5²	2"⁹
Turret Rear			63.5²
Turret Top	1"¹³		1"¹¹ 25.4²
Engine (Make / Model)	GAA-III V-WC¹³, Ford GAA-III^4,5, Ford GAA⁷	Ford GAA-III⁴	GAA-III V-WC, Ford², Ford GAA-III^4,11	Ford GAA⁹	Ford GAA-III⁴
Bore / stroke				4 cycles⁹
Cooling	Water⁴	Water⁴	Water^2,4,11	Water⁹	Water⁴
Cylinders	V-8^5,7, 8⁴	8⁴	8^2,4, V 8¹¹	V-8⁹	8⁴
Capacity
Net HP	450^5,12, 450@2,600 rpm¹³, 500^4,5	500⁴	450@2,600 rpm¹¹, 500⁴, 500@2,600 rpm²	500@2,600 rpm⁹
Power to weight ratio			10.3 psi¹¹		500⁴
Compression ratio
Transmission (Type)	5 forward, 1 reverse¹¹		Mechanical synchromesh¹¹ 5 forward, 1 reverse^2,11	Synchromesh⁹ 5 forward, 1 reverse⁹
Steering			Clutch and brake¹¹	Controlled differential⁹
Steering ratio	1.515:1¹³
Starter				Electric⁹
Electrical system	24 volt¹³		24 volt¹¹	24-volt⁹
Ignition				Magneto⁹
Gear ratio - 1st gear	7.56:1¹³
- 2nd gear	3.11:1¹³
- 3rd gear	1.78:1¹³
- 4th gear	1.11:1¹³
- 5th gear	0.73:1¹³
- Reverse	5.65:1¹³
Fuel (Type)	Gasoline¹³		Gasoline²	Gasoline⁹
Octane	80¹³
Quantity	148 gallons, 168 gallons¹¹, 174 gallons¹³		168 gallons¹¹ 636 liters²	168 gallons⁹
Road consumption
Cross country consumption				0.6 mpg⁹
Performance
Traverse	360°³		360°^3,11	Power⁹	360°
Max speed	25 mph⁴, 26 mph¹³, 29 mph^5,12, 30 mph⁷ 47 kph^5,12	22 mph⁴	26 mph^4,11 41.8 kph²	26 mph⁹	26 mph⁴
Cross country	20 mph¹² 32 kph¹²
Road radius	100 miles^5,12, 130 miles⁷ 161 km^5,12		100 miles¹¹ 161 km²	155 miles⁹	130 miles
Cross country radius				100 miles⁹
Turning radius			19 m²
Elevation limits	-10° to +25°³		-10° to +25°^3,11
Fording depth	3'^3,5,13 0.91 m⁵		3'^3,11 0.91 m²	36"⁹
Trench crossing	7' 5"^3,5,13 2.26 m⁵		7' 5"¹¹, 7' 6"³	7.5'⁹
Vertical obstacle	2'^3,5,13 0.61 m⁵		2'^3,11	24"⁹
Climbing ability	60%¹³		60%¹¹	31° (60%) slope⁹
Suspension (Type)	Vertical volute.³ Horizontal.⁵		HVSS^2,11	Horizontal suspension, 3 bogies wheels of 2 wheels each⁹
Wheels each side			6² 3 bogies with 4 wheels each¹¹	3x2⁹
Wheel size	20" x 9"¹³
Wheel size - idler	28 1/8" x 9"¹³
Return rollers each side			3 double and 2 single¹¹	5⁹
Tracks (Type)	Rubber block¹³			Dry pin, double pin per shoe, steel shoes with rubber backing⁹
Length
Width	1' 4.5"^3,13		23"^3,11 584 mm²	23.9"⁹
Width - Vertical volute	1' 4.5"¹² 0.419 m¹²
Width - HVSS	1' 11"¹² 0.584 m¹²
Number of links	79¹³			79⁹
Pitch	6"¹³		6"¹¹	6"⁹
Tire tread			Rubber²
Track centers/tread	6' 11"^3,12,13 2.108 m¹²		6' 11"^3,11	7.4'⁹

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
-
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
Armour In Profile #3 M.4 A3 E8 Sherman, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, ?
Airfix Magazine Guide #26 American Tanks of World War 2, Terry Gander and Peter Chamberlain, 1977
The American Arsenal, 1996