Great Britain's Sherman Medium Tank

Photos

Sherman Mk III medium tank:

Royal Armored Corps Tank Museum

Sherman DD medium tank:

Royal Armored Corps Tank Museum

Sherman Crab:

Royal Armored Corps Tank Museum

Sherman ARV medium tank:

Royal Armored Corps Tank Museum

Sherman Mk III Die Cast 1/72 Dragon Armor 60309:

Sherman Mk III Die Cast 1/72 Dragon Armor 60310:

Sherman Firefly Die Cast 1/72 Dragon Armor 60250:

Sherman Firefly Die Cast 1/72 Dragon Armor 60251:

Sherman Firefly Die Cast 1/72 Dragon Armor 60259:

Sherman Firefly Die Cast 1/72 Dragon Armor 60260:

Sherman V Rocket Die Cast 1/72 Dragon Armor 60307:

Sherman V Rocket Die Cast 1/72 Dragon Armor 60308:

Design

Nicknamed Sherman and the name stuck. Major deliveries were of the M4A4.

Duplex Drive (DD)

Nicholas Straussler designed a way for a tank to be converted into an amphibious vehicle. By 1943 the first of the Shermans were modified to have a collapsible screen that used 36 air tubes to hold it up. There was a boat shaped platform welded to the exterior of the hull that the the screen was attached to.

It took about 15 minutes for a crew to put up the screen and be ready to go into the water.

There were two propellers that moved the Sherman through the water. The main steering was done by moving the propellers and there was a rudder that the commander could control.

Production

• Sherman VC: Modified by British
  • Production: 1944 -
  • Manufacturer: Chrysler

Variants

• Sherman I: M4.
• Sherman Hybrid I: Late production M4 with a combination cast and rolled hull.
• Sherman IB: M4 105 mm.
• Sherman IBY: M4 105 mm HVSS, delivered late 1945.
• Sherman IC
  Sherman II: M4A1.
• Sherman IC Firefly:
• Sherman IIA: M4A1 76mm.
• Sherman IIC Firefly: With 17 pdr gun. Was in Normandy landings and only allied tank that could take on Tiger and Panther tanks. Initially issued 1 per troop due to shortage of 17 pdr.
  In June 1944 there was one assigned to each troop of 4 tanks.
• Sherman Scorpion IV: Scorpion equipment mounted on Sherman II in North Africa in May 1943.
• Sherman II (M32B1), ARV Mk III: M32 B1 TRV.
• Sherman III: M4A2.
• Sherman IIIA: M4A2 with 76 mm.
• Sherman IIIAY: With 76 mm, wet stowage and HVSS. Delivered late 1944.
• Sherman III, ARV Mk I: With turret removed and fitted with winch and a-frame.
• Sherman Kangaroo: 8th Army converted 75 Sherman IIIs in Italy. Room for 10 infantry men.
• Sherman III DD and Sherman V DD: Original conversions adding a screen erected by rubber tubing filled with air. Two propellers drove vehicle at 4 knots.
• Sherman III DD Mk I and Sherman V DD Mk I: Strengthened top rail.
• Sherman III DD Mk II: Mk I with small improvements.
• Sherman III DD Mk III and Sherman IIIAY DD Mk III: American conversions for British. Had HVSS and 76 mm gun. In service late 1945.
• Sherman IV: M4A3.
• Sherman IVA: M4A3 with 76 mm, wet stowage.
• Sherman IVB: M4A3 with a 105 mm.
• Sherman IVC Firefly: With 17 pdr. Had crew of 4. The gun was placed on its side and the turret extended.
• Sherman V: M4A4.
• Sherman VC Firefly: With 17 pdr. Hull MG and gunner deleted to increase ammo storage. Had crew of 4.
  The 17 pdr's AP shell was 17 lbs and could go 2,980'/sec. It could penetrate 6"@30° at 100 yards.
• Sherman V (Rocket): Filed modification by Coldstream Guards, Guards Armored Division. Provided twin launchers for 60 lb aircraft rockets on side of Sherman V turret. Modifications not adopted elsewhere.
• Sherman V, ARV Mk I: With turret removed and fitted with winch and a-frame.
• Sherman V, ARV Mk II: With dummy turret and dummy gun.
• Sherman VII: M4A6. Few if any delivered to Britain.
• Sherman VIIC Firefly: With 17 pdr. Had crew of 4.
• Sherman Gun Tower: Converted in Italy for towing 17 pdr anti-tank gun.
• Sherman Badger: M4A2 HVSS fitted with Wasp equipment. Developed in Canada in 1945.
• Sherman BARV: Modified for deep wading for Normandy landing. Could work in 9' of water. 52 delivered.
• Sherman Fascine Carrier: 79th Armored Division removed turret and carried 2 or 3 fascines. Not used.
• Sherman OP/Command/Rear Link: Extra radio equipment.
• Sherman Twaby Ark: Bridging vehicle similar to Churchill Ark. Used in training.
• Sherman Octopus: Similar to Ark with longer ramps.
• Sherman Plymouth: Turret removed to carry Bailey bridge. Used in Italy.
• Sherman Pram: Flails and rollers carried on 2 rotor arms. Used experimentally only.
• Sherman Marquis: Flail assembly that could be lifted. Rotor drive engine was carried in compartment where turret was removed.  Originally called Octopus.
• Sherman Lobster: Similar to Marquis but power was taken from tank engines and turret remained.
• Sherman Crab: A South African invented the Crab concept. The drum was powered by the main engine and had 43 chains attached. There were discs mounted on the side that could cut barbed wire. There were screens that helped deflect the flying dust.
• Sherman Crab I and Sherman Crab II: Developed in June 1943 and brigade attached to 79th Armored Division. Organized in troops of 5 and were allocated to local commanders. Mk II had a contouring device to better cover rough ground.
• Sherman with CIRD: Identical to Churchill CIRD.
• Sherman with AMRCR: Similar to Churchill AMRCR.
• Sherman with Centipede: 12 concrete rollers intended to explode German S mines. Used in limited numbers.
• Sherman V Adder: Had armored tank at rear of vehicle. Not used.
• Sherman Salamander: Wasp flame thrower equipment added. Some used inside of dummy barrel. Not used.
• Sherman Crocodile: 4 converted for American use.

Usage

Saw action with the 8th Army at the Battle of Alamein on Oct 24, 1942.

Duplex Drive (DD)

The Sherman DDs were first used during the Overlord operation in June 1944. They were also used in Italy and also during the Rhine River crossings.