Monthly Modeling Feature
Modeling the WW-II Sherman Tank
PART 2
M4A2 with 76mm gun - New turret (designed for T23 tank project) carrying a 76mm gun. First turrets had large “gun ring” hatch over loader’s station, late turrets had oval escape hatch. Most, if not all, to USSR use. Very late production had HVSS.
M4A3 with 75mm gun – Ford GAA V-8 (liquid cooled) engine in welded plate hull. 75mm gun in M34 mount, later in M34A1 mount. 60-deg hull front w/ protruding drivers’ hoods. Later or remanufactured hulls had exterior appliqué armor over ammo bins. Horizontal-arm VVSS was standardized. After 1944 the Ford-engined M4A3 was the preferred model by the US Army, but the “dry stowage” 75mm tanks mostly stayed in US for training, only reaching ETO very late in war.
M4A3 with 75mm gun and “wet” stowage – Later welded hull (47 deg. Hull front) with larger drivers’ hatches. All had the later 75mm turret with thickened right “cheek” and loader’s escape hatch. Upswept arm VVSS used on these vehicles. First went to ETO in fall, 1944 and became a common replacement vehicle thereafter. Appeared in MTO and PTO later. The external appliqué armor is NOT appropriate for this version.
M4A3 with 76mm gun - Later welded hull (47 deg. Hull front) with larger drivers’ hatches. New turret (designed for T23 tank project) carrying a 76mm gun. First turrets had large “gun ring” hatch over loader’s station, late turrets had oval escape hatch. Started getting to ETO in fall, 1944 becoming more common as earlier tanks were replaced. Also used in MTO, but not PTO. Most would have had upswept arm VVSS, later production M4A3, 76W had HVSS, these started appearing about the time of the Ardennes campaign and became more common in 1945. The M4A3 with 76mm and HVSS (M4A3E8) was the primary Sherman used by the US Army in the Korean Conflict.
M4A3 with 105mm howitzer – Ford GAA engine in later welded hull with simplified 47-deg glacis and larger drivers’ hatches. 105mm howitzer in M52 mount, in 75mm style turret (w/ extra ventilator on rear top and thickened right “cheek”). First issued in Europe in fall, 1944, other areas received them afterwards. Later vehicles had HVSS and reached some units in ETO in 1945. Some M4A3’s with the 105mm howitzer had flame guns added beside howitzer tube by USMC and were used in Korea.
M4A3E2 – Special assault version of the M4A3 intended to be available for use in attacking the Siegfried Line (Westwall). These appeared in the late fall, 1944. An M4A3 75W with extra armor added to the hull, a thickened transmission housing and a special heavy turret (similar in general profile to the 76mm turret) with 75mm gun in thick squared off shield. Upswept arm VVSS was standard and most left the factory with the older five-spoke open wheels (these were felt to be stronger). 254 vehicles produced, all to ETO (1 ended up with Free French). With so few M4A3E2 available they were only issued at a few per battalion. They were often used to lead columns. In 1945 some M4A3E2 received upgrade to 76mm guns. Sometimes referred to as “Jumbo” or other nicknames, there is question whether or not these actually had a nickname by the troops.
M4A4 – Chrysler Multibank 30-cyl engine (liquid cooled) engine in welded plate hull. 75mm gun in M34 mount, later in M34A1 mount. 60-deg hull front w/ protruding drivers’ hoods, the hull was lengthened slightly due to longer engine. Later or remanufactured hulls had exterior appliqué armor over ammo bins. Horizontal-arm VVSS was standardized. The M4A4 was produced for Lend-Lease use and was commonly used by British Commonwealth forces (a few were used for training in USA). M4A4 usually had the earlier three-piece transmission housing. M4A4 did not receive the production upgrades seen on the “preferred” Sherman models – only 75mm gun versions built, not later hulls, no HVSS, etc. British forces upgraded a number of M4A4 with 17-pounder AT guns, creating the formidable “Firefly”.
M4A5 – “paper” designation for the Canadian Ram tanks
M4A6 – 75mm version with Caterpillar diesel engines. Only two battalions were equipped with this and both stayed stateside.
British Designations:
M4=Sherman I
M4 “Firefly”conversion = Sherman 1C
M4 Composite Hull = Sherman I Hybrid
M4, 105mm howitzer = Sherman IB
M4, 105mm Howitzer, HVSS = Sherman IBY
M4A1 = Sherman II
M4A1 Duplex Drive conversion = Sherman IIDD
M4A1, 76mm = Sherman IIA
M4A2 = Sherman III
M4A2 “Firefly” conversion = Sherman IIIC
M4A2 Duplex Drive Conversion = Sherman IIIDD
M4A3 = Sherman IV (few M4A3 supplied to UK during WW2)
M4A4 = Sherman V
M4A4 “Firefly” conversion = Sherman VC
