Category Archives: M4A4

Sherman Tank Site News Post 16

05/06/2018Army Motors, History, M4, M4A1, M4A2, M4A3, M4A4, News, Sherman Tank, Sherman Tank Repair and Maintenance Tips, Sherman Tank Site News, Sherman Tank Site Store, Technical ManualsArmyMotors, E\ARMY, M4 Medium Tank, M4 Sherman Tank, M4A1, M4A2, M4A3, M4A4, ShermanTankSiteNewsJeeps_Guns_Tanks

Sherman Tank Site News Post 16: A few setbacks but some good content on the way.

Well, the beginning of the year was looking good, then things on a work-related front went south, and I have not had as much time for the site. What time I had I was using on image improvements and had to cut back there due to some carpal tunnel syndrome issues. I won’t bother you all with further personal stuff.

I’ve discovered the stash of Army Motors Magazines over at Radionerds, and have done a series of posts about them.

Sherman Tank Site Post 72: Army Motors, the Magazine of the Army Mechanic!

Sherman Tank Site Post 73: Articles from Army Motors Episode one, Give Your Tank a Brake!

Sherman news from around the net.

**M4A2 76 HVSS Sherman in Defender of the Fatherland Day Parade in Severomorsk (Click image for story) (Thanks to Looser on the SH forums for this one!)**

The consequences of hitting a German 88-mm shell in the “Sherman”. 18+

The above link takes you post on LiveJournal with a video of a French crew removing a dead crew member, it is not for the faint of heart. Another catch by Looser over on the SH forums.

Tank and AFV News new Video channel.

Our pal Walt from the Sturgeons House Forums, who runs Tank And AFV News, has a new video channel, and though it is not Sherman specific, it is doing book reviews and if you’re interested in Shermans, or Armor in general, you should give his page and videos a view! Support the fellow Armor loving guys out there!

Here are a few samples!

Peter Samsanov of Tank Archives does a Podcast on German Kill claim inflation!

Peter S and his Tank Archives site are powerhouses in revealing the truth about the prowess of Soviet Armor, and the imaginary prowess of German Armor!

Listen to Peter talk to Military History Verbalized about German Kill claims and the real numbers. Not directly Sherman related, but there are many mythical German kill claims in the west too.

I’m also going to include a few improved images I haven’t put up yet.

That’s all for now, but don’t forget to check out or gear store if you want to wear Sherman Tank related gear. It supports the site!

Sherman Tank Site Post 73: Articles from Army Motors Episode one, Give Your Tank a Brake!

05/06/2018Army Motors, Crews life, Driver, Driving a Sherman, engines, GM 6046, M4, M4A1, M4A2, M4A3, M4A4, R975, Reports, Sherman Tank, Sherman Tank Repair and Maintenance TipsA57, ArmyMotors, BRAKES, COMPRESSIONBRAKING, GM6046, M4 Medium Tank, M4 Sherman Tank, M4A1, M4A2, M4A3, M4A4, Powerpacks, Powertrain, R975Jeeps_Guns_Tanks

Sherman Tank Site Post 73: Articles from Army Motors Episode #1

This is the first in a series of posts I’m going to do highlighting the Sherman or M4 series-related vehicle, articles I’ve found. With some commentary, though some of these articles are so good they speak for themselves.

Give Your Tank a Brake!

This article surprised me, because in the world of 4 wheel drive, compression braking is commonly used to control a vehicle on steep hill descents, and some vehicles have very low gears in their transfer case for this purpose, among others. I bought a Jeep Rubicon because it came with a Transfercase to do this.

A tank is not a Jeep though, so I clearly get the point of the article. Also, as for using the engine to brake, I’ve never been big on downshifting for that reason, even in cars and Jeeps. I once had a conversation with my wife, who was big on downshifting, about the cost and labor of a new set of brake pads, versus a new clutch. She agreed once we talked about the labor involved.

Sherman Tank Site Post 72: Army Motors, the Magazine of the Army Mechanic!

05/06/2018A57, Army Motors, engines, Ford GAA, GM 6046, M4, M4A1, M4A2, M4A3, M4A4, Maintenance, Powertrain, R975, Sherman Tank, Sherman Tank Repair and Maintenance Tips, Tank accessories, Technical Manuals, Tools, TrainingArmyMaintenance, Ford GAA, GM6046, History, M4 Medium Tank, M4 Sherman Tank, M4A3, M4A4, maintenance, MotorsJeeps_Guns_Tanks

Post 72: Army Motors: How the Army Updated the Armies Mechanics!

Over the years, I’ve run into the Army’s PS Magazines, the comic book style magazine distributed around the army to advise the troops in language they could too, but they were all post-WWII so of limited interest to the Sherman Tank Fanatic. RadioNerds has all or almost all of the PS Mags for download, and they are a fun read. RadioNerds is a really Fantastic site, and when I found out there was a WWII Magazine for the same purpose, though more Vehicle specific, and was not surprised to find RadioNerds also has all or just about all of them too!

You can find them here: Radionerds Army Motors Archive

The Army Motors magazines start pre-WWII, in may of 1940, and they really do not have much of interest to the Sherman fanatic until the 1943 issue, and then they have all kinds of fun information. This does not mean those pre 43 issues are not interesting. They give you a look into the problems the army was running into as it was growing, and one of those problems was draftees ruining everything!

What I mean by this is the main push of just about every issue is, follow the maintenance schedule and not be creative in trying figure out better or easier ways to do the maintenance. Some other problems would be not driving properly or even warming vehicles up right. General carelessness seemed to be enemy number 1.

Accident were another big subject across the board, I even found a chart of deaths and there causes. Horseplay was another one, with power tools in particular, got mentioned in several issues. This one I thought was amusing, and reminded me of all the times I’ve worked with men and around tools. Jokes and pranks were played, and it was just life, no need to involve HR or anything.

The general tone of these magazines was humorous, and they have several set ‘Departments’ like Connie Rodd Bulliton board, and the Rumors Department, with an Outhouse as a logo. There were lots of illustrations and comics, and they went color in late 43.

The early and late versions of later versions of Connie Rodd.

Here are some interesting examples.

A letter from a satisfied customer.

Don’t waste rubber, it makes Hitler happy, that’s his happy face.

This cartoon is a little disturbing, but the chart explains the US Vehicle maintenance system.

Sherman Tank Site News, POST 11: New post, and new Manuals to download.

08/06/2017A65, Advanced tech, almost made it, Best Tank, Data, engines, M4A4, News, The ChieftanData, Motors, NewsJeeps_Guns_Tanks

Sherman Tank Site News, POST 11: New post, and new Manuals to download, more updates to come.

Spring and summer are always my busy season at the day job, so the amount of time I’ve had to really spend on the site has been a little limited. I have been collecting data for further Sherman posts, and part of that is technical and field manuals. I’ve collected a bunch of new ones and they are all available on the downloads page

I also just put up new post on the A-65 V12, Chrysler’s unadopted monster Tank motor.

As the summer comes to a close, I should have more time to dedicate to the site again, so watch for more posts, more often in the coming months. I am also considering setting up some form of donation page, things are a little tight right now, and It would be nice to offset some of the costs, and or have a little money to pic up a couple of pricey manuals.

Check out this cool video of Nicholas Moran AKA the Chieftan, talk about why the Sherman was the best COMBAT TANK of WWII.

Thanks for checking out the site, and any feedback given!

Watch David Fletcher talk about the Vc Firefly

#68 The Chrysler Engine that could have been: The A-65 V12, Chrysler’s home designed tank motor.

08/06/2017Advanced tech, engines, M4A4, Sherman Tank, SpecificationsA57, advanced tech, Ford GAA, M4A4, Motors, Powerfull motorsJeeps_Guns_Tanks

The Chrysler Engine that could have been: The A-65 V12, if the war had gone on, there could have been some hotrod Shermans.

Chrysler Corporation had a big impact on the war, and US Tank production. They produced the first, and the model for the others, Tank Arsenal CDA. They also came up with the A-57 multibank tank motor, that powered a significant number of Sherman tanks. They produced this fantastically complicated, but also reliable motor in a very quickly, and even though the US Army and Marine Corps thumbed their noses at it, it was well liked by the British.

Chrysler on their own dime came up with a water cooled, V12, tank motor, and offered it to the Army. It took them about a year to come up with three trial motors. These 1568 cubic motors started out at 650 horsepower at 2600 RPM and 1485 pounds of torque at 1600 RPM on the test stand. They came in around 3840 pounds, but there was a proposed all aluminum version that have dropped nearly 1000 pounds. Designing and producing the prototypes, cost a grand total of 358,000 bucks, that’s over 5 million in today’s dollars. During the dyno testing period, they had a few problems with the fan drives, but these were solved with improved oiling and rolling bearings, and these seemed to have solved the problems.

They used an M4A4 as a test vehicle, and had to stretch it another 9 and 1/2 inches to fit the new motor. Installed and ready to roll the thing came in at 69,170 ponds, and a stock M4A4 came in at 69,640 pounds! Installed, the early versions had 549 horsepower, but they upped the compression ratio and got it to 580, and it was improved even more with some carburetion changes. They made the compression change by swapping and a cam change during the in vehicle testing phase. Further testing led to the intake and carb changes. All the while the motor was being swapped in and out, and driving tests done.

The automotive tests were very successful, and that was using the stock powertrain of the Sherman, though with so much power, they decided a gear change would help. By swapping the original 3:53:1 gears for 3:05:1 gears, they A65 was still able to beat an M4A43 in a drag race! The engine was so promising, it’s an interesting mystery why the Army never developed it further. Much like the GAA, there was much more performance potential in this motor, and the Army never took it any further.

I suspect what ultimately killed this motor, was the same thing that killed the GAA, the Army was looking at air cooled motors for the future, because you can save a lot of weight, if there is not liquid cooling system needed.

Special thanks goes out to Chris R, one of our readers and a source contributor, sent me a nice little history on the motor. Thanks again Chris, sorry it took so long!!

Sources: Sherman, by Hunnicutt, and 1943 A-65 Tank Engine History

#46 Gallery V, More Sherman Photos, Some Maybe Not As High Res

Gallery V, More Sherman Photos, more Comments, Maybe Fewer Resolutions.

7_75_57034940 — US Army M4 crew, probably somewhere in the ETO or MTO. The crew are wearing a HBT coverall that was not all that popular. Later they would would wear the same things the infantry did. Being color you can see the black on OD green camo used, and a red air ID panel on the back of the tank. The top hat was not standard issue.

739TB_M4Crab_45 — **M4 Crab, with the 739th TB.**

Sherman_Crab_1944 — **British Sherman V based Crab, 1944.**

M4Sherman_Flail_Tank_Breinig_1944 — **M4 Crab Breinig 1944.**

IC Firefly Normandy — **A Sherman IC Firefly probably with the British 11th Armored Division, in the town of Putanges, 20 August 1944.**

n-siPvp-tYI — **A captured M4A1 75 tank, an early DV model, being tested by the Nazis. This tank was probably captured in North Africa.**

borden-feb-2015-037 — **An M4A4 based Crab up survives to this day in Canada.**

M4A2_75_Dry_Soviet_LargeHatch_76292ecf — **An M4A2 75 large hatch tank, this is one of the rare dry ammo rack large hatch tanks. It must have been going pretty fast when it hit that mud, note the tanker bar on the left about to fall off.**

Einheiten_der_11_US-Panzerdivision_ueberqueren_Muehl_ — An M4A3 76w HVSS tank is climbing up a muddy road in this HUGE image. Note the commander has a 1919 mounted in front of him. The caption says 11th US Armored Division Einheiten Der Germany 1945. You can see a Jumbo and another A3 76 tank , this one VVSS in the background.

39infphoto (1) — **M4 Sherman with a M1 Dozer blade drivers through a whole in the Siegfried lines Tank Trap belt. The tank is a M4 75.**

0_12eb6_9d37ac5d_orig (1) — **Close up of the T34 Calliope, being loaded by the crew, it shows lots of detail of the T34 installation.**

Unihtozjenniy-M4-Sherman-i-angliyskiy-broneavto_Borgo_Sabotino_may1944 (1) — **This is an M4 Sherman in Italy that hit a large Anti tank mine, or maybe a pair of them in the same hole. The tank is a DV tank, with an M34 gun mount.**

20090608shermans-lct — This picture was taken during the staging in the UK just before 6 June 1944. Note the left-hand tank has the characteristic arm for mounting a dozer blade (barely visible running along the suspension); the hydraulic jack and blade are missing. 741st Tank Battalion after action reports indicate that among the eight dozer tanks they had scheduled to land in Wave 2, one of them, commanded by LT Kotz, did not have a blade attached. The 741st’s tanks on Omaha Beach came in three flavors. B and C companies had DD tanks. Co. A had M4A1 tanks and the tank dozers (six of their own and two from the 610 Engineer Company) were M4A3s, if I am not mistaken. If these are 741st tanks, then the photo was taken at the Portland ‘hards’ in the UK, where they out-loaded. Also note the M8 armored ammunition trailer. Each of the eight LCTs carrying Co. A embarked two standard tanks and a dozer tank. They also carried an engineer gap assault team and towed an LCM behind. Off the Normandy coast, the engineers boarded their LCM and followed the LCT ashore, where the dozer tank was supposed to support and work under the direction of the gap assault team leader. Also, on the way in, the two standard tanks were to fire over the LCT’s bow ramp, providing suppressive fire as they neared the beach. The ammo trailers were there to ensure they had plenty to shoot. One pair of Co. A’s tanks reported firing 450 rounds of 75mm on D-Day. Love your site. Caption Info, thanks to Chuck Herrick.

20100429-sherman — **M4A3 or A2 76w Sherman somewhere in Europe 1945, that almost looks like Soviet numbering on the side of the turret.**

imStalengrades-30 — **A pair of M4 small hatch 75mm tanks coming off an LST-77 at Anzio, Italy, May 1944; note the small barge capsized in the background.**

Line_of_tanks_Paris — A line of French Sherman tanks in Paris after the city was liberated by French forces. The tanks are a mix of small and large hatch Shermans, one is a M4 or M4A3 105 and there is a 76 gun sticking out down the row. Vive La France!

100593 — **An UK M4 and an M4A1 pass through a fence in an urban area. It could be an M4A4 in front I suppose.**

8090192681 — **M4A3 based flamethrower tank, probably with the Marines on Iwo Jima. These tanks used a Navy Mark 1 Flame-Thrower.**

1372908629_0_90655_7df640f7_xxxl-sukhov — M4A1 76w with extra plate armor added to the front hull, it’s from the 3rd Armored Division on the outskirts of Korbach 30 March 1945, also note the Commanders and loaders hatches have been swapped. There is also a pair of boxing gloves hanging on the front armor!

**An M4A1 76w and an M4A3E2 Jumbo of the 3rd Armored Division, probably during the Battle of Hürtgen Forest.**

**14th Armored Division M4A1 76W with sandbags, the tank has a threaded and capped M1A1 gun and the split loaders hatch.**

M4_Severnaya_Afrika_1943 — **M4A1 North Africa, 1943, the tank appears to be rather dirty.**

M4_Sherman_Flail_Scorpion_Mine_Clearing_Track_Undergoes_Testing_North_Africa_1943 (1) — **M4 based Scorpion mine clearing tank.**

0_155aa5_78e304fb_orig — **M4 Sherman coming out of a gully, this is a command tank, note the extra antenna on the front right of the hull.**

soviet-sherman — Soviet M4A2 75’s crew play an accordion and pal around. This tank is another rare large hatch hull with dry ammo racks, you can make out the armor over the ammo racks on t he side of the hull. Most, it not all of these tanks went to Russia. Also note the drivers side head light and guard are nearly ripped off.

soviet-Shermans — **A pair of M4A2 76w Shermans serving with the Soviets, these tanks are just like the one above.**

Укладка-Шерман — **Crewmen of a M4A3 76w Sherman loads ammo into the floor ammo racks. The manual says the rounds should be stored nose up.**

#44 Gallery III: Even More Random High Res Sherman Photos With Comments.

Gallery III: Even More Random High Resolution Sherman and Lee Photos with Comments.

**British or French M4A2 tanks in the desert. Probably training in North Africa.**

100th_Infantry_Division_781st_Tank_Battalion_M4_and_M5_Column_East_France_1945 — **Convoy of tanks, trucks and jeeps from the100th ID, and 781st TB, the photo isn’t detailed enough to get a specific make on the Shermans.**

Шерман-1 — This M4A1 76w is from A Company, 20th Tank Battalion , 20 Armored Division. They are on the outskirts of Cailly, France on February 24th, they had arrived in country a few days before and had not seen combat yet. The crew is unpacking and taking inventory of all the gear issued with the tank, they probably received the tank with the back deck covered in the boxes.

Looking for info — A **group of Doughs gathered around the rear of an M4A3 76w, probably somewhere in Germany in 1945. Note how much stuff they have strapped to the back deck.**

Okinawa_1st_TB_USMC_4-45 (1) — 1st Marine Tank Battalion, Okinawa 1945. notice all the extra stuff on the tank. The Marston matting on the hatch is to keep the Japanese infantry from putting a satchel charge or worse right on top of the periscope, a fairly weak spot. They also had magnetic mines they could put on the side of the tank on I bet the matting on the side helped prevent that. Wood and concrete was also used. It must be the angle, but the pistol port almost looks like it’s missing.

2nd-french-armored-div-m10-halloville-france-nov-13-44570 — **An M10 serving in the 2nd French Armored Division Hallville France November of 1944.**

French crew on the background of the tank Sherman M4A2 (76) W of the 2nd company of the 501st Tank Regiment (2 Compagnie de Chars, 501 RCC) — A French M4A3 76w or M4A2 76w of second company of the 501st Tank Regiment. The French used almost all versions of the Sherman, so without seeing the engine deck, I can’t tell for sure what model it is.

M4-Sherman_Belle-of-Little-Rock_Lt-R_Hoffman_15_01_1944 (1) — **M4 Sherman tank named Bell of Little rock, and a Lt R Hoffman looking it over, January of 1944, oddly I can’t find out what unit this tank was with.**

Шерман-с-песком (1) — This seems to be concrete going over sandbags. The tank is either an M4A1 76w or an M4A3 76W. *If you have any other info on this image let me know.*

NARA_-_196225 (1) burma — M4A4s on the Burma road. How cool is it to see M4A4 tanks on the Burma road? These M4A4s were probably fairly late production A4s, that had been used in the US for training then overhauled and shipped to the UK. Some M4A4 tanks ended up back in US hands in the CBI when a composite US/Chinese tank unit needed some mediums. Not the lead tank has some kind of windscreen up for the driver and how heavily loaded the tanks are.

Behind a destroyed British Sherman M4 near Caen in Normandy, a soldier of the Waffen SS watches the enemy line. Date: 1944 — Behind a destroyed British Sherman M4 near Caen in Normandy, a fascist soldier, of the criminal, Waffen SS watches the enemy line. Date: 1944 The Tank if either an Ic or Vc Firefly, probably the latter since it was the most common Firefly type.

M4A2 76w Lend Lease tank — Our Soviet allies(at the time) using a Lend Lease M4A2 76w. I have no idea what unit these Russian Soldiers are from, but if someone does, let me know. I bet they killed a lot of Nazis to get to there, there being somewhere in Germany 1945

Soviet_Lend-Lease_M3_Lee_Grant_And_German_Soldiers-2 — Soviet Lend Lease M3 Lee knocked out. The Germans on it seem to be using it like a jungle gym, though something less wholesome could be going on since some of the fascist, criminal, invaders are in various states of dress.

2nd_Armored_Division_Troops_Help_Children_Past_Crashed_M3_lee — **During a pre war training exercise this M3 Lee collapsed this bridge. The crew is helping the local kids get across so they can get to school. I love this image!**

M3_Grant_Tank_Crews_Set_Up_for_the_Night_in_Egyptain_Desert_1942 — This British M3 Grant Crew is setting up to spend the night in the desert, in egypt, in 1942. I do not understand why two of them are naked. Note the .30 1919 on the roof, and the canvas mantlet cover on the 75mm.

number_one_pilot_model_of_m3_lee_on_chrysler_testing_grounds_1941.776mx1r3uog8wswgsg0cgw804.ejcuplo1l0oo0sk8c40s8osc4.th — **This is the Production pilot of the M3 Lee, photo may have been taken during the demonstration for the factory workers, where the Lee took out an empty Guard shack by accident, by running it over.**

M4A3E8-tank-on-bridge-that-collapsed-with-weight-of-vehicle-during-operation-against-Glossbliederstroff-on-the-Saar-Tank-is-from-the-749th-Tank-Battalion-18-Februay-19 — Clearly tanks and bridges are not fond of each other. This M4A3 76w HVSS tank seems to have been a tad much for this one. It was also a German bridge, so it was probably complicated, just adequate for the Job, and prone to failure. =D

M3_Lee_Medium_Tank_Prototype_At_Aberdeen_Proving_Ground — **Another shot of the prototype Lee at Aberdeen Proving ground.**

9e344bdd19541 — Another Lend Lease M4A2 76w being used by the Soviets. These tanks were well liked by the Russian crews, they felt they were very lavishly equipped. They were not fond of the .45 ACP round or the submachine guns that used them, and that these tanks came with.

20090625-vena — Even more Russian M4A2 76w tanks, the Russian crews called them ‘Emchas’ and they were unhappy to have to give them up when the war ended. In some case they didn’t, and converted them to tractors.

Soviet_sherman1 — **Even more even more Russian M4A2 76w tanks, of the various engine types the Sherman could come with, the only ones the Russian would accept were the diesel based M4A2 tanks.**

world-war2-011 — French M4A2 coming off an LST, this one is with the 12e RCC, 2e Division Blindee. This was a very famous French Armored Division commanded by the General Philippe LeClerc. This photo was taken on 2 August 1944, on Utah beach. Vive la France!

0_ff5a_e0b55771_orig — **Fascist troops using a knocked out M4 as a resting spot. These may have been taken in Italy.**

157 — This huge image is of Sherman M4A2 tanks with the French 12e Regiment De Chasseurs D’Afrique, part of the 2e Division Blindee, commanded by General Philippe LeClerc, taken August of 44 in Normandy. Vive la France!

#30 Sherman Model Specifications: Data, and Lots of It.

11/23/2015M3 Lee, M36, M4, M4A1, M4A2, M4A3, M4A4, Ram II, Sherman Tank, Specification Sheets, SpecificationsM4, M4A3 76 hvss, M4A4, Specification Sheets, StatsJeeps_Guns_Tanks

Sherman Model Specification Sheets: Detailed Data Sheets For Each Model.

These were a pain in the rear to make, the ones in the back of my copy of Hunnicutt are very bad, so I have reproduced some in Word, and then print them out as PDFs, then take a screen shot of the PDF for this post. I have now hosted all the PDF files, if you want something with copy and pasteable text. I’ve got a system not for these and it’s semi easy to do, so I will keep adding them. I also added at least one, and up to five images with each spec sheet, of the Sherman the spec sheet is for. You can click to enlarge all these images, the sizes very.