Tank Sherman: combat equipment of the Second World War

The American tank Sherman is one of the most successful modifications of military equipment produced by allies during the Second World War. It should be noted that it was used not only by the Americans themselves in their military operations against the Japanese and Germans, but also actively supplied to the Soviet Army under the Lend-Lease contract.

Its name was given to the tank Sherman in honor of one of the military leaders of the northerners during the civil war - W. Sherman. In the design development of this machine was first called the T6, and then - M4 in various modifications. After signing the act of surrender with Japan, this tank has long been in service in many countries of the world, participated in the Korean War and numerous Arab-Israeli conflicts.

The United States entered the world war without any major modifications to the medium tanks, which, as experience showed, played a decisive role on the battlefields. The government set the task, as soon as possible, to correct this gap, but a decent result was achieved only by the end of 1941. T6, which, after launching into mass production, became known as the M4, had a cast body, and its armament was housed in a rotating turret, which increased maneuverability and control over the battlefield. It is important to note that the Sherman tank was much more economically economical for its predecessors, which, in the face of huge losses, was almost of primary importance. Over the years of the war, the American industry produced more than 49,000 of these machines.

Overview of the Sherman tank allows us to conclude that its layout fully met all the requirements of this period. The motor was located behind, while the transmission compartment is in front. The tower served as the basis for the combat compartment, located almost in the geometric center of the machine. At the same time, the tank's unconditional shortcomings include its relatively tall body, which turned it into an excellent target for the enemy. However, such a height was almost inevitable, since otherwise the huge aircraft engine that was installed here was not concealed.

The tank Sherman had very decent weapons. If at launching it into the series a 75 mm cannon, inherited from previous samples, was installed on the tower, then on later models larger guns, including 105 mm howitzers, were put. In addition to the main gun, the tank (depending on the modification) also had a twin rifle machine gun, and next to the commander's hatch there was a large-caliber machine gun. In addition, later models were equipped with a smoke mortar and a submachine gun Thompson.

The tank "Sherman" can be safely attributed to one of the most reliable types of military equipment during the Second World War. From other similar models, such as the Soviet T-34 or the German T-4, it was distinguished by a longer period of engine operation, as well as an excellent transmission, allowing the car to confidently maneuver both in the desert and off-road.