M4 Sherman Bio 3

and T26 (which would eventually become the M26 Pershing) during the crucial period of 1943
because they did not meet the two criteria of the Army Ground Forces for accepting new
equipment; they were not "battle worthy," and he saw no "battle need" for them. In fall 1943,
Lieutenant General Devers, commander of U.S. forces in the European Theater of Operations
(ETO), asked for 250 T26 tanks for use in the invasion of France; McNair refused, citing the fact
that he believed the M4 was adequate. Devers appealed all the way to the War Department, and
Major General Russell L. Maxwell, the Assistant Chief of Staff G-4 of the War Department
General Staff, ordered the 250 tanks built in December 1943. McNair finally relented in his
opposition, but still opposed mass production; his Army Ground Forces even asked for the tanks
to be "down-gunned" from 90 mm to 75 or 76 mm in April 1944, believing the 76 mm gun was
capable of performing satisfactorily. Marshall then summarily ordered the tanks to be provided
to the ETO as soon as possible. Soon after the Normandy invasion in June 1944, General Dwight
D. Eisenhower urgently requested heavy tanks, but McNair's continued opposition to mass
production due to persistent serious mechanical problems with the vehicles delayed their
procurement. That same month, the War Department reversed course and completely overruled
the Army Ground Forces when making their tank production plan for 1945. 7,800 tanks were to
be built, of which 2,060 were to be T26s armed with 90 mm guns, 2,728 were to be T26s armed
with 105 mm howitzers and 3,000 were to be M4A3 Sherman tanks armed with 105 mm
howitzers. As a part of the plan, the British requested 750 90 mm-armed T26s and 200 105 mm-
armed T26s.[88] General McNair was killed in a botched air support mission in July 1944, and the
path to production for the T26 tank became somewhat clearer. General Marshall intervened again
and the tanks were eventually brought into full production. However, only a few T26 tanks (by
then designated M26) saw combat beginning in February 1945, too late to have any effect on the
battlefield.[89]
Variants
Main article: M4 Sherman variants
A USMC M4A3 uses its flame thrower during the Battle of Iwo Jima
The Sherman, like its M3 predecessor, was one of the first tanks to feature a gyroscopically
stabilized gun and sight. The stabilization was only in the vertical plane; the mechanism could
not slew the turret. The stabilizer was sufficient to keep the gun's elevation setting within 1/8th
of a degree, or 2 mils, while crossing moderately rough terrain at 15 miles per hour (24 km/h).
This gave a hit probability of 70% on enemy tanks at ranges of 300 yards (270 m) to 1,200 yards
(1,100 m).[90] The utility of the stabilization is debatable, with some saying it was useful for its
intended purpose, others that it was useful only for using the sights for stabilized viewing on the
move.[91] Some operators disabled the stabilizer.[citation needed]
The 75 mm gun also had an effective canister round that functioned as a large shotgun. In the
close fighting of the French bocage of Normandy, the U.S. Army's 2nd Armored Division tanks
used Culin Hedgerow Cutters fitted to their tanks to push three tanks together through a
hedgerow. The flank tanks would clear the back of the hedgerow on their side with canister
rounds while the center tank would engage and suppress known or suspected enemy positions on
the next hedgerow. This approach permitted surprisingly fast progress through the very tough
and well-defended hedgerows in Normandy. Over 500 sets of these were fitted to US armored
vehicles, and many fitted to various British tanks (where they were called "prongs").[citation needed]
The 75 mm gun had a white phosphorus shell originally intended for use as an artillery marker to
help with targeting. M4 tank crews discovered that the shell could also be used against the Tiger
and Panther—when the burning white phosphorus adhered to the German tanks, their excellent
optics would be blinded and the acrid smoke would get sucked inside the vehicle, making it
difficult or impossible for the crew to breathe. This, and the fear of fire starting or spreading
inside the tank, would sometimes cause the crew to abandon the tank.[92] There were several
recorded instances where white phosphorus shells defeated German tanks in this fashion.[93]
M4 Shermans armed with the 105 mm M4 howitzer were employed as a three-vehicle "assault
gun" platoon under the tank battalion headquarters company along with another one in each
medium tank company (a total of six tanks in the battalion)[94] to provide close fire support and
smoke. Armored infantry battalions were also eventually issued three of 105 mm Shermans in
the headquarters company.[95] The 105 mm-armed variants were issued the M67 high-explosive
anti-tank (HEAT) round; although very effective the low muzzle velocity made hitting enemy
armor difficult.[83][96][97] The 105 mm Shermans were not equipped with a power-traversing turret,
and this resulted in complaints from soldiers in the field.[98][99] An upgrade was not available
before the end of the war.
Armor
This early 75 mm gun turret shows the single hatch; the additional rectangular external (welded
on) appliqué armor patch reinforces the

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and T26 (which would eventually become the M26 Pershing) during the crucial period of 1943

Main article: M4 Sherman variants

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