The M4 Sherman was an American medium heavy tank of World War II. The first prototypes were built in 1941, and serial production continued in the period 1942-1945. In total, about 49,000 copies of this tank of all modifications were produced, which makes it one of the most produced tanks of the Second World War and the most important tank in the armament of the Allied armies during this conflict. The M4 Sherman was equipped with one Continental R 975 C4 engine with a capacity of 400 hp. in the M4A1 version. The armament of the machine consisted - depending on the version - of one 75 mm M3 gun or 76 mm M1 gun or 105 mm M4 howitzer and two 7.62 mm Browning1919A machine guns.
The M4 Sherman was designed as a successor to the M2 and M3 tanks, although it used many components from the latter. First, only a slightly modified chassis of the M3 Lee car was used. When developing the M4 Sherman, the emphasis was primarily on playing the role of an infantry support vehicle, and not fighting enemy tanks - this was the role of American tank destroyers. Only possible collisions with Pz.Kpfw III and Pz.Kpfw IV machines were foreseen. The mass production of the new tank and the minimum possible production costs also played a significant role. The result was a tank with good armament for 1942 and early 1943, medium armor, but with a sloping front sheet, but also with poor maneuverability and - especially in the first versions - very susceptible to ignition as a result of hitting the engine compartment. But at the same time, a tank was created that could be really serial and had significant modernization potential. Many R&D M4 Shermans were released during serial production. Chronologically, the first version was the M4A1, which already had cast armor. The other, the M4A2, had welded armor and a new General Motors 6460 engine with a capacity of 375-410 hp, but much less prone to ignition. The M4A3 version also appeared, armed with a 105-mm howitzer and equipped with a 450 hp Ford GAA engine. Based on the M4A3 version, there were two sub-versions: the M4A3E2 Jumbo with reinforced armor and the M4A3E8 with HVSS and a 76 mm gun. An interesting modification was also the T34 Calliope machine with unguided missiles mounted on the tower. The M4 Sherman was also supplied to the British and Red Army in huge quantities. The former developed a version of the Firefly based on it with an excellent 17-pounder anti-tank gun. During World War II, M4 Sherman tanks fought in North Africa (1942-1943), Italy (1943-1945), in battles in Normandy, France and West Germany (1944-1945), as well as in the Pacific Ocean or in formation. The Red Army on the Eastern Front. After World War II, the M4 Sherman was used in many countries, including Argentina, Belgium, India, Israel, Japan, Pakistan, and Turkey. It also participated in many conflicts after 1945, including the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and the Six Day War of 1967.
glue and paint are not included in the set
