Sherman Jumbo Information

[Chicago Boy]

I Have found some good info on the Sherman Jumbo. It is from Colonel Trevor Dupuys' great book HITLERS LAST GAMBLE. On page 381 the good Colonel writes-" A very important variant was the M4A3E2 or "Jumbo" This was a standard M4 that had been fitted with additioal armor-substantially increasing its protection. The Jumbo was in fact better protected than the vaunted German "Panther"

albeit the German tank had a better gun. The M4A3E2 was produdced in small numbers (254 were built);however , Ordnance workshops in the ETO, working with armorplate produced by French steel mills or with salvaged armorplate, converted a large number M4's in Europe to the M4a3E2 standard. It is uncertain how many were available in Europe(Third Army workshops alone had converted 200 by December 1944)but despite their small numbers the Jumbos helped even the odds in tank to tank duels against the panzers. The M4A3E2's were scattered throughout the theater: Most of the armored Divisions had 20 to 30; seperate battalions occasionally would have a platoon of 5 or 5." I would like to thank the late great Colonel Trevor Dupuy for all the hours of enjoyment he has provided me with through his excellent Military Scholarship. I hope this helps answer some of those Jumbo questions I have seen posted here. Cheers from The Windy City

[PzKpfw 1]

IIRC, the Sherman Jumbo conversion data Depuy used was from the the US Army's Ardennes Combat Simulation Database. The author (Richard something?),stumbled across the conversion numbers by 'accident', during his research in 1989.

Regards, John Waters

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Notice: Spelling mistakes left in for people who need to correct others to make their life fulfilled.

[Guest Michael emrys]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Chicago Boy:

..the late great Colonel Trevor Dupuy...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

"Late"??? Has Dupuy snuffed it? I hadn't heard. Serious wargamers everywhere owe him more than they will ever know.

Michael