On Shermans

[Mark Gallear]

I was perplexed by the number of different Shermans in the game so I got out my copy of “Sherman A History of the American Medium Tank” By R.P. Hunnicutt and did some checking. I was surprised to find that the game accounts for all the Sherman types. However, I have some questions about a few points :confused: .

The game lists the M4 Sherman early (Sherman I) as been :-

24mph

33 tons

400 horsepower

Turret

Front 76/0 Degrees (should it not be at 30 degrees?)

Side 51/5

Rear 51/0

Upper Hull

Front 51/56

Side 38/0

Rear 38/10

Lower Hull

Front 51/15

Side 38/0

Rear 38/10

Top

19 Deck 25 Turret

Gun

75mm 38

12.7mm flexible, Hull, Coaxial

Armour quality 85%

M4 Sherman

24mph

33 tons

400 horsepower

Turret

Front 89/0 Degrees

Side 51/5

Rear 51/0

Upper Hull

Front 51/56

Side 38/0

Rear 38/10

Lower Hull

Front 51/15

Side 38/0

Rear 38/10

Top

19 Deck 25 Turret

Gun

75mm 38

12.7mm flexible, Hull, Coaxial

Armour quality 90%

M4 Sherman mid-production according to Hunnicutt

(1 inch = 2.54 cm)

Max speed 24mph

66,900 pounds

400 Gross horsepower

Turret

Front Gun shield 3.5 inches (88.9mm) Front 3 inches (76.2mm) 30 degrees

Side 2 inch (50.8mm) 5 degrees

Rear 1 inch (25.4mm) 0 degrees

Upper Hull

Front 2 inches (50.8mm) 56 degrees

Side 1.5 (38.1mm) 0 degrees

Rear 1.5 (38.1mm) 0-10 degrees

Lower Hull

Front 2 inches (50.8mm) 0 –56 degress

Side 1.5 (38.1mm) 0 degrees

Rear 1.5 (38.1mm) 0-10 degrees

Top

0.75 inch (19.05mm) 83-90 degrees Deck 1inch (25.4) 90 degrees Turret

I assume the second model represents the gun shield been extended across the turret to protect the MG. However, the angle on the turret front has been ignored and is 76mm at 30 degrees. This is the same situation on the M4A1 (Sherman II), M4 A2 (Sherman III) and M4 A3 (Sherman IV).

The M4 A2 (Sherman III) has a diesel engine but is listed the same as the petrol engined Sherman’s, "as burns easily"?

The game list the M4 A2 (late) (Sherman III) lower hull as being Front 102mm at 15 degrees but Hunnicutt has it at 107.95mm- 50.8mm at 0-56 degrees. Is this the same thing?

Said it before but the first British Sherman’s came with a .30 Calibre AA turret mounted machinegun, which was used on some tanks. After a few months, the British army went back to its normal practise of not fitting an AA machinegun to its tanks. The Commonwealth marks of Sherman's should have a .30 Calibre for the early Sherman II and III (to represent Alamein) and the rest should be removed. I assume the first US Tanks had the .30 calibre MG and later tanks the .50 calibre. This is what Hunnicutt basically says happened with the .30 cal browning proving to be not powerful enough in this role.

[Michael Dorosh]

I've made some comments on Sherman availability also; Mark I'd suggest posting this info to my OFFICIAL PATCH REQUEST AND BUG REPORT thread and hopefully having this info in the same place will get it reviewed by the powers that be?

[Wallybob]

As far as toasting of the M4A2. It burnt not primarily because of the fuel (duh, diesel), but like early M4s it was ammo storage. Wet storage (in jackets of antifreeze) later would reduce the "Ronson" effect a bit.

[MikeyD]

That 75mm gun turret front would be rather tough to accurately model in the game. Yes you've got the angled turret face but also the bolted-on rounded cast trunnion mount, and the rounded shield covering that, and the vaarious openings. Simply calling it 76/30 degrees (or 0 degrees) doesn't quite do it justice. I can't imagine what would be a reasonable compromise. Of course it doesn't really make too much of a difference since German shells seem to go through the Sherman like butter regardless.