Book Review of
M4 Sherman, M4, M4A1, M4A4 & Firefly
Author: Stanislaw Mokwa
Kagero Books Top Drawings No. 98
ISBN: 978-83-66148-93-2
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $24.95
ISBN: 978-83-66148-93-2
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $24.95
HISTORY:
The M4 Sherman, officially Medium Tank, M4, was the most widely used medium tank by the United States and Western Allies in World War II. The M4 Sherman proved to be reliable, relatively cheap to produce, and available in great numbers. It was also the basis of several successful tank destroyers, such as the M10, 17pdr SP Achilles and M36.
Tens of thousands were distributed through the Lend-Lease program to the British Commonwealth and Soviet Union. The tank was named by the British for the American Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman.
The M4 Sherman evolved from the M3 Medium Tank, which – for speed of development – had its main armament in a side sponson mount. The M4 retained much of the previous mechanical design, but moved the main 75 mm gun into a fully traversing central turret. One feature, a one-axis gyrostabilizer, was not precise enough to allow firing when moving but did help keep the reticle on target, so that when the tank did stop to fire, the gun would be aimed in roughly the right direction.
The designers stressed mechanical reliability, ease of production and maintenance, durability, standardization of parts and ammunition in a limited number of variants, and moderate size and weight (its width and weight were designed to conform with the War Department restrictions at the time that aimed to ease shipping problems and ensure armored vehicles would be compatible with existing bridging equipment.
These factors, combined with the Sherman's then-superior armor and armament, outclassed German light and medium tanks fielded in 1939–42. The M4 went on to be produced in large numbers, being the most produced tank in American history:
The Soviets' T-34 medium tank (total of some 64,549 wartime-produced examples, split roughly 55%-45% between 76 mm and 85 mm gunned examples) was the only tank design produced in larger numbers during World War II. The Sherman spearheaded many offensives by the Western Allies after 1942.
When the M4 tank went into combat in North Africa with the British Army at the Second Battle of El Alamein in late 1942, it increased the advantage of Allied armor over Axis armor and was superior to the lighter German and Italian tank designs. For this reason, the US Army believed that the M4 would be adequate to win the war, and relatively little pressure was initially exerted for further tank development.
Logistical and transport restrictions, such as limitations imposed by roads, ports, and bridges, also complicated the introduction of a more capable but heavier tank. Tank destroyer battalions using vehicles built on the M4 hull and chassis, but with open-topped turrets and more potent high-velocity guns, also entered widespread use in the Allied armies.
Even by 1944, most M4 Shermans kept their dual-purpose 75 mm gun. By then, the M4 was inferior in firepower and armor to increasing numbers of German heavy tanks, but was able to fight on with the help of considerable numerical superiority, greater mechanical reliability, better logistical support, and support from growing numbers of fighter-bombers and artillery pieces.
Some Shermans were produced with a more capable gun, the 76 mm gun M1, or refitted with a 76.2mm calibre Ordnance QF 17-pounder gun by the British (the Sherman Firefly).
The relative ease of production allowed large numbers of the M4 to be manufactured, and significant investment in tank recovery and repair units allowed disabled vehicles to be repaired and returned to service quickly. These factors combined to give the Allies numerical superiority in most battles, and many infantry divisions were provided with M4s and tank destroyers.
After World War II, the Sherman, particularly the many improved and upgraded versions, continued to see combat service in many conflicts around the world, including the UN forces in the Korean War, with Israel in the Arab–Israeli wars, briefly with South Vietnam in the Vietnam War, and on both sides of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.
THE BOOK:
Kagero Books is located in Lublin, Poland.
This book is in Polish and English,
It is soft cover and in a self-sealing clear envelope.
It contains 20 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
The cover art shows 2 color side profiles of Shermans, posed against an all-black background that has a white line-drawing of the upper view of a Sherman.
Both the Shermans are overall olive-drab. The one at the top has “Sloppy Joe” written in white on the sides of the hull and there is a small white No, 13 on the sides of the turret. This tank is a M4A1 version of the 603rd Armoured Company, 41st Infantry Division, Caroline Islands, summer, 1944.
The one at the bottom is a Sherman “Firefly” version. It has a red No, 71, outlined in white on the sides of its turret and hand-written 1126/LCT4/212 on the side of the hull, followed by stenciled white serial No, T228789. It was named “CAROLE” and was with “C” Squadron, 13TH -18TH Royal Hussars Regiment, Gosport, June 1944.
Both these color side profiles are repeated inside the book.
The book begins with line-drawings.
Included are:
1/35th Scale 4-view of the M4, three of the M4A1 and a side-view and 4-view of a M4A4.
1/48TH Scale 4-view of the M4, two 4-views of the M4A1 and a side-view of it, a side-view of the M4A4.
1/72ND Scale two 4-views of a M4, two 4-views of a M4A1 and a side-view of a M4A4.
Further line-drawings are on a loose-sheet, inserted into the book that is a large 11 ¼” x 15 ¾”, printed on both sides. There is a large side view of the M4 on the face side and a top view of the M4 on the reverse side. No scale is given for these 2 illustrations. The sheet is folded in the center to fit the book.
Color profiles are in the middle of the book and on the back cover again.
The ones in the middle are:
A M4 in overall olive-drab, with red No. 68 outlined in white on its turret sides and small stenciled white serial No, 152277 on the sides of its hull. It has deep water wading pipes on top of its engine deck. It was with 13th-18th Royal Hussars Regiment, 27th Armoured Brigade, Normandy, June, 1944.
A M4A1 in overall olive-drab. This is the one named “Sloppy Joe” (already described on the cover).
A M4 in a wave pattern of olive-drab and dark green, with no markings shown. It was with Task Force X from U.S. 3rd Armoured Division, Roeten area, October, 1944.
A M4 that is overall olive-drab with a heavy coating of white winter wash that is partially washed off. It has a pale grey No. 16 on its hull sides. It was tank No. 105 of the 15th Tank Battalion, 6th Armoured Division, Houffalize, January, 1945.
A M4A1 that is overall olive-drab. It has a large white No 12 on the sides of the turret and a large letter “V” on the sides of its hull. It has a white band around its gun barrel. It was tank No. 76 of Israeli Tank Regiment during exercise, Syria, 1961.
A Sherman “Firefly” that is overall olive-drab. It has a large white star on the sides of the hull, followed by a stenciled white serial No.. T-228615 and a large orange triangle. It was a VC variant of 2nd Company, 1st Polish Armoured Division, Great Britain, spring, 1944.
A Sherman “Firefly” that is shown at the bottom on the front cover (already described) Illustration further shows that it has deep water wading trunks mounted on its rear.
A Sherman “Firefly” that is overall olive-drab with white stenciled serial No. T-212680 on the sides of its hull. It was nick-named “Belvedere” of Staffordshire Yeomanry Regiment, 27th Armoured Brigade, operation “Goodwood”. Normandy, July 1944.
A Sherman “Firefly” that is overall olive-drab with white serial No. T263170 on the sides of its hull. It has some branches piledon it. It was a 1C Hybrid variant, with an unknown British armoured unit, Aunay-sur-Odon area, July/August 1944.
A Sherman “Firefly” that is overall olive-drab that is unmarked. It has some branches piled on it. It was a 1C Hybrid variant of the South African 6th Armoured division, Reno Basin, Italy, April,1944.
There are no photographs included.
This book will be of great interest to modelers planning on building a variant of the Sherman.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers, the N.American distributor of Kagero books for this review sample.
All Kagero book titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
The M4 Sherman, officially Medium Tank, M4, was the most widely used medium tank by the United States and Western Allies in World War II. The M4 Sherman proved to be reliable, relatively cheap to produce, and available in great numbers. It was also the basis of several successful tank destroyers, such as the M10, 17pdr SP Achilles and M36.
Tens of thousands were distributed through the Lend-Lease program to the British Commonwealth and Soviet Union. The tank was named by the British for the American Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman.
The M4 Sherman evolved from the M3 Medium Tank, which – for speed of development – had its main armament in a side sponson mount. The M4 retained much of the previous mechanical design, but moved the main 75 mm gun into a fully traversing central turret. One feature, a one-axis gyrostabilizer, was not precise enough to allow firing when moving but did help keep the reticle on target, so that when the tank did stop to fire, the gun would be aimed in roughly the right direction.
The designers stressed mechanical reliability, ease of production and maintenance, durability, standardization of parts and ammunition in a limited number of variants, and moderate size and weight (its width and weight were designed to conform with the War Department restrictions at the time that aimed to ease shipping problems and ensure armored vehicles would be compatible with existing bridging equipment.
These factors, combined with the Sherman's then-superior armor and armament, outclassed German light and medium tanks fielded in 1939–42. The M4 went on to be produced in large numbers, being the most produced tank in American history:
The Soviets' T-34 medium tank (total of some 64,549 wartime-produced examples, split roughly 55%-45% between 76 mm and 85 mm gunned examples) was the only tank design produced in larger numbers during World War II. The Sherman spearheaded many offensives by the Western Allies after 1942.
When the M4 tank went into combat in North Africa with the British Army at the Second Battle of El Alamein in late 1942, it increased the advantage of Allied armor over Axis armor and was superior to the lighter German and Italian tank designs. For this reason, the US Army believed that the M4 would be adequate to win the war, and relatively little pressure was initially exerted for further tank development.
Logistical and transport restrictions, such as limitations imposed by roads, ports, and bridges, also complicated the introduction of a more capable but heavier tank. Tank destroyer battalions using vehicles built on the M4 hull and chassis, but with open-topped turrets and more potent high-velocity guns, also entered widespread use in the Allied armies.
Even by 1944, most M4 Shermans kept their dual-purpose 75 mm gun. By then, the M4 was inferior in firepower and armor to increasing numbers of German heavy tanks, but was able to fight on with the help of considerable numerical superiority, greater mechanical reliability, better logistical support, and support from growing numbers of fighter-bombers and artillery pieces.
Some Shermans were produced with a more capable gun, the 76 mm gun M1, or refitted with a 76.2mm calibre Ordnance QF 17-pounder gun by the British (the Sherman Firefly).
The relative ease of production allowed large numbers of the M4 to be manufactured, and significant investment in tank recovery and repair units allowed disabled vehicles to be repaired and returned to service quickly. These factors combined to give the Allies numerical superiority in most battles, and many infantry divisions were provided with M4s and tank destroyers.
After World War II, the Sherman, particularly the many improved and upgraded versions, continued to see combat service in many conflicts around the world, including the UN forces in the Korean War, with Israel in the Arab–Israeli wars, briefly with South Vietnam in the Vietnam War, and on both sides of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.
THE BOOK:
Kagero Books is located in Lublin, Poland.
This book is in Polish and English,
It is soft cover and in a self-sealing clear envelope.
It contains 20 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
The cover art shows 2 color side profiles of Shermans, posed against an all-black background that has a white line-drawing of the upper view of a Sherman.
Both the Shermans are overall olive-drab. The one at the top has “Sloppy Joe” written in white on the sides of the hull and there is a small white No, 13 on the sides of the turret. This tank is a M4A1 version of the 603rd Armoured Company, 41st Infantry Division, Caroline Islands, summer, 1944.
The one at the bottom is a Sherman “Firefly” version. It has a red No, 71, outlined in white on the sides of its turret and hand-written 1126/LCT4/212 on the side of the hull, followed by stenciled white serial No, T228789. It was named “CAROLE” and was with “C” Squadron, 13TH -18TH Royal Hussars Regiment, Gosport, June 1944.
Both these color side profiles are repeated inside the book.
The book begins with line-drawings.
Included are:
1/35th Scale 4-view of the M4, three of the M4A1 and a side-view and 4-view of a M4A4.
1/48TH Scale 4-view of the M4, two 4-views of the M4A1 and a side-view of it, a side-view of the M4A4.
1/72ND Scale two 4-views of a M4, two 4-views of a M4A1 and a side-view of a M4A4.
Further line-drawings are on a loose-sheet, inserted into the book that is a large 11 ¼” x 15 ¾”, printed on both sides. There is a large side view of the M4 on the face side and a top view of the M4 on the reverse side. No scale is given for these 2 illustrations. The sheet is folded in the center to fit the book.
Color profiles are in the middle of the book and on the back cover again.
The ones in the middle are:
A M4 in overall olive-drab, with red No. 68 outlined in white on its turret sides and small stenciled white serial No, 152277 on the sides of its hull. It has deep water wading pipes on top of its engine deck. It was with 13th-18th Royal Hussars Regiment, 27th Armoured Brigade, Normandy, June, 1944.
A M4A1 in overall olive-drab. This is the one named “Sloppy Joe” (already described on the cover).
A M4 in a wave pattern of olive-drab and dark green, with no markings shown. It was with Task Force X from U.S. 3rd Armoured Division, Roeten area, October, 1944.
A M4 that is overall olive-drab with a heavy coating of white winter wash that is partially washed off. It has a pale grey No. 16 on its hull sides. It was tank No. 105 of the 15th Tank Battalion, 6th Armoured Division, Houffalize, January, 1945.
A M4A1 that is overall olive-drab. It has a large white No 12 on the sides of the turret and a large letter “V” on the sides of its hull. It has a white band around its gun barrel. It was tank No. 76 of Israeli Tank Regiment during exercise, Syria, 1961.
A Sherman “Firefly” that is overall olive-drab. It has a large white star on the sides of the hull, followed by a stenciled white serial No.. T-228615 and a large orange triangle. It was a VC variant of 2nd Company, 1st Polish Armoured Division, Great Britain, spring, 1944.
A Sherman “Firefly” that is shown at the bottom on the front cover (already described) Illustration further shows that it has deep water wading trunks mounted on its rear.
A Sherman “Firefly” that is overall olive-drab with white stenciled serial No. T-212680 on the sides of its hull. It was nick-named “Belvedere” of Staffordshire Yeomanry Regiment, 27th Armoured Brigade, operation “Goodwood”. Normandy, July 1944.
A Sherman “Firefly” that is overall olive-drab with white serial No. T263170 on the sides of its hull. It has some branches piledon it. It was a 1C Hybrid variant, with an unknown British armoured unit, Aunay-sur-Odon area, July/August 1944.
A Sherman “Firefly” that is overall olive-drab that is unmarked. It has some branches piled on it. It was a 1C Hybrid variant of the South African 6th Armoured division, Reno Basin, Italy, April,1944.
There are no photographs included.
This book will be of great interest to modelers planning on building a variant of the Sherman.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers, the N.American distributor of Kagero books for this review sample.
All Kagero book titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.