War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

Skink (USA)

2024-11-23T18:58:30Z

U155012842: /* See also */ I do not know how this should be added, but I added the link to the British Skink.

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_skink_aa
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American SPAA {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Firebirds"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}

''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''

{{tankMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|Polsten (20 mm)}}

''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Polsten (20 mm)|20 mm Polsten]] (x4) || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 1,920 (30) || rowspan="2" | 450 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+80° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
|-
! ''Realistic''
| __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''HE, 20 mm:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}
* '''AP, 20 mm:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}

{{:Polsten (20 mm)/Ammunition|HEF-I, AP-T, HEFI-T}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''64''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| || ___ (___) || ___ || __° || __°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===

''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
[[Skink]]

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{USA anti-aircraft vehicles}}

Stuart III

2024-11-19T03:53:13Z

U155012842: /* Usage in battles */ Previously it was saying things about the Stuart III but said M3A3, fixed it.

{{About
| about = British light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage = other versions
|link = M3 Stuart (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_m3a1_stuart
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

'''Stuart III''' was the British designation for the American [[M3A1 Stuart]], supplied under the Lend-Lease programme. After heavy losses in 1940-41, Britain faced a shortage of armoured vehicles and turned to the USA. They were refused permission to manufacture their own tank models in American factories, leaving the purchase of American designs as the only solution. Under the Lend-Lease programme, 1,784 M3s and 1,594 M3A1s were sent to the British Army, where they received the designations [[Stuart I]] and Stuart III respectively.

Stuarts received their first combat experience in North Africa as part of the 4th and 7th British armoured divisions. The tanks received mixed reviews from the military and were modified in various ways: armour flaps were fitted to the M3A1 to reduce the dust cloud raised when moving, and machine guns were removed to increase internal space. The first combat deployment of the Stuart in November 1941 showed their ineffectiveness against German tanks: between 18th and 23rd November, the British army lost 130 Stuarts out of 165, while the German army lost almost ten times fewer vehicles, due to the use of light tanks in inappropriate roles and the superiority of German units in tank combat tactics. By 1942, M3A1 tanks were used exclusively as reconnaissance vehicles.

Introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]], the Stuart III is a very mobile light tank with a decent gun and stabiliser, but poor survivability. A tactic of cautious flanking strikes or attacks from cover with frequent repositioning suits it well, and the stabiliser allows for accurate firing on the move at close and medium ranges. The armour thickness is sufficient to withstand machine gun fire, but the Stuart III is vulnerable to autocannon and tank gun shells, as well as artillery. The main difference from the Stuart III's predecessor, the [[Stuart I]], is a welded turret that has thicker mantlet armour and better sloping, as well as a lower profile thanks to the removal of the cupola. This turret also boasts the upgraded M6 cannon, which can fire higher-penetrating versions of the previous ammo. The transmission is also improved, and is capable of slightly higher speeds both forward and backward.

== General info ==
[[File:M3A1 screenshot 3.jpg|thumb|M3A1 takes hits while engaging enemy vehicles.]]
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


Being a light tank the Stuart III has fairly thin armour, it can generally protect against most machine guns and some smaller (20 mm) cannons, but will usually not stand up against the main weapons of most enemy tanks at its battle rating. There is a fair amount of empty space inside the tank thanks to the addition of seats for the turret crew. This means that some poorly placed shots can go through your tank without causing much damage.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38.1 mm (18°) ''Driver Port'' 15.8 mm (69°) ''Front Glacis'' 44.4 mm (5-43°) ''Lower Glacis'' || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 50.8 mm ''Mantlet'' 38.1 mm (13°) ''Turret Face'' || 31.8 mm || 31.8 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
|}

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 406|rbMinHp= 232}}
[[File:M3A1 Turning Demo.gif|thumb|400px|Demonstration of the slow and fast turning of the Stuart III]]
The Stuart III has competitive mobility with a ratio of 20.8 hp per ton. At lower speeds (5-10 km/h) the turning can feel rather sluggish, but once a bit of forward movement is applied and the speed is increased the turning will feel much smoother and faster. The forward drive of the Stuart III can max out at 47 km/h off-road and 58 km/h on-road which will usually allow you to reach capture points or desirable camping spots quickly. The 6 km/h reverse speed of the Stuart III is certainly usable in most situations.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|M6 (37 mm)}}

The main weapon on the Stuart III is a 37 mm M6 cannon featuring two rounds, AP & APCBC. This is a fairly standard gun for early American tanks as it is also featured on the [[M5A1]], [[M22]] & [[LVT(A)(1)]] although some of these vehicles also include a HE round that the Stuart III lacks. This gun packs a fierce punch if aiming at the correct area and firing at the correct distance. It is a small calibre fast-firing gun with a maximum penetration of 84 mm at 100 m (M51B1 shell), being able to penetrate most of the opponents it will face. The penetration power and gun accuracy drop a lot beyond 500 m and become unreliable past 700 m. The gun is equipped with a vertical stabiliser, giving the Stuart III a huge advantage in some cases as you can fire precisely while moving, but keep in mind that it activates only when the tank is driving under 10 km/h.

While it lacks the post-penetration damage to disable most enemies in one shot, it can quickly finish them off with its fast reload. Knowledge of enemy vehicle layouts is essential with ammunition lacking post-penetration explosive damage. Make sure to target modules and crew positions to maximise the damage. Disabling the enemy gunner on your first shot will be critical to win engagements as you'll most likely need several shots to destroy an enemy vehicle.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M6 (37 mm)|37 mm M6]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 106 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Vertical|up to 16 km/h}} || 19.04 || 26.35 || 32.00 || 35.39 || 37.65 || rowspan="2" | 3.77 || rowspan="2" | 3.33 || rowspan="2" | 3.07 || rowspan="2" | 2.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 11.90 || 14.00 || 17.00 || 18.80 || 20.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:M6 (37 mm)/Ammunition|M74B1, M51B1}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_M3A1_Stuart.jpg|right|thumb|x350px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''106''' || 99 ''(+7)'' || 52 ''(+54)'' || 1 ''(+105)'' || No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

The Stuart III employs a turret top machine gun and a coaxial machine gun, both of which are the same 7.62 mm M1919A4, these guns are limited to a single AP & T belt type with up to 10 mm of penetration.

The machine gun is only enough to destroy poorly protected vehicles such as the [[AS 42]], [[Flakpanzer I]], and [[GAZ-AAA (4M)|GAZ-AAA]]. The penetration of around 10 mm is not enough to go through the frontal armour of not-so-weakly-armoured tanks like [[SU-5-1]], [[Panzerjager I]], or [[15cm sIG 33 B Sfl]]. If you are skilled, the two machine guns can be used effectively against low-flying biplanes.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,250 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 3,000 (250) || 500 || -5°/+70° || ±60°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:M3A1 Screenshot 1.jpg|thumb|M3A1 attacking a StuG III]]
Due to its light armour, it is advisable not to use the Stuart III frontally at closer ranges, especially not against higher rated enemy vehicles that will go through your strongest frontal armour (50.8 mm) without issue. The ideal tactic to use is to employ your competitive speed to flank the enemy and find a position that will allow you to attack them will little resistance, even in a match against higher rated enemy vehicles your rounds will have no issue going through the side armour of said enemy vehicles, common maps such as [[Eastern Europe (Ground Forces)|Eastern Europe]] and [[Cargo Port]] offer clear opportunity's to flank the enemy vehicles with good amounts of cover, this is especially clear on [[Eastern Europe (Ground Forces)|Eastern Europe]] where you can flank on the other side of the river that runs through the map, this puts you at close range to the side of enemy vehicles, allowing you to prevent them reaching capture points such as the central B point.

To take down enemy vehicles it is advisable to destroy both their turret and engine to prevent escape and stop them engaging you or your allies, due to the fast reload (at best 2.9s) you can hit both parts of an enemy quickly, usually before they can fire back, if they are still not dead after the gun and engine have been hit, shots into the crew compartment should finish the job, but most enemies are usually eliminated by the first 2 shots, it is common for any side shot against an enemy to penetrate and cause a fair level of damage, even if the enemy is not killed your fast reload will grant you a second chance quickly to place an adjusted shot into the enemy. Even at longer ranges, the Stuart III can be a competent sniper, especially if facing lighter vehicles with flat armour or the side armour of a targeted enemy, firing from long range is another way to ensure that your light armour does not hold you back, being at long range will usually prevent or make it difficult for enemies to successfully hit your vehicle.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

Specific enemy vehicles that bear mentioning are firstly any Germans with the [[KwK38 (20 mm)|20 mm KwK/FlaK38]] cannon, this gun might be small but can have up too 48 mm of penetration, which is enough to go through the Stuart III at almost any point, these guns can also fire 10 rounds at 280 rounds/min before having to reload the clip, this means that they will very easily take out your crew before you have a chance to respond, as far as countering the best chance you have is to angle your frontal armour which can make it difficult for the PzGr 40 rounds to penetrate. Keeping your distance to those tanks will also help, as their cannons lose all penetration after 300 m.

The Russian [[T-50]] and [[T-126]] are vehicles you will also see commonly, these have fairly thick & angled frontal armour that will prevent you from easily getting through, these tanks also poses an APHEBC round that will destroy you in one shot with little difficulty, to counter you should use your speed to attempt to get a side shot into either the turret or engine if the T-50 cannot move you can outrun its turret and finish it without much difficulty.

It is likely that the Stuart III will encounter some rough heavies, like the B1 bis. The best tactic against this type of targets is to use the Stuart III's fast speed, get within 200 m from then and attack, with shooting at point-blank range being the most effective way. Before conducting an attack, check the Stuart III's and the enemy's surroundings to make sure no one will ambush the Stuart III. While charging, use the Stuart III's quick turns to suddenly change direction to avoid being shot if they are aiming and firing at the Stuart III. Once the tank is at the ideal distance, manoeuvre so that the gun is vertical to their armour. Do not shoot if the enemy is angling! The small calibre 37 mm gun is very likely to bounce off or not penetrate against sloped armour.

For the B1 specifically, either aim for the near-vertical frontal armour plate at the right side of the hull, or the turret ring to incapacitate the commander/gunner. Or simply move to its side and knock out the crews one by one by hitting its flat side armour.[[File:M3A1 Screenshot 2.jpg|thumb|M3A1 flanking on Eastern Europe]]

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Frontal armour useful against MGs and light cannons
* Competitive mobility
* Reliable gun with a good rate of fire
* Ammo has good penetration
* Lots of empty space, so poorly aimed shots tend to not do much damage

'''Cons:'''

* All crew members can be eliminated by a well-placed shot
* Brakes are weak
* Turning is sluggish at slower speeds
* No AP ammunition with HE filler

== History ==


===Development===
The American light tank design prior to World War II, the [[M2A4|M2 light tank]], was seen as obsolete after observing Germany's Panzer forces tear through Europe. The design was to be upgraded with more armour, a better suspension, and a new gun recoil system. The revised version was designated the [[M3_Stuart|Light Tank M3]], which the British named the Stuart. At its basis, the light tank had a 37 mm cannon with a similar layout as the M2 light tank, with the radial engine at the rear and the transmission on the front, though the radial engine was in high demand so the Guiberson diesel T-1210 were fitted in some models to substitute the engine. The design used the VVSS bogie system seen on previous American tank designs. The tank had a crew of four: driver, assistant driver, gunner, and commander, who doubled as the loader.

The first variant of the M3 Stuart light tank was very similar to the M2 light tanks. It had five machine gun armaments scattered around like the M2 but featured better armour and a better cannon with the 37 mm M6 cannon. The design did not have a turret basket for the crew and it was constructed out of rivets, which increased the chance of spalling in the tank. Nevertheless, the first variant M3 saw about 5,811 units produced. The second variant, the '''Light Tank M3A1 Stuart''', featured a new turret with no cupola on it, plus an added gun stabilizer. The machine guns on the hull sides were removed, so now the total machine guns were reduced from five to three. The design also featured a welded armour design to remove the weakness of riveted armour. 4,621 of this variant was produced from May 1942 to February 1943. The most used variant, the [[M5A1|M5A1 Stuart]], had a completely redesigned hull and turret, with the hull most notably having a full sloping frontal armour than the previous designs. This variant had about 6,810 units produced. All in all, the M3 light tank design and its variants were produced in massive quantities from March 1941 to October 1943 with a total of 25,000 units produced.

===Combat usage===
The British were the first to use the M3 Stuart in Africa in 1941, using it in Operation Crusader. However, the result ended with heavy losses, due to the better training the German Afrika Korps had compared to the British tank doctrine. The encounter also pointed out many flaws in the M3, mainly the cramped interior and limited operational range, but was praised for its high mobility and reliability when compared to the British contemporary designs. In 1942, the Stuarts were generally kept as recon units rather than combat units, and some were even modified to improve speed and range by removing the turret, and others were converted to armoured personnel carriers and command vehicles. Though the British used it extensively, it was still in small proportion compared to American usage. The Soviet Union was also another user of the M3 but found it unfavourable due to their own logistics, plus it was not made to withstand the Russian [[wikipedia:Rasputitsa|Rasputitsa]] or even the winter. The Soviet eventually turned down any more offers for the Stuart by 1943. The M3s also supported the British and Chinese forces in Asia against the Japanese Army, and also France and Yugoslavia in Europe against the German Wehrmacht.

The Americans used it widely in both operational theatres. In the Pacific, the M3s were the first tanks America used in a tank vs. tank operation against the Imperial Japanese Army, where five M3s fought [[Ha-Go|Type 95 Ha-Gos]] in the Phillippines. Though the Stuarts were newer than the Japanese tank designs by about five years, they were seen as equal in performance and firepower, but the M3 benefited by the support of the American industry arm. The Stuarts served in the Pacific slightly better than its heavier counterparts such as the [[M4|M4 Shermans]] due to its lighter weight and manoeuvrability in the poor jungle terrain, but the M3 Stuarts in the Pacific were gradually replaced by M4 Shermans due to heavy losses from its thinner armour. The M3 was also some of the first US tanks to be converted into flamethrower tanks, named as the "Satan". The Satan tanks provided favourable results to the concept of a flamethrower tank and were replaced by flamethrower-equipped M4 Shermans in 1945.

In Europe, the M3 formed a large part of the American tank battalions, though following the British path by sidelining the Stuarts from combat duties after heavy losses and to serve alongside Shermans as scouting units. A typical tank battalion for the US Army consisted of three companies of Shermans and one of Stuarts. Other than scouting, the M3s were also used in cavalry roles and infantry support since their cannon are unable to compete with the German tank designs. Despite their dwindling capabilities in battle, the M3 was kept in service up until the end of the war due to the large production numbers.

After World War II, the Stuarts were given out as cheap surplus, countries such as China, India, and Pakistan picked up a few and used them in their conflicts. Portuguese also picked up a few M3s for the war in Angola, and the South African Corps continued using the Stuarts until 1955, where some were still kept in service until 1968 due to available parts. Today, Paraguay is still a user of the M3 light tanks, though as the only tracked armour used in the country.

The Stuart light tank design was also quite versatile that it was made into different variants for different roles on the battlefield. It served as an infantry support vehicle as to the [[M8 Scott|75 mm GMC M8]] and experiments were also taken to see if it could be adapted to an anti-aircraft gun and a flamethrower as well. However, the M3 was becoming an ageing design with inferior armour, cramped interior layout, and a small 37 mm gun, so a program to replace the light tank began in 1943 and became the [[M24|M24 Chaffee]], which would eventually replace the M3 Light Tank mostly after World War II.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_m3a1_stuart Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="150">
File:Stuart III side view.jpeg|A side view of the Stuart III tank.
File:Stuart III high front view.jpeg|A front view of the Stuart III tank.
File:Stuart III rear view smoke.jpeg|A rear view of the Stuart III tank.
File:Stuart III high side view.jpeg|A front view of the Stuart III tank.
File:Stuart III ground view.jpg|A front view of the Stuart III tank.
File:Stuart III.jpg|A front view of the Stuart III tank.
</gallery>

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Department}}
{{Britain light tanks}}

Sherman Firefly

2024-11-13T23:58:28Z

U155012842: /* Usage in battles */ changed "affect" to "effect" due affect being the wrong word there..

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other Shermans
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = Firefly (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_sherman_vc_firefly
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}_AddArmour.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png|ArtImage2_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''M4A4 Sherman VC Firefly''' is a heavily up-gunned modification of the fifth variant of the early-generation [[M4 Sherman (Family)|Medium Tank M4 (Sherman) family]]. The M4A4 Sherman VC Firefly was one of the few Allied tanks that the Germans learned to fear during World War II, from the hedgerows of Normandy, France, to the hills of Italy and the plains of the Netherlands. It was a clever, though risky, and improvised effort to try to keep up with the latest German tank innovations. It was one of the most powerful Allied adaptations of the war and undoubtedly one of the deadliest modifications of any M4 Sherman variants during World War II. Armed with the superb 76 mm Ordnance QF 17-pounder tank gun, this stopgap combination (before the arrival of the new generation of Allied tanks) was one of the most lethal tanks of its day, adding its weight to the Allied struggle to secure victory. After the challenge of fitting such a massive gun into the turret was addressed, the M4A4 Sherman VC Firefly went into production in early 1944, just in time to equip General Bernard Montgomery's 21st Army Group for the Normandy landings. It quickly proved valuable because its gun could nearly always penetrate the armour of the German tanks it faced in Normandy, which no other British tank could accomplish reliably. Before production halted in 1945, between 2,100 and 2,200 units had been manufactured.

Introduced in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]], the M4A4 Sherman VC Firefly serves a similar role as later-generation up-gunned M4 Sherman variants. This tank should provide flanking fire, long-range fire, or rapid and accurate fire to the target while friendly heavy tanks take the spearhead of the assault. The tank is as manoeuvrable as any other M4 Sherman variant; therefore, gathering up speed to flank the opponent is easy. Those who are familiar with other M4 Sherman variants will get used to this tank instantly. While this tank is capable of serving as the frontal spearhead for an assault, it is strongly advised against doing so due to the tank's low armour, which demands players always get the first shot off in each engagement; otherwise, the opponent would be able to swiftly eliminate the tank.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull)
* Cast homogeneous armour (Transmission area, Turret)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50.8 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 50.8 mm (7°) ''Driver's port'' 50.8 mm (1-53°) ''Transmission area'' || 38.1 mm || 38.1 mm (22-23°) ''Top'' 38.1 mm (1°) ''Bottom'' || 19.5 mm 12.7 mm ''Engine deck''
|-
| Turret || 76.2 mm (8-44°) ''Turret roof'' 50.8 + 88.9 mm (1-54°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 50.8 mm (2-38°) || 50.8 mm (2-67°) ''Turret rear'' 50.8 mm (1°) ''Radio box'' || 25.4 mm
|-
| Cupola || 50.8 mm || 50.8 mm || 50.8 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Access to the [[Add-on Armor|Add-on Armour]] modification will give the tank substantial coverings on the side hull, each track being 17 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 12.7 mm thick.
* The bow machine gun area has been welded shut with armour, but is only 25.4 mm thick so may present a viable weakness to weaker enemies.
* Unlike the armour on the American Rank III Shermans which saw itself upped from 50.8 mm to 63.5 mm, the British Firefly in Rank III retains the old 50.8 mm base armour thickness on the front hull, as well as the protruding driver and co-driver hatches in front. This makes the Firefly a much more vulnerable Sherman tank than even the American versions, a trade-off for its more powerful armament.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=659|rbMinHp=376|AoAweight=1.805}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|QF 17-pounder (76 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[QF 17-pounder (76 mm)|76 mm QF 17-pounder]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 80 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.79 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Shot Mk.6:''' {{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}} - Standard penetrating round, use until better rounds are unlocked.
* '''Shell Mk.1:''' {{Annotation|HE|High-explosive}} - It is ideal for destroying SPAA and lightly armoured tanks, but useless against anything else.
* '''Shot Mk.4:''' {{Annotation|APC|Armour-piercing capped}} - Cap for better grip against sloped armour.
* '''Shot Mk.8:''' {{Annotation|APCBC|Armour-piercing capped ballistic capped}} - Like Shot Mk.4 but with a ballistic cap for improved flight path, as well as better penetration.

{{:QF 17-pounder (76 mm)/Ammunition|Shot Mk.6, Shell Mk.1, Shot Mk.4, Shot Mk.8, 17pdr Shell SS Mk.1}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''80''' || 61 ''(+19)'' || 41 ''(+39)'' || 21 ''(+59)'' || 6 ''(+74)'' || 4 ''(+76)'' || 1 ''(+79)'' || No
|-
|}

==== Optics ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
! colspan="3" | {{PAGENAME}} [[Optics]]
|-
! Which ones
! Default magnification
! Maximum magnification
|-
! Main Gun optics
| x3 || x6
|-
! Comparable optics
| colspan="2" | [[VFW]]
|-
|}

First tank in Medium tank British tech line to have X6 scope. It will not get any better than this until rank VI, so get used to it - it will be the same across entire tech tree for a while with SPAA being the only exception.

As of rank III, this scope is slightly or moderately superior to most medium and heavy tanks, but do not expect to outsnipe German SPG as they have same optics or even better.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|L3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 800 (200) || 577 || -10°/+15° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 5,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

'''Shoot and scoot.''' Unless the enemy's tank gunner has been knocked out (black only), cannon breech has been disabled (red/black), or cannon barrel is disabled (red/black) that inhibits the enemy's ability to fire back, don't expose the tank after firing. Always try to retreat back into cover to reload. Once reloaded, preferably pop out of an area different from the last firing position and take another shot. Make sure to eliminate the enemy's ability to fire back by destroying their cannon breech and traverse gears, or incapacitate their driver and gunner again if they were replaced. During this whole process, watch out for other enemy tanks and avoid being swarmed. With situational awareness combined with the correct usage of the map, the Firefly becomes a decent tank capable of effectively fighting every medium and heavy tank it faces.

'''Supporting fire.''' Use your allies to your advantage. Your armour is not the best, but your gun can vaporize almost everything it encounters. Follow heavier, more armoured allies and use them as a shield. Then, after the enemy has engaged your ally, you can pop out from behind and shoot. This will either destroy or injure the enemy where you or your ally can finish off.

'''Fire from afar.''' The Firefly can excel at vaporizing tanks that have clustered crew, like StuGs, SUs, T-34s, KVs, and even Panzer IIIs and IVs. The post penetration effect of the Firefly's shells after the AP buffs allow it to decimate those tanks. However, it is recommended to still shoot from afar, as all of these tanks can destroy the Firefly easily. If forced into a close-quarters fight, try to shoot first and hit their gunner. Then, you could finish them off with another shot.

'''Play it safe.''' Definitely do not play too aggressively. The huge weakness of the 3/4 crew in the turret is almost always pointed out immediately, because it's a huge issue. It good hit either means a quick trip back to the hangar, or a lengthy crew replenishment time on AB. But this ignores the fact that the tank is just a huge glass cannon, as any shot anywhere will likely cripple the tank.

The Sherman Firefly can dish out the punishment necessary for heavy tanks, but can't take it. Don't expose the tank towards enemy fire too long due to the thin armour on the Firefly in comparison to other tanks such as the Soviet [[T-34-85]]s and the German [[Panther D|Panthers]]. Take a shot, preferably from a flanking location, then retreat into cover regardless of the shot's effect on target, because if the target could swing its gun towards the Firefly, or have friends that could hit it, consider writing off the Firefly very soon. This varies between different enemies, as going against something like the [[KV-2 (1939)|KV-2]] would be different than going against a [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]].

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Uses the tried and tested Sherman chassis. Experienced players will find this tank easy to use
* Fast turret traverse speed
* The 17-pounder gun has high penetration
* Fast and very mobile
* Access to [[Add-on Armor|additional armour]] that covers most of the front and sides
* Has a powerful .50 cal machine gun on the roof
* Despite having no shells with explosive filler, post-penetration damage tends to be enough to knock out crews clustered together
* 17-pounder makes the tank useful in uptiers. Useful especially against [[Tiger H1]], [[Panther D]] and [[IS-1]]

'''Cons:'''

* Armour of a [[M4|M4 Sherman]], very thin for a Rank III vehicle
* Large profile
* 4 crew members, 3 of which are clustered in the turret, making it easier to knock out
* Bad gun depression of only -5 degrees
* Gun post-penetration damage won't always knock out a tank with a single shot
* .50 cal machine gun can't elevate very high; can only engage low-flying aircraft
* Additional armour doesn't really help
* Reverse speed is bad
* Like all vehicles armed with early version of the 17-pounder gun, it will struggle before it has the Shot Mk.8 (painful stock grind)
* Unlike other Shermans, it doesn't have access to a gun stabilizer and thus the gun sight will rock up and down on a sudden stop
* Traverse is mediocre

== History ==

===Concept===
Around 1943 in World War II, the [[M4|M4 Sherman]] was one of the best tanks in use by the Allies. It superseded the German standard [[Pz.III J|Panzer IIIs]] and [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IVs]] at the time. However, it was during the middle of 1943 that the Sherman design was beginning to wane in superiority with the reveal of newer German tanks in the front lines, namely the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]] and the [[Panther D|Panther]] tanks.<ref name="ZalogaCh3Panther">Zaloga 2008, ''Chapter 3: The Panzer Nemesis: The Panther Threat''</ref> These tanks are able to not only take out the Sherman at a longer range than the Sherman can compete in, but could also withstand the 75 mm rounds fired from the Sherman with their frontal armour. In order to improve the Sherman's firepower against these better German tanks, the Americans decided to upgun their tanks with the better [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm gun]]. The British, however, decide to up the ante with one of the Allies' most powerful anti-tank gun at the time, the 17-pounder.

The [[Ordnance QF 17-pounder (76 mm)|Ordnance QF 17-pounder]] was a 76.2 mm anti-tank gun developed by the United Kingdom around 1942, but was considered as far back as 21 November 1940.<ref name="Fletcher17">Fletcher 2008, ''The 17-pounder''</ref> The British predicted that the Germans would be increasing their tank armour gradually to make current anti-tank weapons ineffective in North Africa, a lesson learned when their issued [[Ordnance QF 2-pounder (40 mm)|2-pounder]], [[Ordnance QF 6-pounder Mk.III (57 mm)|6-pounder]], and [[Ordnance QF Mk.V (75 mm)|75 mm]] guns were meeting heavier armoured tanks, and even tanks with superior firepower like the [[KwK40 L43 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK40]] on the [[Pz.IV F2|Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. F2]].<ref name="Fletcher17" /> The first prototype batch was completed in Spring 1942 and the design was finalized in 1943 and accepted into service that same year, where it would see great effect in the Italian Campaign as one of the best Allied anti-tank guns.<ref name="Hunnicutt17pdr">Hunnicutt 1978, pg. 303</ref> One of the reasons why the 17-pounder was so effective was the use of the APDS shot (Armour-Piercing Discarding-Sabot), which could penetrate up to 256 mm of armour at 500 m distance; this is due to the smaller, but much faster projectile used that contains more kinetic energy than a full-sized shot. However, drawbacks with this ammunition was the lack of tracer to be able to adjust shots, the inaccuracy beyond 500 yards, and the less damage it could cause to the enemy tank.<ref name="FletcherAmmo">Fletcher 2008, ''Ammunition''</ref>

===Development===
====A kick-start====
The 17-pounder effectiveness against the new German tanks and the lacklustre anti-armour firepower on British tanks brought upon the concept of mounting the 17-pounder onto tanks. The first mention of mounting the powerful gun onto a tank carriage was as early as 09 December 1941 by Tank Board, which prompted the design specification A29, a 45-ton 17-pounder armed tank that was eventually cancelled for another design. The next design took the [[Cromwell V|Cromwell]] tank as its basis, with development proceeding in 1942 as the [[Challenger|A30]] (later known as the Challenger). While A30 was in development, the prolonged development time had Tank Board set up for two more 17-pounder projects, the [[Comet I|A34]] (Comet) for a short term project and [[Centurion Mk 1|A41]] (Centurion) for a long term one, in the summer of 1943.<ref name="Fletcher17" /> However, in the same year, a side project for a 17-pounder tank was conducted by two officers.

Royal Tank Regiment major George Brighty, based at the Royal Armoured Corps Gunnery School at Lulworth in Dorset, had the belief that the M4 Sherman was a better tank mount for the 17-pounder than the A30, which was being tested in Lulworth. He experimented around an acquired Sherman, though came to a conclusion that the turret size was too small for the 17-pounder's breech and recoil. Still, he persisted in his efforts and in a rather absurd solution, fitted the 17-pounder into the turret by locking the gun into the mounts and removing the lengthy recoil system, forcing the tank's mass and suspension to absorb the entirety of the 17-pounder recoil. Though this proved to have worked, the modification was far from ideal for any practical usage.<ref name="FletcherLulworth">Fletcher 2008, ''Developments At Lulworth''</ref>

During his trials, Brighty joined up with another major of the RTR by the name of George Witheridge. Witheridge was also convinced of the Sherman's virtues from his time at Fort Knox when advising on tank gunnery techniques. While he appreciated the dual-purpose usage the [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm gun]] on the Sherman provided, he was concerned on improving the armour-piercing properties while retaining the same high-explosive charge. Witheridge arrived at Lulworth to Brighty's design, which he found unsuitable. In a statement on how confident such a design looked from the outside, Witheridge test-fired Brighty's 17-pounder Sherman from the outside three times before trying it out inside. Priority soon shifted to develop a recoil system for the Sherman-mounted 17-pounder. However, some time after Witheridge's arrival, the Department of Tank Design (DTD) sent a directive to the two lads to cease their development on the up-gunning of the Sherman, possibly to protect their A30 project. Witheridge, still keen to the idea of using the Sherman, tried to get this directive reversed by appealing to his connections, namely a man going by Major General Raymond Briggs. Briggs, Witheridge's commanding officer in North Africa and also enthusiastic about improving British tank firepower, put the word to Claude Gibb, Director General of Weapon and Instrument Production at Ministry of Supply, to which Gibb approved and the 17-pounder Sherman was back up. However, with the Ministry of Supply now involved with the project, the design was shifted from two enthusiastic officers to the engineers.<ref name="FletcherLulworth" />

====Professional's touch====
One person deemed responsible for completing the project was W.G.K. Kilbourn, a professional engineer at Vickers who was stationed at Chertsey when he was assigned the 17-pounder Sherman by the DTD.<ref name="FletcherDesign">Fletcher 2008, ''Designing The Firefly''</ref> He managed to fit the 17-pounder gun into the Sherman turret by extensively modifying the gun. He replaced the recoil cylinders with shorter ones mounted on the sides, opposite to each other top and bottom, on a special cradle, modified the gun barrel to fit onto the cradle for better support, and placed the gun breech to open horizontally (contrary to the statement that the gun was simply rotated 90 degrees sideways as the operators of the gun have not been rotated along with the breech).<ref name="MoransVideoPt2">Morans 2017, Time (3:00)</ref> The redesigned 17-pounder, named Mk IV was built on 11 November 1943 at the Royal Ordnance Factory and could fit into the Sherman turret,<ref name="FletcherDesign" /> but now the concern was on the crew inside. The large breech of the modified 17-pounder ate up a lot of internal space and isolated the loader on the left side of the gun and turret; the solution was to cut a hole on top of the loader's position and add a hatch. The radio, usually mounted on the rear of the turret, was deemed too close to the recoiling breech for comfort so an armoured box was welded to the turret rear for the radio and a hole cut into the turret rear for operating the radio away from the recoiling gun. The armoured box also had the benefit of acting as a counter-weight for the longer and heavier gun for the turret.<ref name="FletcherConversion">Fletcher 2008, ''The Conversion Programme''</ref> Finally, there was an issue of ammo stowage for the larger and heavier 17-pdr rounds, 6 inches longer than the 75 mm shells. The stowage on the tank was in bins in the turret for ready access, but a bulk of it was placed under the turret floor that could only be accessed when the turret was aligned a certain position for each bin, making them more for replenishing the ready racks during breaks in combat. To increase the stowage for more 17-pounder rounds, the bow machine gunner was removed along with his machine gun (the port welded over by a prominent wedge shaped armour) and a rack holding 15 rounds placed in his location, however the position for the rack was also impossible to reach during combat and one location on the rack was so hard to get to that it wasn't used, making the total stowage 14 rounds instead.<ref name="FletcherDesign" />

Kilbourn efforts and those of assisting engineers managed to finally fit the large 17-pounder gun into the constrained space of the Sherman turret intended to mount the 75 mm gun, as well as perform the necessary modifications to accommodate combat usage of the vehicle. It then moved onto the next stage of being approved for service.

====Conversions====
Inspection of the completed Sherman with the 17-pdr started on 06 January 1944, and the War Office wrote a requirement for up to 2,100 of the tanks to be upgunned. Not every Sherman could follow the conversion, whether by technical or logistics limitations, and only petrol-engined, M34A1 gun mounted, and have a hydraulic turret traverse system. This meant that the Shermans converted were the [[Sherman IC "Trzyniec"|Sherman I]] ([[M4|M4]]), Sherman I Hybrid (M4 "Composite"), and [[Sherman Firefly|Sherman V]] (M4A4). Technically the [[Sherman II]] ([[M4A1|M4A1]]) and Sherman III ([[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3]]) were also eligible for conversion with those standards, but information on the Sherman II are scarce and photographic evidence of cast hull converted Shermans usually turn out to be Sherman I Hybrids; Sherman III are all allocated to the U.S. Army as their mainstay tank so no M4A3 were even available in British service to convert.<ref name="FletcherConversion" /> Tanks armed with the 17-pounder were designated by a "C" in the name at the end of their mark number, leading to names such as the "Sherman VC" to denote a M4A4 with the 17-pounder conversion. Troops with the upgunned Sherman, as early as March 1944, were describing tank as a '''Firefly''', regardless of the type.<ref name="FletcherName">Fletcher 2008, ''What's in a Name?''</ref> How it got the name is debatable, but it is most likely due to the very prominent muzzle flash that the 17-pounder produces when firing.<ref name="ZalogaCh4British">Zaloga 2008, ''Chapter 4: The Future Sherman: Improve or Replace?: The British Approach''</ref>

Still, as D-Day approached for the Allied forces and the A30 Challenger was continually delayed, the eagerness of the troops to acquire the Firefly rose substantially. Four factories were prioritized for the conversion, two at London, one at Manchester and another at Nottingham. From the conversion period of 1944 to 1945, up to and between 2,100 to 2,200 Fireflies were converted, making it the most produced tank with the 17-pounder of the war. Allocation of the Fireflies was one troop per three Sherman troop (troop was an equivalent of platoon and consisted of 4 tanks), but even regiments that were equipped with Cromwells were supplemented with Fireflies until the A30 Challenger was fit for service. The Fireflies were also allocated to Canadian and Polish regiments.<ref name="FletcherConversion" /> Due to the relative newness of the Firefly, most of the training done on the utilization and deployment of the Fireflies were done on the combat field by each regiment.<ref name="FletcherDesign" />

===Combat usage===
====Fighting at the theaters====
The Firefly's first combat action on D-Day was not actually on the land of Normandy, but on the sea. The Firefly's were assigned an unusual role to, while on the LCT that would carry them to the beaches, would fire over the berm towards concrete fortifications and blast them with the 17-pdr. Six Fireflies were allotted, separated into pairs, to DD tank regiments of the British 13th/18th Hussars at Sword Beach, and the Canadians 1st Hussars and Fort Garry Horse at Juno. Though 13th/18th Hussars were reported to not have fired their Fireflies on the way in, 1st Hussars seemed to have good experiences with it in the rough weather. Once the LCT reached the shore, the Fireflies were ordered to disembark and head inland, finishing off obstacles and join their original tank regiments.<ref name="FletcherConcrete">Fletcher 2008, ''Concrete Busters''</ref>

The first non-DD tank regiment with Fireflies to land was the Staffordshire Yeomanry, which had at least 12 Sherman VC with 48 Sherman IIIs, however little information exists on how it performed on the opening days of the Normandy campaign. Other regiments were originally DD tanks with Fireflies, but were employed as regular tank regiments once inland.<ref name="FletcherConcrete" /> One of such regiments was the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry. It was they who, a few days after the landings, deduced that the Germans seemed to be targeting their Fireflies specifically for their longer guns. Though this deduction was not supported by evidence (19% of total Fireflies were lost, but 29% of regular tanks were lost as well), the concern of Firefly loss was great because of the supply issue. As illustrated that though 22 Fireflies were lost, by June 23 only six replacements had arrived. Experience from the ground and the density of heavy German tanks changed some initial organization of one Firefly troop per three Sherman troop into one Firefly per tank troop. Fireflies were in such high demand that some commanders have expressed thought of obtaining the [[Achilles|17-pdr armed M10]] as supplement.<ref name="FletcherAction">Fletcher 2008, ''The Firefly in Action''</ref> Still, the units acquiring the Fireflies appreciated what they had as it was the only tank in Normandy in the Summer of 1944 that had a reasonable chance of defeating a [[Panther G|Panther]] or [[Tiger E|Tiger]] at combat ranges in the front.<ref name="ZalogaCh6AmericanFirefly">Zaloga 2008, ''Chapter 6: To Paris and Beyond!: American Firefly Deferred''</ref> In fact, the Firefly is most likely the responsible tank that destroyed the Tiger tank containing the Tiger Ace Michael Wittmann on 08 August 1944.<ref name="ZalogaChampionFirefly">Zaloga 2015, ''Chapter 8: The 1944 Tank Contest''</ref>

Once Firefly supply to the Normandy campaign was satisfied in October 1944, Fireflies were allocated to the Italian theater, shared out to the Polish, Canadian, New Zealand, British, and South African regiments stationed there. With that, supply issue arose in that theater for the Firefly, causing the units that received the Fireflies to treasure them greatly. Heeding the comments on how Fireflies were singled out for their long guns, there were attempts to hide the prominent gun barrels, ranging from deceptive paint schemes, camouflage, and even dummy barrels on the back of the Firefly turret that would be pointed forward to mimic the short 75 mm gun.<ref name="FletcherAction" />

Still, the Firefly served in the British Armies in the European Theater of Operations up to and until May 1945, when they were retired along with the end of the war for the replacement of better designs like the [[Comet I|Comet cruiser tank]] and the [[Centurion Mk 1|Centurion tank]].

====Reception====
The Firefly's performance was very favorable for the troops that had to use them against the heavy German tanks. Though a good portion of Germany's armour in the Normandy front were Panthers, a good majority were still [[Pz.IV H|Panzer IVs]] and self-propelled guns,<ref name="ZalogaChampionFirefly" /> all of which were manageable even with the 75 mm guns. Field reports by a Colonel W.E.H. Grylls in 1945<ref name="FletcherAction" /> helped highlight the troop's sentiments on the Firefly in combat, and especially their deficiencies. The muzzle brake sometimes came loose from an inadequate locking design, the traverse gear also failed at times due to the extra turret weight from the gun, rain leaked into the radio box on some tanks, internal space for the Firefly turret crew was comparatively cramped to the Sherman's, the muzzle flash at the gun's muzzle brake can obscure the target enough that it is difficult to ensure the firing round hit it, and muzzle flash on the breech end of the gun inside the turret has a tendency to cause a fair share of discomfort and uneasiness for the crew. Grylls also highlighted the crew praise on how the Firefly tended to not catch fire as quickly as Shermans, though this is deduced to by the placement of the majority of ammunition on the bottom of the hull, like the "wet stowage" arrangement on the newer [[M4A1 (76) W|Sherman models]]. Some of the deficiencies were fixed, such as the flashback at the breech end by implementing a delayed action breech on the 17-pounder Mk.VII model, but all these faults never diminished the popularity of the Firefly, highlighted by the statements of Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery that he wished to have Fireflies replace all types of Shermans in British service.<ref name="FletcherAction" />

On the onset, the Americans were not enthusiastic about the Firefly because they believed they had a comparable design in the [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm]] armed [[M4A1 (76) W|Shermans]]. It was not until Normandy when they were proven wrong and learned the 76 mm were unable to contend against Panthers from the front. Though they soon developed the HVAP ammunition, General Omar Bradley's 12th US Army Group on 13 August 1944 requested for Fireflies to be made until better American armament like the [[M3 (90 mm)|90 mm]] could be fielded.<ref name="FletcherAmerican">Fletcher 2008, ''The American Angle''</ref> Due to supply constraints, they never received any during that time period. Not that the American's own industries were making the situation easier for the British as when they discontinued their M4A4 Sherman and 75 mm gun production, there was a quick drop in Firefly conversions in the latter part of 1944 until they could supplement the production with enough Sherman I models.<ref name="FletcherSupply">Fletcher 2008, ''Supply and Demand''</ref> In the American's own program, it was advised that they try mounting the 17-pounder in the T23 turret made for the 76 mm gun, but also mounted on the [[M26|T26]] chassis.<ref name="FletcherAmerican" /> This advice did not make much progress. It wasn't until February 1945 when the British finally made time for conversions for the Americans. The first trials were converting two M4A3 Shermans to fit American specifications like fitting their larger radios, adding stowage brackets for the M2 machine gun, and attachment of a M9 elevating quadrant on the gun cradle.<ref name="FletcherAmerican" /><ref name="Zaloga76mmUpGun">Zaloga 2003, ''Upgunning the M4 Tank''</ref> A request of 160 Fireflies were specified on 11 March 1945 for completion on April 30, with the Americans shipping suitable tanks from France back to England for conversion. On April 7th, the initial order was halved to 80 due to the incoming end of the war and its demand ending with the lack of encountered German armour after the Ardennes Offensive.<ref name="ZalogaCh9Firefly">Zaloga 2008, ''Chapter 9: On to the Rhine!: Firepower Improvements''</ref> On the war's end, there were 100 tanks sitting in depots ready for conversion, with 86 converted tanks.<ref name="FletcherAmerican" /> The excess Shermans were given away and the leaders were left on what to do with these Fireflies they no longer needed. It was decided on May 26<ref name="FletcherAmerican" /> that these American Fireflies were to be retained in Europe for equipping the occupational force.<ref name="Zaloga76mmUpGun" /> No evidence exist on what happened to these Fireflies past that point.

===Legacy===
The Firefly's reputation during and after the war is a product of hindsight. The British understood the trend that was happening in German armoured forces and acted accordingly with the 17-pounder. It should be noted that the 17-pounder's super round, the APDS, did not appear in Firefly stowage until August 1944,<ref name="FletcherAmmo">Fletcher 2008, ''Ammunition''</ref> and in combat was really inaccurate past 500 yards and the round fouled the barrel that it affected follow-up shots with APCBC rounds. As such, APCBC round would still be standard usage and though the 17-pounder was still slightly more powerful than the 76 mm, it traded crew comfort and design quality in the Firefly in comparison to the 76 mm gun in the larger T23 turret. What solidified the Firefly's place in history in comparison to the 76 mm Shermans was that on the very first day that the Allies invaded Normandy, the British actually brought the Fireflies while the Americans left their 76 mm guns in English depots.<ref name="Zaloga76mmFrance">Zaloga 2003, ''Initial Deployment Problems''</ref> Thus, the British can claim with great confidence that on the opening days of Operation Overlord, they had a tank that could kill the German cats.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_sherman_vc_firefly Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|H-wHZ0dzbx4|'''Sherman Firefly - New London''' - ''Oxy''}}

== See also ==


* [[Sherman IC "Trzyniec"]] - Gift version of the vehicle, representing the 2nd «Warsaw» Armoured Division.
* [[M4 Tipo IC]] - Italian Firefly turret on a composite hull.
* [[Sherman Vc (Italy)]] - Italian equivalent of the Firefly
* [[M4A4 (SA50)]] - France's post-war attempt to upgrade the Sherman similarly to the Firefly.

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/3111--en|[Warrior Profile] Ace Tanker Wilfred Harris]]
* [[wikipedia:Sherman_Firefly|[Wikipedia] Sherman Firefly]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/gb/sherman_firefly.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Sherman VC Firefly]

===References===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Fletcher, David. ''Sherman Firefly'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2008. ''Kindle Edition''
* Hunnicutt, R.P. ''Sherman: A History of the American Medium Tank'' U.S.A.: Feist Publications, 1978
* Morans, Nicholas. ''Inside the Chieftain's Hatch: Sherman VC "Firefly" part 2'' YouTube, 20 Mar. 2017. Web. 29 Mar. 2017.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYRFpe27SnA]
* Zaloga, Steven J. ''M4 (76mm) Sherman Medium Tank 1943-65'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2003. ''Kindle Edition''
* Zaloga, Steven J. ''Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II'' U.S.A: Stackpole Books, 2008. ''Kindle Edition''
* Zaloga, Steven J. ''Armored Champion: The Top Tanks of World War II'' U.S.A: Stackpole Books, 2015. ''Kindle Edition''

{{TankManufacturer Department of Tank Design}}
{{Britain medium tanks}}