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M3 Stuart

2021-04-13T21:15:12Z

U3726243: Undo revision 100796 by U3726243 (talk)

{{About
| about = American light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|other
|usage-1 = other uses
|link-1 = M3 (Disambiguation)
|usage-2 = other vehicles of the family
|link-2 = M3 Stuart (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m3_stuart
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. With a better engine and transmission system than the [[M2A4|M2 light tanks]], the M3 ''Stuart'' is more able to manoeuvre the battlefield as a dependable light tank.

== General info ==
[[File:M3 Stuart Screenshot 3.jpg|thumb|M3 Stuart driving in the Snow ([[Frozen Pass (Ground Forces)|Frozen Pass]])]]
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


Being a light tank the M3 Stuart has fairly thin armour, it can generally protect against most machine guns but will usually not stand up against the main weapons of most enemy tanks at its battle rating. The inside of the tank is fairly cramped with the two turret members standing, this means that the likelihood of a crew member being hit is fairly high.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (lower frontal plate)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38.1 mm (18°) ''Driver Port'' 15.8 mm (69°) ''Front Glacis'' || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 38.1 mm || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and bogies are 15 mm thick, tracks are 10 mm thick.

[[File:M3 Stuart turning updated.gif|thumb|426x426px|M3 Stuart Turning Demo at Slow and Fast speeds]]

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 406|rbMinHp= 232}}

The M3 Stuart can reach a speed of 49 km/h off-road and up to 50 km/h on road. It can feel sluggish while turning at a lower speed as it lacks neutral steer, but when moving forward the turning is much smoother and quicker. The vehicle reverses at up to 5 km/h which while somewhat slow, is still usable in most situations on the battlefield.

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

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

{{main|M5 (37 mm)}}

The main gun of the M3 Stuart is a 37 mm M5 cannon, this gun is also featured on the [[M2A4]] and [[M3 Lee]], On the M3 Stuart the M5 can use 2 round types, either M74 (AP) or M51 (APCBC) with the latter being a Tier 1 modification.

The overall firepower is decent. The main cannon has an adequate penetration of about 60 mm which is more than enough to go through most tanks below 2.0, for example, T-26, Pz.III and Pz.35t. Although the available ammunition is all solid shells, they still make quite a bit shrapnel when penetrated which is enough to one-shot compact tanks like T-26 and Pz.35t. For larger tanks like the LVT(A), accurate shots pinpointing the crew are required which might be a little hard for new players. The cannon has enough accuracy to precisely knock out the enemy's crew within 500m. If one shot misses, the reload time of around 3.5 seconds allows quick following shots.

There is a nice stabiliser for the cannon which is a big advantage when exchanging fire, as it allows you to move out of cover and fire (usually before the enemy) without having to wait for your tank to stop wobbling. The stabiliser should be utilised to maximise your chance of surviving and killing. Note that it only works below 10 kph, so remember to slow down or it will not stabilise the gun.

Targets like the 15cm sIG 33 B Sfl or M3 GMC (mixed battle) can be quite hard to destroy, as their armour is thin enough to create little shrapnel, but are also thick enough to stop MG bullets. Against them, you can only rely on you fire rate, accuracy and of course your knowledge of their crew position to knock out their crew one by one. Always go for the gunners or drivers first, if you failed then they can always fight back and one-shot you.

The main cannon is only effective in close-quarter combat (usually within 200m) or against weakly armoured targets since the penetration drops drastically as the range increases, plus the small calibre makes the shells easy to ricochet. When encountering fairly well armoured tanks like the M13/40 or H.35, try and break their gun barrels first or track them. If they are too far away, pin them on the map and call teammates to help.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M5 (37 mm)|37 mm M5]] || 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" | 103 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical || 19.04 || 26.35 || 32.00 || 35.00 || 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 ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74 shot || AP || 67 || 65 || 56 || 46 || 38 || 32
|-
| M51 shot || APCBC || 75 || 72 || 62 || 51 || 43 || 35
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74 shot || AP || 792 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M51 shot || APCBC || 792 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''103''' || 69 ''(+34)'' || 35 ''(+68)'' || 1 ''(+102)'' || No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|5}}


Alongside the main gun, the M3 has 4 additional [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]] machine guns. The first machine gun noted is in a coaxial mount aligned with the gun, second is mounted on the turret top in a pintle mount and the last two are mounted on the hull sides in a fixed firing position. The M3 does also have a hull front machine gun, however, this machine gun cannot be fired.

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount
! Capacity (Belt capacity)
! Rate of fire (shots/minute)
! Vertical guidance
! Horizontal guidance
|-
| Pintle || 3,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
| Coaxial || 3,200 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Hull || 3,200 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Hull || 3,200 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

When driving the M3 Stuart it is best to maintain some distance from enemy vehicles, this is advisable due to the somewhat thin armour and closely packed crew that you have to work with. If you are on a smaller map where keeping distance from enemy vehicles is not possible then it would be a good idea to use buildings and landscape features for cover and to keep your vehicle concealed.

In the majority of cases, you will be able to go through the frontal armour of enemy tanks (best pen is 75 mm) although some vehicles with heavily angled front armour may be able to stop your round being effective, a consistently effective tactic is to flank an enemy vehicle and fire into the side of the crew compartment, aiming near the turret to disable their ability to fire is a good way to use your first shot. Thanks to the quick (at best 2.9s) reload of the M3 you can then put second and third shots into the enemy if needed to finish off their crew.

Another aspect worth mentioning here is the mobility of the M3. While not the fastest vehicle at its BR it certainly still has competitive mobility that will allow it to reach capture points quickly or get to a good camping or flanking position before most enemy or friendly vehicles.

'''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 to 64 mm of pen, which is enough to go through the M3 almost anywhere. These guns can also fire 10 rounds at 280 rounds/min before having to reload the clip, meaning that they will very easily take out your crew before you have a chance to respond. To counter, the best chance you have is to angle your frontal armour which can make it difficult for the PzGr 40 rounds to penetrate. The Russian [[T-50]] and [[T-126]] are vehicles you will also see commonly, these have fairly thick and angled frontal armour that will prevent you from easily getting through. These tanks can also carry 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 M3 will encounter some rough heavies, like the [[Matilda III]] and the [[B1 bis]]. The best tactic against these types of targets is to use the M3's fast speed, get within 200 m from them and attack, with shooting at point-blank range being the most effective way. Before conducting an attack, check the M3's and the enemy's surroundings to make sure no one will ambush the M3. While charging, use the M3's quick turns to suddenly change direction to avoid being shot if they are aiming and firing at the M3. Once the tank is at the ideal distance, manoeuvre so that the gun is perpendicular 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 Matilda III, shoot at the middle of the near-vertical frontal plate to knock out the driver first, since the 37 mm shell is not enough to knock out the gunner after penetrating. Once it is immobile, go to its side and finish it by shooting its hull sides. Or, shoot the right side of the gun mantlet to disable its gunner. For the best chance of penetration, do not shoot its turret side.

For the B1, 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:M3 Stuart Screenshot 2.jpg|thumb|An M3 Stuart attacking a [[BT-7]]]]

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great cannon with good penetration, excellent rate of fire and gun depression; it can effectively penetrate common opponents like the [[Pz.II (Disambiguation)|Pz.II]] and [[Chi-Ha (Family)|Chi-Ha]], as well as heavy targets like the [[B1 bis]] or [[Matilda III]]
* Excellent acceleration, top speed and turning ability on all terrains; easily outruns slower opponents like the [[Pz.III (Disambiguation)|Pz.III]]
* Access to a vertical stabiliser which most tanks don't have, it is an advantage in close-quarter encounters
* Respectable frontal armour that, if angled, might bounce some shells from a distance (eg. Japanese 37 mm/German 20 mm)
* Small turret profile makes it harder to get hit when hull-down
* Empty space below the turret crew can absorb poorly aimed shots, they tend to not do much damage

'''Cons:'''

* Weak armour against high-penetration shells like 50 mm Kwk 39 or 76 mm F-34
* Its shells do not have explosive filler, severely limiting the post-penetration effect especially against spacious tanks like the [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* Inefficient brakes when trying to stop the tank at full speed
* Hull is fairly tall for a light tank and the crews are closely packed, reducing its survivability

== 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 '''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 '''[[M3A1 Stuart|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 all its later 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 ''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 a well-known action in the Phillippines. In total 108 M3s served with the 192nd and 194th Tank Battalions, also known as the 1st Provisional Tank Group, in the 1941 U.S. defence of the Phillippines, despite having no HE ammo issued. More than 30 were captured by the Japanese, who equipped their 7th Tank Regiment with them, who used them to defend the Philippines again, against the US in 1944. M3s were also used by Company B of the 1st Marine Tank Battalion at Guadalcanal in 1942. 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|75mm 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.

=== In-game description ===
At the beginning of 1940 the Ordnance Department put together technical requirements for a new tank, the need for which was clear at the beginning of World War II. The first prototype was refashioned after the M2A4 at the Rock Island Arsenal. The tank had a riveted turret with few viewing slits, and the new M22 mantlet had thicker armor. The hull's frontal armor was also thickened to 45 mm and the turret to 38 mm. The tank hull was assembled from rolled armor plates on a frame made from angle sections and flat bars using rivets, though later releases were partially welded. From the end of 1941 to the beginning of 1942 a lack of standard gas-powered Continental aircraft engines forced some tanks to be outfitted with 265 hp Guiberson T-1020-4 diesel-powered, nine-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines capable of reaching 2,250 rpm. The diesel tanks could be recognized by their Vortex air filters and were generally designated M3 diesels. At the end of 1941 the tanks with carburetor engines were equipped with two cylindrically-shaped external fuel tanks, each with a capacity of 102 liters, that were connected to the engine supply system. After being exhausted, the external tanks could be jettisoned by the crew without leaving the tank. Adding the new tanks doubled the M3's range.

On July 5, 1940, the new light tank was standardized and released under the M3 designation. It was more widely known by the moniker General Stuart, given it by the British, who received a significant number of them in 1941 and 1942 via Lend-Lease.

Production of the M3 began in March 1941 at the American Car & Foundry factory. March 1941 through August 1942 saw 5,811 built, 1,285 of which were equipped with the Guiberson T-1020-4 engine.

M3 Stuart light tanks were also delivered to the Red Army and the UK via Lend-Lease to be used on all fronts in World War II beginning in 1941.

== Media ==


;Skins
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=us_m3_stuart Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|1yg1DAEbG8A|'''The Stuart Family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 0:46 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|g1SpGVFsVzw|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
* [[M3 Stuart (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun
* [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* [[M5 Stuart (Family)]]
* [[M8 Greyhound (Family)]]
* [[M22]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
* [[M2A2]]{{-}}[[M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.)]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:M3_Stuart|[Wikipedia] M3 Stuart]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/us/m3_stuart.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Light Tank M3 Stuart]

{{USA light tanks}}

M3 Stuart

2021-04-13T21:14:39Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */

{{About
| about = American light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|other
|usage-1 = other uses
|link-1 = M3 (Disambiguation)
|usage-2 = other vehicles of the family
|link-2 = M3 Stuart (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m3_stuart
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. With a better engine and transmission system than the [[M2A4|M2 light tanks]], the M3 ''Stuart'' is more able to manoeuvre the battlefield as a dependable light tank.

== General info ==
[[File:M3 Stuart Screenshot 3.jpg|thumb|M3 Stuart driving in the Snow ([[Frozen Pass (Ground Forces)|Frozen Pass]])]]
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


Being a light tank the M3 Stuart has fairly thin armour, it can generally protect against most machine guns but will usually not stand up against the main weapons of most enemy tanks at its battle rating. The inside of the tank is fairly cramped with the two turret members standing, this means that the likelihood of a crew member being hit is fairly high.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (lower frontal plate)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38.1 mm (18°) ''Driver Port'' 15.8 mm (69°) ''Front Glacis'' || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 38.1 mm || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and bogies are 15 mm thick, tracks are 10 mm thick.

[[File:M3 Stuart turning updated.gif|thumb|426x426px|M3 Stuart Turning Demo at Slow and Fast speeds]]

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 406|rbMinHp= 232}}

The M3 Stuart can reach a speed of 49 km/h off-road and up to 50 km/h on road. It can feel sluggish while turning at a lower speed as it lacks neutral steer, but when moving forward the turning is much smoother and quicker. The vehicle reverses at up to 5 km/h which while somewhat slow, is still usable in most situations on the battlefield.

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

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

{{main|M5 (37 mm)}}

The main gun of the M3 Stuart is a 37 mm M5 cannon, this gun is also featured on the [[M2A4]] and [[M3 Lee]], On the M3 Stuart the M5 can use 2 round types, either M74 (AP) or M51 (APCBC) with the latter being a Tier 1 modification.

The overall firepower is decent. The main cannon has an adequate penetration of about 60 mm which is more than enough to go through most tanks below 2.0, for example, T-26, Pz.III and Pz.35t. Although the available ammunition is all solid shells, they still make quite a bit shrapnel when penetrated which is enough to one-shot compact tanks like T-26 and Pz.35t. For larger tanks like the LVT(A), accurate shots pinpointing the crew are required which might be a little hard for new players. The cannon has enough accuracy to precisely knock out the enemy's crew within 500m. If one shot misses, the reload time of around 3.5 seconds allows quick following shots.

There is a nice stabiliser for the cannon which is a big advantage when exchanging fire, as it allows you to move out of cover and fire (usually before the enemy) without having to wait for your tank to stop wobbling. The stabiliser should be utilised to maximise your chance of surviving and killing. Note that it only works below 10 kph, so remember to slow down or it will not stabilise the gun.

Targets like the 15cm sIG 33 B Sfl or M3 GMC (mixed battle) can be quite hard to destroy, as their armour is thin enough to create little shrapnel, but are also thick enough to stop MG bullets. Against them, you can only rely on you fire rate, accuracy and of course your knowledge of their crew position to knock out their crew one by one. Always go for the gunners or drivers first, if you failed then they can always fight back and one-shot you.

The main cannon is only effective in close-quarter combat (usually within 200m) or against weakly armoured targets since the penetration drops drastically as the range increases, plus the small calibre makes the shells easy to ricochet. When encountering fairly well armoured tanks like the M13/40 or H.35, try and break their gun barrels first or track them. If they are too far away, pin them on the map and call teammates to help.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M5 (37 mm)|37 mm M5]] || 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" | 103 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Vertical|up to 24km/h}} || 19.04 || 26.35 || 32.00 || 35.00 || 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 ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74 shot || AP || 67 || 65 || 56 || 46 || 38 || 32
|-
| M51 shot || APCBC || 75 || 72 || 62 || 51 || 43 || 35
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74 shot || AP || 792 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M51 shot || APCBC || 792 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''103''' || 69 ''(+34)'' || 35 ''(+68)'' || 1 ''(+102)'' || No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|5}}


Alongside the main gun, the M3 has 4 additional [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]] machine guns. The first machine gun noted is in a coaxial mount aligned with the gun, second is mounted on the turret top in a pintle mount and the last two are mounted on the hull sides in a fixed firing position. The M3 does also have a hull front machine gun, however, this machine gun cannot be fired.

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount
! Capacity (Belt capacity)
! Rate of fire (shots/minute)
! Vertical guidance
! Horizontal guidance
|-
| Pintle || 3,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
| Coaxial || 3,200 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Hull || 3,200 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Hull || 3,200 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

When driving the M3 Stuart it is best to maintain some distance from enemy vehicles, this is advisable due to the somewhat thin armour and closely packed crew that you have to work with. If you are on a smaller map where keeping distance from enemy vehicles is not possible then it would be a good idea to use buildings and landscape features for cover and to keep your vehicle concealed.

In the majority of cases, you will be able to go through the frontal armour of enemy tanks (best pen is 75 mm) although some vehicles with heavily angled front armour may be able to stop your round being effective, a consistently effective tactic is to flank an enemy vehicle and fire into the side of the crew compartment, aiming near the turret to disable their ability to fire is a good way to use your first shot. Thanks to the quick (at best 2.9s) reload of the M3 you can then put second and third shots into the enemy if needed to finish off their crew.

Another aspect worth mentioning here is the mobility of the M3. While not the fastest vehicle at its BR it certainly still has competitive mobility that will allow it to reach capture points quickly or get to a good camping or flanking position before most enemy or friendly vehicles.

'''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 to 64 mm of pen, which is enough to go through the M3 almost anywhere. These guns can also fire 10 rounds at 280 rounds/min before having to reload the clip, meaning that they will very easily take out your crew before you have a chance to respond. To counter, the best chance you have is to angle your frontal armour which can make it difficult for the PzGr 40 rounds to penetrate. The Russian [[T-50]] and [[T-126]] are vehicles you will also see commonly, these have fairly thick and angled frontal armour that will prevent you from easily getting through. These tanks can also carry 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 M3 will encounter some rough heavies, like the [[Matilda III]] and the [[B1 bis]]. The best tactic against these types of targets is to use the M3's fast speed, get within 200 m from them and attack, with shooting at point-blank range being the most effective way. Before conducting an attack, check the M3's and the enemy's surroundings to make sure no one will ambush the M3. While charging, use the M3's quick turns to suddenly change direction to avoid being shot if they are aiming and firing at the M3. Once the tank is at the ideal distance, manoeuvre so that the gun is perpendicular 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 Matilda III, shoot at the middle of the near-vertical frontal plate to knock out the driver first, since the 37 mm shell is not enough to knock out the gunner after penetrating. Once it is immobile, go to its side and finish it by shooting its hull sides. Or, shoot the right side of the gun mantlet to disable its gunner. For the best chance of penetration, do not shoot its turret side.

For the B1, 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:M3 Stuart Screenshot 2.jpg|thumb|An M3 Stuart attacking a [[BT-7]]]]

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great cannon with good penetration, excellent rate of fire and gun depression; it can effectively penetrate common opponents like the [[Pz.II (Disambiguation)|Pz.II]] and [[Chi-Ha (Family)|Chi-Ha]], as well as heavy targets like the [[B1 bis]] or [[Matilda III]]
* Excellent acceleration, top speed and turning ability on all terrains; easily outruns slower opponents like the [[Pz.III (Disambiguation)|Pz.III]]
* Access to a vertical stabiliser which most tanks don't have, it is an advantage in close-quarter encounters
* Respectable frontal armour that, if angled, might bounce some shells from a distance (eg. Japanese 37 mm/German 20 mm)
* Small turret profile makes it harder to get hit when hull-down
* Empty space below the turret crew can absorb poorly aimed shots, they tend to not do much damage

'''Cons:'''

* Weak armour against high-penetration shells like 50 mm Kwk 39 or 76 mm F-34
* Its shells do not have explosive filler, severely limiting the post-penetration effect especially against spacious tanks like the [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* Inefficient brakes when trying to stop the tank at full speed
* Hull is fairly tall for a light tank and the crews are closely packed, reducing its survivability

== 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 '''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 '''[[M3A1 Stuart|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 all its later 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 ''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 a well-known action in the Phillippines. In total 108 M3s served with the 192nd and 194th Tank Battalions, also known as the 1st Provisional Tank Group, in the 1941 U.S. defence of the Phillippines, despite having no HE ammo issued. More than 30 were captured by the Japanese, who equipped their 7th Tank Regiment with them, who used them to defend the Philippines again, against the US in 1944. M3s were also used by Company B of the 1st Marine Tank Battalion at Guadalcanal in 1942. 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|75mm 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.

=== In-game description ===
At the beginning of 1940 the Ordnance Department put together technical requirements for a new tank, the need for which was clear at the beginning of World War II. The first prototype was refashioned after the M2A4 at the Rock Island Arsenal. The tank had a riveted turret with few viewing slits, and the new M22 mantlet had thicker armor. The hull's frontal armor was also thickened to 45 mm and the turret to 38 mm. The tank hull was assembled from rolled armor plates on a frame made from angle sections and flat bars using rivets, though later releases were partially welded. From the end of 1941 to the beginning of 1942 a lack of standard gas-powered Continental aircraft engines forced some tanks to be outfitted with 265 hp Guiberson T-1020-4 diesel-powered, nine-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines capable of reaching 2,250 rpm. The diesel tanks could be recognized by their Vortex air filters and were generally designated M3 diesels. At the end of 1941 the tanks with carburetor engines were equipped with two cylindrically-shaped external fuel tanks, each with a capacity of 102 liters, that were connected to the engine supply system. After being exhausted, the external tanks could be jettisoned by the crew without leaving the tank. Adding the new tanks doubled the M3's range.

On July 5, 1940, the new light tank was standardized and released under the M3 designation. It was more widely known by the moniker General Stuart, given it by the British, who received a significant number of them in 1941 and 1942 via Lend-Lease.

Production of the M3 began in March 1941 at the American Car & Foundry factory. March 1941 through August 1942 saw 5,811 built, 1,285 of which were equipped with the Guiberson T-1020-4 engine.

M3 Stuart light tanks were also delivered to the Red Army and the UK via Lend-Lease to be used on all fronts in World War II beginning in 1941.

== Media ==


;Skins
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=us_m3_stuart Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|1yg1DAEbG8A|'''The Stuart Family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 0:46 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|g1SpGVFsVzw|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
* [[M3 Stuart (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun
* [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* [[M5 Stuart (Family)]]
* [[M8 Greyhound (Family)]]
* [[M22]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
* [[M2A2]]{{-}}[[M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.)]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:M3_Stuart|[Wikipedia] M3 Stuart]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/us/m3_stuart.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Light Tank M3 Stuart]

{{USA light tanks}}

T18E2

2021-04-13T14:10:36Z

U3726243: Vert stab max speed for T18E2

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_t18_e2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|market=T18E2 Boarhound (USA)
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.77 "Advancing Storm"]] in the 2018 "Chronicles of World War II" that took place between the 14th of April till the 10th of May of the same year. It was obtainable by earning 6 "Chronicle awards" in ground vehicles.

The T18E2 is an American heavy armoured car built on an 8 x 8 suspension and features a [[M1 (57 mm)|57 mm M1]] cannon.

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

The T18E2 is a heavy armoured car that favours protection over the high mobility common to the class. The T18E2's hull is solidly protected from heavy machine guns and artillery shrapnel, but most opponents at this battle rating can penetrate it without trouble. Despite sufficient armour to protect the crew, the transmission located under the floor armour is very susceptible to damage from artillery.

The vehicle carries a full complement of 5 crew members. A driver and MG gunner sit together in the forward driving compartment, while the Gunner, Loader, and Commander sit in close proximity in the rather small turret in the fighting compartment. Altogether, a well placed APHE round can be enough to knock out all of the crew members in the vehicle but may survive multiple solid shots of AP or APCR rounds, especially from the side. However, the crew is positioned deceptively high off the ground above an armoured floor, and so shots to the very lower glacis frequently only damage the transmission.

'''Armour type''':

* Cast Homogeneous armour (turret, hull front and sides)
* Rolled Homogeneous armour (hull rear and hull roof)
* Structural Steel (fender, various boxes along the hull, and vents on engine compartment)
* Wheels

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
|Hull
|51 mm (0-40°) ''Lower glacis & upper hull'' 32 mm + 51 mm (0-61°) ''Machine Gun Port'' 38 mm (10-16°) ''Driver's Port'' 32 mm (49-81°) ''Upper Glacis'' 25 mm (72-75°) ''Small hatch on upper glacis''
|32 mm (0°) ''Side'' 25 mm (0°) ''Hatches''
|25 mm (0-16°) ''Main'' 13 mm (16-58°) ''Upper & Lower''
|19 mm ''Driving compartment'' 13 mm (83-90°) ''Fighting/engine compartment''
5 mm (84°) ''Vents''
|-
|Turret
|51 mm + 38 mm (0-49°) ''Gun Mantlet'' 38 mm (4-30°) ''Turret front''
|38 mm (0-39°)
|38 mm (0-33°) ''Rear'' 25 mm (10°) ''Hatch''
|19 mm ''Roof'' 13 mm ''Hatches''
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Floor armour is only 10 mm thick, though the suspension mounting found between each pair of wheels is reinforced with 13 mm of armour underneath the vehicle.
* Turret ring armour is 25 mm thick.
* Structural steel boxes and drums of 5 mm thick dot the exterior of the car, which can add some precious little armour thickness.
* Wheels are 10 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=387|rbMinHp=221}}

In RB/SB mode, the {{PAGENAME}} is a very sluggish vehicle, especially compared to other armoured cars. Despite its listed top speed of 80 km/h (50 mph), most drivers will only see up to 65 km/h (40 mph) on paved roads and 39 km/h (24 mph) cross country depending on terrain. Even so, with its low power to weight ratio of 10.41 hp/ton (in comparison to 14.44 hp/ton of the M3 Lee), it takes driving relatively straight for a long while for it to reach these speeds. Best stick to paved roads when you can if you need to be somewhere quick and avoid muddy terrain altogether like that found at White Rock Fortress, where mud can drag your speed down to as low as 8 km/h (5 mph), leaving you vulnerable if trying to cross potential fire zones quickly.

The {{PAGENAME}} also possesses a very high top reverse speed of -36 km/h (-20 mph), though again because of its low acceleration, will take some time to possibly reach this. However, in comparison to other tanks, the reverse acceleration and eventual speed is still acceptable for quick retreats. This can even mitigate the disadvantage that the vehicle requires a large turn radius to turn around.

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

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

{{main|M1 (57 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1 (57 mm)|57 mm M1]] || 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" | 64 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 16km/h || 17.1 || 23.7 || 28.8 || 31.8 || 33.9 || rowspan="2" | 5.20 || rowspan="2" | 4.60 || rowspan="2" | 4.24 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 10.7 || 12.6 || 15.3 || 16.9 || 18.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M70 || AP || 118 || 114 || 97 || 80 || 66 || 54
|-
| M86 || APCBC || 122 || 118 || 103 || 87 || 73 || 62
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M70 || AP || 900 || 2.85 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M86 || APCBC || 822 || 3.29 || 1.2 || 9 || 41.16 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''64''' || 52 ''(12+)'' || 40 ''(24+)'' || 24 ''(+40)'' || 12 ''(+52)'' || 1 ''(+63)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

*Recommended load is 24 ''(+40)'' to keep the hull empty of ammo.
*1st and 2nd ammo racks are ready racks, and takes priority in being filled at the beginning of the battle, then fills 5, 4, then 3.
*Full reload speed will be realized as long as ammo exists in either ready rack. If both ready racks are empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
*Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will load ammo from racks 3-5 into 2 then 1, as long as there is ammo in racks 3-5. Firing will interrupt the loading of the ready racks.

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

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| 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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


Though this is an armoured car, this is best played as a tank destroyer, as the gun is arguably the best feature on this tank. Even with your sluggish speeds, you should be able to keep up with most medium tanks and provide support to them, letting them soak up damage while you dish out it back with your great gun.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Quick firing 57 mm cannon that can fire as quick as 4 seconds with a highly trained crew
* High penetration APHE shell can make short work of foes it can face
* Large ready-rack of 24 shells
* Can scout targets in AB/RB
* Good speeds can be reached on paved roads
* Armour will protect it from heavy machine guns from nearly any angle
* Carries a bomb launcher, able to shoot up to 14 smoke grenades
* Possesses a vertical gun stabilizer to increase accuracy at low speeds
* Turret rotation speed is adequate but could be better

'''Cons:'''

* Transmission is easily knocked out by artillery shrapnel
* Slows down substantially when crossing muddy terrain or deep snow
* Very sluggish acceleration, will take a while to reach high speeds
* Large turning radius, can be problematic in narrow streets or environments
* Any calibre bigger than 14.5 mm will likely tear through the car at close range
* Requires a wide radius to turn around
* Only possess AP and APHE, no HE available

== History ==


=== T18 ===
'''Development'''

The US Army Ordnance Corps released a requirement in 1941 for a medium armoured car and a heavy armoured car to be exported to Britain. Ford built the T17 Deerhound and T17E1 Staghound for the medium requirement. Development for the heavy armoured car was headed by the Yellow Coach Company.

The prototype for the heavy armoured car was displayed in 1942, and the design became the T18. It was being designed for the British Army, who wanted them for the war in North Africa, where the mobility of armoured cars would be beneficial at the time.

'''Design'''

The T18 used an 8x8 wheeled chassis with four total axles, the front two paired together and the rear two paired together. The vehicle had a length of 20.4 feet, a width of 10 feet, and a height of 8.5 feet. It weighed around 30 tons, and was operated by a crew of five, with the driver and co-driver/machine gunner in the hull front and the commander, gunner, and loader in the turret.

The three-man turret was located on the center of the hull. The main armament consisted of a 37 mm M6 anti-tank gun. A coaxial 7.62 mm M1919A4 was mounted in the turret, and a second M1919 machine gun was ball-mounted in the hull front for use by the co-driver/machine gunner.

Armour protection of the T18 was from 9.5 mm to 50.8 mm.

The T18 was powered by two GMC 6-cylinder engines, each producing 125 horsepower, for a total of 250 horsepower. The T18 could reach speeds of 50 miles per hour and had a range of 250 miles.

=== T18E2 Boarhound ===
'''Development'''

Before the T18 had been delivered to the British Army, it was seen in the North African theater that the 37 mm had become insufficient against the latest German panzers. As such, it was decided to replace the 37 mm M6 gun with a 57 mm M1 anti-tank gun (a license-produced version of the QF 6-pounder). Sixty 57 mm projectiles were carried, and 2,500 rounds of machine gun ammunition were carried as well. The vehicle with the 57 mm gun was designated as the '''T18E2'''.

'''Production and Service'''

The T18E2 was designed by the British Army as the Boarhound, and 2,500 Boarhounds were planned to be acquired. By the time deliveries began, the war in North Africa was coming to a close, and the Boarhound also had poor off-road mobility. These factors, in addition to a high unit cost, caused the British Army to cut the order short at just 30 units. Very few Boarhounds saw combat, and none saw heavy combat. They were mostly used for convoy escort, base defence, or reconnaissance.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=us_t18_e2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|YZtAEsSpwNM|'''The Shooting Range #96''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 04:52 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|PosWOnOGkSo|'''Best experimental vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 5:08 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|RGeu2yLGeTU|'''Best armoured cars''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:55 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== 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;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
* ''other literature.''

{{USA light tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

LVT(A)(1)

2021-04-13T14:09:23Z

U3726243: Vertical stab max for LVT(A)(1

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_lvt_a_1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]]. Featuring a crew of six people with a 37 mm gun, it has a rather competitive armament for the size and battle rating. It is also the second amphibious ground vehicle to be added into the game.

The LVT is unique among the Rank I vehicles, given its ability to float across deep water. It has extremely thin armour that can easily be penetrated by heavy machine guns. In some areas even a light machine gun can penetrate it. It mounts a lightened Stuart turret, giving it a decently fast firing 37 mm cannon. Additionally, despite its rather large size (relative to its peers) it is quite mobile due to its light weight, able to keep pace with the M3 Lee.

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

Its large and spacious hull might seem hard to knock out all of its crew, but that's only true when you are getting shot from the side. From your side, there is a huge empty area between the driving compartment and the fighting compartment that will absorb any shell, regardless of their explosive fillers. However an experienced player will know to shoot at these two compartments and avoid the empty space. From the front, the spacious hull does not help to keep the crew safe as a penetrating shell will travel through the empty space and hit any crew at the back, so you could die sooner than you expected. Avoid tanks with solid shots, for example British/Swedish tanks.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Machine gun shield)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle°) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 12.7 mm (31°) ''Front plate'' 6.35 mm (83-84°) ''Upper glacis'' 6.35 mm (41-81°) ''Lower glacis'' || 6.35 mm (11-51°) ''Top'' 6.35 + 6.35 mm ''Bottom'' || 6.35 mm (0-62°) || 6.35 mm
|-
| Turret || 12.7 mm (10°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 mm (1-81°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 12.7 mm || 12.7 mm || 6 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Front hull has flat armour area where driver & co-driver sits.

The deadliest threats are HMG and autocannon mounted vehicles such as the Pz.II's, T-60, and AA guns. They can quickly chew through all of the crew.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 387|rbMinHp= 221}}

The LVT's mobility is adequate. On hard surfaces it easily reaches its top speed of around 38 km/h. On soft surfaces it needs more time to accelerate, and the top speed is lowered. The reverse speed is extremely poor, which can cause you to take unnecessary hits. The hull traverse is great, allowing you to quickly change direction, however a downside is that when you turn the hull to aim, you might over-turn and swing the gun past the target, increasing the aiming time which can be fatal.

Due to its big and tall tracks, the LVT can drive over some obstacles that are too tall for normal-sized tanks.

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

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

{{main|M6 (37 mm)}}

{| 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" | 104 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" |Vertical max 16km/h
| 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.50 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 3.77 || rowspan="2" | 3.33 || rowspan="2" | 3.07 || rowspan="2" | 2.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.60 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 87 || 84 || 73 || 60 || 50 || 41
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 79 || 76 || 65 || 54 || 45 || 37
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
|}
==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''104''' || 92 ''(+12)'' || 69 ''(+35)'' || 46 ''(+58)'' || 23 ''(+81)'' || 1 ''(+103)'' || style="text-align:left" | No
|-
|}


=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount
! Capacity (Belt capacity)
! Rate of fire (shots/minute)
! Vertical guidance
! Horizontal guidance
|-
| Rear-facing || 3,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+40° || ±60°
|-
| Rear-facing || 3,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+40° || ±60°
|-
| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Use the LVT(A)(1)'s ability to sneak up waterways to work around the enemy lines, and ambush when possible. If that is not a option, come at them head on, either taking their vehicle out or disabling it long enough to get around and finish it with a side shot. Once done, do not take the waterways back as the LVT(A)(1) is much faster on land.

This tank has the capability to work as an early assault tank, not as fast as the Stuarts, BTs and other light tanks.

Another tactic that can be done against lightly armoured vehicles is to drive backwards towards the enemy. The combined firepower of 3 machine guns and the cannon increases the chance of take out the enemy before they can take out the LVT(A)(1).

The big thing to keep in mind is that the LVT(A)(1) is big. It is a large target that is hard to hide, but the spacious interior makes it harder for enemies to take out all of the crew members.

At the same time, keep in mind that the LVT(A)(1) is an easy target for aircraft, as the vehicle presents as very easy target for anything .50 cal and up.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very fast and manoeuvrable on most terrain
* 6 crew members
* Fast-firing and accurate 37 mm gun
* Crew members are spread out, less likely to get knocked out in one shot
* Great gun depression at the side and front
* Heavily armoured gun mantlet
* 2 machine gunners that can fire at high angles, enabling anti air
* Small engine makes it hard to hit
* Reserve tank (no repair costs)
* Amphibious (the first reserve floating tank)
* Most of the interior is empty space meaning that most tanks will need a few shots to knock out this tank

'''Cons:'''

* Huge (shell magnet)
* Barely any armor to speak about
* Exposed lower glacis
* Weak armor and huge size makes it vulnerable to artillery
* Can be hull broken by large caliber HEAT, such as the ones found on [[Chi-Ha|Chi-Has]] and early [[Pz.IV (Disambiguation)|Panzer IVs]].
* Very slow reverse speed can prevent it from retreating back to cover in time
* Unstable aim while moving
* Bad suspension makes it unstable at humps
* Very slow speed when traveling in water
* Water rocks the tank when moving, making it unstable during and a while after movement in the water

== History ==

===Development===
The vehicle's origins is from a swamp-access vehicle called the ''Alligator'' made for civilians. Donald Roebling, its developer, built an improved version of his vehicle with better speed in water. The United States Marine Corps became interested in this amphibious design as they began drawing up their amphibious warfare doctrine. They requested a more sea-worthy version of the vehicle for use in their military operations. Though Roebling and the Navy were reclusive on that idea (the Navy believes they have the current vehicle in store already), the idea brought fruit when World War II broke out in Europe and Roebling created a military version. After a few trials with improvements like a stronger engine, the Bureau of Ships placed a contract for 100 of these vehicles with all-steel armour. The first ones arrive in July 1941, with 200 more ordered before the initial contract was finished. The vehicle design was adopted and designated the '''LVT''', with many different variants of the vehicle being produced throughout the war.

===Variants===
The first version of the LVT, the ''LVT-1'', could carry 18 men or 4,500 pounds of equipment. The Marines first used the LVT-1 in Guadalcanal with 128 available to 1st Marine Division. Usage in the field revealed that the LVT was too thinly armoured for a rapid deployment back and forth the ships and landing site, but the Marines saw the vehicle's potential as an assault vehicle. So in June 1941, the Marines push forward with a Roebling design of the LVT armed with a gun turret. In order for this to be possible, the LVT underwent a redesign into the ''LVT-2 "Buffalo"'', which had a new powertrain and suspension to allow better performances on land and able to carry up to 6,950 pounds in equipment. It was this design that the turret-equipped LVT's were created. The LVT-2's were armed with turrets from the [[M3A1_Stuart|Stuart series]] and [[M8_Scott|M8 howitzer motor carriages]]. These two turret variants are designated ''[[LVT(A)(1)|LVT(A)-1]]'' and ''[[LVT(A)(4) ZIS-2 (USA)|LVT(A)-4]]'' respectively. The ''(A)'' standing for ''armoured'' as the LVT was built with additional armour to withstand small arms fire. 510 of the ''LVT(A)-1'' were created while 1,890 of the ''LVT(A)-4'' were created.

Other variants of the LVT were produced featuring redesigns for its purpose of infantry fire support and cargo-bearing. Some of the significant ones was the ''LVT-4'' in August 1943 that moved the engine forward and had a rear ramp door, which increased capacity from 18 soldiers to 30, making previous load-carrying LVT's obsolete. The ''LVT-4'' was the most numerous of the LVT variants at 8,351 units.

===Combat usage===
The first usage of the LVT family is as a cargo carrier in Guadalcanal, it was unarmoured at the time and only had machine guns as their main armaments. Their next usage was in Tarawa, which saw the first usage of the newly designed LVT-2. The vehicles in both cases carried ammunition, troops, and wounded back and forth the ships and the beach. After Tarawa, the LVT inventory increased by the battalion, as well as the appearance of the gun-armed ''LVT(A)-1'' and ''LVT(A)-4''. The LVT family continued to see service in Bougainville, the Marshall Islands, Saipan, Peleliu, Leyte (its largest usage in the war), Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. The LVT's also saw use in South East Asia in use by the British, but they never saw combat action.

Outside the Pacific, the LVT also saw use in the European Theater of Operations. Their first usage was in North Africa in November 1942 during Operation Torch to land troops, where its best usage was to get stranded landing boats back into action. The LVT's were also given to the British as part of Lend-Lease. The LVT's were used in the Normandy landings and other operations in Europe such as crossing the Rhine River in Germany and Po River in Italy.

After World War II, the LVT's continued to see action in the multiple conflicts in the world. A number were given to the Chinese Nationalists in the Chinese Civil War by America. Many of these were captured by the Chinese PLA, with some converted to use a 75 mm howitzer or a ''[[ZiS-2_(57_mm)|ZIS-2]]'' anti-tank gun. The Americans used a number of LVT vehicles in the Korean War, notably the landing at Inchon and the attack on Seoul. The French also used American-supplied LVTs during the Indochina War and the Suez Crisis.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=us_lvt_a_1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|SJoW-2_6J6o|'''Amphibious tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 3:16 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|p9_XD0TgdiA|'''TOP 5 Reserve Tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 1:00 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|0vrfsZe1ZcA|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[LVT (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[M3 Stuart (Family)]]
* [[M5 Stuart (Family)]]
* [[M8 Greyhound (Family)]]
* [[M22]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Ka-Mi]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/3755-development-lvt-a-1-en/|[Devblog] LVT(A)-1]]
* [[wikipedia:Landing_Vehicle_Tracked|[Wikipedia] Landing Vehicle Tracked]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/LVTA-1_Amtrack.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> LVT(A)1 Amtrack]

{{TankManufacturer Food Machinery Corporation (FMC)}}
{{USA light tanks}}

M3 Medium (USSR)

2021-04-13T14:07:28Z

U3726243: Vertical stab max for M3_medium USSR(M3C)

{{About
|about= premium gift tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage=other versions
|link=M3 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_m3c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|market=M3 Medium (USSR)
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]]. It was first obtained via the special event [[wt:en/news/3579-tournament-defender-combined-battles-en/|"Defender combined battles"]] in 20 February 2016 and has been occasionally available to be obtained since, primarily in the September "Tanker's Day" events in [[wt:en/news/4232-special-tanker-s-day-specials-en/|2016]] and [[wt:en/news/4954-event-happy-tanker-s-day-en|2017]].

Aside from the paint job, the M3 Medium is virtually identical to the American [[M3 Lee]]; the different name comes from the Russian designation of just "M3 Medium". The M3 is most well recognized for its tall profile and two cannons. The suspension resembles that of the [[M4|M4 Sherman]], the only notable difference being the return rollers' positions. The hull front is also stepped into two plates, where the upper is closer to vertical. The large sponson on the right side of the tank carries the main 75 mm gun; note that with 2 crew, it is the operational gun. The 37 mm gun is in a turret, mounted with a leftward offset, and has a small MG cupola on top.

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

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38.1 mm (54°) ''Front Glacis'' 50.8 mm (15-55°) ''Transmission area'' 50.8 mm (29°) ''Driver port'' 38.1 mm (0-57°) ''Hull gun mount'' || 38.1 mm (0-22°) ''Top'' 38.1 mm ''Bottom'' || 38.1 mm (1-14°) ''Top'' 38.1 mm (15-53°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 50.8 mm (11-65°) ''Turret front'' 38.1 mm (1-82°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 50.8 mm (0-66°) || 50.8 mm (1-54°) || 22.2 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 50.8 mm || 50.8 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 17 mm thick.
* Hull doors and vision ports are 38.1 mm thick.

When combating this tank, avoid its 75 mm gun by flanking the vehicle, then get in close and hug the sides or rear of the vehicle to prevent them form turning and going under the 37 mm's depression range. Aim for the large superstructure, a solid penetration will knock out all 6 crew members or make the ammunition combust. Note that firing through the side hatch will usually destroy the tank in one-shot, owing to the lack of sloping and ammunition storage.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=620|rbMinHp=354}}

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|M5 (37 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M5 (37 mm)|37 mm M5]] || 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" | 179 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+60° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 16km/h || 17.1 || 23.7 || 28.8 || 31.8 || 33.9 || rowspan="2" | 3.77 || rowspan="2" | 3.33 || rowspan="2" | 3.07 || rowspan="2" | 2.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 10.7 || 12.6 || 15.3 || 16.9 || 18.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 79 || 76 || 65 || 54 || 45 || 37
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 87 || 84 || 73 || 60 || 50 || 41
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[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
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! 11th rack empty
! 12th rack empty
! 13th rack empty
! 14th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''179''' || 176 ''(+3)'' || 172 ''(+7)'' || 168 ''(+11)'' || 160 ''(+19)''|| 153 ''(+26)''|| 148 ''(+31)'' || 140 ''(+39)'' || 133 ''(+46)'' || 129 ''(+50)'' || 116 ''(+63)'' || 105 ''(+50)'' || 63 ''(+116)'' || 21 ''(+158)'' || 1 ''(+178)''|| Yes
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_M3Lee.png|right|thumb|400px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M3 Lee.]]

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|M2 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2 (75 mm)|75 mm M2]] || 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" | 50 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±15° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 16km/h || 11 || 16 || 19 || 21 || 23 || rowspan="2" | 6.2 || rowspan="2" | 5.6 || rowspan="2" | 5.1 || rowspan="2" | 4.8
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 7.1 || 8.4 || 10 || 11 || 12
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 84 || 82 || 73 || 62 || 53 || 46
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 97 || 94 || 84 || 73 || 63 || 55
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 448 || 6.3 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 588 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 588 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M89 || 259 || 3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_M3Lee.png|right|thumb|400px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M3 Lee.]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''50''' || 1 ''(+49)'' || Yes
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| 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
|-
| Pintle || 3,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+60° || ±180°
|-
| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The multiple cannons allow for different combinations of attack. The 37 mm gun on the full 360° traverse turret allows for a diverse role on the M3, with its high-velocity and effective round for long-range fighting, but with a fast reload for close-quarter encounters. The 75 mm on the sponson mount has the same penetration level as the 37 mm, but with a very high post-penetration damage with the right ammo at the cost of lower velocity, and thus a shorter battle range. The limited traverse on the 75 mm mount also means it is not as flexible as the turreted 37 mm. With these two cannon, the M3 can focus on a close-range combat with the two cannons fighting a single tank, or engage two separate tanks at a longer range. Closer range combat is supported by the M3's adequate sloped frontal armour, able to withstand most enemy fire at its battle rating. It is recommended to set the keys to allow separate firing of the cannons for maximum effectiveness.

Still, the different guns mean different styles of play. The M3 can also play as a tank destroyer, using its sponson gun to take shots at medium range and its 37 mm to cover the flanks and make longer range snipe shots. The M3 can also be used as an assault tank, quickly advancing on points while switching between the powerful 75 mm gun and the faster-firing 37 mm. It is also possible to completely ignore the 37 mm and focus solely on the 75 mm as it is a far more effective gun with its HE filler in its APCBC, as well as being easier to manage for newer players. In all game modes, the weapons should be assigned to different keys, this will allow the tank to aim using the sights of the three guns separately, allowing more accurate targeting at ranges, especially for the 75 mm gun. Since the 75 mm is in a side sponson, it is also possible to approach cover to where only the 37 mm is showing, allowing the tank to fire with most of the tank's profile hidden.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Ability to use two guns: a 37mm and a 75mm - which is unique as well as useful at this rank
* Best gun depression of all Russian tanks at the rank of -7°
* Acceptable frontal armour
* Side mounted 75 mm gives the ability for some unique tactics
* Despite the tall profile, the "wedding cake" design of the turret has thick sloped armour, providing extra protection to make up for its height
* 6 crew members, harder to fully incapacitate
* Good for researching low rank tanks
* Premium and Research rewards

'''Cons:'''

* Tall profile, big target
* 75 mm sponson weapon does not allow for hull-down combat
* Tall position of turret restricts gun depression
* Slow traverse speeds make it easy for a light or a particularly speedy medium tank to sneak around the sides
* Weak side armour
* Very awkward to use for new players

== History ==

===Development===
The current main tank in US inventory in 1940 was the [[M2|M2 medium tank]], but the Battle of France showed that such a tank was not going to be capable to go against the German [[Pz.III F|Panzer IIIs]] and [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IVs]] and their Panzer Divisions. With the Western Allies now embroiled in the North African campaign against the Germans and Italians, the Allies needed a good tank capable of going against the Panzer tanks, and they needed it quickly.<ref name="ZalogaM3Med">Zaloga Steven. ''M3 Lee/Grant Medium Tank 1941-45'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2005</ref>

The new tank design took elements from the M2 Medium, using the chassis and its VVSS suspension system. Part of the requirement for the new tank was to mount the more powerful 75 mm cannon. However it was discovered that the United States does not have a turret design that can mount the 75 mm gun. But turret development takes time, and a new tank capable of fighting the Germans was needed now. Taking elements from French designs such as the Char B1, with its two cannon mounts, the American designers decided that the 75 mm, if can't be mounted on a turret, should be mounted on a sponson design on the hull. This design was tested on the M2 medium tank as the ''T5E2''. Ordnance approved it as combat-capable and the design was approved as the '''M3 Medium'''. The M3 Medium design had two cannons, the 75 mm on the hull sponson mount, and a 37 mm with a coaxial machine gun on a turret, a cupola on the turret had its own machine gun. The M3 Lee's 75 mm gun however presented a huge advantage over contemporary tank armaments as the 75 mm could fire high-explosive rounds for fortifications and artillery pieces, yet could fire a shell with a high enough velocity for anti-tank purposes.

The M3 design's faults was the high profile and the sponson mount for its armament. The M3 was 10 ft. 3 in. tall, a foot taller than the M2 medium tank. The 75 mm on a sponson mount meant that the main armament of the tank had a limited traverse compared to a rotatable turret and forced the tank to reveal much of its body in order to aim the gun at the enemy. The M3 Medium was also constructed out of rivets (which increased spalling) and had a smooth track design which reduced ground traction. Despite these disadvantages, the Allies happily accepted them as they were critically low on tanks, and German Colonel Hans von Luck considered them superior to the [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IV]]s from his experience in Africa.

The initial batch of M3 Lees were given to the British for their campaign at North Africa. The British experience with the M3 design pointed out most ofits flaws, but they were concerned with the lack of radio in the turret and a lacking in armour, with which they requested a redesign. The new design had a new cast turret with room for a radio, the hull had thicker armour, and the turret cupola's machine gun was removed for a simple hatch. The modified M3 also required one less crew member due to the radio now being in the turret for the commander rather than for a radio operator. The British ordered 1,250 of these modified M3 medium tanks.

On August 1941, production officially started on the M3 Mediums, though the armour was thicker than initials batches of the tank due to its combat experiences. A majority of these were completed at Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Of the total 6,258 M3s built between start up to the end of production in December 1942, 2,855 units went to the British and 1,386 went to the Soviet Union. Other users of the M3 were the Australians and Indians in the Pacific Theater. The M3 Mediums arriving in British arsenal caused confusion as the same "M3" designation was given to the [[M3 Stuart|M3 Light Tank]], plus there were two different design types of the M3 Mediums. This set off the tradition of naming American tanks after generals, where the M3 medium tank earned the ''Lee'' for the initial Americans design, [[Grant I|''Grant'']] for the British redesign, and the M3 light tank and its [[M5A1|successors]] earned the ''Stuart''.

===Combat usage===
Combat experience with the M3 Lee was complicated, but favorable. In Africa, the Lees and Grants in British and American service surprised the German forces when they could withstand the [[KwK 38 (50 mm)|50 mm KwK 38 L/42 gun]] and [[KwK 37 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK 37 L/24 howitzer]] armament on the Panzer IIIs and Panzer IVs. The M3 Lee proved reliable and adequate in armour protection in British and American service. The Soviet's experience with the M3 Lee was less favorable, as their [[T-34 (1941)|T-34 tanks]] were much better in combat performance. The Soviets euphemistically called it a "grave for six men" and the Lee tanks were relegated to the secondary fronts or repurposed as armoured personnel carriers. In the Pacific, the M3 Lees were lent to the Australians and Indians, which proved vastly superior to the Japanese tanks in service. The high gun elevation on its 37 mm turret and machine guns proved effective in knocking Japanese sniper off from trees. The only American use of the M3 Lee at the Pacific Theater was during the Battle of Makin Island.

The M3 Lee served fine as a stop gap solution for the American tank development. They performed very well on the combat field and proved very reliable. However, once a 75 mm turret was finally designed, the M3 Lee was redesigned to use it, and the resulting tank was the [[M4|M4 Sherman]], which will go on to replace the M3 tanks in the Allies as they are withdrawn from service. Even if it wasn't, the M3 was becoming obsolete due to newer German tanks being deployed, such as the [[Panther D|Panther]], [[Tiger_H1|Tiger I]], or improvement of of old chassis like [[Pz.IV G|Panzer IV Ausf. G]] and [[StuG III F|StuG III Ausf. F]]. Its obsolescence was a consequence of its own rather unique development and anachronistic design, limiting this medium tank's service life to a mere two years in Allied hands. However it lived on until the end of World War II in some modifications such as tractor and recovery vehicle. The chassis and running gear were adapted by the Canadians to develop their [[M4A5|''Ram'' medium tank]].<ref name="ZalogaM3Med" />

===An anecdote===

::"The 75 (mm gun) is firing. The 37 (mm gun) is firing, but it is traversed round the wrong way. The Browning (machine gun) is jammed. I am saying 'Driver advance' on the A set and the driver, who can't hear me, is reversing. And as I look over the top of the turret and see twelve enemy tanks fifty yards away, someone hands me a cheese sandwich." —''British Lieutenant Ken Giles, tank commander of a M3 Grant''<ref name="GrantAnecdote">Bell, Chris. "Fury: All You Need to Know about Life in a Tank." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 24 Oct. 2014. Web. 12 Jan. 2017. [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/11167575/Fury-all-you-need-to-know-about-life-in-a-tank.html Website]</ref>

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

== 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 ==


=== References ===
<references />

{{USSR medium tanks}}
{{USSR premium ground vehicles}}

Stuart III

2021-04-13T14:05:39Z

U3726243: Vertical max stab speed for Stuart III(M3A1 UK)

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_m3a1_stuart
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]]. Compared to its predecessor, the [[Stuart I]], it has a more streamlined turret shape that presents a smaller target.

== 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 (20mm) 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, 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'' || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 50.8 mm || 31.8 mm || 31.8 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
|}

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

[[File:M3A1 Turning Demo.gif|thumb|400px|Demonstration of the slow and fast turning of the Stuart III]]

{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 406|rbMinHp= 232}}

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/B2 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" | Vertical max 16km/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 ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 79 || 76 || 65 || 54 || 45 || 37
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 87 || 84 || 73 || 60 || 50 || 41
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

[[File:M3A1 Ammo Racks.jpg|thumb|[[Ammo racks|Ammo rack]] placement on the {{PAGENAME}}]]

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''106''' || 71 ''(+35)'' || 36 ''(+70)'' || 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 || 3,200 (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 (50.8mm) 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 pen 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 64 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 pen. Keeping your distance to those tanks will also help, as their cannons lose all penetration after 500-700 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 M3 will encounter some rough heavies, like the B1 bis. The best tactic against this type of targets is to use the M3A3'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 M3A3's and the enemy's surroundings to make sure no one will ambush the M3A3. While charging, use the M3A3's quick turns to suddenly change direction to avoid being shot if they are aiming and firing at the M3A3. 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 ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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|75mm 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.

=== In-game description ===
Production of the M3A1 Stuart modification got underway in April 1942, with its primary changes affecting turret construction. The turret was a horseshoe-shaped M3, though it did not have a cupola, and two triangular hatches on its roof served as exits for the crew. The gunner and reloader had periscopes. The turret rotated using a power traverse as opposed to the manually rotated M3. Its faster rotation speed required changes in its construction, in particular a basket fitted with seats for the crew members.

The M23 mantlet was fitted with a 37 mm M6 cannon featuring a gyro stabilizer that significantly boosted accuracy while on the move. That did, however, require more training for gunners, a difficult assignment under battlefield conditions. The sponson-mounted immobile M1919A4 machine guns were replaced with additional ammunition storage, pushing the tank's capacity to 116 shells and 6,400 bullets.

From April to August of 1942 the M3A1 was produced alongside the M3. Changes were made gradually, meaning that some later M3s featured welded bodies and new turrets. They lacked, however, the basket and power traverse, and were called Stuart Hybrids. Some early M3A1s had sponson-mounted machine guns (the intervening models plugged up the openings) and riveted bodies. By the end of February 1943, 4,621 M3A1s had been assembled, 211 of them with the Guiberson T-1020-4 engines (called Stuart IVs by the British). It is worth noting that the M3A1s with welded bodies should have been designated M3A2s, though that never actually happened.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=#stuart_III Skins and camouflages for the Stuart III from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" widths="280" heights="180" perrow="3">
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;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Britain light tanks}}

Stuart I

2021-04-13T14:04:33Z

U3726243: Vertical max speed stab for M3 UK. This is fun because the US M3 have a 24km/h stab and it is literally the same tank good job Gaijin.

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_m3_stuart
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]].

== General info ==
[[File:M3 Stuart Screenshot 3.jpg|thumb|M3 Stuart driving in the Snow ([[Frozen Pass (Ground Forces)|Frozen Pass]])]]
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

Being a light tank the Stuart I has fairly thin armour, it can generally protect against most machine guns but will usually not stand up against the main weapons of most enemy tanks at its battle rating. The inside of the tank is fairly cramped with the two turret members standing, this means that the likelihood of a crew member being hit is fairly high.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (lower frontal plate)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38.1 mm (18°) ''Driver Port'' 15.8 mm (69°) ''Front Glacis'' || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 38.1 mm || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and bogies are 15 mm thick, tracks are 10 mm thick.

[[File:M3 Stuart turning updated.gif|thumb|426x426px|Stuart I Turning Demo at Slow and Fast speeds]]

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 406|rbMinHp= 232}}It feels like something new, not even the Tetrarch can compare its swiftness and maneuverability. The speed both forward and backward are enough or better from British standards.

The Stuart I can reach a speed of 49 km/h off-road and up to 50 km/h on road. It can feel sluggish while turning at a slower speed as it lacks neutral steer, but when moving forward the turning is much smoother and quicker. The vehicle reverses at up to 5 km/h which while somewhat slow, is still usable in most situations on the battlefield.

You will find this vehicle very useful at the moment of climbing uphills and flanking through the sides of the map. It feels better in the countryside or the vast places rather urban areas. This is due to larger spaces where it can reach its full flanking potential and not being clustered by close quarters.

The backward speed is a refreshing leap from the usually lacking British backward speed. Learn how to use it and remember it's not the same with all British tanks.

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

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

{{main|M5 (37 mm)}}

The main gun of the Stuart I is a 37 mm M5 cannon, this gun is also featured on the [[M2A4]] and [[M3 Lee]], On the Stuart I the M5 can use 2 round types, either M74 (AP) or M51 (APCBC) with the latter being a Tier 1 modification.

The overall firepower is decent. The main cannon has an adequate penetration of about 60 mm which is more than enough to go through most tanks below 2.0, for example, T-26, Pz.III and Pz.35t. Although the available ammunition is all solid shells, they still make quite a bit shrapnel when penetrated which is enough to one-shot compact tanks like T-26 and Pz.35t. For larger tanks like the LVT(A), accurate shots pinpointing the crew are required which might be a little hard for new players. The cannon has enough accuracy to precisely knock out the enemy's crew within 500m. If one shot misses, the reload time of around 3.5 seconds allows quick following shots.

There is a nice stabiliser for the cannon which is a big advantage when exchanging fire, as it allows you to move out of cover and fire (usually before the enemy) without having to wait for your tank to stop wobbling. The stabiliser should be utilised to maximise your chance of surviving and killing. Note that it only works below 10 kph, so remember to slow down or it will not stabilise the gun.

Targets like the 15cm sIG 33 B Sfl or M3 GMC (mixed battle) can be quite hard to destroy, as their armour is thin enough to create little shrapnel, but are also thick enough to stop MG bullets. Against them, you can only rely on you fire rate, accuracy and of course your knowledge of their crew position to knock out their crew one by one. Always go for the gunners or drivers first, if you failed then they can always fight back and one-shot you.

The main cannon is only effective in close quarter combat (usually within 200m) or against weakly armored targets, since the penetration drops drastically as the range increases, plus the small caliber makes the shells easy to ricochet. When encountering fairly well armored tanks like the M13/40 or H.35, try and break their gun barrels first or track them. If they are too far away, pin them on the map and call teammates to help.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M5 (37 mm)|37 mm M5]] || 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" | 103 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 16km/h || 19.04 || 26.35 || 32.00 || 35.00 || 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 ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74 shot || AP || 67 || 65 || 56 || 46 || 38 || 32
|-
| M51 shot || APCBC || 75 || 72 || 62 || 51 || 43 || 35
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74 shot || AP || 792 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M51 shot || APCBC || 792 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_M3_Stuart.jpg|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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''103''' || 69 ''(+34)'' || 35 ''(+68)'' || 1 ''(+102)'' || No
|-
|}

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

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

Alongside the main gun, the Stuart I has 2 additional [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]] machine guns. The first machine gun noted is in a coaxial mount aligned with the gun, second is mounted on the turret top in a pintle mount. Unlike its American counterpart, the Stuart I lacks the two machine guns mounted on the hull sides. The Stuart I does also have a hull front machine gun but this cannot be fired.

The machine gun is only enough to destroy poorly protected vehicles such as AS 42, FlakPz I and GAZ-AAA. The penetration of around 10 mm is not enough to go through the frontal armour of those not-so-weakly-armoured tanks like SU-5-1, Panzerjager 1 or 15cm sIG 33 B Sfl. If you are skilled the two MG can effectively damage low-flying biplanes.

This machine guns will allow you to strafe with some degree of damage input, low passing planes. Like the threatening Stuka bomber or any other plane that decides to fly low to the ground. The coaxial MG have good depression allowing it to aim high enough, however, its targeting speed is slow, therefore you should move the turret or sometimes the hull itself, in order to successfully attack an airplane.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount
! Capacity (Belt capacity)
! Rate of fire (shots/minute)
! Vertical guidance
! Horizontal guidance
|-
| Pintle || 3,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
| Coaxial || 3,200 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

When driving the Stuart I, it is best to maintain some distance from enemy vehicles, this is advisable due to the somewhat thin armour and closely packed crew that you have to work with, if you are on a smaller map where keeping distance from enemy vehicles is not possible then it would be a good idea to use buildings and landscape features for cover and to keep your vehicle concealed.

'''Offensive rear support'''

A way to use this tank is as a support vehicle behind the main tank offensive, with your high reloading gun, velocity and decent pen you will be able to provide quick support firing for the vehicles advancing.

In the majority of cases, you will be able to go through the frontal armour of enemy tanks (best pen is 75 mm) although some vehicles with heavily angled front armour may be able to stop your round being effective, a consistently effective tactic is to flank an enemy vehicle and fire into the side of the crew compartment, aiming near the turret to disable their ability to fire is a good way to use your first shot, thanks to the quick (at best 2.9s) reload of the Stuart I, you can then put second and third shots into the enemy if needed to finish off their crew.

If the assault seems deemed to fail, you can quickly turn back and speed your escape out the frontline, this thanks to its highly mobile transmission.

'''Flanker'''

Another aspect worth mentioning here is the mobility of the Stuart I, while not the fastest vehicle at its BR it certainly still has competitive mobility that will allow it to reach capture points in quickly or get to a good camping or flanking position before most enemy or friendly vehicles alike.

Using the map to your advantage, choosing rather lonely areas of the map and lurking in the smallest of the corners is the little Stuarts job. Covering with the forest or using the landscape for attacking the enemy with surprise by the sides, or the rear. This tactic applies even when using the vehicle in an up-tiered battle rated match. As there will be plenty of light tanks trying to do the same as you.

'''Enemies worth noting'''

'''German tanks'''

Specific enemy vehicles that bear mentioning are any German vehicles with the [[KwK38 (20 mm)|20 mm KwK/FlaK38]] cannon, this gun might be small but can have up to 64 mm of penetration, which is enough to go through the Stuart I at almost any point even frontally, these guns can also fire 10 rounds at 280 rounds/min before having to reload the clip, this means that they will 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. It will also help to to maintain distance from enemy, because the PzGr 40 round loses penetration very quickly. However generally speaking you will not stand much of a chance against vehicles equipped with this gun if you are openly exposed to their fire.

German medium tanks can be really hard to hit by the front, use the Ballistic analysis to know where to proper shot them.

'''Swedish tanks'''

Swedish tanks are usually lacking in the armour department, so the Stuart I, it's able to do good work with its gun. Keep in mind that they have powerful guns and fast-firing tanks. Be aware of their APDS shells, which are very fast and easy to aim at long ranges, don't try to fight them at long distances. Tankers must be precise when engaging them. Their shaped turret is capable of even bouncing some of the inbound shots, it is best to always aim for the centre area of the hull or the turret.

[[File:M3 Stuart Screenshot 2.jpg|thumb|An M3 Stuart attacking a [[BT-7]]]]

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Coaxial and fixed MG's
* Good front armour
* Fast and agile
* Reliable gun with a good rate of fire
* Good pen on the stock AP round

'''Cons:'''

* Crew are located close together
* Brakes are weak
* Turning can be bad at slower speeds
* No ammunition with HE filler (only solid shots)
* Despite being a small tank, quiet tall and easy boxy profile

== 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 '''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 '''[[M3A1 Stuart|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 all its later 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 ''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 a well-known action in the Phillippines. In total 108 M3s served with the 192nd and 194th Tank Battalions, also known as the 1st Provisional Tank Group, in the 1941 U.S. defence of the Phillippines, despite having no HE ammo issued. More than 30 were captured by the Japanese, who equipped their 7th Tank Regiment with them, who used them to defend the Philippines again, against the US in 1944. M3s were also used by Company B of the 1st Marine Tank Battalion at Guadalcanal in 1942. 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|75mm 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.

=== In-game description ===
At the beginning of 1940 the Ordnance Department put together technical requirements for a new tank, the need for which was clear at the beginning of World War II. The first prototype was refashioned after the M2A4 at the Rock Island Arsenal. The tank had a riveted turret with few viewing slits, and the new M22 mantlet had thicker armor. The hull's frontal armor was also thickened to 45 mm and the turret to 38 mm. The tank hull was assembled from rolled armor plates on a frame made from angle sections and flat bars using rivets, though later releases were partially welded. From the end of 1941 to the beginning of 1942 a lack of standard gas-powered Continental aircraft engines forced some tanks to be outfitted with 265 hp Guiberson T-1020-4 diesel-powered, nine-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines capable of reaching 2,250 rpm. The diesel tanks could be recognized by their Vortex air filters and were generally designated M3 diesels. At the end of 1941 the tanks with carburetor engines were equipped with two cylindrically-shaped external fuel tanks, each with a capacity of 102 liters, that were connected to the engine supply system. After being exhausted, the external tanks could be jettisoned by the crew without leaving the tank. Adding the new tanks doubled the M3's range.

On July 5, 1940, the new light tank was standardized and released under the M3 designation. It was more widely known by the moniker General Stuart, given it by the British, who received a significant number of them in 1941 and 1942 via Lend-Lease.

Production of the M3 began in March 1941 at the American Car & Foundry factory. March 1941 through August 1942 saw 5,811 built, 1,285 of which were equipped with the Guiberson T-1020-4 engine.

M3 Stuart light tanks were also delivered to the Red Army and the UK via Lend-Lease to be used on all fronts in World War II beginning in 1941.

== Media ==

[https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=#stuart_i Skins and camouflages for the Stuart I from live.warthunder.com.]

== 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;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Britain light tanks}}

M3A3 Stuart (France)

2021-04-13T14:02:37Z

U3726243: Max vert stab speed for M3A3 FR

{{About
| about = light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other vehicles of the family
| link-1 = M3 Stuart (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M3 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_m3a3_stuart
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} French light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]].

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret)
* Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet, MG port, transmission carter)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 25.4 mm (40°) ''Upper Glacis - Cheeks'' 25 mm (44-50°) ''Upper Glacis - Top'' 20 mm (spherical) ''MG port'' 50 mm (23-29°) ''Upper Glacis - joint plate'' 50 mm (44-46°) ''Upper Glacis - Bottom'' 44.4 mm (25-43°) ''Lower Glacis'' || 25.4 mm (20°) ''Top'' 25.4 mm ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm (40-59°) + 4 mm ''Upper glacis'' 25.4 mm (cylindrical) + 4 mm ''Upper plate'' 25.4 mm (8°) ''Upper plate - Cheeks'' 25.4 mm (21°) ''Lower glacis'' || 25 mm (40°) ''Front glacis'' 12.7 mm (16°) ''Centre and rear''
|-
| Turret || 38.1 mm (12-14°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 mm (spherical) + 38.1 mm (12-14°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 31.75 mm 15 mm ''Add-on tracks'' || 31.75 mm || 12.7 mm (16°) ''Front'' 12.7 mm ''Centre'' 12.7 mm (16°) ''Rear''
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, tracks and bogies are 15 mm thick.
* Mudguards and the rear storage box are 4 mm thick.

The frontal armour on the {{Specs|pseudonym}} is pretty tough for a light tank with 25 mm on the front & sides of the hull, and a large, 50 mm thick gun mantlet covering up most of its frontal turret. When angled correctly it can bounce off quite a few shots. However it can still be easily penetrated by average guns at its battle rating. From the front, the 4 crew members are sitting pretty close together, making it highly possible to get all knocked out at once by a shell with explosive filler like the Soviet 45 mm AP or the German short 75 mm APHE. The transmission and the engine are all quite small and low, and the ammunition stowage racks are also small, reducing the chance of being immobile or suffering ammo rack detonation. There is also an empty area under the turret servants and in front of the driving compartment, which will absorb those shells with weak damage.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=406|rbMinHp=232}}

One of the best aspects of the {{Specs|pseudonym}} is its superior mobility. It has a top speed of 58 km/h and doesn't lose too much speed on soft terrains as it's tracked, making it one of the fastest tanks at the BR alongside with the famous BT series tanks. The turning ability is also amazing, since the hull is short and wide enough, allowing it to turn agilely. However, when trying to stop the tank while it is travelling at full speed, the brakes tend to be inefficient, giving it a long braking distance and making it very sluggish when stopping.

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

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

{{main|M6 (37 mm)}}

{| 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" | 174 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 16km/h || 19.0 || 26.4 || 32.0 || 35.4 || 37.7 || rowspan="2" | 3.77 || rowspan="2" | 3.34 || rowspan="2" | 3.07 || rowspan="2" | 2.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 11.9 || 14.0 || 17.0 || 18.8 || 20.0
|-
|}

The {{Specs|pseudonym}} is armed with an [[M6 (37 mm)|37 mm M6]] cannon as its main armament, the gun still packs a fierce punch if aiming at the correct area and firing at the correct distance. It is a small caliber fast-firing gun with a maximum penetration of 84 mm at 100 m (M51B1/B2 shell), being able to penetrate most of the opponents it will face. While it lacks the post-penetration damage to one-shot most enemy, it can quickly finish them off with its fast reload. The penetration and trajectory drops a lot beyond 500 m. Note that the gun has a vertical stabiliser, giving the player a huge advantage in some cases, but keep in mind that the stabiliser only works when the tank is slower than 10 km/h.

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 79 || 76 || 65 || 54 || 45 || 37
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 87 || 84 || 73 || 60 || 50 || 41
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''174''' || 131 ''(+43)'' || 87 ''(+87)'' || 44 ''(+130)'' || 1 ''(+173)'' || Yes
|-
|}
Notes:

* Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
* The visual discrepancy concerns the total number of shells as well as the number of shells per rack:
** 144 shells are modeled but you can pack 174 shells.
** Rack 1 is modeled as 3 shells but contains 43 shells.
** Rack 2 is modeled as 52 shells but contains 44 shells.
** Rack 3 is modeled as 24 shells but contains 43 shells.
** Rack 4 is modeled as 55 shells but contains 44 shells.
* To go into battle with the turret and the flanks empty of ammo, pack 44 ''(+130)'' shells (racks 1 to 3 emptied).

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

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| 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
|-
| Pintle || 4,300 (250) || 500 || -10°/+70° || -60°/+15°
|-
| Coaxial || 3,200 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
The M3A3 has two M1919A4 machine guns, one being coaxial to the main gun and the other roof-mounted. The two machine guns can quickly incapacitate the exposed crews on some vehicles or do some serious damage to those low-flying aircraft. The machine gun will only destroy poorly protected vehicles such as AS 42, FlakPanzer I and GAZ-AAA. The penetration of around 10 mm is not enough to go through the frontal armour of those light armoured tank destroyers like SU-5-1, Panzerjager 1 or 15cm sIG 33 B Sfl.

== Usage in battles ==

The M3A3 Stuart is best used as a point-capper and a hit-n-run tank. Its extreme mobility gives the player uncountable ways to play with the enemy. At the start of a battle, it can quickly cap a nearby point first, but note that some wheeled vehicles, like the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|Sd.Kfz.234]] series in a mixed battle can still outrun the M3A3 on-road, therefore posing a great threat. Or it can get to an ambush position near the point and wait until the prey comes. With its reliable gun, the M3A3 should be able to destroy the first wave of enemies easily and quickly.

In the middle stages of a battle, the M3A3 can utilise its excellent mobility and get to wherever needs help while carefully looking around. If the M3A3 unexpectedly encounter an enemy in its path, don't panic! Circle around the enemy and try to force it to turn, this way it usually cannot aim at the M3A3 accurately, then reduce the M3A3's speed down under 10 km/h and keep moving. Now the M3A3's stabiliser will give the tank a great chance to hit while on the move as it stabilises the gun when the tank is under 10 km/h, making it easier time to put the gun on target while moving compared to the enemy.

The frontal armour of this tank is also quite good at a distance. Find a building or a big rock as cover and angle the hull for about 40 degrees. When ready to fire, go out of cover and stop once the 37 mm gun is exposed, don't go out too much or the thin side armour will be exposed to be hit. Keep in mind that with this tactic the player should only engage the low-penetrating enemies at more than 400 m, as their penetration will drop significantly at that distance while the M3A3 can still penetrate 73 mm of armour, which is enough to go through most of its opponents like the [[T-50]], [[SU-76M]] or [[Crusader Mk III]].

'''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 to 64 mm of penetration, which is enough to go through the M3A3 almost anywhere. These guns can also fire 10 rounds at 280 rounds/min before having to reload the clip, meaning that they will very easily take out your crew before you have a chance to respond. To counter, the best chance you have is to angle your frontal armour which can make it difficult for the PzGr 40 rounds to penetrate. The Russian [[T-50]] and [[T-126]] are vehicles you will also see commonly, these have fairly thick and angled frontal armour that will prevent you from easily getting through. These tanks can also carry 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 M3A3 will encounter some rough heavies, like the [[Matilda III]] and the [[B1 bis]]. The best tactic against these types of targets is to use the M3A3's fast speed, get within 200 m from them and attack, with shooting at point-blank range being the most effective way. Before conducting an attack, check the M3A3's and the enemy's surroundings to make sure no one will ambush the M3A3. While charging, use the M3A3's quick turns to suddenly change direction to avoid being shot if they are aiming and firing at the M3A3. Once the tank is at the ideal distance, manoeuvre so that the gun is perpendicular 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 Matilda III, shoot at the middle of the near-vertical frontal plate to knock out the driver first, since the 37 mm shell is not enough to knock out the gunner after penetrating. Once it is immobile, go to its side and finish it by shooting its hull sides. Or, shoot the right side of the gun mantlet to disable its gunner. For the best chance of penetration, do not shoot its turret side.

For the B1, 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.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great firepower: cannon has good penetration, excellent rate of fire and gun depression of -10 degrees, allowing the M3 to manoeuvre to any terrain and adapt to it well
* Excellent acceleration, top speed and turning ability on all terrains; easily outruns common opponents like the [[Pz.III (Disambiguation)|Pz.III]] and Crusader
* Access to a vertical stabiliser which most tanks don't have, giving it an advantage in a sudden encounter
* Respectable sloped armour that, if angled, might bounce some shells from a distance, such as the 37 mm M6 on other M3 Stuarts
* Small turret profile makes it harder to get hit

'''Cons:'''

* Weak armour against high-penetration shells like the 76 mm F-34/ZIS-5
* Its shells do not have explosive filler, severely limiting the post-penetration effect especially against spacious tanks like the [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* Inefficient brakes when trying to stop the tank at full speed
* Hull is fairly tall for a light tank and the crews are closely packed, reducing its survivability
* While fast, it is still slower than the Sd.Kfz.234 series on the road

== History ==


The US lend-leased a total of 651 light tanks to the Free French forces, including 273 M3A3s, delivered prior to D-Day. All the light tanks of 2nd French Armoured Div. were M3A3s during the 1944 fighting in France. 1st and 5th Divisions had a mix of M3A3 and M5A1. Three of the five armoured recon battalions integral to the Free French infantry divisions also had a mixed fleet, while the 2 non-divisional armoured recon battalions, the 1st and 2nd Spahis Algeriens, were entirely M3A3-equipped. They would continue in service from D-Day until the end of the war in Europe.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=france&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=fr_m3a3_stuart Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|mz1ZXHAN9D0|'''The {{PAGENAME}} Light Tank''' - ''Orangefan''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M3 Stuart (Family)]]
* [[M5 Stuart (Family)]]
* [[M8 General Scott (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* [[M22]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[A13 Mk II 1939]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:M3_Stuart|[Wikipedia] M3 Stuart]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M3_stuart.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Light Tank M3 Stuart]

{{France light tanks}}

Grant I (USA)

2021-04-13T14:01:31Z

U3726243: Vertical max stab speed 37mm and 75mm for Grant I

{{About
| about = gift American medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = M3 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_mk1_grant
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced along with the initial American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]] as a bundle vehicle, but was later removed from the store. It was reintroduced for [[wt:en/news/5852-special-news-war-thunder-s-birthday-discounts-and-gifts-en|War Thunder's 6th Anniversary]] as a premium purchasable for 1,000 Golden Eagles {{ge}}. It is a modified version of the [[M3 Lee|M3 Lee]] in the American medium tree line with a redesigned turret made for the British Army.

The Grant is most well recognized for its tall profile and two cannons. The suspension resembles that of the [[M4|M4 Sherman]], the only notable difference being the return rollers' positions. The hull front is also stepped into two plates, where the upper is closer to vertical. The large sponson on the right side carries the main 75 mm gun; note that with 2 crew, it is the operational gun. The 37 mm gun is in a turret, mounted with a leftward offset. Its main notable difference from the M3 Lee is a redesigned turret.

Due to the presence of two cannons, this tank is an excellent multi-role vehicle. The Grant can be played it as a brawler combining the agile 37 mm gun with the high damage of the 75 mm gun, but don't get too close, in fact, the turreted gun has a bad depression and, combined with the high profile, tends to make close tanks difficult to hit. Note that the different guns can be assigned different keys to be separately used, so it is possible to select the 75 mm as a primary weapon, allowing the optics to accommodate the 75 mm shells (and not from the point of view of the 37mm gun) and use the bullet drop indicator in [[:Category:Game_modes|arcade battles]].

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

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38.1 mm (54°) ''Front Glacis'' 50.8 mm (15-55°) ''Transmission area'' 50.8 mm (30°) ''Driver port'' 38.1 mm (0-57°) ''Hull gun mount'' || 38.1 mm (0-22°) ''Top'' 38.1 mm ''Bottom'' || 38.1 mm (1-14°) ''Top'' 38.1 mm (15-53°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 76.2 mm (1-57°) ''Turret front'' 38.1 mm (1-69°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 50.8 mm (7-45°) || 50.8 mm (1-35°) || 38.1 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 50.8 mm || 38.1 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Hull doors and vision ports are 38.1 mm thick.
* Turret ring is 50.8 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=620|rbMinHp=354}}

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|M5 (37 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M5 (37 mm)|37 mm M5]] || 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" | 128 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+60° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" |Vertical max 16km/h
| 17.1 || 23.7 || 28.8 || 31.8 || 33.9 || rowspan="2" | 3.77 || rowspan="2" | 3.33 || rowspan="2" | 3.07 || rowspan="2" | 2.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 10.7 || 12.6 || 15.3 || 16.9 || 18.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 79 || 76 || 65 || 54 || 45 || 37
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 87 || 84 || 73 || 60 || 50 || 41
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[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
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''128''' || 125 ''(+3)'' || 121 ''(+7)'' || 117 ''(+11)'' || 97 ''(+31)'' || 74 ''(+54)'' || 70 ''(+58)'' || 57 ''(+71)'' || 27 ''(+101)'' || 1 ''(+127)'' || Yes
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x200px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|M2 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2 (75 mm)|75 mm M2]] || 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" | 65 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±15° || rowspan="2" |Vertical max 16km/h
| 11 || 16 || 19 || 21 || 23 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 7.1 || 8.4 || 10 || 11 || 12
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 84 || 82 || 73 || 62 || 53 || 46
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 97 || 94 || 84 || 73 || 63 || 55
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 448 || 6.3 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 588 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 588 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M89 || 259 || 3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x200px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''65''' || 36 ''(+29)'' || 1 ''(+64)'' || Yes
|-
|}

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


{| 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 || 4,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The multiple cannons allow for different combinations of attack. The 75 mm gun possesses armour penetration on about the level of the 37mm gun; however, the damage upon penetration is extremely high with the M61 APCBC shell due to the HE filler. On the other hand, the 37mm gun allows for close quarters and longer-range fighting, where its high-velocity and effective shell make for good long range targeting while it is also the only cannon on the Grant that has a full 360-degree traverse.

Different guns mean different styles of play. The Grant can be played as a tank destroyer, using its sponson gun to take shots at medium range and its 37mm to cover the flanks and make longer range snipe shots. The Grant can also be used as an assault tank, quickly advancing on points while switching between the powerful 75mm gun and the faster-firing 37mm. In all game modes, the two gun profiles should be assigned to different keys, this will allow players to aim using the sights of the three guns separately, allowing the usage of the individual optics to actually hit things at range.

the Grant I has the possibility of facing long-barrelled [[Pz.III J1|Pz.Kpfw. III]], and [[Pz.IV F2|Pz.Kpfw. IV]], as well as [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]]s. The [[ZiS-30]] and [[Na-To]] are also very deadly. The 75 mm gun can reliable penetrate all of these tanks at short range (save the T-34), whereas the 37 mm will require some particular shot placement.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Ability to use two guns: a 37 mm and a 75 mm - which is very powerful at this rank
* Fine frontal armour
* Side mounted 75 mm gives the ability for some unique tactics
* Despite the tall profile, the "wedding cake" design of the turret has thick sloped armour, providing extra protection to make up for its height

'''Cons:'''

* Tall profile, big target
* Fixed 75 mm gun in the sponson makes it harder to use as a primary
* Slow traverse speeds make it easy for a light or a particularly speedy medium tank to sneak around the sides

== History ==


===Development===
After the development of the [[M2|M2 medium tank]], the Battle of France showed that such a tank was not going to be capable to go up against the German [[Pz.III F|Panzer IIIs]] and [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IVs]]. With the Western Allies now embroiled in the North African campaign against the Germans and Italians, the Allies needed a good tank capable of going against the Panzer tanks, and they needed it quickly.

The [[M3 Lee|'''M3 Lee''']] tank started from the basis of the M2 Medium Tank, using the chassis and the VVSS suspension system. It was to mount the 75 mm cannon, however it was discovered that the United States does not have a turret design that could mount the 75 mm gun. So as development on the turret proceeded, the 75 mm on the M3 would be sponson-mounted. This design was tested on the M2 medium tank as the ''T5E2'', which was approved for the M3 design. The M3 featured a medium tank with two guns, the 75 mm on the hull sponson mount, and a 37 mm with a coaxial machine gun on a turret. The turret cupola also had its own machine gun and there were also two fixed bow machine guns. The use of two gun mounts on a tank was similar to the German [[Nb.Fz.|Neubaufahrzeug]] and Soviet [[T-35]] tanks. The M3's 75 mm gun however presented a huge advantage over contemporary tank armaments, as the 75 mm could fire high-explosive rounds for against infantry and anti-tank guns, yet could also fire a shell with a high enough velocity for anti-tank purposes.

The M3's faults were the high profile and the sponson mount for its main armament. The M3 was 10 ft. 3 in. tall, a feet taller than the M2 medium tank. The 75 mm on a sponson mount meant that the main armament of the tank had a limited traverse compared to a rotatable turret and forced the tank to reveal much of its body in order to aim the gun at the enemy. The M3 was also constructed out of rivets (which increased spalling) and had a smooth track design which reduced ground traction. Despite these disadvantages, the British happily accepted them as they were critically low on tanks. German Colonel Hans von Luck said he even considered them superior to the [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IVs]].

The M3 first saw service with the British in the campaign for North Africa beginning in May, 1942. Those that had been made with a British-designed turret were identified as "Grant", whereas an additional quantity that were Lend-Leased to the British later on with the standard U.S turret were named "Lee." The British cast turret on the Grant was considered superior in terms of frontal protection and replaced the American smoke dischargers with a British smoke mortar, but did not have the cupola or cupola MG of the Lee. The Grant also moved the radio into the turret, removing the need for a separate radio operator position in the hull (the Americans would later do this with their M3s as well). Their baptism of fire was the Gazala battles, where 167 Grants were present with 1st and 7th Armoured Divisions. Regiments with Grants were initially organized on a 2:1 Grants-to-Stuarts, or a 2:1 Crusaders-to-Grants basis, but by 2nd Alamein in October, 1942, Shermans had also been added into that mix. Still, over 170 Grants or Lees were in the line for that battle. There were 3 tanks in a Grant/Lee troop. By May, 1943, all British Grants and Lees were replaced with newer tanks, mostly the Sherman.

Production on the Lee had begun in August 1941. A majority of these were completed at Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The British would receive more than their original order of 1,250 tanks. Of the total 6,258 M3s built by the US between start up to the end of production in December 1942, 2,855 units (over 1,600 Grants, and over 1,200 Lees) went to the British and 1,386 Lees went to the Soviet Union, were they served until 1943 before being replaced. A mix of Grants ahd Lees were also used by the Australians and Indians in the India-Burma theater, beginning in December, 1943, serving there until the end of the war with Japan. The M3 risked causing confusion in British service as the same "M3" designation was given to the [[M3 Stuart|M3 Light Tank]]. This set off their tradition of naming American-made tanks after generals, where the M3 medium tank earned the name [[M3 Lee|''Lee'']] for the American-turret variant ('''Grant''' for the British variant) and the M3 light tank was called the ''Stuart''. Americans did not use these names themselves, only starting to name their tanks after the war.

===Combat usage===
Combat experience with the M3 Lee was complicated but favourable. In Africa, the Lees and Grants in British and American service surprised the German forces when they could withstand the 50 mm KwK 38 L/42 gun and 75 mm KwK 37 L/24 howitzer armament on the Panzer IIIs and Panzer IVs. The M3 Lee proved reliable and adequate in armour protection. The Soviet's experience with the M3 Lee was less favourable, as their [[T-34 (1941)|T-34 tanks]] were much better in combat performance. The Soviets euphemistically called it a "grave for six men" and the Lee tanks were relegated to the secondary fronts or repurposed as armoured personnel carriers. In the Pacific, the M3 Lees were lent to the Australians and Indians, which proved vastly superior to the Japanese tanks in service. The only American use of the M3 Lee at the Pacific Theater was during the Battle of Makin Island.

The M3 Lee served fine as a stop-gap solution for the American tank development. They performed very well on the combat field and proved very reliable. However, once a 75 mm turret was finally designed, the M3 Lee was redesigned to use it, and the resulting tank was the [[M4|M4 Sherman]], which will go on to replace the M3 tanks in the Allies as they are withdrawn from service. Even if it wasn't, the M3 was becoming obsolete due to newer German tanks being deployed, such as the [[Panther D|Panther]], [[Tiger_H1|Tiger I]], or improvement of old chassis like [[Pz.IV G|Panzer IV Ausf. G]] and [[StuG III F|StuG III Ausf. F]]. Its obsolescence was a consequence of its own rather unique development and anachronistic design, limiting this medium tank's service life to a mere two years in Allied hands. However, it lived on until the end of WW2 in some modifications such as tractor and recovery vehicle. The chassis and running gear were adapted by the Canadians to develop their [[M4A5|''Ram'' medium tank]].

===An anecdote===

::"The 75 (mm gun) is firing. The 37 (mm gun) is firing, but it is traversed around the wrong way. The Browning (machine gun) is jammed. I am saying 'Driver advance' on the A set and the driver, who can't hear me, is reversing. And as I look over the top of the turret and see twelve enemy tanks fifty yards away, someone hands me a cheese sandwich." —''British Lieutenant Ken Giles, tank commander of a M3 Grant''<ref name="GrantAnecdote">Bell, Chris. "Fury: All You Need to Know about Life in a Tank." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 24 Oct. 2014. Web. 12 Jan. 2017. <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/11167575/Fury-all-you-need-to-know-about-life-in-a-tank.html></ref>

=== In-game description ===
The bitter taste left in the mouth of British builders after battles in Greece and France forced them to take a hard look at the future of their armor. They did not have a single powerful artillery system of their own, though the US at the time had just begun producing their new M3 Lee and its sponson-mounted 75 mm cannon.

After evaluating the American-made M3, the British decided that it would primarily be used in North Africa. A major invasion was planned for 1941, and so the Americans were asked to develop a new and elongated cast turret with a bustle at the back for a British Wireless Set No. 19. Periscopes were added on each side closer to the back in addition to slots from which to fire personal weapons. The cupola was unneeded and removed, being replaced by a short addition with a folding hatch in front of an antenna output. In total, the turret became 30 mm shorter, reducing the tank's profile. The M3 modification for the British was designated the Grant Mk I.

The first contracts with Baldwin, Lima, and Pullman were signed at the end of 1940, with deliveries totaling 1,685 units beginning six months later.

The Grant Mk I saw action in North Africa from 1942 to 1943 with varying success. Crew members reported that the German Pz.II and Pz.III tanks shot their armor-piercing shells from a distance of 1,100 meters. The Mk I was not as maneuverable as its German counterparts, and its side armor could not sustain hits from 50 mm tank cannons. Further, 88 mm anti-tank guns easily pierced its armor, while the high silhouette made long-range targeting easier.

The British Grant Mk Is saw limited action in the 1943 invasion of Sicily.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=us_mk1_grant Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images

[[File:M3Lee + Grant.jpg|thumb|none|300px|The [[M3 Lee]] (right) and M3 Grant in the North Africa Theater.]]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|P-RnfEaO0ns|'''The Shooting Range #215''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:31 discusses the M3 Grant.|5XbdErI74vQ|'''Tank Chats #30 M3 Grant''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}

== 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 ==


=== References ===
<references />

{{USA medium tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}

M24 (China)

2021-04-13T14:00:11Z

U3726243: Max vert stab speed M24 CN

{{About
| about = Chinese light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other variants
| link = M24 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_m24_chaffee
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]].

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


The M24 Chaffee has thin armour on all sides, and can only effectively resist machine gun fire or very low-penetrating shells. Its crews are also very close to each other, increasing the chance of it getting knocked out by a single shot. The V-shaped gun mantlet might bounce some small-calibre shells if you are lucky enough. However, don't rely on it as the rest of the tank is still poorly protected.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 25.4 mm (60°) ''Front glacis'' 25.4 mm (44°) ''Lower glacis'' || 25.4 mm (13°) ''Front'' 12.7 mm (13°) ''Rear'' || 12.7 mm (71-74°) ''Top'' 19 mm (1-43°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 38.1 mm (8-40°) ''Turret front'' 38.1 mm (1-45°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 25.4 mm (17-26°) || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
|}

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=459|rbMinHp=262}}

The M24 travels at an average of 40 km/h on/off-road which is the average light tank speed. It also responds fast when reversing. Thanks to its short and wide tracks it is able to turn quickly. However the acceleration is poor, making it to feel sluggish when performing short manoeuvres.

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

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

{{main|M6 (75 mm)}}

The [[M6 (75 mm)|75 mm M6 gun]] has two types of AP, one HE and one smoke shell to choose from. The M61 shot, which is an APCBC, is generally better than the M72 AP. It has 63.7 g of explosive filler which brings a deadly blast once penetrated, has better penetration (104 mm max) and it has a slightly lower chance of ricocheting. With the M61 shot, the Chaffee is able to one-shot plenty of tanks at its BR.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M6 (75 mm)|75 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" | 48 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.9 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 8.45 || rowspan="2" | 7.47 || rowspan="2" | 6.89 || rowspan="2" | 6.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0 || 0.1 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M64 || 381 || 6.9 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_M24.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M24 Chaffee]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''48''' || 25 ''(+23)'' || 1 ''(+47)'' || No
|-
|}

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

The two machine guns on the M24 Chaffee are the good old [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|.50 cal M2HB]] and the [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]. The roof-mounted .50 cal can traverse 360 degrees and has great depression & elevation, posting a big threat to any plane that is flying too close to the M24. It has an unbelievable penetration of 31 mm at 10 m, meaning it can easily penetrate plenty of lightly armoured vehicles and even the side of some low rank medium tanks. The 7.62 mm, on the other hand, can only efficiently damage exposed crews due to its low penetration.

{| 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 || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| 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 || 1,800 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The M24 Chaffee is a very agile little tank. Its good speed allows the player to quickly cap a point early on in the game, or get to some flanking positions easily to get some side shots with the powerful 75 mm cannon. When doing flanking manoeuvres, remember to always look around you, especially to the directions where the enemies are most likely to appear. This can increase the player's survivability on the battlefield a lot, as the M24 has little to no armour and is very likely to get one-shotted by the common 75 & 76 mm guns. In a surprise close-quarter encounter, you must be confident and aim carefully. Slow yourself down and the stabiliser will help a lot. Overall the M24 perfectly fits a guerrilla-warfare play style (hit-n-run).

'''Enemies worth noting''':

* Sd.Kfz.234 series: The M24, although agile, is still not the fastest tank at its rank. When your opposite team has Germany, you might want to reconsider the option of capping a point straight away, since the German Sd.Kfz.234 series are very likely to be there first. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|''Sd.Kfz.234/2'']] (also known as the Puma) is a turreted 8-wheel vehicle with a small profile, extremely high on-road speed and a powerful 50 mm gun. But it cannot turn in place, has a very slow turret traverse and only 8 mm of side hull armour, so a good tactic is to circle with it and utilise your stabiliser, fast turret and the piercing .50 cal. In an intense tank "dogfight", you might miss your shots. Don't worry, your reliable .50 cal got you! It can penetrate the sides, or even the front of the puma easily. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/3|''Sd.Kfz.234/3'']] and [[Sd.Kfz.234/4|''Sd.Kfz.234/4'']], although being equally deadly, are turretless. You can use some quick turns to avoid their guns or tear through the thin armour plate protecting their gunners with your .50 cal.
* [[E.B.R. (1954)]]: this wheeled vehicle, just like the Sd.Kfz.234 series, is able to reach a remarkably high speed, especially on road. It is equipped with a deadly 75 mm cannon with autoloader, dealing more fragmental damage than the Sd.Kfz.234's and can therefore easily one-shot the M24 most of the times. The tactics vary a bit, as the E.B.R also has way faster turret traverse, therefore you do not want to "dogfight" it like how you deal with a Puma. If you are in an uptier and France is in the opposing team, think twice before rushing straight to a cap point. You need to be more careful and try to ambush it by camping around the point. Utilise your advantages well, you have superior gun depression, explosive-packed shells, lots of smoke grenades and, most importantly, a vertical stabiliser.

* [[KV-1]], [[KV-IB (Germany)|KV-IB]], [[KV I C 756 (r) (Germany)|KV I C 756 (r)]]: The famous KV series can cause a bit of troubles too. They are well know for their well-protected hull and turrets. The M24 can manoeuvre to point-blank range, line up your gun so it's pointing dead flat at the armour and fire. The 104 mm penetration of the M61 shell should punch a hole in the KV's armour with ease. If you are close enough but do not have the space to manoeuvre, shoot their gun barrel to prevent them from getting a shot off, then go for their turret ring or the vertical part on their gun mantlet, which is only 90mm. For the KV-1B, '''do not''' try and fire at its turret from the front and side, as they are 105 mm thick and will never get penetrated. For the KV I C 756, aim for the cupola (50m) or the gun mantlet (50mm) to knock out the turret crew or the gun breech. Don't shoot at anywhere else, the shell won't penetrate.

* [[Churchill Mk I]], [[Churchill Mk III]], [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]: The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to kill at range. Again, maneuver as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armor, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.
* [[M4A2]] / [[M4A4 (1st PTG)|A4]]: these Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75 mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there is a guaranteed kill most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's a M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armor unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenseless.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Decent mobility: good top speed and great turning ability
* Uses the same gun as the 75 mm Shermans: various shell types, great penetration & damage and excellent gun depression. M61 shell can one shot common tanks like the Pz.IV F, M4, Cromwell or even the [[Tiger H1]].
* Fast turret traverse allows it to track agile targets easily
* Low profile allows it to easily hide behind small bushes or rocks, increasing survivability
* Equipped with a vertical plane stabilizer, allowing for more accurate shots on the move or shoot-n-scoot tactics
* Pintle mounted HMG allows for air defense and some anti tank ability (eg. Marder III, Sd.kfz.234 series, Breda 501, etc)
* 13 smoke grenades allow escaping from dangerous situation for many times
* Effective even in uptiers if used for flanking shots or hunting soft targets
* Very fast reverse allowing it to retreat from danger quickly
* Cheaper than all the other Chaffees in the game

'''Cons:'''

* Low survivability: all-round thin armour and closely packed crews. Can get one-shot by common guns like 75 mm M3, 76 mm F-34 and 75 mm Kwk 40
* Acceleration is rather sluggish, especially on soft terrains
* On-road top speed is still inferior to some wheeled vehicles like the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]]
* Shells drop dramatically at long distances, making distant / moving targets hard to shoot at
* Reload time is pretty slow for a light tank
* Low ammo count can be a problem in long games or RB/SB matches

== History ==

===Development===
As early as 1942, the light tanks [[M3 Stuart|M3]] and [[M5A1|M5 ''Stuart'']] have been seen as severely lacking in the modernizing design of tanks and how they fight. The armour was seen as insufficient and the [[M3 (37 mm)|37 mm gun]] was also deemed useless against even the standard German tanks like the [[Pz.III J|Panzer III]] and [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV]]. The system needed an upgrade, specifically a light tank that mounts the [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm gun]] seen on the [[M4|''Shermans'']]. An attempt to mount a 75 mm gun on a ''Stuart'' was deemed inefficient as it reduced ammo stowage and left the armour too thin on the design.

In April 1943, the U.S. Ordnance Department worked with Cadillac to start on a project for the new light tank, designated ''Light Tank T24''. The powertrain and transmission of the M5 ''Stuart'' were used with the ultimate goal of producing a vehicle weighing less than 20 tons. This left the vehicle with relatively thin armour to stay lightweight. At the time, a lighter 75 mm gun was developed for mounting on the [[B-25J-20|B-25 Mitchell bomber]] without sacrificing performance, and this was mounted onto the light tank in development. The tank used 410 mm wide tracks with a torsion bar suspension that greatly improves cross-country travel. The engine was a Cadillac 44T24 V-8 petrol engine. The chassis was designed with the expectation that it would be used as a basis of many different vehicle roles so it was called the "Light Combat Team". The light tank end design had a low profile at 9 ft. 1 in. height and featuring a crew of five with a three-man turret, an improvement over the two-man turrets of the Stuarts. The first finished vehicle arrived on October 15, 1943, and was deemed a success, starting a contract for 1,000 units that was later raised to 5,000 units. The vehicle was classified as the '''Light Tank M24''' and as the ''' ''Chaffee'' ''' by the British after US General Adna R. Chaffee, Jr., who helped develop some of America's earliest tank designs. The vehicle was produced by Cadillac and Massey-Harris from April 1944 to August 1945 with a total of 4,731 units produced.

=== Service in the ROC Army ===
In order to suppress the expansion of communist forces in Asia and to deal with the tense situation in Taiwan Strait after the end of the Korean War, United States signed the Sino-US Mutual Defense Treaty with Republic of China in 1954. In the same year, the United States handed over surplus supplies of World War II including 233 M24 "Chaffee" light tanks to the ROC armed forces. A number of additional 56 light tanks were supplied in 1966. South Korea also assisted a batch of training tanks to Taiwan. Thus, Republic of China became the largest user of M24 tanks outside the United States.

In 1980, the National Army adopted the M24A1 upgrade program of NAPCO for some of the M24 Chaffee in service. The core modification lies in power system which replaced the original gasoline engine with a General Dynamics 6V53T diesel engine. This upgrade further ameliorated the overall endurance and boosted power (up to 350-400 horsepower). In addition to the engine, the M24A1 was equipped with a new gearbox and the maximum speed was boosted to 65 km/h. M24A1 removes the auxiliary driver and hull machine gun, and some models were equipped with IR searchlight as well. The upgraded M24A1 is distributed to Armored Cavalry units or low-intensity units.

'''''Fun fact:''' Since the M24A1 uses the same 6V53 engine as the MCI “National light” Greyhound Bus, therefore its service reliability performance is even better than that of the M41 tank.''

Considering that the road conditions in the eastern part of Hualien are relatively narrow and is suitable for maneuvering tanks of this size, the ROC Army began to transfer M24 light tanks to the units stationed in eastern Taiwan. In order to mobilize these tanks intensively, all M24 in active service were concentrated to the 784th tank battalion of the 151st Division (currently the Army Lanyang Regional Command) in Yilan. During the 1996 Taiwan Strait Missile Crisis, some of these vehicles were sent to Matsu as reinforcements. All M24 light tanks in active service were decommissioned in 1999, expect for some of the remaining M24 used as infantry supporting vehicle or stationary shore defense artillery in the outer islands.

=== The Wan Sheng Modification ===
It’s known that at least one M24 light tank was transformed into the "Wan Sheng II" in 1975 which was part of the "Wan Sheng” Project carried out by the Joint Logistics Command. The M24 tank turret was transplanted to the aluminum M113 hull produced by Taiwan Aluminum Corporation while the engine compartment was moved to the rear of the hull, transforming the M113 APC into a light tank structure. The “Wan Sheng II” is designed for fire support missions of landing operations. The vehicle never entered mass production due to its poor armor and heavy weight, which was determined unsuitable for amphibious operations. However, the Joint Logistics Command gained valuable experience during the imitation. The lesson learnt here later greatly contributed to the design and production work of CM21 armored personnel carriers.

''(Wan Sheng or "萬乘", means thousands of combat vehicles, is a Chinese allusion referring to a powerful army and therefore a strong nation)''

=== Captured by the Chinese people's Volunteer Army ===
In December 1950, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army seized an intact US M24 "Chaffee" tank during the fight of Minami, North Korea. A series of technical evaluations were carried out to the vehicle but it never saw service in the armored units of PLA. The very same vehicle is currently on display in the Beijing Military Museum.

=== In-game description ===
The experience of the M3 and M5 light tanks in the western desert proved that the era of light tanks with angular bodies and vertical suspension had come to a close. In 1943 work began on a completely new tank with the popular Hydromatic transmission and a carburetor engine made by Cadillac. The assignment, outside of strengthening the armament, was to keep the maximum weight below 18 short tons. As a result, a new hull with heavily sloped armor plates was developed. The turret gained a streamlined look with 37 mm armor.

The running gear was made up of five rubber-coated weight-bearing wheels and three supporting rollers in addition to forward, leading, and rear guiding wheels. The tank's main gun was a 75 mm M6 cannon with anti-recoil mechanisms around the barrel, something that made it much smaller. The tanks were fitted with coaxial and bow-mounted 7.62 mm machine guns.

The first T24 light tank prototype entered trials in October 1943. It turned out to be such a success that 1,000 units were quickly ordered, a number that later jumped to 5,000. Production took place at Cadillac and Massay-Harris factories, where 4,415 tanks were assembled between March 1944 and October 1945. The T24 was officially accepted two months after full-scale production began, receiving a new M24 designation. It entered combat in fall 1944 and was the American army's primary light tank through the end of the war.

The tanks sent to the UK via Lend-Lease were referred to as Chaffees.

The successful tank had a long career, fighting in the Korean, First Indochina, Vietnam, and Third Indo-Pakistani wars.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=china&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=cn_m24_chaffee Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M24 (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[AMX-13-M24]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[AMX-13 (FL11)]]

== External links ==

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

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

{{China light tanks}}

M3A3 (Italy)

2021-04-13T13:58:41Z

U3726243: Vertical max stab speed for M3A3 IT

{{About
| about = light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other variants
| link = M3 Stuart (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=it_m3a3_stuart
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]].

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


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
|Hull || 25 mm (46-49°) ''Front Glacis - upper plate'' 20 mm (spherical) ''MG port'' 50 mm (24-27°) ''Front Glacis - joint plate'' 50 mm (44-46°) ''Front Glacis - lower plate'' 44.4 mm (25-43°) ''Lower Glacis'' || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm (1-26°) ''Upper part'' 25.4 mm (21°) ''Lower part'' || 12.7 mm
|-
|Turret || 38.1 mm (12-14°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 31.75 mm 15 mm ''Add-on tracks'' || 31.75 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, tracks and bogies are 15 mm thick.
* Mudguards and rear storage box are 4 mm thick

The frontal armour on the {{Specs|pseudonym}} is pretty tough for a light tank with 25 mm on the front & sides of the hull, and a large, 50 mm thick gun mantlet covering up most of its frontal turret. When angled correctly it can bounce off quite a few shots. However it can still be easily penetrated by average guns on its BR. From the front the 4 crews are sitting pretty close together, thus making it highly possible to get one-shot by shells with explosives like the Soviet 45 mm AP or the German short 75 mm APHE. The transmission and the engine are all quite small and low, and the ammoracks are also small, reducing the chance of being immobile or ammoracked. There is also an empty area under the turret crews and in front of the driving compartment, which will absorb those shells with weak damage.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 406|rbMinHp= 232}}

One of the best aspects of the {{PAGENAME}} is its superior mobility. It has a top speed of 58 km/h and doesn't lose too much speed on soft terrains as it's tracked, making it one of the fastest tanks at the BR alongside with the famous BT series tanks. The turning ability is also amazing, since the hull is short and wide enough, allowing it to turn agilely. However, when trying to stop the tank while it is travelling at full speed, the brakes tend to be inefficient, giving it a long braking distance and making it very sluggish when stopping.

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

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

{{main|M6 (37 mm)}}

The {{Specs|pseudonym}} is armed with a 37 mm cannon as its main armament. While its high BR makes it face tougher opponents, the gun still 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/B2 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 {{Specs|pseudonym}} 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. However, the gun can overheat from shooting several shots without interruption and cause a loss of accuracy noticeable even at 200 m distance. A short pause between shots will prevent this from happening.

{| 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" | 174 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 16km/h || 19.0 || 26.4 || 32.0 || 35.4 || 37.7 || rowspan="2" | 3.77 || rowspan="2" | 3.34 || rowspan="2" | 3.07 || rowspan="2" | 2.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 11.9 || 14.0 || 17.0 || 18.8 || 20.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 79 || 76 || 65 || 54 || 45 || 37
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 87 || 84 || 73 || 60 || 50 || 41
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks M3A3 Stuart (China).png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the ␗M3A3 Stuart (identical)]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''174''' || 131 ''(+43)'' || 87 ''(+87)'' || 44 ''(+130)'' || 1 ''(+173)'' || Yes
|-
|}

Notes:

* Only 144 shells are modeled in the racks 1 to 4.
* The 1st rack contains 13 shells but empties after having fired 43 shells.
* The 2nd rack contains 52 shells but empties after having fired 44 shells.
* The 3rd rack contains 24 shells but empties after having fired 43 shells.
* The 4th rack contains 55 shells but empties after having fired 44 shells.
* To go into battle with the turret and the flanks empty of ammo, pack 44 ''(+130)'' shells (racks 1 to 3 emptied).

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

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

The M3A3 has two [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]] machine guns, one being coaxial to the main gun and the other roof-mounted. The two machine guns can quickly incapacitate the exposed crews on some vehicles or do some serious damage to those low-passing planes. The machine gun is only enough to destroy poorly protected vehicles such as AS 42, FlakPz I and GAZ-AAA. The penetration of around 10 mm is not enough to go through the frontal armour of those not-so-weakly-armoured tanks like SU-5-1, Panzerjager 1 or 15cm sIG 33 B Sfl. If you are skilled the two machine gun can effectively damage 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
|-
| Pintle || 3,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+70° || -60°/+15°
|-
| Coaxial || 3,200 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The M3A3 Stuart is best used as a point-capper and a hit-n-run tank. Its extreme mobility gives the player uncountable ways to play with the enemy. At the start of a battle, it can quickly cap a nearby point first, but note that some wheeled vehicles, like the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|Sd.Kfz.234]] series in a mixed battle can still outrun the M3A3 on-road, therefore posing a great threat. Or it can get to an ambush position near the point and wait until the prey comes. With its reliable gun, the M3A3 should be able to destroy the first wave of enemies easily and quickly.

In the middle stages of a battle, the M3A3 can utilise its excellent mobility and get to wherever needs help while carefully looking around. If the M3A3 unexpectedly encounter an enemy in its path, don't panic! Circle around the enemy and try to force it to turn, this way it usually cannot aim at the M3A3 accurately, then reduce the M3A3's speed down under 10 km/h and keep moving. Now the M3A3's stabiliser will give the tank a great chance to hit while on the move as it stabilises the gun when the tank is under 10 km/h, making it easier time to put the gun on target while moving compared to the enemy.

The frontal armour of this tank is also quite good at a distance. Find a building or a big rock as cover and angle the hull for about 40 degrees. When ready to fire, go out of cover and stop once the 37 mm gun is exposed, don't go out too much or the thin side armour will be exposed to be hit. Keep in mind that with this tactic the player should only engage the low-penetrating enemies at more than 400 m, as their penetration will drop significantly at that distance while the M3A3 can still penetrate 73 mm of armour, which is enough to go through most of its opponents like the [[T-50]], [[SU-76M]] or [[Crusader Mk III]].

'''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 to 64 mm of penetration, which is enough to go through the M3A3 almost anywhere. These guns can also fire 10 rounds at 280 rounds/min before having to reload the clip, meaning that they will very easily take out your crew before you have a chance to respond. To counter, the best chance you have is to angle your frontal armour which can make it difficult for the PzGr 40 rounds to penetrate. The Russian [[T-50]] and [[T-126]] are vehicles you will also see commonly, these have fairly thick and angled frontal armour that will prevent you from easily getting through. These tanks can also carry 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 M3A3 will encounter some rough heavies, like the [[Matilda III]] and the [[B1 bis]]. The best tactic against these types of targets is to use the M3A3's fast speed, get within 200 m from them and attack, with shooting at point-blank range being the most effective way. Before conducting an attack, check the M3A3's and the enemy's surroundings to make sure no one will ambush the M3A3. While charging, use the M3A3's quick turns to suddenly change direction to avoid being shot if they are aiming and firing at the M3A3. Once the tank is at the ideal distance, manoeuvre so that the gun is perpendicular 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 Matilda III, shoot at the middle of the near-vertical frontal plate to knock out the driver first, since the 37 mm shell is not enough to knock out the gunner after penetrating. Once it is immobile, go to its side and finish it by shooting its hull sides. Or, shoot the right side of the gun mantlet to disable its gunner. For the best chance of penetration, do not shoot its turret side.

For the B1, 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.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great firepower: cannon has good penetration, excellent rate of fire and gun depression of -10 degrees, allowing the M3 to manoeuvre to any terrain and adapt to it well
* Excellent acceleration, top speed and turning ability on all terrains; easily outruns common opponents like the [[Pz.III (Disambiguation)|Pz.III]] and Crusader
* Access to a vertical stabiliser which most tanks don't have, giving it an advantage in a sudden encounter
* Respectable sloped armour that, if angled, might bounce some shells from a distance, such as the 37 mm M6 on other M3 Stuarts
* Small turret profile makes it harder to get hit

'''Cons:'''

* Weak armour against high-penetration shells like the 76 mm F-34/ZIS-5
* Its shells do not have explosive filler, severely limiting the post-penetration effect especially against spacious tanks like the [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* Inefficient brakes when trying to stop the tank at full speed
* Hull is fairly tall for a light tank and the crews are closely packed, reducing its survivability
* While fast, it is still slower than the Sd.Kfz.234 series on the road

== History ==


After World War II, Italy joined NATO. As part of the military aid program, the United States supplied Italy with a diverse set of vehicles, including the M3A3 Stuart, which was designated the Carro Leggero M3 in Italian service.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=italy&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=it_m3a3_stuart Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M3 Stuart (Family)]]
* [[M5 Stuart (Family)]]
* [[M8 General Scott (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* [[M22]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[A13 Mk II 1939]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:M3_Stuart|[Wikipedia] M3 Stuart]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M3_stuart.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Light Tank M3 Stuart]

{{Italy light tanks}}

M5A1 (China)

2021-04-13T13:57:02Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Max vert stab CN M5A1

{{About
| about = light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|other
|usage-1 = other uses
|link-1 = M5 (Disambiguation)
|usage-2 = other vehicles of the family
|link-2 = M5 Stuart (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_m5a1_stuart
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]].

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

The frontal armour on the ␗M5A1 Stuart is pretty tough for a light tank, with sloped 28 mm on the front of the hull, and a large, 50 mm thick gun mantlet covering up most of its frontal turret. When angled correctly, hull down or at a distance it can bounce off quite a few shots. However it can still be easily penetrated by average guns on its BR. From the front the 4 crews are sitting pretty close together, thus making it highly possible to get one-shot by shells with explosives like the Soviet 45 mm AP or the German short 75 mm APHE. The transmission and the engine are all quite small and low, and the ammoracks are also small, reducing the chance of being immobile or ammoracked. There is also an empty area under the turret crews and in front of the driving compartment, which will absorb those shells with weak damage.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Lower glacis)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 28.5 mm (49°) ''Front glacis'' 63.5 mm (33-37°) ''Lower glacis'' || 28.5 mm || 28.5 mm (46°) ''Top'' 25.4 mm (1°) ''Middle'' 25.4 mm (20°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 44.4 mm (11-13°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 mm (2-43°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 31.75 mm (1°) || 31.75 mm (1°) || 12.7 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, bogies, and tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Tracks are placed on the turret side and rear that can provide about 10 mm of extra armour.
* An extra 12.7 mm RHA metal plate is present on the right side of the turret near the pintle 7.62 mm machine gun.
* A 5 mm Structural steel box is present, mounted on the vehicle rear.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=459|rbMinHp=262}}One of the best aspects of the ␗M5A1 Stuart is its superior mobility. It has a top speed of 56 km/h and doesn't lose too much speed off road, even on soft terrain, making it one of the fastest tanks at the BR alongside with the famous BT series tanks. The tracks are quite large and grant you excellent mobility on hard road (solid ground, roads, eg in Advance to the Rhine, Berlin), medium surface (grassland, eg in Fire Arc, Poland) and soft terrain (mud, snow, sand, eg in Sinai, Frozen Pass).

As it benefits from regenerative steering, turning on the spot with the M3A3 Stuart (China) is easier than for most tanks at the same BR. Regenerative steering consists in letting the unsolicited track rotate when the tank is turning instead of locking it. The hull is also short and wide enough, allowing it to turn agilely. However the reverse speed is average: it will not get you out of a dangerous situation quickly but isn't a handicap either. The ␗M5A1 Stuart reaches 18 km/h when fording and 16 km/h when driving uphill.

While its high speed is an advantage, it can turn into a disadvantage when manoeuvring at high speed: the ␗M5A1 Stuart, just like the previous M3A3, will start skidding uncontrollably if you take a sharp turn. Be aware of this before rushing towards the frontline: limit your maximum speed, know the terrain and anticipate the braking phases.

The acceleration is also so powerful that it causes you hull to rock back and forth during acceleration or braking phases. This effect is however nullified by the gun stabilizer when driving under 10 km/h.

Light and medium obstacles (fences, posts, bushes and small trees) are not a problem for the ␗M5A1 Stuart but large obstacles will reduce your mobility: avoid them.

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

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

{{main|M6 (37 mm)}}The M5A1 Stuart is armed with a 37 mm cannon as its main armament, the same gun as the preceding M3A3. While being at 2.3, the gun still 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/B2 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 M5A1 Stuart 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" | 147 || rowspan="2" | -12°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" |Vertical max 16km/h
| 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 3.77 || rowspan="2" | 3.33 || rowspan="2" | 3.07 || rowspan="2" | 2.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 79 || 76 || 65 || 54 || 45 || 37
|-
| M63 shell || HE || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 87 || 84 || 73 || 60 || 50 || 41
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M63 shell || HE || 807 || 0.73 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 38 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_M5A1.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M5A1 (identical).]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''147''' || 135 ''(+12)'' || 111 ''(+36)'' || 56 ''(+91)'' || 1 ''(+146)'' || No
|-
|}
Notes:

* Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.

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

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}The M5A1 Stuart has two 7.62 mm M1919A4 machine guns, one being coaxial to the main gun and the other roof mounted on the right side of the turret. The two machine guns can quickly incapacitate the exposed crews on some vehicles or do some serious damage to those low-passing planes. However it lacks the ability to effectively damage even lightly armoured vehicles due to its low penetration of only 10 mm.

{| 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
|-
| Pintle || 3,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The M5A1 Stuart preserves the Rank I style of fighting. With very good mobility and fast reload, the light tank can speed to an optimal position on the enemy's side and riddle them with the 37 mm cannon. It is recommended to attack from the flanks as the weak armour on the Stuart makes it vulnerable to the newer enemy guns that can penetrate the armour with ease.

With the fast reloading 37 mm cannon, the M5A1 Stuart can deliver some good-hitting rounds if shooting at the flank at the enemies. A frontal engagement is possible but detrimental as Stuart's thin armour makes any incoming shot lethal. If coming up to heavily armoured vehicles like the [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]], load the M74B1 AP round for maximum penetration. In the case the M5A1 does come across a KV-1, the recommended course of action to take it out is to get in a point-blank range and fire at the turret ring or engine rear, otherwise, there is no way for the Stuart's 37 mm to penetrate the armour.

With its weak overall armour, most enemies are able to penetrate the M5A1 Stuart. A specific concern should be to vehicles with a high rate of fire weaponry such as the SPAA, which might be able to penetrate through weak points around the Stuart with enough effort. Enemies with strong shells like the [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IV]] with it's short 75 mm and its HEAT rounds could also destroy the Stuart with ease.

'''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 to 64 mm of pen, which is enough to go through the ␗M5A1 Stuart almost anywhere. These guns can also fire 10 rounds at 280 rounds/min before having to reload the clip, meaning that they will very easily take out your crew before you have a chance to respond. To counter, the best chance you have is to angle your frontal armour which can make it difficult for the PzGr 40 rounds to penetrate. The Russian [[T-50]] and [[T-126]] are vehicles you will also see commonly, these have fairly thick and angled frontal armour that will prevent you from easily getting through. These tanks can also carry 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 M5 will encounter some rough heavies, like the [[Matilda III]] and the [[B1 bis]]. The best tactic against these types of targets is to use the ␗M5A1 Stuart's fast speed, get within 200 m from them and attack, with shooting at point-blank range being the most effective way. Before conducting an attack, check the ␗M5A1 Stuart's and the enemy's surroundings to make sure no one will ambush the ␗M5A1 Stuart. While charging, use the ␗M5A1 Stuart's quick turns to suddenly change direction to avoid being shot if they are aiming and firing at the ␗M5A1 Stuart. 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 Matilda III, shoot at the middle of the near-vertical frontal plate to knock out the driver first, since the 37 mm shell is not enough to knock out the gunner after penetrating. Once it is immobile, go to its side and finish it by shooting its hull sides. Or, shoot the right side of the gun mantlet to disable its gunner. For best chance of penetration, do not shoot its turret side.

For the B1, 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.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High top speed, good acceleration especially on flat terrain
* Better handling than it's predecessors, quick turning speeds
* Sloped armour can deflect some shots from small calibre projectiles
* Good rate of fire
* Gun can penetrate most tanks of this rank
* Can quickly rotate in place while not in forward or reverse motion
* Roof mounted 30.cal is useful for engaging aircraft

'''Cons:'''

* Crew of four leaving one spare, vehicle efficiency decreases after the spare crew is used up
* Exposed engine and fuel tank, prone to fires
* As with the American 37 mm cannons, AP rounds does not contain HE filler
* AP Shots often fail to fragment when penetrating other vehicles
* Relatively tall for a light tank, a challenge to find adequate defensive positions

== 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]]''', and given the name '''"General Stuart"''' by the British, which becomes part of the name. 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 '''[[M3A1 Stuart|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 (5th arm.div.)|'''Light Tank 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 Stuart 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 Stuart, 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 Stuart tanks but found it unfavourable due to their own logistics, plus it was not made to withstand the Russian ''Rasputitsa'' or even the winter. The Soviet eventually turned down any more offers for the Stuart by 1943. The Stuarts 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 Stuarts were the first tanks America used in a tank vs. tank operation against the Imperial Japanese Army, where five M3s fought 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 Stuart 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 Stuarts in the Pacific were gradually replaced by M4 Shermans. In Europe, the Stuarts 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 the Stuarts. The Stuarts, other than scouting, 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 Stuart 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 Stuarts 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 Stuart 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 ''[[M8A1|75mm 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 Stuarts were 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 Stuarts mostly after World War II.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=china&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=cn_m5a1_stuart Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|1yg1DAEbG8A|'''The Stuart Family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:46 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== 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;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
* ''other literature.''

{{China light tanks}}

M3 Lee

2021-04-13T13:50:27Z

U3726243: Vert stab speed for 37mm and 75mm M3_lee

{{About
| about = American medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = M3 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m3_lee
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==


The '''{{specs|name}}''' is a rank {{specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. This tank was one of the first tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. The M3 Lee is most well recognized for its tall profile and two cannons, giving the player a substantial upgrade in firepower and armour compared to the [[M2|M2 Medium]] and [[M2A4|M2 Light]] tanks with a combination of 37 mm and 75 mm cannons on the tank. Its two-gun layout makes this tank awkward and hard to control for a new player but will give an edge when its handling and operation are mastered properly.

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, turret roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, MG cupola, transmission area, view ports)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38.1 mm (54°) ''Front Glacis'' 50.8 mm (15-55°) ''Transmission area'' 50.8 mm (29°) ''Driver port'' 38.1 mm (0-57°) ''Hull gun mount'' || 38.1 mm (0-22°) ''Top'' 38.1 mm ''Bottom'' || 38.1 mm (1-14°) ''Top'' 38.1 mm (15-53°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 50.8 mm (11-65°) ''Turret front'' 38.1 mm (1-82°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 50.8 mm (0-66°) || 50.8 mm (1-54°) || 22.2 mm
|-
| Cupola || 50.8 mm (25°) || colspan="2" style="text-align:center" | 50.8 mm (cylindrical) || 50.8 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 17 mm thick.
* Hull doors and vision ports are 38.1 mm thick.

The front glacis is separated in two plates with different angles and thicknesses, increasing the chance to bounce a shell off. The crew sits tightly in a limited compartment so any penetrating shot will likely knock out several crew members. The high crew count (6) compensates this aspect.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 620|rbMinHp= 354}}

The suspension inherited from the [[M2]] gives it the Lee good all-terrain performance. It has a good acceleration, a reasonable top speed and the reverse speed is enough to back out of a dangerous situation.

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|M5 (37 mm)}}

The 37 mm gun is located in the rotating turret, mounted with a leftward offset, and has a small MG cupola on top which can rotate independently.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M5 (37 mm)|37 mm M5]] || 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" | 179 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+60° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 16km/h || 10.70 || 14.80 || 18.00 || 19.90 || 21.20 || rowspan="2" | 3.77 || rowspan="2" | 3.33 || rowspan="2" | 3.07 || rowspan="2" | 2.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 10.70 || 12.60 || 15.30 || 16.92 || 18.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 79 || 76 || 65 || 54 || 45 || 37
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 87 || 84 || 73 || 60 || 50 || 41
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|400px|[[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
! 7th rack empty
|-
| '''179''' || 176 ''(+3)'' || 172 ''(+7)'' || 168 ''(+11)'' || 160 ''(+19)''|| 153 ''(+26)''|| 148 ''(+31)'' || 140 ''(+39)''
|-
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! 11th rack empty
! 12th rack empty
! 13th rack empty
! 14th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| 133 ''(+46)'' || 129 ''(+50)'' || 116 ''(+63)'' || 105 ''(+50)'' || 63 ''(+116)'' || 21 ''(+158)'' || 1 ''(+178)''|| Yes
|-
|}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|M2 (75 mm)}}

The large sponson on the starboard side of the tank carries the 75 mm gun. While it is the secondary armament, take note that with only 2 crew members left, it will be the operational gun.
The 75 is fired through the "secondary armament" setting: Controls > Ground Vehicles > Weaponry > Fire from secondary guns. When you aim with the 37 mm gun sight, remember that the gun is offset almost a meter to the right and 50 cm closer to the ground. It also drops faster than the 37 mm shell. If you want to aim precisely, you can use the secondary sight: Controls > Ground Vehicles > Weaponry > Select secondary weapon. You'll also need to configure the "Reset weapon selection" setting for it to work properly.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2 (75 mm)|75 mm M2]] || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 50 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±15° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 16km/h || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 84 || 82 || 73 || 62 || 53 || 46
|-
| M62 shot || APCBC || 97 || 94 || 84 || 73 || 63 || 55
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 448 || 6.3 || 0 || 0.1 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 588 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M62 shot || APCBC || 588 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M89 || 259 || 3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|400px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''50''' || 10 ''(+40)'' || 1 ''(+49)'' || No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| 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
|-
| Commander cupola || 3,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+60° || ±180°
|-
| Coaxial 37 mm || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

The small caliber of the M1919A4 machine gun makes them largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. They still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help.

== Usage in battles ==


The multiple cannons allow for different combinations of attack. The 37 mm gun on the full 360° traverse turret allows for a diverse role on the M3, with its high-velocity and effective round for long-range fighting, but with a fast reload for close-quarter encounters. The 75 mm on the sponson mount has the same penetration level as the 37 mm, but with a very high post-penetration damage with the right ammo at the cost of lower velocity, and thus a shorter battle range. The limited traverse on the 75 mm mount also means it is not as flexible as the turreted 37 mm. With these two cannon, the M3 Lee can focus on close-range combat with the two cannons fighting a single tank or engage two separate tanks at a longer range. Closer range combat is supported by the M3's adequate sloped frontal armour, able to withstand most enemy fire at its battle rating. It is recommended to set the keys to allow separate firing of the cannons for maximum effectiveness.

Still, different guns mean different styles of play. The M3 can also play as a tank destroyer, using its sponson gun to take shots at medium range and it's 37 mm to cover the flanks and make longer range snipe shots. The M3 Lee can also be used as an assault tank, quickly advancing on points while switching between the powerful 75 mm gun and the faster-firing 37 mm. It is also possible to completely ignore the 37 mm and focus solely on the 75 mm as it is a far more effective gun with its HE filler in its APCBC, as well as being easier to manage for newer players. In all game modes, the weapons should be assigned to different keys, this will allow the tank to aim using the sights of the three guns separately, allowing more accurate targeting at ranges, especially for the 75 mm gun. Since the 75 mm is in a side sponson, it is also possible to approach cover to where only the 37 mm is showing, allowing the tank to fire with most of the tank's profile hidden.

At its BR, the M3 Lee has a possibility of facing long-barrelled [[Pz.III L|Pz.Kpfw. III]], and [[Pz.IV F2|Pz.Kpfw. IV]], as well as [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]]s and [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]]. The ZiS-30 is also very deadly, with its long gun that can penetrate even a Tiger 1. The 75 mm gun can reliable penetrate all of these tanks at short range (save the T-34), whereas the 37 mm will require some particular shot placement. Another particular enemy worth noting is the Sd.Kfz.234/2 "Puma". This light tank mounts a 50mm KwK.39/1 cannon which can easily penetrate your armor all around. You should try to angle the tank in a way that the shells will just slide harmlessly off. Another tactic is to only expose your turret, that way, you can minimize the amount of damage dealt to you.

When combating the M3 Lee, avoid its 75 mm gun by flanking the vehicle, then get in close and hug the sides or rear of the vehicle to prevent them from turning and going under the 37 mm's depression range. Aim for the large superstructure, a solid penetration will knock out all 6 crew members or make the ammunition combust. Note that firing through the side hatch will usually destroy the tank in a single shot, owing to the lack of sloping and ammunition storage.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Ability to use two guns: a 37 mm and a 75 mm - which is unique as well as useful at this rank.
* Acceptable frontal armour.
* Side mounted 75mm gives the ability for some unique tactics.
* 75mm gun is comparable to the ones mounted on the later Sherman tanks.
* Despite the tall profile, the "wedding cake" design of the turret has thick sloped armour, providing extra protection to make up for its height
* 6 crew members, harder to fully knock-out.
* Has three different turrets. The 75 mm sponson, the 37 mm, and the .30 cal mounted above the 37 mm turret, and all of them can be controlled differently through key mapping.
* Very effective when using weapon selection as one turret can cover the other when it's reloading.

'''Cons:'''

* Tall profile, big target.
* Losing crew members means losing functionality of one of the turrets.
* 75 mm sponson weapon does not allow for hull-down combat.
* 75 mm is good only for stationary, no shooting while moving.
* Tall position of turret restricts gun depression.
* Slow traverse speeds make it easy for a light or a particularly speedy medium tank to sneak around the sides.
* Weak side armour.
* Very awkward to use for new players, especially if the controls are not properly set.
* Driver's vision port is a weak spot.

== History ==


===Development===
The current main tank in US inventory in 1940 was the [[M2|M2 medium tank]], but the Battle of France showed that such a tank was not going to be capable to go up against the German [[Pz.III F|Panzer IIIs]] and [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IVs]] and their Panzer Divisions. With the Western Allies now embroiled in the North African campaign against the Germans and Italians, the Allies needed a good tank capable of going against the Panzer tanks, and they needed it quickly.<ref name="ZalogaM3Med">Zaloga Steven. ''M3 Lee/Grant Medium Tank 1941-45'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2005</ref>

The new tank design took elements from the M2 Medium, using the chassis and its VVSS suspension system. Part of the requirement for the new tank was to mount the more powerful 75 mm cannon. However, it was discovered that the United States does not have a turret design that could mount the 75 mm gun. Turret development would take time, and a new tank capable of fighting the Germans was needed by the British, which the Americans were building tanks for even though the United States was not yet at war. Taking elements from French designs such as the Char B1, with its two cannon mounts, the American designers decided that the 75 mm, if it couldn't yet be mounted on a turret, should be mounted on a sponson design on the hull. This design was tested on the M2 medium tank as the ''T5E2''. It was always considered a stopgap, using the same chassis as the future M4 Sherman to minimize issues with transition when the new design was ready. Ordnance approved it as combat-capable and the design was approved as the '''M3 Medium'''. The M3 Medium design had two cannons, the 75 mm on the hull sponson mount, and a 37 mm with a coaxial machine gun on a turret, a cupola on the turret had its own machine gun. The M3 Lee's 75 mm gun, however, presented a huge advantage over contemporary tank armaments as the 75 mm could fire high-explosive rounds for fortifications and artillery pieces, yet could fire a shell with a high enough velocity for anti-tank purposes.

The M3 design's faults were the high profile and the sponson mount for its armament. The M3 was 10 ft. 3 in. tall, a foot taller than the M2 medium tank. The 75 mm on a sponson mount meant that the main armament of the tank had a limited traverse compared to a rotatable turret and forced the tank to reveal much of its body in order to aim the gun at the enemy. The M3 Medium was also constructed out of rivets (which increased spalling) and had a smooth track design which reduced ground traction. Despite these disadvantages, the Allies happily accepted them as they were critically low on tanks, and German Colonel Hans von Luck considered them superior to the [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IV]]s from his experience in Africa.

The initial batch of M3s were given to the British for their campaign for North Africa. The original British M3s had a radio in the turret, a new cast turret with room for radio, and the turret cupola and cupola machine gun was replaced with a simple hatch. The modified M3 also required one less crew member due to the radio now being in the turret for the commander rather than for a radio operator. The British ordered 1,250 of these modified M3 medium tanks, which they called the Grant. Additional tanks built and sent to the UK later with the original US model turret were called the Lee.

On August 1941, production officially started on the M3 Mediums, though the armour was thicker than initials batches of the tank due to its combat experiences. A majority of these were completed at Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Of the total 6,258 M3s built between startup to the end of production in December 1942, 2,855 units went to the British and 1,386 went to the Soviet Union. Other users of the M3 were the Australians and Indians in the India-Burma Theater. The M3 Mediums arriving in British arsenal caused confusion as the same "M3" designation was given to the [[M3 Stuart|M3 Light Tank]], plus there were two different design types of the M3 Mediums. This set off the tradition of naming American tanks after generals, where the M3 medium tank earned the ''Lee'' for the initial Americans design, [[Grant I|''Grant'']] for the British redesign, and the M3 light tank and its [[M5A1|successors]] earned the ''Stuart''.

Only 1,400 M3s were kept by the US. Three US crews, sent to help the British with training on the new tanks, had fought in British M3s at the battle of Gazala in June, 1942, with the 1st Royal Tank Regiment. In the US North Africa landings and Tunisia campaign later that year, two battalions of the US 13th Armored Regiment (1st Armored Division) also used M3s, until replaced with Shermans. By the end of the Tunisia campaign in May 1943, all M3s had been taken out of US service in Europe.

===Combat usage===
Combat experience with the M3 Lee was complicated but favourable. In Africa, the Lees and Grants in British and American service surprised the German forces when they could withstand the [[KwK 38 (50 mm)|50 mm KwK 38 L/42 gun]] and [[KwK 37 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK 37 L/24 howitzer]] armament on the Panzer IIIs and Panzer IVs. The M3 proved reliable and adequate in armour protection in British and American service. The Soviet's experience with the M3 was less favourable, as their T-34 tanks were much better in combat performance. The Soviets euphemistically called it a "grave for six men" and their Lee tanks were relegated to the secondary fronts or repurposed as armoured personnel carriers. In the Pacific, the M3s were lent to the Australians and Indians, which proved vastly superior to the Japanese tanks in service. The high gun elevation on its 37 mm turret and machine guns proved effective in knocking Japanese snipers off from trees. The only American use of the M3 Lee at the Pacific Theater was during the Battle of Makin Island by the 193rd Tank Battalion in November, 1943.

The M3 served fine as a stop-gap solution for the American tank development. They performed very well on the combat field and proved very reliable. However, once a 75 mm turret was finally designed, the M3 was redesigned to use it, and the resulting tank was the [[M4|M4 Sherman]], which will go on to replace the M3 tanks in the Allies as they are withdrawn from service. Even if it wasn't, the M3 was becoming obsolete due to newer German tanks being deployed, such as the [[Panther D|Panther]], [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]], or improvement of old chassis like the [[Pz.IV G|Panzer IV Ausf. G]] and [[StuG III F|StuG III Ausf. F]]. Its obsolescence was a consequence of its own rather unique development and anachronistic design, limiting this medium tank's service life to a mere two years in Allied hands. However, it lived on until the end of World War II in some modifications such as tractor and recovery vehicle. The chassis and running gear were adapted by the Canadians to develop their [[M4A5|''Ram'' medium tank]].<ref name="ZalogaM3Med" />

===An anecdote===

::"The 75 (mm gun) is firing. The 37 (mm gun) is firing, but it is traversed around the wrong way. The Browning (machine gun) is jammed. I am saying ‘Driver advance’ on the A set and the driver, who can’t hear me, is reversing. And as I look over the top of the turret and see twelve enemy tanks fifty yards away, someone hands me a cheese sandwich.” —''British Lieutenant Ken Giles, tank commander of a M3 Grant''<ref name="GrantAnecdote">Bell, Chris. "Fury: All You Need to Know about Life in a Tank." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 24 Oct. 2014. Web. 12 Jan. 2017. [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/11167575/Fury-all-you-need-to-know-about-life-in-a-tank.html Website]</ref>

=== In-game description ===
"The M3 was created based on the M2 medium tank, using almost all its components and powertrain assemblies in addition to its transmission and running gear. The tank offered a multi-tiered armament configuration and, as the first American tank armed with a 75 mm cannon, represented an important step forward in the development of tank design in the US.

In 1940 the Ordnance Department brought up requirements for a new medium tank, primary among them being a 75 mm weapon. The 2,134 mm long T7 75 mm cannon met the requirement as a modified version of the T6 cannon, which was designed for standard ammunition from 1897. The modernized weapon was designated the M2, and installing it had a positive impact on the tank's firepower. On the other hand, mounting it in a side sponson greatly limited its arc of fire. The gun could only be moved horizontally by hand and was limited to 15° in either direction.

The next weapon modification was the M3 cannon. Its barrel length was extended to 2,810 mm, which both boosted initial shell velocity from 564 m/s to 610 m/s and eliminated the need for a counterweight.

The M3 used a riveted hull, while its configuration featured a forward-sitting transmission, battle compartment in the middle, and engine bay in the back. The tank's outline was quite exotic as a result of trying to combine comfort for the crew and high firepower.

The first modification was under full-scale production from April 1941 to August 1942, with five companies building a total of 4,924 units.
The M3 Lee launched its combat career in North Africa in 1942. Deliveries were also made to the USSR via Lend-Lease for use on the Eastern Front from 1942 to 1943."

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=us_m3_lee Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|ly9JS6errQQ|'''Best secondary armaments''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 5:41 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|RyA5KcS2hAw|'''Multi-turreted Tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:31 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|tiyrrgXGIc4|'''You said tank? it's more like a mobile fortress - M3 Lee''' - ''HowToPlay1337''|LC9NMlAopv8|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''|oy_Bs1tbsQ4|'''M3 Lee, American Tier-1 / Rank-1, Medium Tank''' - ''Angry Nerd Gaming''}}

== See also ==


; Other [[M3 Medium (Family)|M3 Medium]] vehicles

* [[M3 Medium (USSR)]] - Premium version in the Soviet tech tree
* [[Grant I]] - Premium version with a new turret design
* [[Grant I (Great Britain)]] - Same as above, but in the British tech tree

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/2658/current/|[Historical] Steel Generals: M3 Lee]]
* [[wt:en/devblog/current/712/|[Devblog] Developers about M3 Lee]]

=== References ===
<references />

{{USA medium tanks}}

M5A1 TD

2021-04-13T13:40:11Z

U3726243: Vert stab max speed

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m5a1_stuart_td
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Hot Tracks"]] as reward for [[wt:en/news/7077-twitch-drops-rewards-for-war-thunder-and-enlisted-this-weekend-en|watching Enlisted streams on Twitch.TV]].

It represents a tank named "Carol" that served in C Company, 3rd Battalion, 33rd Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Division, U.S. Army.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Lower glacis)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 28.5 mm (49°) ''Front glacis'' 63.5 mm (33-37°) ''Lower glacis'' || 28.5 mm || 28.5 mm (46°) ''Top'' 25.4 mm (1°) ''Middle'' 25.4 mm (20°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 44.4 mm (11-13°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 mm (2-43°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 31.75 mm (1°) || 31.75 mm (1°) || 12.7 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, bogies, and tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Tracks are placed on the turret side and rear that can provide about 10 mm of extra armour.
* An extra 12.7 mm RHA metal plate is present on the right side of the turret near the pintle 7.62 mm machine gun.
* A 5 mm Structural steel box is present, mounted on the vehicle rear.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=459|rbMinHp=262}}

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

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

{{main|M6 (37 mm)}}The M5A1 Stuart is armed with a 37 mm cannon as its main armament, the same gun as the preceding M3A3. While being at 2.3, the gun still 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/B2 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 M5A1 Stuart 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" | 147 || rowspan="2" | -12°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 16km/h || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 3.77 || rowspan="2" | 3.33 || rowspan="2" | 3.07 || rowspan="2" | 2.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 79 || 76 || 65 || 54 || 45 || 37
|-
| M63 shell || HE || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 87 || 84 || 73 || 60 || 50 || 41
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M63 shell || HE || 807 || 0.73 || 0 || 0.1 || 38 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_M5A1.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M5A1 (identical)]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''147''' || 135 ''(+12)'' || 111 ''(+36)'' || 56 ''(+91)'' || 1 ''(+146)'' || No
|-
|}
Notes:

* Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.

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

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}The M5A1 Stuart has two 7.62 mm M1919A4 machine guns, one being coaxial to the main gun and the other roof mounted on the right side of the turret. The two machine guns can quickly incapacitate the exposed crews on some vehicles or do some serious damage to those low-passing planes. However it lacks the ability to effectively damage even lightly armoured vehicles due to its low penetration of only 10 mm.

{| 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
|-
| Pintle || 3,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The M5A1 Stuart preserves the Rank I style of fighting. With very good mobility and fast reload, the light tank can speed to an optimal position on the enemy's side and riddle them with the 37 mm cannon. It is recommended to attack from the flanks as the weak armour on the Stuart makes it vulnerable to the newer enemy guns that can penetrate the armour with ease.

With the fast reloading 37 mm cannon, the M5A1 Stuart can deliver some good-hitting rounds if shooting at the flank at the enemies. A frontal engagement is possible but detrimental as Stuart's thin armour makes any incoming shot lethal. If coming up to heavily armoured vehicles like the [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]], load the M74B1 AP round for maximum penetration. In the case the M5A1 does come across a KV-1, the recommended course of action to take it out is to get in a point-blank range and fire at the turret ring or engine rear, otherwise, there is no way for the Stuart's 37 mm to penetrate the armour.

With its weak overall armour, most enemies are able to penetrate the M5A1 Stuart. A specific concern should be to vehicles with a high rate of fire weaponry such as the SPAA, which might be able to penetrate through weak points around the Stuart with enough effort. Enemies with strong shells like the [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IV]] with it's short 75 mm and its HEAT rounds could also destroy the Stuart with ease.

With its speed and relatively small size, as well as the ability to scout, the Stuart can be used as a reconnaissance vehicle. Even if you cannot penetrate heavily armoured opponents, you can help your allies by scouting the opposing tanks. This, combined with its decent firepower, makes the Stuart an amazing scout vehicle.

=== Enemies worth noting ===

* '''Sd.Kfz.234 family''': When your opposite team has Germany, you might want to reconsider the option of capping a point straight away, since the German Sd.Kfz.234 series are very likely to be there first. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]] (also known as the Puma) is a turreted 8-wheel vehicle with a small profile, extremely high on-road speed and a powerful 50 mm gun. But it cannot turn in place, has a very slow turret traverse and only 8 mm of side hull armour, so a good tactic is to circle with it and utilise your rather quick turret traverse and fast reload. In an intense tank "dogfight", you want to aim with the greatest care, as your 37 mm shells won't do much damage, so even a slight miss will result in the failure of knocking out the enemies' crew. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/3]] and [[Sd.Kfz.234/4]], although being equally deadly, are turretless. You can use some quick turns to avoid their guns or tear through the thin armour plate protecting their gunners with your 7.62 mm MG. Note that the penetration of the MG isn't great, so aim for their side armour.
* [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]] (all variants). The M5 can sometimes face the T-34 tank. They possess 76 mm cannons that fire APHE rounds with massive amounts of explosive filler - disabling the Stuart in one shot most of the time. The T-34s are also very mobile and will often be the first medium tanks to get to the battlefield. To boot they have very strong frontal armour, the UFP is immune to the 37 mm M6 carried by the M5A1. Against those foes, try to shoot at their weaker sides. If a head-on encounter is inevitable, the driver's hatch can be exploited, knocking out the driver, gunner, and often the engine, leaving the enemy completely debilitated, easy to finish off. The turret cheeks can also be exploited on the 1940 and '41 models. The turret ring should be targeted on the '42 and '43 models.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High top speed, good acceleration especially on flat terrain
* Better handling than its predecessors, quick turning speeds
* Sloped armour can deflect some shots from small calibre projectiles
* Good rate of fire
* Gun can penetrate most tanks of this rank
* Can quickly rotate in place while not in forward or reverse motion
* Roof mounted .30 cal is useful for engaging aircraft
* Has access to scouting ability

'''Cons:'''

* Crew of four leaving one spare, vehicle efficiency decreases after the spare crew is used up
* Exposed engine and fuel tank, prone to fires
* As with the American 37 mm cannons, AP rounds does not contain HE filler
* AP Shots often fail to fragment when penetrating other vehicles
* Relatively tall for a light tank, a challenge to find adequate defensive positions
* 37 mm cannon has low penetration which makes it difficult to fight enemy tanks at its BR
* Little armour; can easily be penetrated by enemy tanks
* Although armour is better than the the previous Stuarts, its at an higher battle rating meaning plenty more vehicles can penetrate it
* Weighs three more tons than its predecessor, noticeably slower acceleration

== History ==

{{main|M5A1#History|l1=History of the M5A1}}

The M5A1 TD represents an early production M5A1 Stuart, designated 3051254-S. It was used by C Company, 3rd Battalion, 33rd Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Division, U.S. Army in Normandy, France, November 1944. It's designation in the unit was C-34 and it was given the name "Carol".

== Media ==
[[File:M5A1 TD WTWallpaper 01.jpg|none|thumb|267x267px|Devblog image]]
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="150px">
M5A1_TDa.png|
M5A1_TDb.png|
M5A1_TDc.png|
</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.''

{{USA light tanks}}

M5A1

2021-04-13T13:35:31Z

U3726243: Vertical stab max speed

{{About
| about = American light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|other
|usage-1 = other uses
|link-1 = M5 (Disambiguation)
|usage-2 = other vehicles of the family
|link-2 = M5 Stuart (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m5a1_stuart
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. An improvement over the earlier [[M3 Stuart|M3 Stuarts]] with better front sloping armour, it helps the light tank keep up to date with the evolving tanks of the time.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Lower glacis)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 28.5 mm (49°) ''Front glacis'' 63.5 mm (33-37°) ''Lower glacis'' || 28.5 mm || 28.5 mm (46°) ''Top'' 25.4 mm (1°) ''Middle'' 25.4 mm (20°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 44.4 mm (11-13°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 mm (2-43°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 31.75 mm (1°) || 31.75 mm (1°) || 12.7 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, bogies, and tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Tracks are placed on the turret side and rear that can provide about 10 mm of extra armour.
* An extra 12.7 mm RHA metal plate is present on the right side of the turret near the pintle 7.62 mm machine gun.
* A 5 mm Structural steel box is present, mounted on the vehicle rear.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=459|rbMinHp=262}}

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

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

{{main|M6 (37 mm)}}The M5A1 Stuart is armed with a 37 mm cannon as its main armament, the same gun as the preceding M3A3. While being at 2.3, the gun still 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/B2 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 M5A1 Stuart 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" | 147 || rowspan="2" | -12°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 16km/h || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 3.77 || rowspan="2" | 3.33 || rowspan="2" | 3.07 || rowspan="2" | 2.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 79 || 76 || 65 || 54 || 45 || 37
|-
| M63 shell || HE || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 87 || 84 || 73 || 60 || 50 || 41
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M63 shell || HE || 807 || 0.73 || 0 || 0.1 || 38 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''147''' || 135 ''(+12)'' || 111 ''(+36)'' || 56 ''(+91)'' || 1 ''(+146)'' || No
|-
|}
Notes:

* Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.

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

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}
The M5A1 Stuart has two 7.62 mm M1919A4 machine guns, one being coaxial to the main gun and the other roof mounted on the right side of the turret. The two machine guns can quickly incapacitate the exposed crews on some vehicles or do some serious damage to those low-passing planes. However it lacks the ability to effectively damage even lightly armoured vehicles due to its low penetration of only 10 mm.

{| 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
|-
| Pintle || 3,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The M5A1 Stuart preserves the Rank I style of fighting. With very good mobility and fast reload, the light tank can speed to an optimal position on the enemy's side and riddle them with the 37 mm cannon. It is recommended to attack from the flanks as the weak armour on the Stuart makes it vulnerable to the newer enemy guns that can penetrate the armour with ease.

With the fast reloading 37 mm cannon, the M5A1 Stuart can deliver some good-hitting rounds if shooting at the flank at the enemies. A frontal engagement is possible but detrimental as Stuart's thin armour makes any incoming shot lethal. If coming up to heavily armoured vehicles like the [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]], load the M74B1 AP round for maximum penetration. In the case the M5A1 does come across a KV-1, the recommended course of action to take it out is to get in a point-blank range and fire at the turret ring or engine rear, otherwise, there is no way for the Stuart's 37 mm to penetrate the armour.

With its weak overall armour, most enemies are able to penetrate the M5A1 Stuart. A specific concern should be to vehicles with a high rate of fire weaponry such as the SPAA, which might be able to penetrate through weak points around the Stuart with enough effort. Enemies with strong shells like the [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IV]] with it's short 75 mm and its HEAT rounds could also destroy the Stuart with ease.

With its speed and relatively small size, as well as the ability to scout, the Stuart can be used as a reconnaissance vehicle. Even if you cannot penetrate heavily armoured opponents, you can help your allies by scouting the opposing tanks. This, combined with its decent firepower, makes the Stuart an amazing scout vehicle.

=== Enemies worth noting ===

* '''Sd.Kfz.234 family''': When your opposite team has Germany, you might want to reconsider the option of capping a point straight away, since the German Sd.Kfz.234 series are very likely to be there first. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]] (also known as the Puma) is a turreted 8-wheel vehicle with a small profile, extremely high on-road speed and a powerful 50 mm gun. But it cannot turn in place, has a very slow turret traverse and only 8 mm of side hull armour, so a good tactic is to circle with it and utilise your rather quick turret traverse and fast reload. In an intense tank "dogfight", you want to aim with the greatest care, as your 37 mm shells won't do much damage, so even a slight miss will result in the failure of knocking out the enemies' crew. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/3]] and [[Sd.Kfz.234/4]], although being equally deadly, are turretless. You can use some quick turns to avoid their guns or tear through the thin armour plate protecting their gunners with your 7.62 mm MG. Note that the penetration of the MG isn't great, so aim for their side armour.
* [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]] (all variants). The M5 can sometimes face the T-34 tank. They possess 76 mm cannons that fire APHE rounds with massive amounts of explosive filler - disabling the Stuart in one shot most of the time. The T-34s are also very mobile and will often be the first medium tanks to get to the battlefield. To boot they have very strong frontal armour, the UFP is immune to the 37 mm M6 carried by the M5A1. Against those foes, try to shoot at their weaker sides. If a head-on encounter is inevitable, the driver's hatch can be exploited, knocking out the driver, gunner, and often the engine, leaving the enemy completely debilitated, easy to finish off. The turret cheeks can also be exploited on the 1940 and '41 models. The turret ring should be targeted on the '42 and '43 models.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High top speed, good acceleration especially on flat terrain
* Better handling than its predecessors, quick turning speeds
* Sloped armour can deflect some shots from small calibre projectiles
* Good rate of fire
* Gun can penetrate most tanks of this rank
* Can quickly rotate in place while not in forward or reverse motion
* Roof mounted .30 cal is useful for engaging aircraft
* Has access to scouting ability

'''Cons:'''

* Crew of four leaving one spare, vehicle efficiency decreases after the spare crew is used up
* Exposed engine and fuel tank, prone to fires
* As with the American 37 mm cannons, AP rounds does not contain HE filler
* AP Shots often fail to fragment when penetrating other vehicles
* Relatively tall for a light tank, a challenge to find adequate defensive positions
* 37 mm cannon has low penetration which makes it difficult to fight enemy tanks at its BR
* Little armour; can easily be penetrated by enemy tanks
* Although armour is better than the the previous Stuarts, its at an higher battle rating meaning plenty more vehicles can penetrate it
* Weighs three more tons than its predecessor, noticeably slower acceleration

== 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]]''', and given the name '''"General Stuart"''' by the British, which becomes part of the name. 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 '''[[M3A1 Stuart|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 (5th arm.div.)|'''Light Tank 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 Stuart 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 Stuart, 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 Stuart tanks but found it unfavourable due to their own logistics, plus it was not made to withstand the Russian ''Rasputitsa'' or even the winter. The Soviet eventually turned down any more offers for the Stuart by 1943. The Stuarts 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 Stuarts were the first tanks America used in a tank vs. tank operation against the Imperial Japanese Army, where five M3s fought 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 Stuart 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 Stuarts in the Pacific were gradually replaced by M4 Shermans. In Europe, the Stuarts 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 the Stuarts. The Stuarts, other than scouting, 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 Stuart 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 Stuarts 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 Stuart 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 ''[[M8A1|75mm 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 Stuarts were 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 Stuarts mostly after World War II.

=== In-game description ===
In November 1942 the M5 Stuart light tank was outfitted with an M3A3 turret, resulting in the Stuart series' final modification. The bulwark was made standard, different from the M5, and a safety hatch was added to the hull floor in addition to a new periscope in the turret. The tank commander got a second turret rotator and the ability to control the turret separately from the gunner. Late model M5A1s were characterized by armoured cover for the anti-aircraft gun emplacement and an equipment case on the back of the hull. In addition, stamped weight-bearing rollers began to be used in the running gear.

M5A1s were produced by Cadillac and American Car & Foundry (beginning in September 1943). By June 1944 a total of 6,810 had been made, making the M5A1 modification the most popular.

At the time of the Normandy invasion the US army primarily used M5A1s, though it was difficult for them to get through the Normandy hedges. Even equipped with special hedge-clearing equipment, light tanks often got stuck due to their under-powered engines, making them easy prey for German anti-tank guns. Thinner than on medium tanks, their armour made them especially vulnerable to panzerfausts. The battles of summer 1944 saw heavy losses in light tank companies. The casualty rate decreased during the fall somewhat, primarily because they played a lesser role and division commanders tried to keep them out of battles where they might face stronger opponents. In contrast to the Americans, the British used M3A3s and even M3A1s in addition to the M5A1 in Europe. They predominantly played a reconnaissance and command role.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=us_m5a1_stuart Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|1yg1DAEbG8A|'''The Stuart Family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:46 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|Fp_bu-8bAmM|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* [[M3 Stuart (Family)]]
* [[M8 Greyhound (Family)]]
* [[M22]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[M2A2]]{{-}}[[M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/701|[Devblog] Steel Generals: M5A1]]
* [[wikipedia:M3_Stuart|[Wikipedia] M3 Stuart]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M5_stuart.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Light Tank M5 Stuart]

{{USA light tanks}}

M3A1 (USMC)

2021-04-13T13:32:05Z

U3726243: Max vert stab speed US M3A1 USMC

{{About
| about = American light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|other
|usage-1 = other uses
|link-1 = M3 (Disambiguation)
|usage-2 = other vehicles of the family
|link-2 = M3 Stuart (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m3a1_stuart_usmc
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|store=6951
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]] and is essentially identical to the [[M3A1 Stuart|M3A1]] in the tech tree. The M3A1 USMC is available in the US Beginner's Pack on the Gaijin Store.

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

Being a light tank the M3A1 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 BR. There is a fair amount of empty space inside the tank, 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''
|25.4 mm||25.4 mm||12.7 mm
|-
|Turret||50.8 mm||31.8 mm||31.8 mm||12.7 mm
|-
|}
[[File:M3A1 Turning Demo.gif|thumb|426x426px|Demonstration of the slow and fast turning of the M3A1]]

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 406|rbMinHp= 232}}

The M3A1 USMC 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 M3A1 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 M3A1 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 M3A1 is a 37 mm M6 cannon featuring two rounds, AP and 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 M3A1 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/B2 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 M3A1 Stuart 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" | Vertical max 16km/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 ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 79 || 76 || 65 || 54 || 45 || 37
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 87 || 84 || 73 || 60 || 50 || 41
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

[[File:M3A1 Ammo Racks.jpg|thumb|[[Ammo racks|Ammo rack]] placement for the M3A1]]

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''106''' || 71 ''(+35)'' || 36 ''(+70)'' || 1 ''(+105)'' || No
|-
|}

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

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

The M3A1 employs a turret top MG and a Coaxial MG, both of which are the same 7.62mm M1919A4 type, these guns are limited to a single AP & T belt type with up to 10 mm of penetration.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount
! Capacity (Belt capacity)
! Rate of fire (shots/minute)
! Vertical guidance
! Horizontal guidance
|-
| Coaxial || 3,200 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 3,000 (250) || 500 || -5°/+70° || ±60°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Due to its light armour it is advisable not to use the M3A1 frontally at closer ranges, especially not against higher ranked 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 with little resistance. Even in a match against higher ranked 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 opportunities 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 enemy's are usually killed 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 M3A1 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 enemy's 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 to 64 mm of pen, which is enough to go through the M3A1 almost anywhere. These guns can also fire 10 rounds at 280 rounds/min before having to reload the clip, meaning that they will very easily take out your crew before you have a chance to respond. To counter, the best chance you have is to angle your frontal armour which can make it difficult for the PzGr 40 rounds to penetrate. The Russian [[T-50]] and [[T-126]] are vehicles you will also see commonly, these have fairly thick and angled frontal armour that will prevent you from easily getting through. These tanks can also carry 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 M3A1 will encounter some rough heavies, like the [[Matilda III]] and the [[B1 bis]]. The best tactic against these types of targets is to use the M3A1's fast speed, get within 200 m from them and attack, with shooting at point-blank range being the most effective way. Before conducting an attack, check the M3A1's and the enemy's surroundings to make sure no one will ambush the M3A1. While charging, use the M3A1's quick turns to suddenly change direction to avoid being shot if they are aiming and firing at the M3A1. Once the tank is at the ideal distance, manoeuvre so that the gun is perpendicular 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 Matilda III, shoot at the middle of the near-vertical frontal plate to knock out the driver first, since the 37 mm shell is not enough to knock out the gunner after penetrating. Once it is immobile, go to its side and finish it by shooting its hull sides. Or, shoot the right side of the gun mantlet to disable its gunner. For best chance of penetration, do not shoot its turret side.

For the B1, 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.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great cannon with good penetration, excellent rate of fire and gun depression; it can effectively penetrate common opponents like the [[Pz.II (Disambiguation)|Pz.II]] and [[Chi-Ha (Family)|Chi-Ha]], as well as heavy targets like the [[B1 bis]] or [[Matilda III]]
* Excellent acceleration, top speed and turning ability on all terrains; easily outruns slower opponents like the [[Pz.III (Disambiguation)|Pz.III]]
* Access to a vertical stabiliser which most tanks don't have, it is an advantage in close quarter encounters
* Respectable frontal armour that, if angled, might bounce some shells from a distance (eg. Japanese 37 mm/German 20 mm)
* Small turret profile makes it harder to get hit when hull-down
* Empty space below the turret crew can absorb poorly aimed shots, they tend to not do much damage
* Comes with "USMC" decal

'''Cons:'''

* Weak armour against high-penetration shells like 50 mm Kwk 39 or 76 mm F-34
* Its shells do not have explosive filler, severely limiting the post-penetration effect especially against spacious tanks like the [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* Inefficient brakes when trying to stop the tank at full speed
* Hull is fairly tall for a light tank and the crews are closely packed, reducing its survivability

== History ==

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.

The USMC variant represents an M3A1 used by the United States Marines Corps.

=== In-game description ===
Production of the M3A1 Stuart modification got underway in April 1942, with its primary changes affecting turret construction. The turret was a horseshoe-shaped M3, though it did not have a cupola, and two triangular hatches on its roof served as exits for the crew. The gunner and reloader had periscopes. The turret rotated using a power traverse as opposed to the manually rotated M3. Its faster rotation speed required changes in its construction, in particular a basket fitted with seats for the crew members.

The M23 mantlet was fitted with a 37 mm M6 cannon featuring a gyro stabilizer that significantly boosted accuracy while on the move. That did, however, require more training for gunners, a difficult assignment under battlefield conditions. The sponson-mounted immobile M1919A4 machine guns were replaced with additional ammunition storage, pushing the tank's capacity to 116 shells and 6,400 bullets.

From April to August of 1942 the M3A1 was produced alongside the M3. Changes were made gradually, meaning that some later M3s featured welded bodies and new turrets. They lacked, however, the basket and power traverse, and were called Stuart Hybrids. Some early M3A1s had sponson-mounted machine guns (the intervening models plugged up the openings) and riveted bodies. By the end of February 1943, 4,621 M3A1s had been assembled, 211 of them with the Guiberson T-1020-4 engines (called Stuart IVs by the British). It is worth noting that the M3A1s with welded bodies should have been designated M3A2s, though that never actually happened.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=us_m3a1_stuart_usmc Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|xSnKPq-oljQ|'''Premium Series, {{PAGENAME}}. Fun fast and cheap!''' - ''Joseph 2000''|1yg1DAEbG8A|'''The Stuart Family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:14 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|2wfjMlKtALw|'''Beginner's Pack: {{PAGENAME}} & P-36A''' - ''Bacongaming''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M3 Stuart (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* [[M5 Stuart (Family)]]
* [[M8 Greyhound (Family)]]
* [[M22]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[M2A2]]{{-}}[[M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.)]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:M3_Stuart|[Wikipedia] M3 Stuart]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/us/m3_stuart.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Light Tank M3 Stuart]

{{USA light tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}

M3A3 Stuart (China)

2021-04-13T11:44:31Z

U3726243: /* Armaments */ Max vert stab CN M3A3

{{About
| about = light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|other
|usage-1 = other vehicles of the family
|link-1 = M3 Stuart (Family)
|usage-2 = other uses
|link-2 = M3 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_m3a3_stuart
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]].

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


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
|Hull || 25 mm (46-49°) ''Front Glacis - upper plate'' 20 mm (spherical) ''MG port'' 50 mm (24-27°) ''Front Glacis - joint plate'' 50 mm (44-46°) ''Front Glacis - lower plate'' 44.4 mm (25-43°) ''Lower Glacis'' || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm (1-26°) ''Upper part'' 25.4 mm (21°) ''Lower part'' || 12.7 mm
|-
|Turret || 38.1 mm (12-14°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 31.75 mm 15 mm ''Add-on tracks'' || 31.75 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, tracks and bogies are 15 mm thick.
* Mudguards and rear storage box are 4 mm thick

The frontal armour on the {{Specs|pseudonym}} is pretty tough for a light tank with 25 mm on the front & sides of the hull, and a large, 50 mm thick gun mantlet covering up most of its frontal turret. When angled correctly it can bounce off quite a few shots. However it can still be easily penetrated by average guns on its BR. From the front the 4 crews are sitting pretty close together, thus making it highly possible to get one-shot by shells with explosives like the Soviet 45 mm AP or the German short 75 mm APHE. The transmission and the engine are all quite small and low, and the ammoracks are also small, reducing the chance of being immobile or ammoracked. There is also an empty area under the turret crews and in front of the driving compartment, which will absorb those shells with weak damage.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=406|rbMinHp=232}}

One of the best aspects of the {{Specs|pseudonym}} is its superior mobility. It has a top speed of 58 km/h and doesn't lose too much speed on soft terrain, making it one of the fastest tanks at the BR alongside with the famous BT series tanks. The tracks are quite large and grant you a good mobility on hard (solid ground, roads) and soft terrain (mud, snow, sand).

As it benefits from regenerative steering, turning on the spot with the {{PAGENAME}} is easier than for most tanks at the same BR. Regenerative steering consists in letting the unsolicited track rotate when the tank is turning instead of locking it. The hull is also short and wide enough, allowing it to turn agilely. The reverse speed is average: it will not get you out of a dangerous situation quickly but isn't a handicap either. The {{Specs|pseudonym}} reaches 18 km/h when fording and 16 km/h when driving uphill.

While its high speed is an advantage, it can turn into a disadvantage when manoeuvring at high speed: the {{Specs|pseudonym}} starts skidding uncontrollably if you take a sharp turn. Be aware of this before rushing towards the frontline: limit your maximum speed, know the terrain and anticipate the braking phases.

The acceleration is also so powerful that it causes you hull to rock back and forth during acceleration or braking phases. This effect is however nullified by the gun stabilizer when driving under 10 km/h.

Light and medium obstacles (fences, posts, bushes and small trees) are not a problem for the {{Specs|pseudonym}} but large obstacles will reduce your mobility: avoid them.

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

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

{{main|M6 (37 mm)}}

The {{Specs|pseudonym}} is armed with a 37 mm cannon as its main armament, the same gun as the preceding [[M8 LAC (China)|M8]]. While being at a BR 1.3 higher, the gun still 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/B2 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 {{Specs|pseudonym}} 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. However, the gun can overheat from shooting several shots without interruption and cause a loss of accuracy noticeable even at 200 m distance. A short pause between shots will prevent this from happening.

{| 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" | 174 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 16km/h || 19.04 || 26.4 || 32.0 || 35.4 || 37.7 || rowspan="2" | 3.77 || rowspan="2" | 3.34 || rowspan="2" | 3.07 || rowspan="2" | 2.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 11.9 || 14.0 || 17.0 || 18.8 || 20.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
The {{PAGENAME}} has a limited choice of ammunition, focused on dealing with armoured vehicles:

* '''M74B1''': AP; a solid shot with good penetration but no explosive filler.
* '''M51B1/B2''': APCBC; a solid shot with an even better penetration thanks to the ballistic cap but no explosive filler.

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 sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 79 || 76 || 65 || 54 || 45 || 37
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 87 || 84 || 73 || 60 || 50 || 41
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''174''' || 131 ''(+43)'' || 87 ''(+87)'' || 44 ''(+130)'' || 1 ''(+173)'' || Yes
|-
|}

Notes:

* Only 144 shells are modeled in the racks 1 to 4.
* The 1st rack contains 13 shells but empties after having fired 43 shells.
* The 2nd rack contains 52 shells but empties after having fired 44 shells.
* The 3rd rack contains 24 shells but empties after having fired 43 shells.
* The 4th rack contains 55 shells but empties after having fired 44 shells.
* To go into battle with the turret and the flanks empty of ammo, pack 44 ''(+130)'' shells (racks 1 to 3 emptied).

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

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

The {{Specs|pseudonym}} has two 7.62 mm M1919A4 machine guns, one being coaxial to the main gun and the other roof mounted on the right side of the turret. The two machine guns can quickly incapacitate the exposed crews on some vehicles or do some serious damage to those low-passing planes. However it lacks the ability to effectively damage even lightly armoured vehicles due to its low penetration of only 10 mm.

{| 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 || 3,200 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 4,300 (250) || 500 || -10°/+80° || -60°/+14°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The {{Specs|pseudonym}} is best used as a point-capper and a hit-n-run tank. Its extreme mobility gives the player uncountable ways to play with the enemy. At the start of a battle, it can quickly cap a nearby point first, but note that some wheeled vehicles, like the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|Sd.Kfz.234]] series, can still outrun the M3 on-road, therefore posing a great threat. Or it can get to an ambush position near the point and wait until the prey comes. With its reliable gun, the M3 should be able to destroy the first wave of enemies easily and quickly.

In the middle stages of a battle, the M3 can utilise its excellent mobility and get to wherever needs help while carefully looking around. If the {{Specs|pseudonym}} unexpectedly encounters an enemy in its path, don't panic! Circle around the enemy and try to force it to turn, this way it usually cannot aim at the {{Specs|pseudonym}} accurately, then reduce the {{Specs|pseudonym}}'s speed down under 10 km/h and keep moving. Now the {{Specs|pseudonym}}'s stabiliser will give the tank a great chance to hit while on the move as it stabilises the gun when the tank is under 10 km/h, making it easier time to put the gun on target while moving compared to the enemy.

The frontal armour of this tank is also quite good at a distance. Find a building or a big rock as cover and angle the hull for about 40 degrees. When ready to fire, go out of cover and stop once the 37 mm gun is exposed, don't go out too much or the thin side armour will be exposed to be hit. Keep in mind that with this tactic the player should only engage the low-penetrating enemies at more than 400 m, as their penetration will drop significantly at that distance while the M3 can still penetrate 73 mm of armour, which is enough to go through most of its opponents like the [[Pz.III (Disambiguation)|Pz.IIIs]].

'''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 to 64 mm of pen, which is enough to go through the {{Specs|pseudonym}} almost anywhere. These guns can also fire 10 rounds at 280 rounds/min before having to reload the clip, meaning that they will very easily take out your crew before you have a chance to respond. To counter, the best chance you have is to angle your frontal armour which can make it difficult for the PzGr 40 rounds to penetrate. The Russian [[T-50]] and [[T-126]] are vehicles you will also see commonly, these have fairly thick and angled frontal armour that will prevent you from easily getting through. These tanks can also carry 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 M3 will encounter some rough heavies, like the [[Matilda III]] and the [[B1 bis]]. The best tactic against these types of targets is to use the {{Specs|pseudonym}}'s fast speed, get within 200 m from them and attack, with shooting at point-blank range being the most effective way. Before conducting an attack, check the {{Specs|pseudonym}}'s and the enemy's surroundings to make sure no one will ambush the {{Specs|pseudonym}}. While charging, use the {{Specs|pseudonym}}'s quick turns to suddenly change direction to avoid being shot if they are aiming and firing at the {{Specs|pseudonym}}. 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 Matilda III, shoot at the middle of the near-vertical frontal plate to knock out the driver first, since the 37 mm shell is not enough to knock out the gunner after penetrating. Once it is immobile, go to its side and finish it by shooting its hull sides. Or, shoot the right side of the gun mantlet to disable its gunner. For best chance of penetration, do not shoot its turret side.

For the B1, 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.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great cannon with good penetration, excellent rate of fire and gun depression; it can effectively penetrate common opponents like the [[Pz.II (Disambiguation)|Pz.II]] and [[Chi-Ha (Family)|Chi-Ha]], as well as heavy targets like the [[B1 bis]] or [[Matilda III]]
* Excellent acceleration, top speed and turning ability on all terrains; easily outruns slower opponents like the [[Pz.III (Disambiguation)|Pz.III]]
* Access to a vertical stabiliser which most tanks don't have, it is an advantage in close quarter encounters
* Respectable frontal armour that, if angled, might bounce some shells from a distance (eg. Japanese 37 mm/German 20 mm)
* Small turret profile makes it harder to get hit when hull-down
* Empty space below the turret crew can absorb poorly aimed shots, they tend to not do much damage
* Access to smoke grenades

'''Cons:'''

* Weak armour against high-penetration shells like 50 mm Kwk 39 or 76 mm F-34
* Its shells do not have explosive filler, severely limiting the post-penetration effect especially against spacious tanks like the [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* Inefficient brakes when trying to stop the tank at full speed
* Hull is fairly tall for a light tank and the crews are closely packed, reducing its survivability

== History ==


The M3A3 Stuart was a substantially exported tank from the United States. Due to its proven capabilities in all theatres of the Second World War, it found itself on the battlefields of Eastern Asia. The Republic of China were supplied with over one thousand M3A3 Stuarts, making them a prolific user of the Stuart.<ref name=":0">http://www.tankarchives.ca/2017/05/light-tank-m3a3-american-emigrant.html</ref> Some tanks during the late war use were retrofitted with light up-armour packages to further protect the front and sides of the tank thus extending its service life.<ref name=":0" /> By 1946, the Kuomintang Armoured Corps were still operating at least 116 Stuart light tanks.<ref>https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/china/chinese-tanks-1925-1950/</ref>

The use of this tank would continue post-war into the Chinese civil war. M3A3 Stuarts served with both Kuomintang and Communist Party forces until at least 1949 when the Civil war concluded in Communist Party victory. The Kuomintang were able to transport tanks over the East China Sea as they escaped to Taiwan.<ref name=":0" /> Some of these tanks remain today in museums in both China and Taiwan.

In the South Shandong campaign in January 1947, the Shandong and Central China Field Army wiped out the 26th Division and the First Fast Column of the Kuomintang equipped with U.S. armaments, and captured one M3A3 light tank<ref>http://eng.jb.mil.cn/Collections/Cultural_1/Liberation/202005/t20200513_45144.html</ref>. The tank was later put into the East China Field Army tank unit and participated in the Jinan Campaign and the Huaihai Campaign. In the battle of Yonggumen in the Jinan Campaign, crew Shen Xu drove this tank and completed his combat mission successfully. After the war, this tank was awarded the title of "Memorial Tank" and Shen Xu was known as the "Iron Man Hero."<ref>http://www.jb.mil.cn/zgww/201710/t20171016_37067.html</ref> In 1959, this M3A3 was transferred from the First Tank School to The Military Museum of The Chinese People’s Revolution, where it is still on display today.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=china&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=cn_m3a3_stuart Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|1yg1DAEbG8A|'''The Stuart Family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 3:43 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|UeWtClTh1ew|'''Spade Review, {{PAGENAME}}. An amazingly fun tank!''' - ''Joseph 2000''|h5WMlxnSp7I|'''Thick Uparmoured Stuart''' - ''Sgt.Vittie'' (Review starts at 07:06)}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M3 Stuart (Family)]]
* [[M5 Stuart (Family)]]
* [[M8 General Scott (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* [[M22]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[A13 Mk II 1939]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:M3_Stuart|[Wikipedia] M3 Stuart]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M3_stuart.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Light Tank M3 Stuart]
* [http://eng.jb.mil.cn/Collections/Cultural_1/Liberation/202005/t20200513_45144.html “M3A3 Light Tank Seized by East China Field Army in the Battle of Southern Shandong.” ''Military Museum of Chinese People's Revolution'']
* [http://www.jb.mil.cn/zgww/201710/t20171016_37067.html ''功勋坦克/Meritorious Tank''. www.jb.mil.cn/zgww/201710/t20171016_37067.html.]

=== References ===
<references />

{{China light tanks}}

M24 (Italy)

2021-04-13T11:41:04Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Vert stab max M24 IT

{{Specs-Card
|code=it_m24_chaffee
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]].

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


'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, turret, cupola)
*Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 25.4 mm (60°) ''Front glacis'' 25.4 mm (44°) ''Lower glacis'' || 25.4 mm (13°) ''Front'' 12.7 mm (13°) ''Rear'' || 12.7 mm (71-74°) ''Top'' 19 mm (1-43°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 38.1 mm (8-40°) ''Turret front'' 38.1 mm (1-45°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 25.4 mm (17-26°) || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="4" style="text-align:center" | 38.1 mm (spherical)
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 12.7 mm thick.
* Gun barrel is 20 mm thick.
* Gun breech is 300 mm thick in structural steel

The {{PAGENAME}} has thin armour on all sides, and can only effectively resist machine gun fire or very low-penetrating shells. Its crew members are also sitting very close to each other, increasing the chance of it getting destroyed by a single shot. The V-shaped gun mantlet might bounce some small calibre shells if you are lucky enough. However, don't rely on it as the rest of the tank is still poorly protected.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=459|rbMinHp=262}}

The M24 travels at an average of 40 km/h on/off-road which is the average light tank speed. It also responds fast when reversing. Thanks to its short and wide tracks it is able to turn quickly. However the acceleration is poor, making it feel sluggish when performing short range manoeuvres.

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

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

{{main|M6 (75 mm)}}

The tank offers the 75 mm M6 gun, which only differs from the [[M4|M4]]/[[M4A1|M4A1]] Sherman's 75 mm M3 gun with its slower reloading rate due to the smaller confines of the M24 Chaffee. The shells come in handy for certain tanks; they generally penetrate armour very well. It is rare to experience a ricochet or be to unable to penetrate any armour.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M6 (75 mm)|75 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" | 48 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 8.45 || rowspan="2" | 7.47 || rowspan="2" | 6.89 || rowspan="2" | 6.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0 || 0.1 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M64 || 381 || 6.9 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_M24.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''48''' || 25 ''(+23)'' || 1 ''(+47)'' || No
|-
|}
Notes:

* As they are modeled by sets of 2, shells disappear from the rack only after you fire both shells in the set.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

The two machine guns on the M24 Chaffee are the good old [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|.50 cal M2HB]] and the [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]. The roof-mounted .50 cal can traverse 360 degrees and has great depression & elevation, posting a big threat to any plane that is flying too close to the M24. It has an unbelievable penetration of 31mm at 10m, meaning it can easily penetrate plenty of lightly armoured vehicles and even the side of some low rank medium tanks. The 7.62mm, on the other hand, can only efficiently damage exposed crews due to its low penetration.

{| 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 || 1,000 (200) || 576 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| 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 || 1,800 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The M24 ''Chaffee'' is a very good tank with a fairly interesting play style. Instead of being permanently stationed at a single point and continuously firing at an enemy, this tank offers impressive manoeuvrability and speed which allows it to perform impressive flanking manoeuvres. The M24 can travel at around 38 km/h forward and -25 km/h backwards. Its reverse speed is very good if a quick getaway by going backwards is needed. Thus, this tank excels at "peek-a-boo" tactics in which one hides behind a rock or other large piece of cover and repeatedly inches out to fire at an enemy.

An extension of this "peek-a-boo" tactic is to also use the tank's mobility for "scoot-and-shoot" tactics by firing and then moving to another firing location so as to prevent enemy tanks and tank destroyers from accurately guessing range. This can be difficult, however, as you must be very versed in your own tank's ballistics to make shots as you will have to estimate range on the fly. Don't think this means firing on the move - if you are going faster than 16 km/h (10 mph), the stabilizer will not allow for accurate shots, and it is only a vertical stabilizer.

'''Do not:''' Continuously shoot at a tank without backing up/moving. The vehicle's armour is very thin and will most likely be destroyed if it stays in one position and does not stop changing positions. Always try to get the first shot off in a head-on attack. Typically, the best shell to use is the M61 shell but it can also be beneficial to have M72 shells as well.

Another way to go around is to flank the enemy. If attacking with a more direct approach, keep hidden behind a building or boulder and pop out every now and then to take a shot at the enemy. Also, prioritize targets who are busy fighting others and cannot retaliate. Usually, after the first shot, it may disable their tank depending on what it is. Disabling the enemy tank's crew, tracks, engine, etc. allows for retaliation without the risk of any incoming enemy shells.

'''<big>Enemies worth noting</big>''':

* Sd.Kfz.234 series: The M24, although agile, is still not the fastest tank at its rank. When your opposite team has Germany, you might want to reconsider the option of capping a point straight away, since the German Sd.Kfz.234 series are very likely to be there first. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|''Sd.Kfz.234/2'']] (also known as the Puma) is a turreted 8-wheel vehicle with a small profile, extremely high on-road speed and a powerful 50mm gun. But it cannot turn in place, has a very slow turret traverse and only 8mm of side hull armour, so a good tactic is to circle with it and utilise your stabiliser, fast turret and the piercing .50 cal. In an intense tank "dogfight", you might miss your shots. Don't worry, your reliable .50 cal got you! It can penetrate the sides, or even the front of the puma easily. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/3|''Sd.Kfz.234/3'']] and [[Sd.Kfz.234/4|''Sd.Kfz.234/4'']], although being equally deadly, are turretless. You can use some quick turns to avoid their guns or tear through the thin armour plate protecting their gunners with your .50 cal.

* [[KV-1]], [[KV-IB (Germany)|KV-IB]], [[KV I C 756 (r) (Germany)|KV I C 756 (r)]]: The famous KV series can cause a bit of troubles too. They are well know for their well-protected hull and turrets. The M24 can manoeuvre to point-blank range, line up your gun so it's pointing dead flat at the armour and fire. The 104mm penetration of the M61 shell should punch a hole in the KV's armour with ease. If you are close enough but do not have the space to manoeuvre, shoot their gun barrel to prevent them from getting a shot off, then go for their turret ring or the vertical part on their gun mantlet, which is only 90mm. For the KV-1B, '''do not''' try and fire at its turret from the front and side, as they are 105mm thick and will never get penetrated. For the KV I C 756, aim for the cupola (50m) or the gun mantlet (50mm) to knock out the turret crew or the gun breech. Don't shoot at anywhere else, the shell won't penetrate.

* [[Churchill Mk I]], [[Churchill Mk III]], [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]: The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to kill at range. Again, maneuver as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armor, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.
* [[M4A2]] / [[M4A4 (1st PTG)|A4]]: these Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there is a guaranteed kill most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's a M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armor unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenseless.

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* Decent mobility: good top speed and great turning ability
* Uses the same gun as the 75mm Shermans: various shell types, great penetration & damage and excellent gun depression. M61 shell can one shot common tanks like the T-34 series, M4A1, Cromwell or even the KV-1.
* Fast turret traverse allows it to track agile targets easily
* Low profile allows it to easily hide behind small bushes or rocks, increasing survivability
* Equipped with a vertical plane stabilizer, allowing for more accurate shots on the move or shoot-n-scoot tactics
* Pintle mounted HMG allows for air defense and some anti tank ability (eg. GAZ trucks, SU-76, [[ZSD63]])
* 13 smoke grenades allow escaping from dangerous situation for many times
* Effective even in uptiers if used for flanking shots or hunting soft targets
* Very fast reverse allowing it to retreat from danger quickly

'''Cons:'''

* Low survivability: all-round thin armour and closely packed crews. Can get one-shot by common guns like 75mm M3, 76mm F-34 and 75mm Kwk 40
* Acceleration is rather sluggish, especially on soft terrains
* On-road top speed is still inferior to some wheeled vehicles like the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]]
* Shells drop dramatically at long distances, making distant / moving targets hard to shoot at
* Reload time is pretty slow for a light tank
* Low ammo count can be a problem in long games or RB/SB matches

== History ==

===Development===
As early as 1942, the light tanks [[M3 Stuart|M3]] and [[M5A1|M5 ''Stuart'']] have been seen as severely lacking in the modernizing design of tanks and how they fight. The armour was seen as insufficient and the [[M3 (37 mm)|37 mm gun]] was also deemed useless against even the standard German tanks like the [[Pz.III J|Panzer III]] and [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV]]. The system needed an upgrade, specifically a light tank that mounts the [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm gun]] seen on the [[M4|''Shermans'']]. An attempt to mount a 75 mm gun on a ''Stuart'' was deemed inefficient as it reduced ammo stowage and left the armour too thin on the design.

In April 1943, the U.S. Ordnance Department worked with Cadillac to start on a project for the new light tank, designated ''Light Tank T24''. The powertrain and transmission of the M5 ''Stuart'' were used with the ultimate goal of producing a vehicle weighing less than 20 tons. This left the vehicle with relatively thin armour to stay lightweight. At the time, a lighter 75 mm gun was developed for mounting on the [[B-25J-20|B-25 Mitchell bomber]] without sacrificing performance, and this was mounted onto the light tank in development. The tank used 410 mm wide tracks with a torsion bar suspension that greatly improves cross-country travel. The engine was a Cadillac 44T24 V-8 petrol engine. The chassis was designed with the expectation that it would be used as a basis of many different vehicle roles so it was called the "Light Combat Team". The light tank end design had a low profile at 9 ft. 1 in. height and featuring a crew of five with a three-man turret, an improvement over the two-man turrets of the Stuarts. The first finished vehicle arrived on October 15, 1943, and was deemed a success, starting a contract for 1,000 units that was later raised to 5,000 units. The vehicle was classified as the '''Light Tank M24''' and as the ''' ''Chaffee'' ''' by the British after US General Adna R. Chaffee, Jr., who helped develop some of America's earliest tank designs. The vehicle was produced by Cadillac and Massey-Harris from April 1944 to August 1945 with a total of 4,731 units produced.

===Combat usage===
The first batch of M24s reached the battlefields of Europe in November of 1944 and first assigned to the U.S. 2nd Cavalry Group in France. The M24 gradually entered widespread use by December 1944, some ''Chaffees'' went to the British to replace their ''Stuart'' tanks as well. The M24s were first used in the Battle of the Bulge with the 2nd and 42nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron sent to support the southern sector of the battle. The ''Chaffees'' were slow to enter use in the front-lines as even by the end of the war, some armoured division did not have the M24 light tanks. Despite that, the reception of the ''Chaffee'' was positive even though it may not have the firepower to fight the better German tanks like the [[Panther G|Panther tanks]]. The 75 mm gun gave the crew much more firepower than the earlier 37 mm. The light armour, though allowing the tank to pick up speed, was penetrable by most anti-tank weapons in service by Germany. The effect of the M24 ''Chaffee'' in World War II was deemed insignificant as it was not used in great numbers in comparison to the ''Stuarts'' in service since the start of the war.

The M24 ''Chaffee'' served a greater role in the Korean War and were sent in large numbers to combat the North Korean Armoured Forces, however, they were severely under-gunned with their 75 mm cannon and the light armour was easily destroyed by the Soviet-supplied [[T-34-85]] tanks. Plus, the deficiency in crew training also contributed to the poor performance of the M24 against the North Koreans. Due to their inferiority, they were used as a delaying measure until better tanks like the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3E8 ''Shermans'']] and [[M26|M26 ''Pershings'']] could be brought in. Once with supports with these better tanks, the Chaffees were relegated to reconnaissance roles, where they served with better results.

The M24, after being replaced in America by the [[M41A1|M41 ''Walker Bulldog'']], was sent to many other countries for use. The French Army deployed the M24s during their fighting in Indochina and famously in the Battle for Dien Bien Phu. Some M24s went to the hands of the ARVN in South Vietnam to support the troops during the Vietnam War. The Pakistani Army used them as well in 1971 against India during the Indo-Pakistani War. The M24 ''Chaffee'' was also adapted in different roles by using the chassis for different designs, such as the ''[[M19|M19 TGMC anti-air gun]]'' and self-propelled guns with the ''M37 105 mm HMC'' and ''M41 155 mm HMC''.

The ''Chaffee'' had turned out to be one of the greatest light tanks the Allies developed during World War II. Though arriving too late to be a main turning factor for the war, the design has turned out to be so reliable that some countries like Uruguay still operate modernized versions. Austria has since retired its M24 fleet, but their turrets still serve on as bunkers.

=== In-game description ===
The experience of the M3 and M5 light tanks in the western desert proved that the era of light tanks with angular bodies and vertical suspension had come to a close. In 1943 work began on a completely new tank with the popular Hydromatic transmission and a carburetor engine made by Cadillac. The assignment, outside of strengthening the armament, was to keep the maximum weight below 18 short tons. As a result, a new hull with heavily sloped armor plates was developed. The turret gained a streamlined look with 37 mm armor.

The running gear was made up of five rubber-coated weight-bearing wheels and three supporting rollers in addition to forward, leading, and rear guiding wheels. The tank's main gun was a 75 mm M6 cannon with anti-recoil mechanisms around the barrel, something that made it much smaller. The tanks were fitted with coaxial and bow-mounted 7.62 mm machine guns.

The first T24 light tank prototype entered trials in October 1943. It turned out to be such a success that 1,000 units were quickly ordered, a number that later jumped to 5,000. Production took place at Cadillac and Massay-Harris factories, where 4,415 tanks were assembled between March 1944 and October 1945. The T24 was officially accepted two months after full-scale production began, receiving a new M24 designation. It entered combat in fall 1944 and was the American army's primary light tank through the end of the war.

The tanks sent to the UK via Lend-Lease were referred to as Chaffees.

The successful tank had a long career, fighting in the Korean, First Indochina, Vietnam, and Third Indo-Pakistani wars.

=== In Italian service ===
During the export of the M24 Chaffee, many nations were asking for it, including Italy. At the beginnings of 1950, Italy ordered the second biggest M24 order in history, consisting of 518 units bought when Italy accessed NATO.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=italy&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=it_m24_chaffee Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|v0-hKVu3_Ws|'''Carro Leggero Italian M24 Chaffee - Gameplay''' - ''Bennyvee'' (Review starts at 2:36)}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M24 (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[AMX-13-M24]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[AMX-13 (FL11)]]

== External links ==


* [http://www.esercito.difesa.it/en/history/pagine/m24-chaffee-light-tank.aspx <nowiki>[Esercito]</nowiki> M24 "Chaffee" Light Tank – 1950]

{{Italy light tanks}}

M24 (Japan)

2021-04-13T11:40:13Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Max vert speed for M24 JP

{{About
|about=light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage=other variants
|link=M24 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=jp_m24_chaffee
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Japanese light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced along with the initial Japanese Ground Forces tree in [[Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai"]]. This Japanese vehicle is identical to the American [[M24|M24 Chaffee]].

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

The M24 Chaffee has thin armour on all sides, and can only effectively resist machine gun fire or very low-penetrating guns like 20mm autocannon. Its crews are also very close to each other, increasing the chance of it getting one-shotted. The V-shaped gun mantlet might bounce some small caliber shells if you are lucky enough. However, don't rely on it as the rest of the tank is still poorly protected. Common guns like the 75mm M1 or 76mm F-34 / ZiS-5 can easily destroy the M24 with one shot.

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 25.4 mm (60°) ''Front glacis'' 25.4 mm (44°) ''Lower glacis'' || 25.4 mm (13°) ''Front'' 12.7 mm (13°) ''Rear'' || 12.7 mm (71-74°) ''Top'' 19 mm (1-43°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 38.1 mm (8-40°) ''Turret front'' 38.1 mm (1-45°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 25.4 mm (17-26°) || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 38.1 mm || 38.1 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 12.7 mm thick.
* Gun barrel is 20 mm thick.
* Gun breech is 300 mm thick in structural steel

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=459|rbMinHp=262}}

The M24 (Japan) travels at an average of 40 km/h on/off-road which is the average light tank speed. It also responds fast when reversing. Thanks to its short and wide tracks it is able to turn quickly. However the acceleration is poor, making it to feel sluggish when performing short manoeuvres.

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

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

{{main|M6 (75 mm)}}

The 75 mm M6 gun has two types of AP, one HE and one smoke shell to choose from. The M61 shot, which is an APCBC, is generally better than the M72 AP. It has 63.7g explosives which brings a deadly blast once penetrated, has better penetration (104mm max) and it has a slightly lower chance of ricocheting. With the M61 shot, the Chaffee is able to one-shot plenty of tanks at its BR like the M4, T-34, Crusader or even the KV-1.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M6 (75 mm)|75 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" | 48 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.46 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 8.45 || rowspan="2" | 7.47 || rowspan="2" | 6.89 || rowspan="2" | 6.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0 || 0.1 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M64 || 381 || 6.9 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_M24.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''48''' || 25 ''(+23)'' || 1 ''(+47)'' || No
|-
|}

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

The two machine guns on the M24 Chaffee are the good old .50 cal M2HB and the 7.62 mm M1919A4. The roof-mounted .50 cal can traverse 360 degrees and has great depression & elevation, posting a big threat to any plane that is flying too close to the M24. It has an unbelievable penetration of 31mm at 10m, meaning it can easily penetrate plenty of lightly armoured vehicles and even the side of some low rank medium tanks. (eg. Sd.kfz.234 series, side of Pz.III / IV) The 7.62mm, on the other hand, can only efficiently damage exposed crews due to its low penetration.

{| 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 || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| 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 || 1,800 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The M24 (Japan) is a very good tank with a fairly interesting play style. Instead of being permanently stationed at a single point and continuously firing at an enemy, this tank offers impressive maneuverability and speed which allows it to perform impressive flanking maneuvers. The M24 can travel at around 38 km/h forward and -25 km/h backwards. Its reverse speed is very good if a quick getaway by going backwards is needed. Thus, this tank excels at "peek-a-boo" tactics in which one hides behind a rock or other large piece of cover and repeatedly inches out to fire at an enemy.

The tank offers a 75 mm M6 gun, which has a slower reload than the [[M4|''Sherman'']]'s 75mm M3 gun but is otherwise the same. Its shells come in handy for certain tanks; they generally penetrate armour very well. It is rare to experience a ricochet or be to unable to penetrate any armour.

'''Do not:''' Continuously shoot at a tank without backing up/moving. The vehicle's armour is very thin and will most likely be destroyed if it stays in one position and does not stop changing positions. Always try to get the first shot off in a head-on attack. Typically, the best shell to use is the M61 shell but it can also be beneficial to have M72 shells as well.

Another way to go around is to flank the enemy. If attacking with a more direct approach, keep hidden behind a building or boulder and pop out every now and then to take a shot at the enemy. Also, prioritize targets who are busy fighting others and cannot retaliate. Usually, after the first shot, it may disable their tank depending on what it is. Disabling the enemy tank's crew, tracks, engine, etc. allows for retaliation without the risk of any incoming enemy shells.

'''<big>Enemies worth noting</big>''':

* Sd.Kfz.234 series (mixed battle): The M24, although agile, is still not the fastest tank at its rank. When your opposite team has Germany, you might want to reconsider the option of capping a point straight away, since the German Sd.Kfz.234 series are very likely to be there first. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|''Sd.Kfz.234/2'']] (also known as the Puma) is a turreted 8-wheel vehicle with a small profile, extremely high on-road speed and a powerful 50mm gun. But it cannot turn in place, has a very slow turret traverse and only 8mm of side hull armour, so a good tactic is to circle with it and utilise your stabiliser, fast turret and the piercing .50 cal. In an intense tank "dogfight", you might miss your shots. Don't worry, your reliable .50 cal got you! It can penetrate the sides, or even the front of the puma easily. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/3|''Sd.Kfz.234/3'']] and [[Sd.Kfz.234/4|''Sd.Kfz.234/4'']], although being equally deadly, are turretless. You can use some quick turns to avoid their guns or tear through the thin armour plate protecting their gunners with your .50 cal.

* [[KV-1]], [[KV-1E]], [[KV I C 756 (r) (Germany)|KV I C 756 (r)]] (mixed battle): The famous KV series can cause a bit of troubles too. They are well know for their well-protected hull and turrets. The M24 can manoeuvre to point-blank range, line up your gun so it's pointing dead flat at the armour and fire. The 104mm penetration of the M61 shell should punch a hole in the KV's armour with ease. If you are close enough but do not have the space to manoeuvre, shoot their gun barrel to prevent them from getting a shot off, then go for their turret ring or the vertical part on their gun mantlet, which is only 90mm. For the KV-1E, '''do not''' fire at its turret from the front and side, as they are 105mm thick and will never get penetrated. For the KV I C 756, aim for the cupola (50m) or the gun mantlet (50mm) to knock out the turret crew or the gun breech. Don't shoot at anywhere else, the shell won't penetrate.

* [[Churchill Mk I]], [[Churchill Mk III]], [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]] (mixed battle): The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to kill at range. Again, maneuver as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armor, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.
* [[M4A2]] / [[M4A4 (1st PTG)|A4]]: these Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there is a guaranteed kill most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's a M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armor unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenseless.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Decent mobility: good top speed and great turning ability
* Uses the same gun as the 75mm Shermans: various shell types, great penetration & damage and excellent gun depression. M61 shell can one shot common tanks like the T-34 series, M4A1, Cromwell or even the KV-1.
* Fast turret traverse allows it to track agile targets easily
* Low profile allows it to easily hide behind small bushes or rocks, increasing survivability
* Equipped with a vertical plane stabilizer, allowing for more accurate shots on the move or shoot-n-scoot tactics
* Pintle mounted HMG allows for air defense and some anti tank ability (eg. GAZ trucks, SU-76, [[ZSD63]])
* 13 smoke grenades allow escaping from dangerous situation for many times
* Effective even in uptiers if used for flanking shots or hunting soft targets
* Very fast reverse allowing it to retreat from danger quickly

'''Cons:'''

* Low survivability: all-round thin armour and closely packed crews. Can get one-shot by common guns like 75mm M3, 76mm F-34 and 75mm Kwk 40
* Acceleration is rather sluggish, especially on soft terrains
* On-road top speed is still inferior to some wheeled vehicles like the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]]
* Shells drop dramatically at long distances, making distant / moving targets hard to shoot at
* Reload time is pretty slow for a light tank
* Low ammo count can be a problem in long games or RB/SB matches

== History ==


===Development===
As early as 1942, the light tanks [[M3 Stuart|M3]] and [[M5A1|M5 Stuart]] have been seen as severely lacking in the modernizing design of tanks and how they fight. The armour was seen as insufficient and the 37 mm gun was also deemed useless against newer German tanks like the [[Pz.III J|Panzer III]] and [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV]]. The system needed an upgrade, specifically a light tank that mounts the 75 mm gun seen on the [[M4|Shermans]]. An attempt to mount a 75 mm gun on a Stuart was deemed inefficient as it reduced ammo stowage and left the armour too thin on the design.

In April 1943, Ordnance with Cadillac started on a project for the new light tank, designation ''Light Tank T24''. The powertrain and transmission of the M5 Stuart was used with the ultimate goal of producing a vehicle weighing less than 20 tons. This left the vehicle with relatively thin armour to keep light. At the time, a lighter 75 mm gun was developed for mounting on the [[B-25J-20|B-25 Mitchell bomber]] without sacrificing performance, and this was mounted onto the light tank in development. The tank used 410 mm wide tracks with a torsion bar suspension that greatly improves cross-country travel. The engine was a Cadillac 44T24 V-8 petrol engine. The chassis was designed with the expectation that it would be used as a basis of many different vehicle roles so it was called the "Light Combat Team". The light tank end design had a low profile at 9 ft. 1 in. height and featuring a crew of five with a three-man turret, an improvement over the two-man turrets of the Stuarts. The first finished vehicle arrived on October 15, 1943 and was deemed a success, starting a contract for 1,000 units that was later raised to 5,000 units. The vehicle was classified as the '''Light Tank M24''' and as the '''Chaffee''' by the British after US General Adna R. Chaffee, Jr., who helped develop some of America's earliest tank designs. The vehicle was produced by Cadillac and Massey-Harris from April 1944 to August 1945 with a total of 4,731 units produced.

===Japanese Service===
In July 1st, 1954, Japan set up its post-war military force, the Japan Self-Defense Forces with the purpose of defending Japan should it come under conflict in the ongoing Cold War between America and the Soviet Union. To jump start the remilitarization, America gave the newly formed JSDF several M24 Chaffees along with some [[M4A3 (76) W (Japan)|M4A3E8 Shermans]]. The M24 would soon be retired once it was found that they were unable to contend against the Soviet's [[T-34-85]], leading to a limited use until replaced by more capable tanks.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=japan&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=jp_m24_chaffee Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|9CJA4MHCzbg|'''{{PAGENAME}} SDF, Japanese, Tier-3, Light Tank''' - ''Angry Nerd Gaming''|bpzZpJaW62Q|'''{{PAGENAME}} SDF Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M24 (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[AMX-13-M24]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[AMX-13 (FL11)]]

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

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

{{Japan light tanks}}

M4A2 (USSR)

2021-04-13T11:39:18Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Max vert stab speed for USSR M4A2

{{About
| about = premium medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other M4 Shermans
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_m4a2_76w_sherman
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]].

The M4A2 (76) W has an unusually high profile and thus it is difficult to drive around undetected. While playing this tank, the M4A2 is an easy target for [[Jagdpanzer_IV|Jagdpanzers]]. However, if correctly camouflaged, it is possible to get the first shot off. Also, the sides and rear of this tank are very poorly armoured. Thus, Sherman's fuel tanks and engine catch on fire very easily.

One redeeming fact of this model is that the ammo is in the centre of the tank so it's harder to hit than in previous Sherman models ([[M4]], [[M4A1]], [[M4A2]], and [[M4A3 (105)]]), but the more powerful tanks like the [[Tiger H1]] and [[Panther D]] can easily destroy the M4A2 even if it shoots first. In addition, they can easily penetrate the frontal armour at almost all ranges and in most cases, if they are using the correct ammo, the shells' shrapnel will knock out the entire crew. Consequently, the best chance of survival is to fight near allied tanks which allow the 76 mm gun to be effective. With two machine guns, the M4A2 can defend itself and the team from enemy aircraft or clear forested areas where German tank destroyers could be.

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

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 63.5 mm (47°) || 38.1 mm || 38.1 mm || 19.5 mm
|-
| Turret || 88.9 mm || 63.5 mm || 63.5 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 63.5 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, the bogies are 10 mm thick, and the tracks are 20 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=635|rbMinHp=363}}

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

The most important modules to research are Parts and FPE. After that, the player may prioritize either mobility or firepower upgrades, depending on playstyle. It should be noted that the stock M62 APCBC shell is superior to the M79 shot in most situations, so researching the M79 shot module is not a priority.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm M1]] || 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" | 71 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.78 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M62 shell || APCBC || 149 || 146 || 133 || 119 || 106 || 95
|-
| M42A1 shell || HE || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7
|-
| M79 shot || AP || 134 || 132 || 121 || 109 || 99 || 89
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M62 shell || APCBC || 792 || 7.00 || 1.2 || 14.0 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| M42A1 shell || HE || 800 || 5.84 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 390 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M79 shot || AP || 792 || 6.80 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_M4A1_(76)_W.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the [[M4A1 (76) W]] (identical to the M4A2 (76) W)]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''71''' || 57 ''(+14)'' || 43 ''(+28)'' || 29 ''(+42)'' || 15 ''(+56)'' || 1 ''(+70)'' || Yes
|-
|}

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


{| 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 || 600 (200) || 577 || -10°/+30° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| 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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The M4A2 (76) W is a classic Sherman tank. It requires careful positioning and avoidance of enemy fire, possesses an above-average gun, and works best when played around teammates.

As such, it is well-suited to city brawls in which it can use rubble as cover and protect its flanks effectively. The city environment also suits the tank's below-average mobility. In close quarters, this shortcoming will not be too much of a hindrance. That being said, the M4A2 is also a classic medium tank, and highly adaptable. If needed, it can engage at most, if not all, ranges. It can be used to rush a point, or to defend from an assault. Certainly, the powerful cannon is capable against all but the most heavily armoured enemies.

This vehicle has mediocre armour and a highly visible profile, so it must be played carefully if the player wishes to stay alive for more than a few minutes. It is not uncommon for the M4A2 to be destroyed in a single hit, especially when facing the German cannons. Other enemies to watch out for include enemy aircraft: although the roof armour will protect crew members from strafing runs, the vehicle's above-average size makes it rather visible from the air, and makes it a target for bombing and rocket attacks.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Higher top speed compared to the previous vehicle
* Great rate of fire for the main gun
* Angled frontal slope which may sometimes bounce larger calibres if angled correctly
* A standard 5 crew members, which equates to 3 spare crew members to take over positions of the tank if necessary
* A pintle-mounted heavy machine gun (12.7 mm), which can be used for anti-aircraft and against light armoured vehicles
* Wet ammo storage - Which reduces greatly ammo rack chances, is indicated by the "W" in its name, this also means tightly packed ammo only placed under the turret
* Fast turret traverse

'''Cons:'''

* Is quite tall
* Prone to tipping over when travelling across steep inclines
* Sides and rear are thinly armoured
* Engine compartment is poorly armoured
* Susceptible to nearby artillery explosions
* Narrow tracks mean poor ground flotation and cross country performance
* Only reaches its top speed on paved surfaces
* Lacks the add-on armour module found on the 76 mm M4A1 and M4A3
* Unlike the earlier M4A1 (76) W, Cruise Control 1 setting is slightly above the maximum speed that the stabilizer operates at
* Armour might not stand up against common guns like the Soviet 85 mm or the KwK36.

== History ==

===Lend-Lease===
The Soviet participation in the United States' Lend-Lease program started in Autumn of 1941 when the United States and United Kingdom agreed to give military aid. Tanks were of particular interests to the Soviets in order to replenish their Summer losses against Germany during Operation ''Barbarossa''. The first tanks sent were from Great Britain with [[MK-IX_"Valentine"_(USSR)|Valentines]] and [[MK-II_"Matilda"_(USSR)|Matildas]], which played a part in the Battle of Moscow.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_British">Zaloga 2017, Loc 63, 95 of 1264</ref> The United States provided their [[M3 Stuart]] light tanks and [[M3_Medium_(USSR)|M3 Medium]] tanks in late 1941/early 1942 (The two were designated ''{{Annotation|M3L|Legkhiy/Light}}'' and ''{{Annotation|M3S|sredniy/Medium}}'' respectively to avoid name confusion).<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_M3Stuart">Zaloga 2017, Loc 245-257 of 1264</ref><ref name="ZalogaLendLease_M3Medium">Zaloga 2017, Loc 305 of 1264</ref> These American tanks were not viewed with satisfaction, with the head of Soviet tank industry, Vyacheslav Malyshev, even considering stopping all American tank imports and focusing instead on American trucks.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_Trucks">Zaloga 2017, Loc 420-426 of 1264</ref> Despite that, the Soviets were interested in America's newest medium tank, the M4 Sherman, and were eager to obtain some as soon as possible.

===Shermans in the Soviet Union===
Though the M4 and M4A1 were available, the Soviets disliked the gasoline Continental radial engine due to their experience with the M3 Light and Medium tanks. Instead, they asked for the diesel GMC engine variant M4A2 Sherman. The M4A2 had been in production since April 1942, but the time needed for the production to supply the demand meant that the first M4A2 only arrived in the Soviet Union by 21 September 1942. The Soviets would also received two M4A4 tank models in 1943 for trial purposes, however the Soviet disliked the Chrysler A57 engine configuration, and so opted not to receive any more M4A4 tanks.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_M4Intro">Zaloga 2017, Loc 616-633 of 1264</ref><ref name="TankArchivesM4A4">Samsonov 2013</ref>

The first M4A2 tanks in the Soviet Union would first see service with the 5th Guards Tank Brigade and the 563rd Separate Tank Battalion.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_M4Intro" /><ref name="GillonoUnits">Gillono and Hulbert 2011, pg 23</ref> The first major campaign the M4A2 were involved in was the Battle of Kursk in the 229th Tank Regiment with 38 M4A2 Shermans.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_Kursk">Zaloga 2017, Loc 554 of 1264</ref> As the M4A2 deliveries grew and so did the crew experience, the Soviets came to appreciate the qualities of the M4A2 Sherman. A report on 23 October 1943 from the 5th Guards Tank Brigade regarding their M4A2 Shermans noted:<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_M4Intro" />

{{Quote
|Due to its high speed, M4A2 tank is very convenient for exploitation, and offers great maneuverability. Armament is consistent with its design and it has fragmentation and armor-piercing shells with very high penetration. The 75 mm gun and two Browning machine guns are trouble-free. Its disadvantages include a great height making it a bigger target on the battlefield. Armor, despite the greater thickness (60 mm), is substandard. There were cases when it was penetrated by an antitank rifle at a distance of 80 meters. In addition, there were a number of cases where Ju-87, while bombing the tanks, penetrated the side armor and turret armor with 20 mm cannon fire, resulting in crew casualties. Compared with the T-34, the M4A2 is easier to operate, and more durable when making long marches as the motors do not require frequent adjustment. In combat, these tanks are working well.
}}

The M4 was given the nickname "emcha" by the Soviet soldiers, which was a contraction of the Russian pronounciation of M4 (M-''Chetire'').<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_M4Intro" />

The Soviets continued requesting more M4A2 Shermans to fill their armies, with 2,000 more expected from July 1943 to June 1944. Although this was at odds with America's plans to switch M4 production over to the 76 mm gun at the end of 1943, the Fisher Body production lines at the Grand Blanc Tank Arsenal was slated to continue producing 75 mm armed M4s until May 1944 for the Soviet's orders.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_3rdProtocol">Zaloga 2017, Loc 166, 649 of 1264</ref>
[[File:Soviet M4A2 tanks on Krenova street in Brno.gif|x200px|left|thumb|none|Soviet M4A2 (76) W in Brno, Czechoslovakia in April 1945.]]

===76 mm Shermans ===
The Soviet Union's next order of 3,000 Shermans would be for M4 Shermans equipped with the new 76 mm M1 gun.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_76mm">Zaloga 2017, Loc 660 of 1264</ref> These M4A2 (76 mm) Shermans began arriving to the Soviet Union in September 1944.<ref name="TankArchivesEmcha">Samsonov 2017</ref> The first combat unit to be equipped with these M4A2 (76) Shermans was the 1st Mechanized Corps in the same month the M4A2 (76) began to arrive. Other units that received and used the M4A2 (76) Shermans were the 1st, 8th, and 9th Guards Mechanized Corps, as well as the 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps.<ref name="GillonoEUUnits">Gillono and Hulbert 2011, pg 17-18</ref>
[[File:M4A2 (USSR) Historical - 03 May 1945.jpg|thumb|right|x250px|none|A Lend-Lease M4A2 (76) W Sherman in Soviet service in May 1945 at Grabow, Germany.]]

The first action the M4A2 (76) Sherman saw in Soviet service in was in December 1944, when the 6th Guards Tank Army and its associated 9th Guards Mechanized Corps conducted offensive operations in Hungary.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_76mm" /><ref name="LozaShermans">Loza and Gebhardt 1996</ref> The M4A2 (76) Shermans would see large-scale usage in 1945 during the Soviet's offensives towards Germany, sometimes alongside the M4A2 (75) versions. Some of the most notable Soviet actions the M4A2 (76) were in the Vistula–Oder offensive in Winter 1945, the Vienna Offensive in Spring 1945, and finally the Battle of Berlin in April-May 1945, where most notably the 1st Mechanized Corps, equipped with 165 M4A2 Shermans prior to the battle, participated in the heavy fighting.<ref name="TankArchives1stMCBerlin">Samsonov 2015</ref>

The final M4A2 Sherman usage by the Soviet Union was in Operation ''August Storm'', the Soviet invasion of Manchuria against Japan in August 1945.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_76mmUsage">Zaloga 2017, Loc 665-672 of 1264</ref> This offensive saw M4A2 Shermans used on the Transbaikal Front, with the M4A2s in the 3rd and 9th Guards Mechanized Corps, as well as smaller units such as the 48th Separated Tank Battalion and 201st Tank Brigade present (the 201st were held in reserves).<ref name="GillonoUnits" /><ref name="LozaShermans" /> In all, 250 M4A2 Sherman tanks were present in the Soviet forces when the invasion of Manchuria commenced.<ref name="TankArchivesEast">Samsonov 2014</ref> <ref name="TankArchivesHVSS">Samsonov 2018</ref>

===Lend-Lease numbers===
Of the 12,485 tanks and armored fighting vehicles sent to the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1945 in the Lend-Lease program, 4,102 of those were of the M4A2 Sherman tanks, with 2,007 being of the M4A2 (75 mm) version, and 2,095 being the M4A2 (76 mm) version. Of the tanks sent, the Soviet records reported the receiving of only 3,664 tanks; the difference mainly due to deliveries being sunk on the way and discrepancies between the United States and Soviet Union archives.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_Tables">Zaloga 2017, Loc 899-1212 of 1264</ref><ref name="GillonoShermans">Gillono and Hulbert 2011, pg 1</ref> Of the 76 mm variants, 460 tanks were versions with the HVSS suspension designs, which began arriving in March-April 1945, delivered too late to see combat in Europe.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_76mmUsage" /> However, 128 of the tanks saw use with the 9th Guards Mechanized Corps (84 tanks) and the 201st Tank Brigade (44 tanks) in Manchuria.<ref name="TankArchivesHVSS" /> These figures also indicate that the Soviet Union was one of the largest users of the M4A2 (76 mm) Shermans, of which 2,915 were manufactured in total by the United States.<ref name="M4(76)_LendLease">Zaloga 2003, Loc 686 of 977</ref>

=== In-game description ===
Large quantities of military vehicles were delivered to the Soviet Union as part of the lend-lease program. These deliveries made a considerable impact on the Soviet Army's arsenal and played a significant role in the final victory over Germany in WWII. One of the vehicles provided as part of the lend-lease program was the American Sherman medium tank.

== Media ==

{{Youtube-gallery|Zh8JUqody5g|'''The Shooting Range #59''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 00:34 discusses the Soviet Shermans.}}

== See also ==


* [[M4A2 (76) W]] - An identical tank variant in the American tech tree

== External links ==


;References:
<references />

;Bibliography:

* Gillono, Claude; Hulbert, Leife. ''Comrade Emcha: Red Army Shermans of WW2 (Battleline, 2)''. The Oliver Publishing Group, 2011
* Loza, Dimitry; Gebhardt, James F. ''Commanding the Red Army's Sherman Tanks: The World War II Memoirs of Hero of the Soviet Union Dimitry Loza''. University of Nebraska Press, 1996.
* Samsonov, Peter. "Common Questions: Sherman Preference." ''Tank Archives'', Blogger, 22 Jun. 2015, [http://www.tankarchives.ca/2015/06/common-questions-sherman-preference.html Website]. Accessed 24 Mar. 2021.
* Samsonov, Peter. "Lend Lease Impressions: M4A4 Sherman." ''Tank Archives'', Blogger, 12 Sep. 2013, [http://www.tankarchives.ca/2013/09/lend-lease-impressions-m4a4-sherman.html Website]. Accessed 24 Mar. 2021.
* Samsonov, Peter. "M4A2(76)W: Emcha With a Long Hand." ''Tank Archives'', Blogger, 30 Jul. 2017, [http://www.tankarchives.ca/2017/07/m4a276w-emcha-with-long-hand.html Website]. Accessed 23 Mar. 2021.
* Samsonov, Peter. "New Legs for the Emcha." ''Tank Archives'', Blogger, 15 Dec. 2018, [http://www.tankarchives.ca/2018/12/new-legs-for-emcha.html Website]. Accessed 24 Mar. 2021.
* Samsonov, Peter. "Soviet Tanks in the Far East." ''Tank Archives'', Blogger, 09 Apr. 2014, [http://www.tankarchives.ca/2014/04/soviet-tanks-in-far-east.html Website]. Accessed 24 Mar. 2021.
* Zaloga, Steven J. ''M4 (76mm) Sherman Medium Tank 1943-65''. Osprey Publishing Ltd., 20 Apr. 2003.
* Zaloga, Steven J. ''Soviet Lend-Lease Tanks of World War II''. Osprey Publishing Ltd., 20 Jul. 2017.

{{USSR medium tanks}}
{{USSR premium ground vehicles}}

M4A3E2 (France)

2021-04-13T11:37:25Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ max vert speed for FR 75 Jumbo

{{About
| about = heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other M4 Shermans
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_m4a3e2_sherman_jumbo
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{specs|name}}''' is a Rank {{specs|rank}} French heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.75 "La Résistance"]]. This is a Jumbo provided to the Free French Forces by Americans.

The M4A3E2 looks like a standard Sherman medium tank, but it is still a weighty tank and is used as a breakthrough tank to attack fortified enemy positions. It is certainly not a medium tank like normal Shermans. It is a great tank when fighting Tigers as the 88mm cannons cannot penetrate the armour of the M4A3E2 from its sides when angled efficiently. As such, it allows players to get close to Tigers and attack them from the sides, or force them to retreat. When fighting Panthers, the M4A3E2 is less effective as the 75mm cannon on the Panther can penetrate the armour of the Jumbo Sherman from the front even when angled more than 30 degrees at 500 meters. Only at close range can high-velocity guns, such as Soviet 85mm or German 88mm guns, penetrate the frontal glacis. However, larger calibers, such as the Soviet 122mm gun, will slice right through the armor.

It takes on the general look of an [[M4A2]] but is much more armoured (and uses a Ford gasoline engine). The M4A3E2 features the double-layered front armour giving the vehicle its distinctive 101.6 mm total front armour. It provides its boast of being better armoured than the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]]. The transmission housing is considerably beefier, too, from the addition of armour at the area as well. The front of the T23-style turret is distinctive with the very blocky gun mantlet and circular barrel shroud around the rather underwhelming 75 mm gun barrel.

The sides and suspension look like the usual game with the M4 Sherman series, but with minor differences. The flat side armour of the hull, instead of 38.1 mm thick, is now 76.2 mm thick for much more reliable side protection. However, the lower side hull around the bogie suspension area is still only 38.1 mm thick, vulnerable to most conventional anti-tank weapons. Another minor difference is the tracks. The T48 rubber chevron tracks are equipped with extended end connectors to improve ground pressure performance for the additional weight of the armour.

However, the rear does not have any extra armour and is much thinner. The roof of the tank is thinly armoured as well, only having 19.5 mm on the hull and 25.4 mm on the turret, so beware as artillery barrages tend to set engine compartment modules on fire.

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret roof, cupola roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret, cupola, gun mantlet, transmission housing, MG port)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 63.5 + 38.1 mm (47°) ''Front glacis'' 25.4 + 34 mm ''MG port'' 114.3-139.7 mm (cylindrical) ''Transmission housing'' || 76.2 mm ''Top'' 38.1 mm ''Bottom'' || 38.1 mm (10°) ''Upper plate'' 38.1 mm (7°) ''Lower plate'' 38.1 mm (24°) ''Lower glacis'' || 63.5 + 38.1 mm (42°) ''Front glacis'' 19.5 mm ''Centre'' 19.5 mm (8°) ''Rear - Centre'' 19.5 mm (24°) ''Rear - Sides''
|-
| Turret || 152.4 mm (0-52°) ''Turret front'' 177.8 mm (4-60°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 152.4 mm (4-42°) || 152.4 mm (0-79°) || 63.5 mm (28°) ''Front'' 25.4 mm ''Centre''
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 51 mm (conical) || 51 mm ''Outer ring'' 25.4 mm ''Centre''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, while bogies are 10 mm thick and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 25.4 mm thick.
* Hull underside right above the tracks are 9.5 mm thick.

The M4A3E2 Jumbo presents very little frontal weak spots in an engagement. It is best to try and force the Jumbo to try and angle his vehicle towards the player or his allies. An angle more than 30 degrees can expose the much weaker lower side hull armour in the suspension that is only 38.1 mm thick. With a powerful enough gun, a round can penetrate this area and damage the crew, or even set off the ammunition all cluttered up on the bottom of the tank.

If a frontal engagement is unavoidable and are unfortunately armed with guns unable to penetrate through the front glacis, there are only two areas that are viable. First is the machine gun port, which is one of the areas that is not layered with the extra 38.1 mm added on top of the base armour. Guns like the Panzer IV 75 mm KwK 40 guns that are unable to cleave through the front glacis can push their luck in this area, with small "sweet spots" that the round can pass through. Another way to attack the M4A3E2 in this scenario is exploiting a shot-trap in the gun mantlet. The small corner flaps on the bottom corners of the gun mantlet have a tendency to deflect rounds downwards onto the 19.5 mm hull roof armour. While this will be left to the ricochet chances, it is still possible and can be used if no other scenarios are favorable.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 646|rbMinHp= 442}}

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

In Tier I, ''Parts'' and ''Horizontal Drive'' should of course be the prioritized modules for repairs and turret traverse speed. These two will also unlock Tier II modifications and grant access to the very vital ''FPE'' and ''M61 shot'', the former for preservation against fires and the latter to improve damage in the battlefield.

Then in Tier III, ''Crew Replenishment'' should be obtained for crew survival improvement and the APCR ''T45 shot'' for improved armour-piercing power. After that, everything else could be done at one's own priorities, but ''Engine'' should be invested for better automotive performances and ''M89'' for the smoke capabilities.

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

{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || 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" | 104 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 19.4 || 26.9 || 32.6 || 36.1 || 38.4 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* M72 shot - {{Annotation|AP|Armour-Piercing}} - Solid shot, stock shell. An armour-piercing shell with acceptable penetration but poor post-penetration damage.
* M48 shell - {{Annotation|HE|High-Explosive fragmentation shell}} - A low-velocity shell useful against soft targets, in particular when hitting an open-topped vehicle. Harmless against any enclosed vehicle with more than 10 mm of armour.
* M61 shot - {{Annotation|APCBC|Armour-Piercing Capped Ballistic Capped}} - A capped armour-piercing shell with a better penetration than the M72 thanks to its ballistic cap and a good post-penetration damage thanks to its explosive filler.
* T45 shot - {{Annotation|APCR|Armour-Piercing Composite Round}} - Subcalibre round with high penetration but only on flat surfaces, with a high muzzle velocity but a poor post-penetration damage potential.
* M89 - Smoke shell - A very low-velocity shell deploying a smoke screen on impact, useful to blind enemy vehicles that are too remote for you to disable so that you can progress towards objectives.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
| T45 shot || APCR || 139 || 135 || 121 || 105 || 91 || 79
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T45 shot || APCR || 868 || 3.81 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M89 || 259 || 3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_M4A3E2.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M4A3E2 (identical).]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''104''' || 100 ''(+4)'' || 50 ''(+54)'' || 0 ''(+104)'' || No
|-
|}
Notes:

* As they are modeled by sets of 2, shells disappear from the rack only after you fire both shells in the set.
* Turret empty: 100 ''(+4)'' shells.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (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 || 600 (200) || 577 || -10°/+30° || ±60°
|-
|}
The roof-mounted M2HB .50 cal heavy machine gun is very good at knocking out tracks, punching through lightly armoured vehicles and shooting down low-flying aircraft. Use it sparsely because of its low ammo count.

{| 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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
The small calibre of the M1919A4 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

== Usage in battles ==

The M4A3E2 is best in assaulting enemy positions with allies. Its great mobility for a heavy tank, especially with its armour, makes it a vehicle able to charge into battle and take anything head-on with confidence. It can act as a bullet magnet against enemy tanks more worried about the M4A3E2, diverting fire that would've gone to more vulnerable teammates. Though the 75mm gun's AP performance is not suited to the type of enemies expected at the BR, it can still harass enemies and the gun is lethal enough that enemies will be forced to show their front armour towards the Jumbo else a 75 mm penetrates their side armour. Their focus on the Jumbo can allow allies to move around and eliminate them. During all this, take care not to overangle and show the lower side armour too much as this will allow vehicles to penetrate through down there and damage modules, even the ammunition storage if they are lucky.

Another role the M4A3E2 is good in is as a flanker. Due to its great mobility as a heavy tank, the M4A3E2 Jumbo can manoeuvre like a medium tank around the battlefield. This is also beneficial to the 75 mm gun as it would permit the M4A3E2 a chance to attack the weaker side armours of enemy vehicles. Once flanking around and finding a prime position in a fire angle right into an enemy chokepoint, minimize exposure to anything but the front armour and the M4A3E2 can remain a formidable obstacle to all opponents. Take care not to be outflanked by enemy players aware of the M4A3E2 position.

Due to the M4A3E2 Jumbo having a slightly higher battle-rating than the other M4 Shermans at 4.7, it can be up-tiered against tanks such as the [[Panther D]] and [[Tiger_H1|Tiger H1]], meaning its 75 mm cannon starts becoming less effective. For this reason, it is advisable to take the T45 APCR ammo into battle once unlocked, at least enough to take on the armoured targets the Jumbo will face.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

The Soviet 85 mm can be a threat, so caution is advised when going up against tanks armed with the 85 mm, such as the [[T-34-85]], [[SU-85]], and [[IS-1]]. The [[Jagdpanzer 38(t)|Jagdpanzer 38(t)]] and [[Jagdpanzer IV]] can be tricky when facing off against them. Their frontal armour are too thick and sloped for the 75 mm M3 gun to have any effect on it. For these two targets, it is advised to target their tracks and transmission and then flank for a side shot, where the armour is much weaker. Also, the [[Dicker Max]] wields a 105 mm that can penetrate the front plate of the M4A3E2 Jumbo, so caution is advised against those as well. Finally, there is one common opponent from the Soviet/Chinese tree: IS-2. Its 122 mm gun can easily penetrate the Jumbo, regardless of angle and distance. To destroy it, shoot at it when it's reloading or is unaware of your presence. For the 1943 model, aim at the cupola or the curved part of its hull armour that blends into the side. It has only 4 crew so killing all the turret crew (3, which is easy) will destroy it. For the 1944 model, only aim at the turret or the cupola as its hull is very strong.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

*Decent 75 mm gun with APCR rounds.
*High rate of fire for main gun.
*Excellent gun depression.
*Very strong turret armour from all sides, very good at hull down position.
*Very good at leading a spearhead towards a capture point where it can provide cover to weaker allied tanks with more powerful guns.
*Excellent frontal armour, about 101 mm thick!
*Excellent all around turret armour, average 152 mm thick!
*Can absorb a lot of damage.
*Better mobility than the Russian KV-1 and the British Churchill.
*Equipped with gun stabilizer, making it more accurate at moving and when preparing a shot after moving.
*Good acceleration.
*Incredibly tough when angled.
*Wide tracks enable it to have a decent off road mobility, unlike other previous Sherman models.
*Learning curve from previous Sherman variant will help a lot at mastering this tank.

'''Cons:'''

*[[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm gun]] lacks penetration against [[:Category:Heavy tanks|heavy tanks]]
*It needs allies support to be effective in battle as it cannot deal serious damage on its own.
*Armour weak spot above the gun-mantlet (63.5 mm @ 60°).
*Small bottom corners on M4A3E2 gun mantlet can serve as shot traps.
*Side armour better than normal, but still weak (76.2 mm), but the lower side hull armour is even worse (38.1 mm).
*Very thin rear armour.
*Inability to compound angle greatly due to very weak lower side hull armour that would be penetrated.
*Tall profile makes it a bigger target.
*Bad off-road manoeuvrability.
*Low top speed of 35kph.
*Reverse speed is bad.
*Hull MG is a weak spot.

== History ==

===Development===
Even before the invasion of Normandy, the Allied commanders had to figure out a method in order to breach heavily-defended fortification lines such as the Siegfried Line blocking the path from France to Germany. One of the solutions was for the implementation of "assault tanks" to enter enemy territory and root out the enemy fortifications. The initial plan was for the production of the [[M26|M26 Pershing]] tanks to fulfill this role, but setbacks in its development caused the M26 deployment to be delayed until 1945. A quick solution must be made to fill this "assault tank" role for the invasion of Europe in 1944.

The US ordinance then took their abundant [[M4|M4 Shermans]] in stock and fixed them up for the new role they've been assigned in. Taking a M4A3 Sherman model, the armour was upped from around 76.2 mm initial thickness to 102 mm and angled at 47 degrees from vertical. This modified M4 Sherman's armour when angled would then be 150 mm line-of-sight (LOS) thick and 180 mm effective. The side armour is also increased to 76.2 mm thick and the turret is redesigned to provide more protection. These modified Shermans were designated the '''M4A3E2''' by the Ordnance Department, whereas the nickname "Jumbo" was likely a post-war invention. At the end of the modifications, the Sherman "Jumbo" now weighed about 42 tons and moves a lower speed of 22 miles per hour. A drawback to the increased weight of the Sherman is that the Vertical Volute Suspension System (VVSS) from the Sherman was unable to take the weight easily, so extra care was taken by the crew members to not break the suspension.

In March of 1944, the US Army ordered for 254 of these vehicles to be delivered for use for European Operations. Intended for the assault on the Normandy Beachhead, it was deployed in Normandy after D-Day to assist the infantry push through German defenses. The M4A3E2 originally came with the 75 mm guns to support infantry with its better HE shells compared to the planned 76 mm installment, but the 76 mm was installed later in the campaign and called the [[M4A3E2 (76) W|M4A3E2 (76) W Jumbo]].

===French service===
Due to the low numbers of M4A3E2 issued to the ETO, most went towards the US Army units. However, there is one known M4A3E2 that was issued to the French 1st Armoured Division (''Division Blindée (DB)''), an unusual case as most of the M4A3E2 inventory was headed to the Twelfth United States Army Group, whereas the French 1st DB was with the US Sixth Army Group. Information is not well known about this sole M4A3E2, but it served in the headquarter platoon of the 2nd Squadron of the 2nd African Chasseur Regiment (''2e régiment de chasseurs d'Afrique''). On 16 April 1945, lieutenant Amédée de Falgayrac, commander of the 1st platoon in the 2nd Squadron, was killed by shrapnel at Ortenberg, Germany. The M4A3E2 was then renamed ''Lt Falgayrac'' a few days later in honour.

The French did obtain a number of M4A3E2 surplus for use in the post-war period.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=france&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=heavy_tank&vehicle=fr_m4a3e2_sherman_jumbo Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|l31USzTa5EQ|'''How to destroy the Jumbo''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|XDLsvMpjSF4|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M4 Sherman (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[M8A1]]
* [[T14]]

;Carbon-copy vehicles

* [[M4A3E2]]
* [[Cobra King]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:M4_Sherman#M4A3E2|[Wikipedia] M4 Sherman - M4A3E2]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/m4a3e2-jumbo-assault-tank <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Assault Tank M4A3E2 Jumbo]

{{France heavy tanks}}

M6A1

2021-04-13T11:36:19Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Max stab speed M6A1

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m6a1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. A rather unusual tank design mounting two cannons in the turret, however, it has a durable frontal armour for the battle rating it occupies.

The M6A1 is one of the most unique tanks in the game, with its large hull and being as tall as a Tiger I. Another interesting feature is that it is one of the most manoeuvrable heavy tanks in the game with a powerful Wright G-200 engine (the same engine powering the [[B-17E|B-17 ''Flying Fortress'' bomber]]) with a max speed of 35 km/h, making it very mobile in a battle situation. The tank has two 12.7 mm's in the hull which are effective for taking out lightly armored vehicles such SPAAs. The M6A1 is one of the first American tanks as well in the game to have the transmission at the rear of the tank.

Something to keep in mind is the shell arc of the secondary 37 mm cannon. Its shell will usually hit the same spot on distances up to 1400 m (~1 mile). But do not forget that the gun is offset to the left in close combat, or it will not hit the target.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (Front, Transmission area, Turret)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, Side, Rear, Roof)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 82.5 mm (5-35°) ''Front'' 101.6 mm (5-35°) ''Transmission''|| 44.4 mm || 44.4 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
| Turret || 250 mm (6-65°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 + 50.8 mm (7-62°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 82.5 mm (0-12°) || 82.5 mm (0-68°) || 25.4 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 82.5 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 17 mm thick.
* Frontal armour plate is unevenly curved for better ricochet chances and efficient armour thickness.
* Side skirts are 25 mm thick rolled homogeneous armour and will trigger fuses on APHE projectiles. In most cases, APHE shells set off before reaching the main hull and destroying the ammo stack beneath. Still, both skirts and hull are not sturdy enough to withstand a regular AP shell.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,033|rbMinHp=708}}

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

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

{{main|M7 (76 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M7 (76 mm)|76 mm M7]] || 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" | 75 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+30° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 14.57 || 20.16 || 24.48 || 27.07 || 28.80 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.79 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 10.71 || 12.60 || 15.30 || 16.92 || 18.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M62 shell || APCBC || 149 || 146 || 133 || 119 || 106 || 95
|-
| M42A1 shell || HE || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7
|-
| M79 shot || AP || 134 || 132 || 121 || 109 || 99 || 89
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M62 shell || APCBC || 792 || 7.00 || 1.2 || 14.0 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| M42A1 shell || HE || 800 || 5.84 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 390 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M79 shot || AP || 792 || 6.80 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
|}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''75''' || 40 ''(+35)'' || 4 ''(+71)'' || 1 ''(+74)'' || Yes
|-
|}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|M3 (37 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[M3 (37 mm)|37 mm M3]] || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
| 202 || N/A || N/A || Vertical || 3.77 || 3.33 || 3.07 || 2.90
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 79 || 76 || 65 || 54 || 45 || 37
|-
| M63 shell || HE || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 87 || 84 || 73 || 60 || 50 || 41
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M63 shell || HE || 807 || 0.73 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 38 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[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
|-
| '''202''' ||190 (+12)|| 161 ''(+41)'' || 121 ''(+81)'' || 81 ''(+121)'' || 41 ''(+161)'' || 1 ''(+201)'' || Yes
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|5}}

{{main|M2HB (12.7 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 || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+50° || ±120°
|-
| Hull || 3,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+35° || ±15°
|-
| Hull || 3,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+35° || ±15°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Although this is a heavy tank, and able to bounce some shells, its armour will not protect it from all incoming fire. Enemies to specifically watch out for are the [[IS-1]], [[Panther tank (Family)|Panthers]], [[Tiger E|Tigers]], and [[M4A3E2|Jumbo]] Shermans, as they can all easily penetrate this vehicle's weak frontal armour. Make sure to protect the rear flank too: M6A1's engine is very large and prone to catching on fire when hit.

But despite the imperfect armour layout, the M6A1 does bring an impressive cannon to the battle. The powerful 76 mm gun is able to penetrate the front of most Rank III tanks and can destroy most enemy targets in a single shot. The secondary cannon is weaker than the 76 mm, but can be effective. When engaging targets from the side, this smaller gun should have no trouble penetrating and destroying an enemy unit. And as with all multi-gun tanks, the secondary gun should be fired separately from the main cannon to maximize efficiency and facilitate aim. By firing the secondary cannon, it is occasionally possible to bait the enemy into advancing out of cover and revealing a weak-spot--they will not expect that you have another shell loaded in the main gun. Additionally, the vehicle mounts three 12.7 mm machine guns, which can be very effective in dealing with enemy aircraft if positioned correctly.

In most situations, the M6A1 driver will find that a slower play-style suits this tank best. The vehicle is large, turret rotation is slow, and enemies will be eager to flank it. As such, the support of teammates is necessary for an effective attack. In a defensive situation, the M6A1 is effective when located behind a ridge or other cover. This will help to obscure the tank's large profile and allow the player to ambush advancing enemies.

The M6A1 is often compared to the M4A3E2 Jumbo Sherman. Although less armoured than its higher-tiered counterpart, the M6A1 is arguably better than the Jumbo during the early game and at range. While the M4A3E2 may have trouble dealing with enemy heavy tanks such as the [[KV-1 (Family)|KV-1]], this vehicle is very-well suited for engaging those targets. The M6A1 may be thought of as a Jumbo Sherman that was traded some of its armour protection in exchange for a more lethal armament.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great main 76 mm gun and ammunition capable of consistent 1 hit kills
* Great secondary 37 mm gun with good reload speed and decent penetration
* Good gun depression
* Reload rate isn't generally affected when losing crew members
* Has .50 cal AA machine gun, as well as a dual-mount .50 cal in front
* First standard heavy tank in the US tree, which can dish out and take punishment equally
* Lower portion of the hull sides are protected by additional 25.4 mm armour sheet
* Adequate roof armour of 25 mm means aerial strafing will be of a little issue without large-calibre weaponry
* Rear mounted transmission means it is not affected with a frontal penetration
* Big hull increases the chance of surviving after a penetrating hit
* Good acceleration and power-to-weight ratio
* Good hill-climbing abilities
* Very good cross country performance due to large tracks

'''Cons:'''

* Lots of weak points, such as gun mantlet, upper side armour, driver port, MG port, and front armour cheeks
* Armour profile overall is quite flat, no angling benefits
* Ammo is stored in the lower side armour
* All automotive module mounted in the rear, easily prone to damage, set ablaze, or exploded when shot
* Slow top speed
* Mediocre turn speed
* Pretty large in general, will stand out in the battlefield

== History ==

===Development===
When World War II broke out, limited development in the United States meant that the military possessed very few tanks and so development hastened and eventually gave them tanks such as the [[M3 Lee|M3 Lee]] and [[M4|M4 Sherman]]. On May 20, 1940, the US Army Ordinance Corps began to work on a 50-ton heavy tank for their army. Initially, it was going to have a multi-turret design, two turrets with the 75 mm gun and one secondary turret with a 37 mm gun with a coaxial machine gun, then one more with a 20 mm gun with coaxial. Plus, four .30 cal machine guns were to be put on ball mounts on the front glacis and rear corners of the hull. This project was approved on June 11, 1940, and moved on as the ''Heavy Tank T1''. However at the same time, similar concepts in Europe of heavy breakthrough tanks such as the Soviet [[T-35]] and the German [[Nb.Fz.|Neubaufahrzeug]] tanks were falling out of favour due to lack of combat effectiveness and unfavourable performance for their cost, and the US did the same in October so the design was changed.

The tank now had one turret with a 3-inch (76.2 mm) gun alongside a coaxial 37 mm gun. The turret housed three crew members and was powered by an electrical traverse system. The commander's cupola was copied from the M3 Lee, featuring a hatch with it sown machine gun. Two .50 cal machine guns now protruded from the bow mount (fired by bow gunner) and two .30 cal machine guns as well (fired by the driver). The entire tank held six crew members, the commander, gunner, driver, assistant driver, loader #1, and loader #2. While the construction of the vehicle was feasible, the engine was not enough to power the vehicle reliably due to heavy 57-ton weight.

In 1941 to 1942, three prototypes were constructed with the different transmission, one with electrical and the rest with a torque converter. The ones with the torque converters were designated the '''Heavy Tank M6''' and '''M6A1'''. The electrical transmission design designated '''M6A2''', was never approved by Ordinance, but was to be manufactured anyway. It was hoped that 115 of these tanks could be built for further testing and production started in December 1942 with design changes. The commander's cupola now featured a regular hatch rather than the machine gun one, which was removed along with one of the machine gun in the front hull. By the time the M6 was ready for production, the Army was moving forward and interest waned on these heavy tanks with the [[M4|M4 Sherman's]] performance in the war. The M6's armour was only slightly thicker than the Sherman's and the 3-inch gun didn't offer too much improvement over the 75 mm gun, plus it had a large profile and low ergonomics, not to mention mechanical issues.

===Production and cancellation===
In early 1942, the M6 production was set for 250 a month but was cut down in September from 5,000 to a mere 100 when manufacturing focus moved to planes. By the end of 1942, Sherman's performance in the war proved its role in the war was more adaptable than the M6 heavy tank while remaining cheaper and lighter for transportation and supplying. This caused the M6 production to lower even more to just 40, before being shut down. Though testing with a 90 mm gun found the M6 to be a good gun mount, the poor layout of the tank restricted it, and the project was shut down before further development could be made.

In August 1944, the Ordinance Corps planned to modify some of the M6 heavy tanks with more armour and heavier armament to breach fortified areas. These were to be the '''M6A2E1''' and weighed 77 tons with a 190 mm front armour and a 105 mm gun. Eisenhower rejected these as impractical and cancelled it. The M6 was found to be obsolete by December 1944 with only 40 units produced and never seeing combat service. They served as a propaganda piece during the war and were all scrapped after it except one, which is put on display at Aberdeen, Maryland at the United States Army Ordinance Museum. During development, the M6 turret was modified to become the turret for the [[M10 GMC|M10 Tank Destroyer]].

=== In-game description ===
At the end of May 1940 the US infantry chief of staff responsible for armor put together requirements for future tanks in light of what was happening in Europe: the German army was relentlessly moving toward France and using armor with great success along the way. The Wehrmacht's use of new Pz.IV tanks with 75 mm guns instantaneously made the American tanks and their 37 mm cannons obsolete.

The new tank type had to be heavy (around 50 short tons), with 76 mm and 37 mm cannons arranged side-by-side in the turret. It had four machine guns (two heavy caliber and two rifle caliber), a Wright G-200 engine, a Hydromatic transmission, and a top speed of 25 mph. The green light was given for the construction of four prototypes in February 1941.

The prototypes developed by the Baldwin Locomotive Works were designed with different transmissions and hulls in the interests of finding the best option for full-scale production. Two modifications at most were permitted, and on April 13, 1942, the T1E2 and T1E3 were standardized as the M6 and M6A1. The latter added a welded hull, Wright G-200 engine, and torque converter to the M6.

Mass production was scheduled for November 1942, though a report by General Jacob Devers on December 7 indicated that the M6s would enjoy only limited tactical use due to their size. Moreover, two M4s equipped with 75 mm and 76 mm weapons could be built in place of two heavy tanks. As a result, the Armored Corps hurried to revoke the contract.

Between 1942 and 1943 the Baldwin Locomotive Works ended up producing 12 M6 heavy tanks. They did not join the army or see combat.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=heavy_tank&vehicle=us_m6a1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Yssg5uKGS-A|'''The Shooting Range #236''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:39 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== 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 ==


* [[wt:en/news/3209/current/|[Vehicle Profile] Heavy Tank M6A1]]

{{USA heavy tanks}}

T14

2021-04-13T11:35:48Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Max vert stab speed T14

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_t14
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.67 "Assault"]].

The T14 looks like a really sloped Sherman, but can be seen as a weird amalgamation of a M4 Sherman's playstyle, a M4A3E2's armour, and a M10 GMC's slopes. Its front armour is sloped heavily at 61° for ricochet effect and ~90 mm effective armour. Side top armour is also sloped at 30°, and with its armour thickness the same as the front it makes it easier to angle without worry of exposing weak points. Lower side armour is not sloped, but is even thicker than the top side and the front to provide some protection against glancing shots. Turret armour is also boosted, with ~130 mm at the gun mantlet and 101.6 mm all-around the turret, with the exception of the turret front with 76.2 mm as a weakpoint.

Still, with a M2 HB machine gun, a 75 mm M3 gun, and a coaxial; the T14 plays similar to all American vehicles at this rank. With access to APCR ammunition, it can provide the punch of a M4A2 and M4A3E2 against its contemporary BR 4.3 enemies. Speed of the T14 is akin to that of the heavier M4A3E2, though would have a lower power ratio as it is heavier than the Jumbo by 5 tons.

Outside of these specific features, it is also green. However, its green shade is not like the regular American's olive-drab colours. Its shade of green looks like that from the Soviet's T-34 tanks or even the premium M46 "Tiger" tank.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Transmission cover, Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50 mm (61°) ''Front Glacis'' 50-101.6 mm (11-57°) ''Transmission cover'' 50-70 mm (11°) ''Machine gun port'' || 50 mm (30°) ''Top'' 63.5 + 12.7-25.4 mm ''Bottom'' || 50 mm (19°) ''Upper'' 50 mm (21°) ''Lower'' || 25.4 mm
|-
| Turret || 76.2 mm (30-31°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 + 88 mm (1-62°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 101.6 mm (3-53°) || 101.6 mm (0-25°) ''Rear'' || 25.4 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 51 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, while tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Tracks are peppered on the sides that give 20 mm extra where they are.
* Belly armour is 25.4 mm thick

Though the T14 is distinguished as a heavy tank, the armour stats do not give the most favorable impressions compared to the anti-tank weapons available in the 4.3 battle rating range. While the armour is relatively thin for a heavy tank, it is compensated with a heavy slope effect. The best armour are in the turret, and this information should be used to maintain a battlefield advantage.

When facing a T14 from the front, aiming straight at the hull could produce results. Aim for the bottom of the T14's lower glacis, it will damage the transmission, immobilizing it, and will allow for flanking manoeuvres to get on its sides. If the tank is smart and has angled, blind it with smoke. Fire the smoke shells at or in front of them, then start moving. Because of the nature of this tank, they might advance through the smoke, unknowingly causing their own doom as it should be able to be penetrated at point blank!

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=646|rbMinHp=442}}

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

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || 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" | 72 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+24° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 19.42 || 26.88 || 32.64 || 36.10 || 38.40 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
| T45 shot || APCR || 139 || 135 || 121 || 105 || 91 || 79
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T45 shot || APCR || 868 || 3.81 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M89 || 259 || 3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''72''' || 58 ''(+14)'' || 23 ''(+49)'' || 18 ''(+54)'' || 5 ''(+57)'' || 1 ''(+71)'' || style="text-align:left" | Yes
|-
|}

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (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 || 600 (200) || 577 || -10°/+15° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| 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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


This is an assault tank, a brawler! Its 75 mm gun has a quick reload and the armour is good enough to bounce most shots. With its stabilizer, it also allows for fire-on-the-movie and perform short stops around corners to blast the enemy. The APHE shells decimate Panzer III's and Panzer IV's, but if not angled the Panzer IV will go straight through the upper glacis plate and do the same to the T14.

The T14 is a boxy tank, so sidescraping is a valid tactics around corners. Ensure that the T14 maintains a 45 degree angle towards the enemy/target. Example: if advancing down the street in places like [[Advance to the Rhine]], it's best to drive across the road in a 45 degree angle to bounce shots. Go slowly enough and the stabilizer can be utilized to return fire while on the move, forcing the enemy to withdraw from it's position. Try not to expose the side armour in any case as it may lead to giving the enemy an opportunity to penetrate the armour.

On a further note, the T14s 75 mm can use up its ammo rather quickly, so be wary of the ammo count and be prepared to go back to the cap zones to rearm.

This tank is slow off the mark, but once moving it is quite quick. The turn rate is slow at low speeds, so try and build up speed before turning. This is worth remembering when sidescraping. Because the T14 has APHE and APCR, it can punch through most opposing armour, including the drivers view port on the KV-1. With APHE, if aiming at Russian tanks like the T-34, aim at the turret cheeks and it will go through, or the drivers hatch or machine gun port for some lovely ammo cook offs. For the Germans, aim at lower glacis or the MG gunners position and it will hopefully knock out all the crew.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good ol' tried 75 mm gun
* Access to APCR ammunition for an extra punch
* Front armour is heavily sloped
* Side armour is rather thick, allowing it to angle a lot for deflecting more shells, even the 76mm M1
* Good mobility
* Not a commonly encountered tank. Players may hesitate while they work out where to shoot

'''Cons:'''

* Base armour is only 50-70 mm thick
* Hull machine gun port is a prominent weak spot
* Thin turret front armour
* 75mm gun may have trouble dealing with heavily armoured enemies, even with APCR

== History ==


===Development===
In early 1942, a conference between United States Tank Committee and Joint British Tank Mission had the British propose the need of an assault tank.<ref name="MoranAssault">Moran, Nicholas "The Chieftain's Hatch: British Assault Tank" World of Tanks. N.p., 02 Aug. 2013. Web. 05 Nov 2017. [https://worldoftanks.com/en/news/chieftain/chieftains-hatch-british-assault-tanks/ Website]</ref> The assault tank, a designation reserved by the British at the time that was distinctive from their cruiser and infantry tanks, was not taken up by the US. However, the US agreed to a prototype production plan in which a vehicle design would be produced by both nations, and a limited production would be established for the better of the two. On 30 March 1942<ref name="ShermanTankT14">Jeeps_Guns_Tanks. "#33 The Sherman Of The Future: Advanced Sherman UpGrades That Almost Made It Into Production." The Sherman Tank Site. WordPress, 12 Dec. 2015. Web. 22 May 2017. [http://www.theshermantank.com/sherman/the-sherman-of-the-future-advanced-sherman-updates-that-almost-made-it-into-production/ Website]</ref>, the final details were placed with Aberdeen instructed to start designing a vehicle and a wooden mock-up, and the British also working on their vehicle based off the [[Cromwell V|Cromwell chassis]], which would become the [[Excelsior|A.33 Excelsior]]. The British set the estimated production scale for the assault tank to be 8,500 units.<ref name="MoranAssault" /> In May 1942, the details were finalized and a designation was chosen for the vehicle, '''T14'''.

In June, the design and wooden mock-up was established and the production order for two '''Assault Tank T14''' went to the American Locomotive Company.<ref name="ShermanTankT14" /> The tanks were produced in July and August 1943 for each unit. These two tanks would only be different except in their hydraulic power traverse, in which one used a Westinghouse model and the other had an Oilgear model. Which of the two tanks had which traverse model is not known.

===Testing and cancellation===
The two T14 were sent off for testing, the first model sent to Fort Knox and the second was sent to Britain.<ref name="ShermanTankT14" /> The Fort Knox tests showed a variety of problems in the design such as fume seeping into the crew compartment, cramped conditions, suspension problems, inaccessible components, and the bow machine gun tendency of breaking the operator's arm.<ref name="MoranCSPAN">Moran, Nicholas "Design and History of the M4 Sherman Tank During World War II (43:00 - 43:52)" C-SPAN. 22 Sept. 2017. Web. 05 Nov. 2017. [https://www.c-span.org/video/?433629-2/design-history-m4-sherman-tank-world-war-ii Video]</ref> The T14 also had a tendency for the tracks to be thrown and the overall tank was not very mobile with an underpowered Ford GAZ engine propelling the 47 ton tank.<ref name="ShermanTankT14" /> Regardless, the T14 eventually fell out of favor for the same reason the Excelsior did. The British had their [[Churchill_Mk_VII|Churchill infantry tank]] become more favorable to their armoured doctrine as the assault tank they needed. Due to the lack of interest, the T14 program was cancelled. Today, only one T14 tank remained intact at the Bovington Tank Museum, stored away in their storage hall.

The assault tank concept did not die with the failure of the two designs. The Churchill fitted this role well in the British armoured force as an infantry tank and the Americans eventually produced simpler version of it as the [[M4A3E2|M4A3E2 Jumbo]].

== Media ==


* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23T14 '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the T14 from live.warthunder.com.]

== 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 ==


* [[wt:en/news/4525-development-t14-the-ground-assault-tank-en/|[Devblog] T14: The Ground Assault Tank]]

=== References ===
<references />

{{USA heavy tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}

M4A3E2 (76) W

2021-04-13T11:34:45Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Max vert speed 76 US Jumbo Sherman

{{About
| about = American heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other M4 Shermans
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m4a3e2_76w_sherman_jumbo
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]] in the initial batch of US vehicles available at launch. Taking from its predecessor, the [[M4A3E2|M4A3E2]], it is improved with a more powerful 76 mm cannon that allows it to take on the majority of Rank III and some of the Rank IV tanks. As a side note, the nickname "Jumbo" was likely never used during WWII, as there is no record of it. However, its use both on the Wiki and In-Game is still prevalent.

The M4A3E2 (76) W Jumbo is an all-around good tank with no major limitations or advantages, with average speed, manoeuvrability and thick frontal armour, making it a 'jack of all trades tank' equally good in defensive tactics as well as offensive tactics. staying behind good cover, exposing only the thick gun mantlet and engaging targets in long range, or offensive tactics. It's 2 main advantage is that it has a fast firing 76 mm gun, combined with high penetration rounds,and it can be used to quickly disable and overwhelm otherwise heavier targets. Its armour is also excellent - the hull armour is just 1 mm short of the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]]'s hull, and that is not even taking into account the sloping, making the hull next to impossible to penetrate frontally, and your sides are also up armoured, so unlike the Shermans, your angling will not cause you to be shot through the side. Angling with this tank will make you nearly indestructible to enemy fire. Compare this to the very tough Tiger I at the same battle rating. Beware, your hull is not up armoured from the rear, and most rounds at it's BR will set the engine on fire, and some will even go into the fighting compartment. You should also beware that you are not always indestructible, and things like the [[Tiger II (P)]] will penetrate you, even when angled. Another final thing to keep in mind is that despite you mainly fighting other 5.7 vehicles like [[Panther D|Panthers]], the battle rating will sometimes get you up against tougher opponents like the [[T-44]] and the dreaded [[Tiger II (H)]], and if in arcade, even the terrifying [[T29]].

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

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, Side, Rear, Roof)
*Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Transmission area)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 63.5 + 38.1 mm (47°) || 76.2 mm || 38.1 mm || 19.5 mm
|-
| Turret || 177.8 mm || 152.4 mm || 152.4 mm || 25.4 mm
|}

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=646|rbMinHp=442}}

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

To start out, you will want to get Tracks, Parts, then M79 Shot, and work your way from there, as those are the core components of the M4A3E2 (76) W Sherman Jumbo. With the better ammunition, you will be able to penetrate more and be far more dangerous on the field. And with Tracks & Parts, you won't need to worry about the lights/mediums that keep popping out your tracks to get to your side or backside. After getting these three things, it's best to work on manoeuvrability and M93 Shot as a first priority.

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

{{main|M1 (76 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm M1]] || 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" | 71 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.78 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''M62 Shot''' - M62 shot is the standard stock shell of the {{PAGENAME}}. With a 149 mm top penetration, it usually won't be able to destroy heavy opponents or tank destroyers it will see at its BR from the front, however, the armour makes up for it to have more time looking for a good shot. Although this is the stock shell it is quite handy, and can deal with many of the opponents at its BR, if you know where to aim. For one thing, this shell can destroy most cannon barrels with a direct hit, but this should not be your go-to in most situations.

* '''M42A1 Shot''' - This is the HE shell of the {{PAGENAME}}. With a 7mm penetration at all ranges, it's best to use this when fighting AA trucks or other lower-armoured tanks. It's advised to only carry 0-5 of these shells as you won't really need them, but they're useful for when a pesky AA truck comes around the corner and shoots your cannon barrel off when your firing APCR at it.

* '''M79 Shot''' - The M79 shot is a clear upgrade from the M62 shot, with more than 30mm more penetration, this will pack a punch. However, you will need to make sure you know your enemy tank's guts, as this does not fragment nor have a HE filler, and will rely on your aiming skills to destroy the core components of a tank. Just like the M93 shot, this tank shell will not explode in the tank, but rather go straight through. It's best to carry these shells instead of the M62, but when you get the upgrade to M93 don't carry any at all.

* '''M93 Shot''' - This is the last shot upgrade of the {{PAGENAME}}. With a penetration upgrade of more than 110 mm from the M62 shot and more than 70 mm than the M79 shot, this will be the best shell for the {{PAGENAME}} Sherman Jumbo. With this shell, you'll be able to pen even the most armoured of opponents, except perhaps the occasional Tiger II or IS-2 mod. However, it's best to carry at least 35-50 shells of this, as this should be your main shell during combat.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M62 shell || APCBC || 149 || 146 || 133 || 119 || 106 || 95
|-
| M42A1 shell || HE || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7
|-
| M79 shot || AP || 134 || 132 || 121 || 109 || 99 || 89
|-
| M93 shot || APCR || 190 || 186 || 167 || 146 || 128 || 112
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M62 shell || APCBC || 792 || 7.00 || 1.2 || 14.0 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| M42A1 shell || HE || 800 || 5.84 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 390 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M79 shot || AP || 792 || 6.80 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M93 shot || APCR || 1,036 || 4.22 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M88 || 274 || 3.44 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_M4A1_(76)_W.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the [[M4A1 (76) W]] (identical to 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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''71''' || 57 ''(+14)'' || 43 ''(+28)'' || 29 ''(+42)'' || 15 ''(+56)'' || 1 ''(+70)'' || Yes
|-
|}

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (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 || 600 (200) || 577 || -10°/+30° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| 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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The M4A3E2's regular enemies are [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]] and [[Panther (Disambiguation)|Panthers of all variants]] and [[Panzer IV/70(V)|Jagdpanzer IV/70]]s which can be dealt with using the tactics described above. Occasionally you will face [[Tiger II (P)|Tiger II]]s and [[Jagdpanther]]s, the best way to deal with them is to flank and disable them quickly. However, if this is not possible, you should not engage them, and await help. Beware though, that things like the [[Tiger II (H)]] and [[T29]] and [[Caernarvon]] might get away with destroying all those trying to help you, ending up with your untimely end. Avoid engaging them frontally at all costs, especially at long ranges.

Although this is based on a medium tank, the tank is not as fast as the other mediums at its rank. Because of the heavier armour, this tank will be a few more miles slower than the rest of the tanks. However, this does not mean that the tank is bad. Most Russian tanks at this rank will usually have a very easy to spot the point where the hull and turret meet together, that point is usually under-armoured and a well-placed shot will usually cripple the tank and the turrets horizontal will be gone.

Never show your side. No matter what you do, never show your side. Your front is the most armoured piece on your tank, and you must use that your advantage. Never allow the enemy to flank or ambush you. To ensure that you can get a good shot, find out what enemy tanks you'll see in the Jumbo then check where their ammo is and how much armour is protecting that area. If you know you can penetrate that, go for the ammo/gunner/gun, as the M93 shot does not fragment or have a HE filler, it simply pierces the tank and goes straight through.

;Environments

In urban environments, you're going to want to move up with the rest of the group, however, don't move up as the lead tank because you will surely find a nasty surprise at the end of the road. When facing Tiger II's, they will be able to pen anywhere they want in your frontal armour, even your thickest point (turret) if their ammo is upgraded enough. It's best to shoot the flat part of the turret, or get to their sides and pen them. However, if you can't do either of those, track them and hope that something bigger on your team will be able to take it out. The M93 can penetrate the front of the [[Tiger II (P)]], but not the H model.

In open terrain, you can usually brawl from long-range with certain tanks, such as the Tiger I, and mediums of Russia. However, if you see a Tiger II or other formidable opponent, it's best to stay far and show your front, angling the best. You can also use the hills to your advantage as most tanks do, and hide behind them quickly moving out of cover, pot-shotting the enemy tank then heading back into cover.

===Arcade battles===
In Arcade Battles you will usually see some pretty nasty tanks, however, because of your turret and hull armour, you will be able to usually survive. Use the player-name system to your advantage and shoot enemy tanks when they're not looking. However, because it's arcade and you're much more likely to be hit, it's best to angle your armour at a slightly less 35-degree angle. In AB, you will most likely have an advantage if you make the first shot, you're fast, and you never show your side.

===Realistic/Simulator battles===
[[File:Where to Aim at a Tiger E With A 76mm Jumbo.png|thumb|This is where you should aim with the M62 shell to penetrate a Tiger from the front.]]
In realistic battles and simulator battles, your opponents will be much more battle hardened and know where to shoot the Jumbo. When facing enemy tanks, don't always suspect that you can just show your frontal armour and turret and expect to not get penetrated. As said before, be safe and be quick, and angle your armour when you can because that saves lives. You never want to go solo and move up on your own, as you will most definitely meet a tank destroyer or quite possibly a heavy tank. When meeting an [[IS-2]], a turret hit or shot between the hull and turret will usually cripple it, but when facing a Tiger II you'll have to be a bit more careful, as the tank is bigger and stronger than you. Although your M93 shot usually has the penetration power, it cannot penetrate the Tiger II's hull and your best luck will be shooting the flat armour of the turret front.

'''Tiger I E:''' This is a tough opponent to face, but, it can be killed quite easily if you know what to do. With the M62 round, you should aim at the area shown in the picture. It will penetrate the Tiger unless it is very sharply angled, but that could often mean that you can get a side shot. Do not aim for the drivers viewport or the machine gun, just aim for the flat armour on this section of the tank.
[[File:Panther Cupola - Where to Shoot.png|left|thumb|This is the most most surefire way to disable a Panther quickly.]]
'''Panther:''' This is another very common and tough opponent to face. Do not shoot for the hull front, it will not be able to penetrate. You can try to shoot the turret front, but there is a chance you will bounce. The most surefire way to disable a Panther is to shoot the commander's cupola, highlighted on the left. This will often kill the commander and gunner, and about half the time it will also kill the loader.

'''IS-2:''' This is one common opponent from the Soviet/Chinese tree. Its 122 mm gun can easily penetrate the Jumbo, regardless of angle and distance. To destroy it, shoot at it when it's reloading or is unaware of your presence. For the 1943 model, aim at the cupola or the curved part of its hull armour that blends into the side. It has only 4 crew so killing all the turret crew (3, which is easy) will destroy it. For the 1944 model, only aim at the turret or the cupola as its hull is very strong.

=== Against the M4A3E2 ===
'''Light tank/SPAA:''' the Jumbo will be a very tough opponent for these light vehicles simply due to its thick armour. Use your good mobility and flank it whenever you can. Do not shoot at the turret at all times since it is 152 mm thick all-round, which is immune to almost all rounds from light vehicles. As you are at its side, target the lower part of the hull side where it is only 38 mm thick and can be penetrated by even low BR tanks like [[M5A1]]. Penetrating shells through there will knock out all of its crew. Breaking its barrel or tracks can also be an option, but beware of its turning turret and roof mounted heavy MG. It might take several hits thus longer time to disable these modules, so retreat if there is danger.

'''Medium tank''': medium tank commanders will have a better time dealing with an M4A3E2 as they are now better armed while also having adequate mobility to flank around. When the Jumbo is angling it is generally still impossible to penetrate. However if its angle is a bit too much and exposes more of its side, shells with good performance against sloped armour (eg. BR-365A) will easily go through the lower part of the hull side, right above the front sprocket wheel. If the engagement distance is very close and the Jumbo does not have bushes, you can probably see its famous weak spot: the MG port. Aim carefully at it, as it has a chance to bounce or absorb a shell. A penetration through there will usually destroy the target. At this close range, certain tanks like [[T-34-85]] and [[Panther A]] may not need to aim at the MG port, as they can punch straight through the upper front plate with ballistic capped shells or superior penetration.

'''Heavy tank/tank destroyer:''' since these heavier vehicles (eg. [[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2]]) generally come with extreme penetrations, there is not much to say. Target the M4A3E2's upper frontal plate if it is not angling. If it is, aim at the gun mantlet or lower side armour. Do not hit the weld line that joins the curved transmission housing with the flat upper front plate, it is very likely to absorb the shell.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Better 76 mm armour-piercing power compared to [[M4A3E2|previous version]], especially with APCR when available
* One of the fastest reloading armament for a heavy tank of the rank
* Good gun depression of -10 degrees, can help fighting at hull-down positions
* Equipped with a stabiliser to allow fire-on-the-move at low speed
* Jumbo armour layout gives enhanced frontal protection for the hull and turret, especially so when angled
* Weak spots on front hull are small and are hard to hit at longer ranges
* Centralised "wet" ammunition stowage in the centre, reducing chance of a penetrating shot igniting the ammunition
* Good forward acceleration to get on the move quickly

'''Cons:'''

* Constantly faces enemy tanks with guns able to easily penetrate the front armour
* Angling benefit to frontal hull armour is mitigated by extremely thin lower side armour, which can be easily penetrated by enemy guns
* Due to the layered armour at the front and the armour over-matching mechanic, the upper glacis armour can be dubious in that it does not reliably ricochet shells, even from smaller calibre guns like the 75 mm SA50
* Aiming at dangerous enemy tanks can allow them to attack the relatively flat gun mantlet or the weaker area above mantlet, penetrating and knocking out the gun, the turret crew, or both
* 76 mm gun may find itself lacking against enemy frontal armour, requiring some good shot placement and/or tactical maneouvres
* Roof armour is thin enough that some aerial attack at a perpendicular angle can penetrate
* Tall profile makes it a bigger target
* Bad off-road manoeuvrability
* Quite low top speed of 35 km/h, with a likewise bad reverse speed of 4 km/h

== History ==

===Development===
Long before D-Day, American war planners knew that it would a long and decisive battle against the German defensive and that the need for an assault tank to push the lines and capture the beach was needed. The Americans knew they would need a tank that was up-armoured and up-gunned, something beyond the standard M4 Sherman. The hope was the have the M26 Pershing finished by 1944, however, because of difficulties, it was delayed to 1945.

The US ordinance then took their abundant [[M4|M4 Shermans]] in stock and fixed them up for the new role they've been assigned in. Although keeping the same engine, the armour was upped from around 76.2 mm initial thickness to 102 mm and angled at 47 degrees from vertical. This angle would influence later Sherman design such as the M4A3 by changing the original 56 degrees angled glacis with protruding crew hatches to 47 degrees angled glacis without any protrusion from the crew hatches. This modified M4 Sherman's armour when angled would then be 150 mm line-of-sight (LOS) thick and 180 mm effective. The side armour is also increased to 76.2 mm thick and the turret is redesigned to provide more protection. These modified Shermans were designated the '''[[M4A3E2|M4A3E2]]''' by the Ordnance Department, whereas the nickname "Jumbo" was likely a post-war invention. At the end of the modifications, the Sherman "Jumbo" now weighed about 42 tons and moves a lower speed of 22 miles per hour. A drawback to the increased weight of the Sherman is that the Vertical Volute Suspension System (VVSS) from the Sherman was unable to take the weight easily, so extra care was taken by the crew members to not break the suspension.

In March of 1944, the US Army ordered for 254 of these vehicles to be delivered for use for European Operations. Intended for the assault on the Normandy Beachhead, it was deployed in Normandy after D-Day to assist the infantry push through German defences. The M4A3E2 originally came with the 75 mm guns to support infantry with its better HE shells compared to the planned 76 mm instalment, but the 76 mm was installed later in the campaign and called the '''M4A3E2 (76) W Jumbo'''.

===Combat usage===
The M4A3E2 was well-liked by the crew and commanders due to its protection value. Despite the weight difference and strain on the suspension, it performed reliably and could absorb damage that would otherwise destroy regular Shermans. Later in the war, when the quantity of the M4 Sherman "Jumbos" were unable to meet the demand, George S. Patton ordered for existing M4 Shermans to weld on armour plates scavenged from knocked out tanks to a makeshift "'Expedient Jumbos'. This caused the newer Shermans such as the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3 (76) W HVSS]] could have the same protection by welding metal onto the hull. One of the Jumbo's notable participation in the war was in Patton's Third Army where it spearheaded the assault to Bastogne to relieve the pinned down 101st Paratroopers.

When the war in the European Theater ended, the M4A3E2s were then placed stateside for the preparation for the invasion of the Japanese Home Islands. However, this was never to be fulfilled as Japan then surrendered to the United States in September 1945. The M4A3E2 Shermans proved to be a very effective stop-gap solution until heavier armoured tanks such as the Pershing could come into play. In 1948, about 96 Sherman Jumbos still remained in US inventory.

=== In-game description ===
Preparations for the invasion of Europe saw a heavily armored assault tank designated M4A3E2 (76)W designed using the M4A3 base. In March 1944 the Armed Forces Committee approved a program refitting 254 tanks, some of which were equipped with 76 mm cannons. Their armor was strengthened by stacking 38 mm armor plates welded together on the front and sides of the hull. As a result, the frontal armor reached a thickness of 102 mm to go along with the 76 mm on the sides. The transmission was protected with a 140 mm cast cover, while the rest of the hull was not modified. The new T23 cast turret had walls 152 mm thick and was special in that it did not have a hatch from which to fire a personal weapon. The 178 mm mantlet was mounted with a 76 mm M1A1C cannon, while ammunition was stored in wet stowage. The thicker armor pushed the tank's weight to 38 tons, simultaneously lowering its top speed to 35 km/h.

The exact number of M4A2E2 tanks refitted with 76 mm M1A1C cannons was never ascertained.

The tanks were very popular as column leads, given the fact that German antitank guns could not penetrate their frontal armor.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=heavy_tank&vehicle=us_m4a3e2_76w_sherman_jumbo Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|0O2vyfpO_do|'''The Tiger 1's Worst Nightmare - M4A3E2 Jumbo (76) W''' - ''Virus''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M4A3E2]]{{-}}[[M4A3E2 (France)]]{{-}}[[Cobra King]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[M4A1 (76) W]]
* [[M4A2 (76) W]]{{-}}[[M4A2 (USSR)]]
* [[M4A3 (76) W]]{{-}}[[M4A3 (76) W (Japan)]]
* [[M18 Hellcat (Family)]] (except Super Hellcat)
* [[T20]]

== External links ==


* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/m4a3e2-jumbo-assault-tank <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Assault Tank M4A3E2 Jumbo]

{{USA heavy tanks}}

Cobra King

2021-04-13T11:33:50Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Max vert for Cobra King

{{About
| about = premium American heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other M4 Shermans
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m4a3e2_sherman_jumbo_cobra_king
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It is one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. A premium version of the [[M4A3E2|M4A3E2 Jumbo]]. As a side note, the nickname "Jumbo" was likely never used during WWII, as there is no record of it. However, its use both on the Wiki and in-game is still prevalent.

The "Cobra King" is in many respects the same as the regular M4A3E2 with some notable cosmetic differences. The most notable is a different shade of green on the vehicle than the standard US olive-drab green, with a more pronounced green colour than the subdued mix with brown. On vehicles that did not meddle with the decals, the large white text of "First in Bastogne" is present on the tank hull's left side, boasting about the tank's actual achievement in the US Third Army in World War II. A bit lower on the hull sides will show a decal giving the tank its name "Cobra King". Another large difference is the presence of kit, canvas, gear, tracks, and fuel tanks on the rear of the Cobra King vehicle, those of which are absent on the regular vehicle.

The "Cobra King" still features the double layered front armour giving the vehicle its distinctive 101.6 mm total front armour. The transmission housing is also considerably beefier too from the addition of armour at the area as well. The front of the T23-style turret is also distinctive with the very blocky gun mantlet and circular barrel shroud around the rather underwhelming 75 mm gun barrel.

The sides and suspension look like the usual game with the M4 Sherman series, but with minor differences. The flat side armour of the hull, instead of 38.1 mm thick is now 76.2 mm thick for much stronger side protection. However, the lower side hull around the bogie suspension area is still only 38.1 mm thick, vulnerable to most regular anti-tank weapons. Another minor difference is the tracks, the T48 rubber chevron tracks are equipped with extended end connectors in an effort to improve ground pressure performance for the additional weight of the armour.

This tank is used as a breakthrough tank to attack fortified enemy positions due to its thick armour. It is a great tank when fighting Tigers as the 88mm cannons cannot penetrate the armour of the Jumbo Sherman from its sides when angled efficiently. As such it allows players to get close to Tigers and attack them from the sides, or force them to retreat. When fighting Panthers the Jumbo Sherman is less effective as the 75mm cannon on the Panther can penetrate the armour of the Jumbo Sherman from the front even when angled more than 30 degrees at 500 meters.

The Jumbo's armour is nothing to underestimate. It can bounce 88mm shells from the Tiger 1 at point blank range when angled more than 30 degrees. And the turret is well armoured from all sides, too.

On the downside, the gun is wimpy without M61 shot and even then it still bounces more often than not. Best to take a bit more ammo than normal to compensate for all the shots that will bounce.

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

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, Side, Rear, Roof)
*Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Transmission area)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 63.5 + 38.1 mm (47°) ''Front glacis'' 114.3-139.7 mm (7-66°) ''Transmission housing'' || 76.2 mm ''Top'' 38.1 mm ''Bottom'' || 38.1 mm (10°) ''Top'' 38.1 mm (7-24°) ''Bottom'' || 19.5 mm
|-
| Turret || 152.4 mm (0-52°) ''Turret front'' 177.8 mm (4-60°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 152.4 mm (4-42°) || 152.4 mm (0-79°) || 63.5 mm ''Front'' 25.4 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 51 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, the bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 17 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 25.4 mm thick.
* Hull underside right above the tracks are 9.5 mm thick.
* Gun breech is 300 mm thick in structural steel.

The M4A3E2 Jumbo presents very little frontal weak spots in an engagement. It is best to try and force the Jumbo to try and angle his vehicle towards the player or his allies. An angle more than 30 degrees can expose the much weaker lower side hull armour in the suspension that is only 38.1 mm thick. With a powerful enough gun, a round can penetrate this area and damage the crew, or even set off the ammunition all cluttered up on the bottom of the tank.

If a frontal engagement is unavoidable and is unfortunately armed with guns unable to penetrate through the front glacis, there are only two areas that are viable. First is the machine gun port, which is one of the areas that is not layered with the extra 38.1 mm added on top of the base armour. Guns like the Panzer IV 75 mm KwK 40 guns that are unable to cleave through the front glacis can push their luck in this area, with small "sweet spots" that the round can pass through. Another way to attack the M4A3E2 in this scenario is exploiting a shot-trap in the gun mantlet. The small corner flaps on the bottom corners of the gun mantlet have a tendency to deflect rounds downwards onto the 19.5 mm hull roof armour. While this will be left to the ricochet chances, it is still possible and can be used if no other scenarios are favourable.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=646|rbMinHp=442}}

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

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

{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || 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" | 104 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 19.42 || 26.88 || 32.64 || 36.10 || 38.40 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
| T45 shot || APCR || 139 || 135 || 121 || 105 || 91 || 79
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T45 shot || APCR || 868 || 3.81 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M89 || 259 || 3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_M4A3E2.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M4A3E2 (identical).]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''104''' || 100 ''(+4)'' || 50 ''(+54)'' || 0 ''(+104)'' || No
|-
|}
Notes:

* As they are modeled by sets of 2, shells disappear from the rack only after you fire both shells in the set.
* Turret empty: 100 ''(+4)'' shells.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (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 || 600 (200) || 577 || -10°/+30° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| 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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The M4A3E2 Jumbo is best in assaulting enemy positions with allies. Its great mobility for a heavy tank, especially with its armour, makes it a vehicle able to charge into battle and take anything head-on with confidence. It can act as a bullet magnet against enemy tanks more worried about the M4A3E2, diverting fire that would've gone to more vulnerable teammates. Though the 75 mm gun's AP performance is not suited to the type of enemies expected at the BR, it can still harass enemies and the gun is lethal enough that enemies will be forced to show their front armour towards the Jumbo else a 75 mm penetrates their side armour. Their focus on the Jumbo can allow allies to move around and eliminate them. During all this, take care not to over-angle and show the lower side armour too much as this will allow vehicles to penetrate through down there and damage modules, even the ammunition storage if they are lucky.

Another role the M4A3E2 is good it is as a flanker. Due to its great mobility as a heavy tank, the M4A3E2 Jumbo can manoeuvre like a medium tank around the battlefield. This is also beneficial to the 75 mm gun as it would permit the M4A3E2 a chance to attack the weaker side armours of enemy vehicles. Once flanking around and finding a prime position in a firing angle right into an enemy chokepoint, minimize exposure to anything but the front armour and the M4A3E2 can remain a formidable obstacle to all opponents. Take care not to be outflanked by enemy players aware of the M4A3E2 position.

Due to the M4A3E2 Jumbo having a slightly higher battle-rating than the other M4 Shermans at 5.0 it can be up-tiered against tanks such as the [[Panther D]] and [[Tiger_H1|Tiger H1]], meaning it's 75 mm cannon starts becoming less effective. For this reason, it is advisable to take the T45 APCR ammo into battle, at least enough to take on the armoured targets the Jumbo will face.

The Soviet 85 mm can be a threat, so caution is advised when going up against tanks armed with the 85 mm, such as the [[T-34-85]], [[SU-85]], and [[IS-1]]. The [[Jagdpanzer 38(t)|Jagdpanzer 38(t)]] and [[Jagdpanzer IV]] can be tricky when facing off against them. Their frontal armour is too thick and sloped for the 75 mm M3 gun to have any effect on it. For these two targets, it is advised to target their tracks and transmission and then flank for a side shot, where the armour is much weaker. Finally, the Dicker Max wields a 105 mm that can penetrate the front plate of the M4A3E2 Jumbo, so caution is advised against those as well.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Decent 75 mm gun with APCR rounds
* High rate of fire for the main gun
* Excellent gun depression
* Very strong turret armour from all sides, very good at hull down position
* Excellent frontal armour, about 101 mm thick
* Can absorb a lot of damage
* Better mobility than the Russian KV-1 and the British Churchill
* Equipped with gun stabilizer, making it more accurate at moving and when preparing a shot after moving
* Good acceleration
* Incredibly tough when angled
* Wide tracks enable it to have decent off-road mobility, unlike other previous Sherman models
* Learning curve from previous M4 Sherman variant will help a lot at mastering this tank

'''Cons:'''

* [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm gun]] lacks penetration against [[:Category:Heavy_tanks|heavy tanks]]
* APCR shot is quite expensive, using it as a primary shell will seriously lower the Silver Lion reward by a large margin
* Armour weak spot above the gun-mantlet (63.5 mm @ 60°)
* Small bottom corners on M4A3E2 gun mantlet can serve as shot traps
* Side armour better than normal, but still weak (76.2 mm) and the lower side hull armour is even worse (38.1 mm)
* Very thin rear armour
* Inability to compound angle greatly due to very weak lower side hull armour that would be penetrated
* Tall profile makes it a bigger target
* Bad off-road manoeuvrability
* Low top speed of 35 km/h
* Reverse speed is bad
* Hull MG is a weak spot on the front glacis

== History ==


===Development===
Even before the invasion of Normandy, the Allied commanders had to figure out a method in order to breach heavily-defended fortification lines such as the Siegfried Line blocking the path from France to Germany. One of the solutions was the implementation of "assault tanks" that would enter enemy territory and root out the enemy fortifications. The initial plan was for the production of the [[M26|M26 Pershing]] tanks to fulfil this role, but setbacks in its development caused the M26 deployment to be delayed until 1945. A quick solution had to be made to fill this "assault tank" role for the invasion of Europe in 1944.

The US ordinance then took their abundant [[M4|M4 Shermans]] in stock and fixed them up for the new role they've been assigned. Although keeping the same engine, the armour was upped from around 76.2 mm initial thickness to 102 mm and angled at 47 degrees from vertical. This angle would influence later Sherman designs such as the M4A3 by changing the original 56 degrees angled glacis with protruding crew hatches to 47 degrees angled glacis without any protrusion from the crew hatches. This modified M4 Sherman's armour when angled would then be 150 mm line-of-sight (LOS) thick and 180 mm effective. The side armour was also increased to 76.2 mm thick and the turret was redesigned to provide more protection. These modified Shermans were designated as the [[M4A3E2|'''M4A3E2''']] by the Ordnance Department, whereas the nickname "Jumbo" was likely a post-war invention. At the end of the modifications, the Sherman "Jumbo" now weighed about 42 tons and moved at a lower speed of 22 miles per hour. A drawback to the increased weight of the Sherman is that the Vertical Volute Suspension System (VVSS) from the Sherman was unable to take the weight easily, so extra care was taken by the crew members to not break the suspension.

In March of 1944, the US Army ordered 254 of these vehicles to be delivered for use in European Operations. Intended to assault the Normandy Beachhead, it was deployed in Normandy after D-Day to assist the infantry push through German defences. The M4A3E2 originally came with the 75 mm cannon to support infantry with its better HE shells compared to the planned 76 mm instalment, but the 76 mm was installed later in the campaign and called the [[M4A3E2 (76) W|M4A3E2 (76) W Jumbo]].

===Combat usage===
The M4A3E2s was well-liked by the crew and commanders due to its protection value. Despite the weight difference and strain on the suspension, it performed reliably and could absorb damage that would otherwise destroy regular Shermans. Later in the war, when the quantity of the M4 Sherman "Jumbos" were unable to meet the demand, George S. Patton ordered the existing M4 Shermans to weld on armour plates scavenged from knocked out tanks to makeshift "on-the-field" Jumbos. This caused the newer Shermans such as the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3 (76) W HVSS]] to have the same protection by welding metal onto the hull. One of the Jumbo's notable participation in the war was in Patton's Third Army where it spearheaded the assault of Bastogne to relieve the pinned down 101st Paratroopers. The '''M4A3E2 "Cobra King"''' was the tank Lt Charles P. Boggess commanded to lead elements of Patton's Third Army into Bastogne on December 25, 1944. The 101st was finally relieved and reconnected with the Third Army on December 27. "Cobra King", however, was knocked out sometime during the fighting (maybe during the Hammelburg Raid) and had its interior destroyed by an internal fire. When the tank's remnants were identified in 2008, it was shipped back to the United States to Fort Knox at the Patton museum to be restored by Len Dyer, director of the Patton Museum and the soon-to-be National Armor and Cavalry Museum. After two years of restoration work, the tank was put into the display at Fort Benning as a dedication to the Charlie Company of the 4th Armored Division's 37th Tank Battalion. It was moved in August 2017 to the future National Museum of the United States Army at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.<ref name="WPRuaneCobraKing">Ruane, Michael E. ''A Battered World War II Hero of Bastogne Gets a New Home, and a Museum Built around It.'' The Washington Post, WP Company, 3 Aug. 2017, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/08/03/a-battered-world-war-ii-hero-of-bastogne-gets-a-new-home-and-museum-built-around-it/?utm_term=.7d7604b9ecab Website]</ref>

When the war in the European Theater ended, the M4A3E2s were then placed stateside for the preparation for the invasion of the Japanese Home Islands. However, this was never to be fulfilled as Japan surrendered to the United States in September 1945. The M4A3E2 Shermans proved to be a very effective stop-gap solution until heavier armoured tanks such as the Pershing could come into play. In 1948, about 96 Sherman Jumbos still remained in US inventory.

=== In-game description ===
Preparations for the invasion of Europe saw a heavily armored assault tank designated M4A3E2 (76)W designed using the M4A3 base. In March 1944 the Armed Forces Committee approved a program refitting 254 tanks, some of which were equipped with 76 mm cannons. Their armor was strengthened by stacking 38 mm armor plates welded together on the front and sides of the hull. As a result, the frontal armor reached a thickness of 102 mm to go along with the 76 mm on the sides.

The transmission was protected with a 140 mm cast cover, while the rest of the hull was not modified. The new T23 cast turret had walls 152 mm thick and was special in that it did not have a hatch from which to fire a personal weapon. The 178 mm mantlet was mounted with a 76 mm M1A1C cannon, while ammunition was stored in wet stowage.

The thicker armor pushed the tank's weight to 38 tons, simultaneously lowering its top speed to 35 km/h.

The exact number of M4A2E2 tanks refitted with 76 mm M1A1C cannons was never ascertained.

The tanks were very popular as column leads, given the fact that German antitank guns could not penetrate their frontal armor.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=heavy_tank&vehicle=us_m4a3e2_sherman_jumbo_cobra_king Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
Image:CobraKing LeftHull Bastogne.jpg|Left hull side of the "Cobra King", where the crew made a note of their achievement.
Image:Cobra King Bastogne.jpg|Historical photo of the "Cobra King" at the Battle of the Bulge (National Archive).
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|l31USzTa5EQ|'''How to destroy the Jumbo''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|aWcW1dJl54s|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M4 Sherman (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[M8A1]]
* [[T14]]

;Carbon-copy vehicles

* [[M4A3E2]]{{-}}[[M4A3E2 (France)]]

== External links ==


'''News article about the tank'''

* [http://www.stripes.com/news/vilseck-tank-confirmed-as-cobra-king-1.86612 Vilseck Tank confirmed as "Cobra King"]
* [http://www.americainwwii.com/articles/cobra-king-today/ "Cobra King" - Where is it today?]
* [http://www.army.mil/article/17393/ "Cobra King" Combat History - Army News Archive]
* [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/08/03/a-battered-world-war-ii-hero-of-bastogne-gets-a-new-home-and-museum-built-around-it/ Washington Post - A battered World War II hero of Bastogne gets a new home, and a museum built around it]

=== References ===
<references />

{{USA heavy tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}

T-10A

2021-04-13T11:32:53Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ vert max for T-10A

{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_t_10a
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "New Power"]] as a reward for [[Battle Pass: Season I]].

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

Overall, the armour protection of the hull, as it is a T-10 hull, has very good protection for only APDS. When not angled, the pike is able to deflect and stop APDS and full calibre kinetic rounds. However, chemical rounds such as HEAT and ATGM will have no issues penetrating the hull as well as APFSDS. Moving to the turret, it is poorly armoured even against APDS, it may stop APCBC shells but should not be relied on to stop HEAT and ATGM nor APFSDS

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 120 mm (57°) ''Front glacis''
120 mm (49°) ''Lower glacis''

40,60 mm (78-79°) ''Driver's port''
| 120 mm (50°) ''Top''
80 mm (0-64°) ''Middle''

30 mm (60°) ''Bottom''
| 50 mm (53°) ''Top''
60 mm (21°) ''Bottom''
| 30 mm
|-
| Turret || 120-250 mm (26-60°) ''Turret front''
100 + 250 mm (0-75°) ''Gun mantlet''
| 130-190 mm (3-55°) || 102 mm (21-47°) || 30 mm
|-
| Cupola || 40 mm || 40 mm || 40 mm || 30 mm
|-
|}

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,085|rbMinHp=619}}

Mobility wise, as it is a T-10, it lacks speed as well as agility. However, the horsepower generated by the engine makes this a beast when moving obstacles and even dead tanks. The mass can be seen as a pro and a con. Due to heavy mass, it has more traction and will not be flipped by explosions or pushed so easily by tanks. However, the mass reduced drastically the top speed as well as the acceleration.

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

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

{{main|D-25T (122 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[D-25T (122 mm)|122 mm D-25T]] || 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" | 30 || rowspan="2" | -3°/+17° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 13.8 || 19.0 || 23.1 || 25.6 || 27.2 || rowspan="2" | __.__ || rowspan="2" | __.__ || rowspan="2" | __.__ || rowspan="2" | __.__
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 10.1 || 11.9 || 14.5 || 16.0 || 17.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| BR-471 || APHE || 205 || 201 || 183 || 162 || 144 || 128
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC || 205 || 203 || 191 || 178 || 166 || 155
|-
| BR-471D || APCBC || 230 || 227 || 215 || 200 || 186 || 173
|-
| OF-471 || HE || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| BR-471 || APHE || 795 || 25 || 1.2 || 19 || 246.4 || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| BR-471B || APHEBC || 795 || 25 || 1.2 || 19 || 246.4 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| BR-471D || APCBC || 800 || 25 || 1.2 || 19 || 192.5 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| OF-471 || HE || 800 || 25 || 0 || 0.1 || 3,600 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo part
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! 11th rack empty
! 12th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''30''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 27 ''(+3)'' 27 ''(+3)'' || 24 ''(+6)'' 24 ''(+6)'' || 20 ''(+10)'' 20 ''(+10)'' || 17 ''(+13)'' 17 ''(+13)'' || 14 ''(+16)'' 14 ''(+16)'' || 11 ''(+19)'' 11 ''(+19)'' || 10 ''(+20)'' 10 ''(+20)'' || 9 ''(+21)'' 9 ''(+21)'' || 7 ''(+23)'' 7 ''(+23)'' || 5 ''(+25)'' 5 ''(+25)'' || 3 ''(+27)'' 3 ''(+27)'' || 1 ''(+29)'' 1 ''(+29)''|| No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

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

{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[DShK (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm DShK]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 500 (50) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 250 (50) || 600 || -5°/+60° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


Even though you have thick armour HEAT-FS and APDS will go right through it so be careful. T-10A's gun has a 230mm pen at 90° point blank but for targets such as the M-103 you will have a very hard time killing. Your reload rate is also very good for a 122mm gun you can expect a 18 second reload which is way less than a IS-3 or IS-4 which has a average of 25 seconds. When taking a enemy position or cap bring at least 2 ally to help and support you. Since your a Soviet tank you have a low gun depression of 3°, so avoid poisons that need gun depression. One special feature that sets T-10A from other heavy Soviet tanks is a stabilizer which makes a huge difference in getting a kill or sent back to the hanger. You also have a 12.7mm machine gun to take out light armoured targets, planes, or helicopters.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good turret armour and effective pike nose hull armour.
* Good side armour which can occasionally protect you from heavy tank shells.
* Decent mobility for such a heavily armoured vehicle.
* Has night vision device.
* Has a vertical stabilizer.
* 12.7 mm DShK coaxial and commander's weapons make short work of light vehicles, allowing conservation of main gun rounds.

'''Cons:'''

* HEATFS, HESH, APDS rounds can easily penetrate the armour.
* 14 hp/t ratio (in RB) which is not enough at its BR.
* -8 km/h reverse speed.
* Limited ammo reserves for secondary weapons.
* No NVD for gunner view

== 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 ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=ussr&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=heavy_tank&vehicle=ussr_t_10a Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover">
Image:T-10A Devblog Image 001.jpg|T-10A devblog image
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|gENL-q_x5Tc|'''SOVIET SUFFERING: T-10A Review''' - ''Sako Sniper''|MsSxTpwTq-I|'''The Heavy Problem - T-10A''' - ''JustinPlaysYT''|0WXHHXPbryg|'''T-10A - Soviet Super Suffering Simulator''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[T-10M]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[IS-2 (Family)]]
* [[KV-122]]
* [[IS-3]]
* [[IS-4M]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:T-10_tank|[Wikipedia] T-10 tank]]

{{USSR heavy tanks}}
{{USSR premium ground vehicles}}

M3A1 Stuart

2021-04-13T11:27:36Z

U3726243: max vert stab for US M3A1

{{About
| about = American light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|other
|usage-1 = other uses
|link-1 = M3 (Disambiguation)
|usage-2 = other vehicles of the family
|link-2 = M3 Stuart (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m3a1_stuart
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. Compared to its predecessor, the [[M3 Stuart|M3]], it has a more streamlined turret shape that presents a smaller target, the M3A1 is in a folder with its predecessor.

== 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 M3A1 has fairly thin armour, it can generally protect against most machine guns and some smaller (20mm) cannons, but will usually not stand up against the main weapons of most enemy tanks at its BR. There is a fair amount of empty space inside the tank, 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'' || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 50.8 mm || 31.8 mm || 31.8 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
|}

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

[[File:M3A1 Turning Demo.gif|thumb|400px|Demonstration of the slow and fast turning of the M3A1]]

{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 406|rbMinHp= 232}}

The M3A1 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 M3A1 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 M3A1 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)}}

Main weapon on the M3A1 is a 37mm 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 M3A1 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/B2 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 M3A1 Stuart 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" | Vertical max 16km/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 ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 79 || 76 || 65 || 54 || 45 || 37
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 87 || 84 || 73 || 60 || 50 || 41
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''106''' || 71 ''(+35)'' || 36 ''(+70)'' || 1 ''(+105)'' || No
|-
|}

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


The M3A1 employs a turret top MG and a coaxial MG, both of which are the same 7.62mm M1919A4 type, these guns are limited to a single AP & T belt type with up too 10mm of penetration.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount
! Capacity (Belt capacity)
! Rate of fire (shots/minute)
! Vertical guidance
! Horizontal guidance
|-
| Coaxial || 3,200 (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 M3A1 frontally at closer ranges, especially not against higher ranked 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 with little resistance. Even in a match against higher ranked 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 opportunities 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 enemy's are usually killed 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 M3A1 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 enemy's 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 to 64 mm of pen, which is enough to go through the M3A1 almost anywhere. These guns can also fire 10 rounds at 280 rounds/min before having to reload the clip, meaning that they will very easily take out your crew before you have a chance to respond. To counter, the best chance you have is to angle your frontal armour which can make it difficult for the PzGr 40 rounds to penetrate. The Russian [[T-50]] and [[T-126]] are vehicles you will also see commonly, these have fairly thick and angled frontal armour that will prevent you from easily getting through. These tanks can also carry 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 M3A1 will encounter some rough heavies, like the [[Matilda III]] and the [[B1 bis]]. The best tactic against these types of targets is to use the M3A1's fast speed, get within 200 m from them and attack, with shooting at point-blank range being the most effective way. Before conducting an attack, check the M3A1's and the enemy's surroundings to make sure no one will ambush the M3A1. While charging, use the M3A1's quick turns to suddenly change direction to avoid being shot if they are aiming and firing at the M3A1. Once the tank is at the ideal distance, manoeuvre so that the gun is perpendicular 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 Matilda III, shoot at the middle of the near-vertical frontal plate to knock out the driver first, since the 37 mm shell is not enough to knock out the gunner after penetrating. Once it is immobile, go to its side and finish it by shooting its hull sides. Or, shoot the right side of the gun mantlet to disable its gunner. For best chance of penetration, do not shoot its turret side.

For the B1, 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:'''

* Great cannon with good penetration, excellent rate of fire and gun depression; it can effectively penetrate common opponents like the [[Pz.II (Disambiguation)|Pz.II]] and [[Chi-Ha (Family)|Chi-Ha]], as well as heavy targets like the [[B1 bis]] or [[Matilda III]]
* Excellent acceleration, top speed and turning ability on all terrains; easily outruns slower opponents like the [[Pz.III (Disambiguation)|Pz.III]]
* Access to a vertical stabiliser which most tanks don't have, it is an advantage in close quarter encounters
* Respectable frontal armour that, if angled, might bounce some shells from a distance (eg. Japanese 37 mm/German 20 mm)
* Small turret profile makes it harder to get hit when hull-down
* Empty space below the turret crew can absorb poorly aimed shots, they tend to not do much damage

'''Cons:'''

* Weak armour against high-penetration shells like 50 mm Kwk 39 or 76 mm F-34
* Its shells do not have explosive filler, severely limiting the post-penetration effect especially against spacious tanks like the [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* Inefficient brakes when trying to stop the tank at full speed
* Hull is fairly tall for a light tank and the crews are closely packed, reducing its survivability

== 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 ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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|75mm 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.

=== In-game description ===
Production of the M3A1 Stuart modification got underway in April 1942, with its primary changes affecting turret construction. The turret was a horseshoe-shaped M3, though it did not have a cupola, and two triangular hatches on its roof served as exits for the crew. The gunner and reloader had periscopes. The turret rotated using a power traverse as opposed to the manually rotated M3. Its faster rotation speed required changes in its construction, in particular a basket fitted with seats for the crew members.

The M23 mantlet was fitted with a 37 mm M6 cannon featuring a gyro stabilizer that significantly boosted accuracy while on the move. That did, however, require more training for gunners, a difficult assignment under battlefield conditions. The sponson-mounted immobile M1919A4 machine guns were replaced with additional ammunition storage, pushing the tank's capacity to 116 shells and 6,400 bullets.

From April to August of 1942 the M3A1 was produced alongside the M3. Changes were made gradually, meaning that some later M3s featured welded bodies and new turrets. They lacked, however, the basket and power traverse, and were called Stuart Hybrids. Some early M3A1s had sponson-mounted machine guns (the intervening models plugged up the openings) and riveted bodies. By the end of February 1943, 4,621 M3A1s had been assembled, 211 of them with the Guiberson T-1020-4 engines (called Stuart IVs by the British). It is worth noting that the M3A1s with welded bodies should have been designated M3A2s, though that never actually happened.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=us_m3a1_stuart Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|1yg1DAEbG8A|'''The Stuart Family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:14 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|_kY5irvkGG8|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M3 Stuart (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* [[M5 Stuart (Family)]]
* [[M8 Greyhound (Family)]]
* [[M22]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[M2A2]]{{-}}[[M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.)]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:M3_Stuart|[Wikipedia] M3 Stuart]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/us/m3_stuart.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Light Tank M3 Stuart]

{{USA light tanks}}

M3A1 Stuart

2021-04-13T11:24:32Z

U3726243: Undo revision 100696 by U3726243 (talk)

{{About
| about = American light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|other
|usage-1 = other uses
|link-1 = M3 (Disambiguation)
|usage-2 = other vehicles of the family
|link-2 = M3 Stuart (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m3a1_stuart
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. Compared to its predecessor, the [[M3 Stuart|M3]], it has a more streamlined turret shape that presents a smaller target, the M3A1 is in a folder with its predecessor.

== 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 M3A1 has fairly thin armour, it can generally protect against most machine guns and some smaller (20mm) cannons, but will usually not stand up against the main weapons of most enemy tanks at its BR. There is a fair amount of empty space inside the tank, 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'' || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 50.8 mm || 31.8 mm || 31.8 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
|}

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

[[File:M3A1 Turning Demo.gif|thumb|400px|Demonstration of the slow and fast turning of the M3A1]]

{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 406|rbMinHp= 232}}

The M3A1 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 M3A1 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 M3A1 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)}}

Main weapon on the M3A1 is a 37mm 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 M3A1 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/B2 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 M3A1 Stuart 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" | Vertical || 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 ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 79 || 76 || 65 || 54 || 45 || 37
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 87 || 84 || 73 || 60 || 50 || 41
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''106''' || 71 ''(+35)'' || 36 ''(+70)'' || 1 ''(+105)'' || No
|-
|}

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


The M3A1 employs a turret top MG and a coaxial MG, both of which are the same 7.62mm M1919A4 type, these guns are limited to a single AP & T belt type with up too 10mm of penetration.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount
! Capacity (Belt capacity)
! Rate of fire (shots/minute)
! Vertical guidance
! Horizontal guidance
|-
| Coaxial || 3,200 (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 M3A1 frontally at closer ranges, especially not against higher ranked 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 with little resistance. Even in a match against higher ranked 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 opportunities 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 enemy's are usually killed 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 M3A1 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 enemy's 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 to 64 mm of pen, which is enough to go through the M3A1 almost anywhere. These guns can also fire 10 rounds at 280 rounds/min before having to reload the clip, meaning that they will very easily take out your crew before you have a chance to respond. To counter, the best chance you have is to angle your frontal armour which can make it difficult for the PzGr 40 rounds to penetrate. The Russian [[T-50]] and [[T-126]] are vehicles you will also see commonly, these have fairly thick and angled frontal armour that will prevent you from easily getting through. These tanks can also carry 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 M3A1 will encounter some rough heavies, like the [[Matilda III]] and the [[B1 bis]]. The best tactic against these types of targets is to use the M3A1's fast speed, get within 200 m from them and attack, with shooting at point-blank range being the most effective way. Before conducting an attack, check the M3A1's and the enemy's surroundings to make sure no one will ambush the M3A1. While charging, use the M3A1's quick turns to suddenly change direction to avoid being shot if they are aiming and firing at the M3A1. Once the tank is at the ideal distance, manoeuvre so that the gun is perpendicular 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 Matilda III, shoot at the middle of the near-vertical frontal plate to knock out the driver first, since the 37 mm shell is not enough to knock out the gunner after penetrating. Once it is immobile, go to its side and finish it by shooting its hull sides. Or, shoot the right side of the gun mantlet to disable its gunner. For best chance of penetration, do not shoot its turret side.

For the B1, 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:'''

* Great cannon with good penetration, excellent rate of fire and gun depression; it can effectively penetrate common opponents like the [[Pz.II (Disambiguation)|Pz.II]] and [[Chi-Ha (Family)|Chi-Ha]], as well as heavy targets like the [[B1 bis]] or [[Matilda III]]
* Excellent acceleration, top speed and turning ability on all terrains; easily outruns slower opponents like the [[Pz.III (Disambiguation)|Pz.III]]
* Access to a vertical stabiliser which most tanks don't have, it is an advantage in close quarter encounters
* Respectable frontal armour that, if angled, might bounce some shells from a distance (eg. Japanese 37 mm/German 20 mm)
* Small turret profile makes it harder to get hit when hull-down
* Empty space below the turret crew can absorb poorly aimed shots, they tend to not do much damage

'''Cons:'''

* Weak armour against high-penetration shells like 50 mm Kwk 39 or 76 mm F-34
* Its shells do not have explosive filler, severely limiting the post-penetration effect especially against spacious tanks like the [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* Inefficient brakes when trying to stop the tank at full speed
* Hull is fairly tall for a light tank and the crews are closely packed, reducing its survivability

== 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 ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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|75mm 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.

=== In-game description ===
Production of the M3A1 Stuart modification got underway in April 1942, with its primary changes affecting turret construction. The turret was a horseshoe-shaped M3, though it did not have a cupola, and two triangular hatches on its roof served as exits for the crew. The gunner and reloader had periscopes. The turret rotated using a power traverse as opposed to the manually rotated M3. Its faster rotation speed required changes in its construction, in particular a basket fitted with seats for the crew members.

The M23 mantlet was fitted with a 37 mm M6 cannon featuring a gyro stabilizer that significantly boosted accuracy while on the move. That did, however, require more training for gunners, a difficult assignment under battlefield conditions. The sponson-mounted immobile M1919A4 machine guns were replaced with additional ammunition storage, pushing the tank's capacity to 116 shells and 6,400 bullets.

From April to August of 1942 the M3A1 was produced alongside the M3. Changes were made gradually, meaning that some later M3s featured welded bodies and new turrets. They lacked, however, the basket and power traverse, and were called Stuart Hybrids. Some early M3A1s had sponson-mounted machine guns (the intervening models plugged up the openings) and riveted bodies. By the end of February 1943, 4,621 M3A1s had been assembled, 211 of them with the Guiberson T-1020-4 engines (called Stuart IVs by the British). It is worth noting that the M3A1s with welded bodies should have been designated M3A2s, though that never actually happened.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=us_m3a1_stuart Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|1yg1DAEbG8A|'''The Stuart Family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:14 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|_kY5irvkGG8|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
* [[M3 Stuart (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun
* [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* [[M5 Stuart (Family)]]
* [[M8 Greyhound (Family)]]
* [[M22]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
* [[M2A2]]{{-}}[[M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.)]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:M3_Stuart|[Wikipedia] M3 Stuart]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/us/m3_stuart.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Light Tank M3 Stuart]

{{USA light tanks}}

M24 (TL)

2021-04-13T11:20:55Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Vert max US M24 TL

{{About
|about=gift American light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage=other versions
|link=M24 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m24_chaffee_tl
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was a special vehicle offered during the 2015 Thunder League as a reward for completing 5 Tank challenges. The M24 TL ''Chaffee'' comes with all the Thunder League camos from each team participating in Thunder League. Aside from these differences and the access to APCR ammunition, it is essentially a "special" version of the [[M24|M24 Chaffee]].

The M24 ''Chaffee'' is a very good tank with a fairly interesting play style. Instead of being permanently stationed at a single point and continuously firing at an enemy, this tank offers impressive maneuverability and speed which allows it to perform impressive flanking maneuvers. The M24 can travel at around 38 km/h forward and -25 km/h backwards. Its reverse speed is very good if a quick getaway by going backwards is needed. Thus, this tank excels at "peek-a-boo" tactics in which one hides behind a rock or other large piece of cover and repeatedly inches out to fire at an enemy.

The tank offers a 75 mm M6 gun, which has a slower reload than the [[M4|''Sherman'']]'s 75mm M3 gun but is otherwise the same. Its shells come in handy for certain tanks; they generally penetrate armour very well. It is rare to experience a ricochet or be to unable to penetrate any armour.

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

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 25.4 mm (60°) ''Front glacis'' 25.4 mm (44°) ''Lower glacis'' || 25.4 mm (13°) ''Front'' 12.7 mm (13°) ''Rear'' || 12.7 mm (71-74°) ''Top'' 19 mm (1-43°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 38.1 mm (8-40°) ''Turret front'' 38.1 mm (1-45°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 25.4 mm (17-26°) || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 38.1 mm || 38.1 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 12.7 mm thick.
* Gun barrel is 20 mm thick.
* Gun breech is 300 mm thick in structural steel

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=459|rbMinHp=262}}

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

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

{{main|M6 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M6 (75 mm)|75 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" | 48 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 8.45 || rowspan="2" | 7.47 || rowspan="2" | 6.89 || rowspan="2" | 6.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
| T45 shot || APCR || 139 || 135 || 121 || 105 || 91 || 79
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0 || 0.1 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T45 shot || APCR || 868 || 3.81 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M64 || 381 || 6.9 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_M24.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M24 Chaffee]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''48''' || 25 ''(+23)'' || 1 ''(+47)'' || No
|-
|}

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (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 || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| 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 || 1,800 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The M24 ''Chaffee'' is a very good tank with a fairly interesting play style. Instead of being permanently stationed at a single point and continuously firing at an enemy, this tank offers impressive manoeuvrability and speed which allows it to perform impressive flanking manoeuvres. The M24 can travel at around 38 km/h forward and -25 km/h backwards. Its reverse speed is very good if a quick getaway by going backwards is needed. Thus, this tank excels at "peek-a-boo" tactics in which one hides behind a rock or other large piece of cover and repeatedly inches out to fire at an enemy.

An extension of this "peek-a-boo" tactic is to also use the tank's mobility for "scoot-and-shoot" tactics by firing and then moving to another firing location so as to prevent enemy tanks and tank destroyers from accurately guessing range. This can be difficult, however, as you must be very versed in your own tank's ballistics to make shots as you will have to estimate range on the fly. Don't think this means firing on the move - if you are going faster than 16 km/h (10 mph), the stabilizer will not allow for accurate shots, and it is only a vertical stabilizer

'''Do not:''' Continuously shoot at a tank without backing up/moving. The vehicle's armour is very thin and will most likely be destroyed if it stays in one position and does not stop changing positions. Always try to get the first shot off in a head-on attack. Typically, the best shell to use is the M61 shell but it can also be beneficial to have M72 shells as well.

Another way to go around is to flank the enemy. If attacking with a more direct approach, keep hidden behind a building or boulder and pop out every now and then to take a shot at the enemy. Also, prioritise targets who are busy fighting others and cannot retaliate. Usually, after the first shot, it may disable their tank depending on what it is. Disabling the enemy tank's crew, tracks, engine, etc. allows for retaliation without the risk of any incoming enemy shells. Try to aim for the enemy tank's gunner, as almost any tank can destroy the M24 at it's rank.

'''Enemies worth noting''':

* Sd.Kfz.234 series: The M24, although agile, is still not the fastest tank at its rank. When your opposite team has Germany, you might want to reconsider the option of capping a point straight away, since the German Sd.Kfz.234 series are very likely to be there first. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|''Sd.Kfz.234/2'']] (also known as the Puma) is a turreted 8-wheel vehicle with a small profile, extremely high on-road speed and a powerful 50mm gun. But it cannot turn in place, has a very slow turret traverse and only 8mm of side hull armour, so a good tactic is to circle with it and utilise your stabiliser, fast turret and the piercing .50 cal. In an intense tank "dogfight", you might miss your shots. Don't worry, your reliable .50 cal got you! It can penetrate the sides, or even the front of the puma easily. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/3|''Sd.Kfz.234/3'']] and [[Sd.Kfz.234/4|''Sd.Kfz.234/4'']], although being equally deadly, are turretless. You can use some quick turns to avoid their guns or tear through the thin armour plate protecting their gunners with your .50 cal.

* [[KV-1]], [[KV-IB (Germany)|KV-IB]], [[KV I C 756 (r) (Germany)|KV I C 756 (r)]]: The famous KV series can cause a bit of troubles too. They are well know for their well-protected hull and turrets. The M24 can manoeuvre to point-blank range, line up your gun so it's pointing dead flat at the armour and fire. The 104mm penetration of the M61 shell should punch a hole in the KV's armour with ease. If you are close enough but do not have the space to manoeuvre, shoot their gun barrel to prevent them from getting a shot off, then go for their turret ring or the vertical part on their gun mantlet, which is only 90mm. For the KV-1B, '''do not''' try and fire at its turret from the front and side, as they are 105mm thick and will never get penetrated. For the KV I C 756, aim for the cupola (50m) or the gun mantlet (50mm) to knock out the turret crew or the gun breech. Don't shoot at anywhere else, the shell won't penetrate.

* [[Churchill Mk I]], [[Churchill Mk III]], [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]: The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to kill at range. Again, maneuver as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armor, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.
* [[M4A2]] / [[M4A4 (1st PTG)|A4]]: these Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there is a guaranteed kill most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's a M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armor unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenseless.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Decent mobility: good top speed and great turning ability
* Uses the same gun as the 75mm Shermans: various shell types, great penetration & damage and excellent gun depression. M61 shell can easily one shot common tanks like the Pz.IV F, M4, Cromwell or even the [[Tiger H1]].
* Has access to APCR with 140mm penetration, allowing it to effectively penetrate heavier targets like KV I C 756r and Pz.Kpfw. Churchill.
* Fast turret traverse allows it to track agile targets easily
* Low profile allows it to easily hide behind small bushes or rocks, increasing survivability
* Equipped with a vertical plane stabilizer, allowing for more accurate shots on the move or shoot-n-scoot tactics
* Pintle mounted HMG allows for air defense and some anti tank ability (eg. Marder III, Sd.kfz.234 series, Breda 501, etc)
* 13 smoke grenades allow escaping from dangerous situation for many times
* Effective even in uptiers if used for flanking shots or hunting soft targets
* Very fast reverse allowing it to retreat from danger quickly
* 9 Unique Thunder League camouflages can be chosen

'''Cons:'''

* Low survivability: all-round thin armour and closely packed crews. Can get one-shot by common guns like 76mm F-34 and 75mm Kwk 40
* Acceleration is rather sluggish, especially on soft terrains
* On-road top speed is still inferior to some wheeled vehicles like the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]]
* Shells drop dramatically at long distances, making distant / moving targets hard to shoot at
* Reload time is pretty slow for a light tank
* Low ammo count can be a problem in long games or RB/SB matches

== History ==

===Development===
As early as 1942, the light tanks [[M3 Stuart|M3]] and [[M5A1|M5 ''Stuart'']] have been seen as severely lacking in the modernizing design of tanks and how they fight. The armour was seen as insufficient and the [[M3 (37 mm)|37 mm gun]] was also deemed useless against even the standard German tanks like the [[Pz.III J|Panzer III]] and [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV]]. The system needed an upgrade, specifically a light tank that mounts the [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm gun]] seen on the [[M4|''Shermans'']]. An attempt to mount a 75 mm gun on a ''Stuart'' was deemed inefficient as it reduced ammo stowage and left the armour too thin on the design.

In April 1943, the U.S. Ordnance Department worked with Cadillac to start on a project for the new light tank, designated ''Light Tank T24''. The powertrain and transmission of the M5 ''Stuart'' was used with the ultimate goal of producing a vehicle weighing less than 20 tons. This left the vehicle with relatively thin armour to stay lightweight. At the time, a lighter 75 mm gun was developed for mounting on the [[B-25J-20|B-25 Mitchell bomber]] without sacrificing performance, and this was mounted onto the light tank in development. The tank used 410 mm wide tracks with a torsion bar suspension that greatly improves cross-country travel. The engine was a Cadillac 44T24 V-8 petrol engine. The chassis was designed with the expectation that it would be used as a basis of many different vehicle roles so it was called the "Light Combat Team". The light tank end design had a low profile at 9 ft. 1 in. height and featuring a crew of five with a three-man turret, an improvement over the two-man turrets of the Stuarts. The first finished vehicle arrived on October 15, 1943 and was deemed a success, starting a contract for 1,000 units that was later raised to 5,000 units. The vehicle was classified as the '''Light Tank M24''' and as the ''' ''Chaffee'' ''' by the British after US General Adna R. Chaffee, Jr., who helped develop some of America's earliest tank designs. The vehicle was produced by Cadillac and Massey-Harris from April 1944 to August 1945 with a total of 4,731 units produced.

===Combat usage===
The first batch of M24s reached the battlefields of Europe in November of 1944 and first assigned to the U.S. 2nd Cavalry Group in France. The M24 gradually entered widespread use by December 1944, some ''Chaffees'' went to the British to replace their ''Stuart'' tanks as well. The M24s were first used in the Battle of the Bulge with the 2nd and 42nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron sent to support the southern sector of the battle. The ''Chaffees'' were slow to enter use in the front-lines as even by the end of the war, some armoured division did not have the M24 light tanks. Despite that, the reception of the ''Chaffee'' was positive even though it may not have the firepower to fight the better German tanks like the [[Panther G|Panther tanks]]. The 75 mm gun gave the crew much more firepower than the earlier 37 mm. The light armour, though allowing the tank to pick up speed, was penetrable by most anti-tank weapons in service by Germany. The effect of the M24 ''Chaffee'' in World War II was deemed insignificant as it was not used in great numbers in comparison to the ''Stuarts'' in service since the start of the war.

The M24 ''Chaffee'' served a greater role in the Korean War and were sent in large numbers to combat the North Korean Armoured Forces, however they were severely undergunned with their 75 mm cannon and the light armour was easily destroyed by the Soviet-supplied [[T-34-85]] tanks. Plus, the deficiency in crew training also contributed to the poor performance of the M24 against the North Koreans. Due to their inferiority, they were used as a delaying measure until better tanks like the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3E8 ''Shermans'']] and [[M26|M26 ''Pershings'']] could be brought in. Once with supports with these better tanks, the Chaffees were relegated to reconnaissance roles, where they served with better results.

The M24, after being replaced in America by the [[M41A1|M41 ''Walker Bulldog'']], was sent to many other countries for use. The French Army deployed the M24s during their fighting in Indochina and famously in the Battle for Dien Bien Phu. Some M24s went to the hands of the ARVN in South Vietnam to support the troops during the Vietnam War. The Pakistani Army used them as well in 1971 against India during the Indo-Pakistani War. The M24 ''Chaffee'' was also adapted in different roles by using the chassis for different designs, such as the ''[[M19|M19 TGMC anti-air gun]]'' and self-propelled guns with the ''M37 105 mm HMC'' and ''M41 155 mm HMC''.

The ''Chaffee'' had turned out to be one of the greatest light tanks the Allies developed during World War II. Though arriving too late to be a main turning factor for the war, the design has turned out to be so reliable that some countries like Uruguay still operate modernised versions. Austria has since retired its M24 fleet, but their turrets still serve on as bunkers.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=us_m24_chaffee_tl Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="150px">
Camouflage M24(TL) AkaiVictory.jpg|Akai Victory's camouflage.
Camouflage M24(TL) ArcadeeSports.jpg|Arcade eSport's camouflage.
Camouflage M24(TL) CUBE.jpg|CUBE's camouflage.
Camouflage M24(TL) DerAdler.jpg|Der Adler's camouflage.
Camouflage M24(TL) Dislike.jpg|Dislike's camouflage.
Camouflage M24(TL) DYNAMIGHT.jpg|DYNAMIGHT's camouflage.
Camouflage M24(TL) Poltergeist.jpg ‎|Poltergeist's camouflage.
Camouflage M24(TL) THINK.jpg ‎|THINK's camouflage.
Camouflage M24(TL) Verveteam.jpg ‎|Verve team's camouflage.
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|3-Ldas_LWeQ|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M24 (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[AMX-13-M24]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[AMX-13 (FL11)]]

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

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

{{USA light tanks}}

M24

2021-04-13T11:20:29Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Vert max US M24

{{About
| about = American light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other variants
| link = M24 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m24_chaffee
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced along with the rest of the initial American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. The M24 Chaffee is a big improvement over the American light tank path from the [[M5A1|Stuart]] tanks, presenting a better driving handling and a 75 mm gun.

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

The M24 Chaffee has thin armour on all sides, and can only effectively resist machine gun fire or very low-penetrating shells. Its crews are also very close to each other, increasing the chance of it getting one-shotted. The V-shaped gun mantlet might bounce some small caliber shells if you are lucky enough. However, don't rely on it as the rest of the tank is still poorly protected.

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 25.4 mm (60°) ''Front glacis'' 25.4 mm (44°) ''Lower glacis'' || 25.4 mm (13°) ''Front'' 12.7 mm (13°) ''Rear'' || 12.7 mm (71-74°) ''Top'' 19 mm (1-43°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 38.1 mm (8-40°) ''Turret front'' 38.1 mm (1-45°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 25.4 mm (17-26°) || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 38.1 mm || 38.1 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 12.7 mm thick.
* Gun barrel is 20 mm thick.
* Gun breech is 300 mm thick in structural steel

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=459|rbMinHp=262}}

The M24 travels at an average of 40 km/h on/off-road which is the average light tank speed. It also responds fast when reversing. Thanks to its short and wide tracks it is able to turn quickly. However the acceleration is poor, making it to feel sluggish when performing short range manoeuvres.

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

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

{{main|M6 (75 mm)}}

The tank offers the 75 mm M6 gun, which only differs from the [[M4|M4]]/[[M4A1|M4A1]] Sherman's 75 mm M3 gun with its slower reloading rate due to the smaller confines of the M24 Chaffee. The shells come in handy for certain tanks; they generally penetrate armour very well. It is rare to experience a ricochet or be to unable to penetrate any armour.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M6 (75 mm)|75 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" | 48 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 8.45 || rowspan="2" | 7.47 || rowspan="2" | 6.89 || rowspan="2" | 6.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0 || 0.1 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M64 || 381 || 6.9 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''48''' || 25 ''(+23)'' || 1 ''(+47)'' || No
|-
|}

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

The two machine guns on the M24 Chaffee are the good old [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|.50 cal M2HB]] and the [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]. The roof-mounted .50 cal can traverse 360 degrees and has great depression & elevation, posting a big threat to any plane that is flying too close to the M24. It has an unbelievable penetration of 31mm at 10m, meaning it can easily penetrate plenty of lightly armoured vehicles and even the side of some low rank medium tanks. The 7.62mm, on the other hand, can only efficiently damage exposed crews due to its low penetration.

{| 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 || 1,000 (200) || 576 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| 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 || 1,800 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The M24 ''Chaffee'' is a very good tank with a fairly interesting play style. Instead of being permanently stationed at a single point and continuously firing at an enemy, this tank offers impressive manoeuvrability and speed which allows it to perform impressive flanking manoeuvres. The M24 can travel at around 38 km/h forward and -25 km/h backwards. Its reverse speed is very good if a quick getaway by going backwards is needed. Thus, this tank excels at "peek-a-boo" tactics in which one hides behind a rock or other large piece of cover and repeatedly inches out to fire at an enemy.

An extension of this "peek-a-boo" tactic is to also use the tank's mobility for "scoot-and-shoot" tactics by firing and then moving to another firing location so as to prevent enemy tanks and tank destroyers from accurately guessing range. This can be difficult, however, as you must be very versed in your own tank's ballistics to make shots as you will have to estimate range on the fly. Don't think this means firing on the move - if you are going faster than 16 km/h (10 mph), the stabilizer will not allow for accurate shots, and it is only a vertical stabilizer.

'''Do not:''' Continuously shoot at a tank without backing up/moving. The vehicle's armour is very thin and will most likely be destroyed if it stays in one position and does not stop changing positions. Always try to get the first shot off in a head-on attack. Typically, the best shell to use is the M61 shell but it can also be beneficial to have M72 shells as well. You can try loading under 20 shells and you will be more survivable than players expect.

Another way to go around is to flank the enemy. If attacking with a more direct approach, keep hidden behind a building or boulder and pop out every now and then to take a shot at the enemy. Also, prioritize targets who are busy fighting others and cannot retaliate. Usually, after the first shot, it may disable their tank depending on what it is. Disabling the enemy tank's crew, tracks, engine, etc. allows for retaliation without the risk of any incoming enemy shells.

'''Enemies worth noting''':

* Sd.Kfz.234 series: The M24, although agile, is still not the fastest tank at its rank. When your opposite team has Germany, you might want to reconsider the option of capping a point straight away, since the German Sd.Kfz.234 series are very likely to be there first. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|''Sd.Kfz.234/2'']] (also known as the Puma) is a turreted 8-wheel vehicle with a small profile, extremely high on-road speed and a powerful 50mm gun. But it cannot turn in place, has a very slow turret traverse and only 8mm of side hull armour, so a good tactic is to circle with it and utilise your stabiliser, fast turret and the piercing .50 cal. In an intense tank "dogfight", you might miss your shots. Don't worry, your reliable .50 cal got you! It can penetrate the sides, or even the front of the puma easily. The [[Sd.Kfz.234/3|''Sd.Kfz.234/3'']] and [[Sd.Kfz.234/4|''Sd.Kfz.234/4'']], although being equally deadly, are turretless. You can use some quick turns to avoid their guns or tear through the thin armour plate protecting their gunners with your .50 cal.
* [[E.B.R. (1954)]]: this wheeled vehicle, just like the Sd.Kfz.234 series, is able to reach a remarkably high speed, especially on road. It is equipped with a deadly 75mm cannon with autoloader, dealing more fragmental damage than the Sd.Kfz.234's and can therefore easily one-shot the M24 most of the times. The tactics vary a bit, as the E.B.R also has way faster turret traverse, therefore you do not want to "dogfight" it like how you deal with a Puma. You need to be more careful and try to ambush it. Utilise your advantages well, you have superior gun depression, explosive-packed shells, lots of smoke grenades and, most importantly, a vertical stabiliser.

* [[KV-1]], [[KV-IB (Germany)|KV-IB]], [[KV I C 756 (r) (Germany)|KV I C 756 (r)]]: The famous KV series can cause a bit of troubles too. They are well know for their well-protected hull and turrets. The M24 can manoeuvre to point-blank range, line up your gun so it's pointing dead flat at the armour and fire. The 104mm penetration of the M61 shell should punch a hole in the KV's armour with ease. If you are close enough but do not have the space to manoeuvre, shoot their gun barrel to prevent them from getting a shot off, then go for their turret ring or the vertical part on their gun mantlet, which is only 90mm. For the KV-1B, '''do not''' try and fire at its turret from the front and side, as they are 105mm thick and will never get penetrated. For the KV I C 756, aim for the cupola (50m) or the gun mantlet (50mm) to knock out the turret crew or the gun breech. Don't shoot at anywhere else, the shell won't penetrate.

* [[Churchill Mk I]], [[Churchill Mk III]], [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]: The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to penetrate at range. Again, maneuver as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armor, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.
* [[M4A2]] / [[M4A4 (1st PTG)|A4]]: these Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there can guarantee a knock-out most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's a M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armor unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenseless.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Decent mobility: good top speed and great turning ability
* Uses the same gun as the 75 mm Shermans: various shell types, great penetration & damage and excellent gun depression. M61 shell can easily one shot common tanks like the Pz.IV F, M4, Cromwell or even the [[Tiger H1]].
* Fast turret traverse allows it to track agile targets easily
* Low profile allows it to easily hide behind small bushes or rocks, increasing survivability
* Equipped with a vertical plane stabilizer, allowing for more accurate shots on the move or shoot-n-scoot tactics
* Pintle mounted HMG allows for air defense and some anti tank ability (eg. Marder III, Sd.Kfz.234 series, Breda 501, etc)
* 13 smoke grenades allow escaping from dangerous situation for many times
* Effective even in uptiers if used for flanking shots or hunting soft targets
* Very fast reverse allowing it to retreat from danger quickly

'''Cons:'''

* Low survivability: all-round thin armour and closely packed crews. Can get one-shot by common guns like 76 mm F-34 and 75 mm Kwk 40
* Acceleration is rather sluggish, especially on soft terrains
* On-road top speed is still inferior to some wheeled vehicles like the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]]
* Shells drop dramatically at long distances, making distant / moving targets hard to shoot at
* Reload time is pretty slow for a light tank
* Low ammo count can be a problem in long games or RB/SB matches but not so low that ammo rack detonations are rare

== History ==

===Development===
As early as 1942, the light tanks [[M3 Stuart|M3]] and [[M5A1|M5 ''Stuart'']] have been seen as severely lacking in the modernizing design of tanks and how they fight. The armour was seen as insufficient and the [[M3 (37 mm)|37 mm gun]] was also deemed useless against even the standard German tanks like the [[Pz.III J|Panzer III]] and [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV]]. The system needed an upgrade, specifically a light tank that mounts the [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm gun]] seen on the [[M4|''Shermans'']]. An attempt to mount a 75 mm gun on a ''Stuart'' was deemed inefficient as it reduced ammo stowage and left the armour too thin on the design.

In April 1943, the U.S. Ordnance Department worked with Cadillac to start on a project for the new light tank, designated ''Light Tank T24''. The powertrain and transmission of the M5 ''Stuart'' were used with the ultimate goal of producing a vehicle weighing less than 20 tons. This left the vehicle with relatively thin armour to stay lightweight. At the time, a lighter 75 mm gun was developed for mounting on the [[B-25J-20|B-25 Mitchell bomber]] without sacrificing performance, and this was mounted onto the light tank in development. The tank used 410 mm wide tracks with a torsion bar suspension that greatly improves cross-country travel. The engine was a Cadillac 44T24 V-8 petrol engine. The chassis was designed with the expectation that it would be used as a basis of many different vehicle roles so it was called the "Light Combat Team". The light tank end design had a low profile at 9 ft. 1 in. height and featuring a crew of five with a three-man turret, an improvement over the two-man turrets of the Stuarts. The first finished vehicle arrived on October 15, 1943, and was deemed a success, starting a contract for 1,000 units that was later raised to 5,000 units. The vehicle was classified as the '''Light Tank M24''' and as the ''' ''Chaffee'' ''' by the British after US General Adna R. Chaffee, Jr., who helped develop some of America's earliest tank designs. The vehicle was produced by Cadillac and Massey-Harris from April 1944 to August 1945 with a total of 4,731 units produced.

===Combat usage===
The first batch of M24s reached the battlefields of Europe in November of 1944 and first assigned to the U.S. 2nd Cavalry Group in France. The M24 gradually entered widespread use by December 1944, some ''Chaffees'' went to the British to replace their ''Stuart'' tanks as well. The M24s were first used in the Battle of the Bulge with the 2nd and 42nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron sent to support the southern sector of the battle. The ''Chaffees'' were slow to enter use in the front-lines as even by the end of the war, some armoured division did not have the M24 light tanks. Despite that, the reception of the ''Chaffee'' was positive even though it may not have the firepower to fight the better German tanks like the [[Panther G|Panther tanks]]. The 75 mm gun gave the crew much more firepower than the earlier 37 mm. The light armour, though allowing the tank to pick up speed, was penetrable by most anti-tank weapons in service by Germany. The effect of the M24 ''Chaffee'' in World War II was deemed insignificant as it was not used in great numbers in comparison to the ''Stuarts'' in service since the start of the war.

The M24 ''Chaffee'' served a greater role in the Korean War and were sent in large numbers to combat the North Korean Armoured Forces, however, they were severely under-gunned with their 75 mm cannon and the light armour was easily destroyed by the Soviet-supplied [[T-34-85]] tanks. Plus, the deficiency in crew training also contributed to the poor performance of the M24 against the North Koreans. Due to their inferiority, they were used as a delaying measure until better tanks like the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3E8 ''Shermans'']] and [[M26|M26 ''Pershings'']] could be brought in. Once with supports with these better tanks, the Chaffees were relegated to reconnaissance roles, where they served with better results.

The M24, after being replaced in America by the [[M41A1|M41 ''Walker Bulldog'']], was sent to many other countries for use. The French Army deployed the M24s during their fighting in Indochina and famously in the Battle for Dien Bien Phu. Some M24s went to the hands of the ARVN in South Vietnam to support the troops during the Vietnam War. The Pakistani Army used them as well in 1971 against India during the Indo-Pakistani War. The M24 ''Chaffee'' was also adapted in different roles by using the chassis for different designs, such as the ''[[M19|M19 TGMC anti-air gun]]'' and self-propelled guns with the ''M37 105 mm HMC'' and ''M41 155 mm HMC''.

The ''Chaffee'' had turned out to be one of the greatest light tanks the Allies developed during World War II. Though arriving too late to be a main turning factor for the war, the design has turned out to be so reliable that some countries like Uruguay still operate modernized versions. Austria has since retired its M24 fleet, but their turrets still serve on as bunkers.

=== In-game description ===
The experience of the M3 and M5 light tanks in the western desert proved that the era of light tanks with angular bodies and vertical suspension had come to a close. In 1943 work began on a completely new tank with the popular Hydromatic transmission and a carburetor engine made by Cadillac. The assignment, outside of strengthening the armament, was to keep the maximum weight below 18 short tons. As a result, a new hull with heavily sloped armor plates was developed. The turret gained a streamlined look with 37 mm armor.

The running gear was made up of five rubber-coated weight-bearing wheels and three supporting rollers in addition to forward, leading, and rear guiding wheels. The tank's main gun was a 75 mm M6 cannon with anti-recoil mechanisms around the barrel, something that made it much smaller. The tanks were fitted with coaxial and bow-mounted 7.62 mm machine guns.

The first T24 light tank prototype entered trials in October 1943. It turned out to be such a success that 1,000 units were quickly ordered, a number that later jumped to 5,000. Production took place at Cadillac and Massay-Harris factories, where 4,415 tanks were assembled between March 1944 and October 1945. The T24 was officially accepted two months after full-scale production began, receiving a new M24 designation. It entered combat in fall 1944 and was the American army's primary light tank through the end of the war.

The tanks sent to the UK via Lend-Lease were referred to as Chaffees.

The successful tank had a long career, fighting in the Korean, First Indochina, Vietnam, and Third Indo-Pakistani wars.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=us_m24_chaffee Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|OwVN5bFIzaM|'''A Perfect Starter Light Tank - {{PAGENAME}} Chaffee''' - ''Virus''|mD54mO7Fl1s|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M24 (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[AMX-13-M24]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[AMX-13 (FL11)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/2936/current/|[Vehicle Profile] M24 Chaffee]]

{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Department}}
{{TankManufacturer Cadillac}}
{{USA light tanks}}

M3A1 Stuart

2021-04-13T11:19:49Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Vert max US M3A1

{{About
| about = American light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|other
|usage-1 = other uses
|link-1 = M3 (Disambiguation)
|usage-2 = other vehicles of the family
|link-2 = M3 Stuart (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m3a1_stuart
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. Compared to its predecessor, the [[M3 Stuart|M3]], it has a more streamlined turret shape that presents a smaller target, the M3A1 is in a folder with its predecessor.

== 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 M3A1 has fairly thin armour, it can generally protect against most machine guns and some smaller (20mm) cannons, but will usually not stand up against the main weapons of most enemy tanks at its BR. There is a fair amount of empty space inside the tank, 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'' || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 50.8 mm || 31.8 mm || 31.8 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
|}

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

[[File:M3A1 Turning Demo.gif|thumb|400px|Demonstration of the slow and fast turning of the M3A1]]

{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 406|rbMinHp= 232}}

The M3A1 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 M3A1 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 M3A1 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)}}

Main weapon on the M3A1 is a 37mm 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 M3A1 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/B2 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 M3A1 Stuart 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" |Vertical max 24km/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 ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 79 || 76 || 65 || 54 || 45 || 37
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 87 || 84 || 73 || 60 || 50 || 41
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''106''' || 71 ''(+35)'' || 36 ''(+70)'' || 1 ''(+105)'' || No
|-
|}

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


The M3A1 employs a turret top MG and a coaxial MG, both of which are the same 7.62mm M1919A4 type, these guns are limited to a single AP & T belt type with up too 10mm of penetration.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount
! Capacity (Belt capacity)
! Rate of fire (shots/minute)
! Vertical guidance
! Horizontal guidance
|-
| Coaxial || 3,200 (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 M3A1 frontally at closer ranges, especially not against higher ranked 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 with little resistance. Even in a match against higher ranked 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 opportunities 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 enemy's are usually killed 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 M3A1 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 enemy's 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 to 64 mm of pen, which is enough to go through the M3A1 almost anywhere. These guns can also fire 10 rounds at 280 rounds/min before having to reload the clip, meaning that they will very easily take out your crew before you have a chance to respond. To counter, the best chance you have is to angle your frontal armour which can make it difficult for the PzGr 40 rounds to penetrate. The Russian [[T-50]] and [[T-126]] are vehicles you will also see commonly, these have fairly thick and angled frontal armour that will prevent you from easily getting through. These tanks can also carry 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 M3A1 will encounter some rough heavies, like the [[Matilda III]] and the [[B1 bis]]. The best tactic against these types of targets is to use the M3A1's fast speed, get within 200 m from them and attack, with shooting at point-blank range being the most effective way. Before conducting an attack, check the M3A1's and the enemy's surroundings to make sure no one will ambush the M3A1. While charging, use the M3A1's quick turns to suddenly change direction to avoid being shot if they are aiming and firing at the M3A1. Once the tank is at the ideal distance, manoeuvre so that the gun is perpendicular 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 Matilda III, shoot at the middle of the near-vertical frontal plate to knock out the driver first, since the 37 mm shell is not enough to knock out the gunner after penetrating. Once it is immobile, go to its side and finish it by shooting its hull sides. Or, shoot the right side of the gun mantlet to disable its gunner. For best chance of penetration, do not shoot its turret side.

For the B1, 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:'''

* Great cannon with good penetration, excellent rate of fire and gun depression; it can effectively penetrate common opponents like the [[Pz.II (Disambiguation)|Pz.II]] and [[Chi-Ha (Family)|Chi-Ha]], as well as heavy targets like the [[B1 bis]] or [[Matilda III]]
* Excellent acceleration, top speed and turning ability on all terrains; easily outruns slower opponents like the [[Pz.III (Disambiguation)|Pz.III]]
* Access to a vertical stabiliser which most tanks don't have, it is an advantage in close quarter encounters
* Respectable frontal armour that, if angled, might bounce some shells from a distance (eg. Japanese 37 mm/German 20 mm)
* Small turret profile makes it harder to get hit when hull-down
* Empty space below the turret crew can absorb poorly aimed shots, they tend to not do much damage

'''Cons:'''

* Weak armour against high-penetration shells like 50 mm Kwk 39 or 76 mm F-34
* Its shells do not have explosive filler, severely limiting the post-penetration effect especially against spacious tanks like the [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* Inefficient brakes when trying to stop the tank at full speed
* Hull is fairly tall for a light tank and the crews are closely packed, reducing its survivability

== 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 ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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|75mm 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.

=== In-game description ===
Production of the M3A1 Stuart modification got underway in April 1942, with its primary changes affecting turret construction. The turret was a horseshoe-shaped M3, though it did not have a cupola, and two triangular hatches on its roof served as exits for the crew. The gunner and reloader had periscopes. The turret rotated using a power traverse as opposed to the manually rotated M3. Its faster rotation speed required changes in its construction, in particular a basket fitted with seats for the crew members.

The M23 mantlet was fitted with a 37 mm M6 cannon featuring a gyro stabilizer that significantly boosted accuracy while on the move. That did, however, require more training for gunners, a difficult assignment under battlefield conditions. The sponson-mounted immobile M1919A4 machine guns were replaced with additional ammunition storage, pushing the tank's capacity to 116 shells and 6,400 bullets.

From April to August of 1942 the M3A1 was produced alongside the M3. Changes were made gradually, meaning that some later M3s featured welded bodies and new turrets. They lacked, however, the basket and power traverse, and were called Stuart Hybrids. Some early M3A1s had sponson-mounted machine guns (the intervening models plugged up the openings) and riveted bodies. By the end of February 1943, 4,621 M3A1s had been assembled, 211 of them with the Guiberson T-1020-4 engines (called Stuart IVs by the British). It is worth noting that the M3A1s with welded bodies should have been designated M3A2s, though that never actually happened.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=us_m3a1_stuart Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|1yg1DAEbG8A|'''The Stuart Family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:14 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|_kY5irvkGG8|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M3 Stuart (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* [[M5 Stuart (Family)]]
* [[M8 Greyhound (Family)]]
* [[M22]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[M2A2]]{{-}}[[M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.)]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:M3_Stuart|[Wikipedia] M3 Stuart]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/us/m3_stuart.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Light Tank M3 Stuart]

{{USA light tanks}}

M4A3 (76) W (Japan)

2021-04-13T11:17:10Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Vert max JP M4A3 HVSS

M4A1 (75) W (China)

2021-04-13T11:16:22Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Vert max CN M4A1

{{About
| about = medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other M4 Shermans
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_m4a1_76w_sherman
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]].

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

The armour layout of the M4A1 (75) W is identical to that of [[M4A1 (76) W]], turret- and hull-wise. Taking out a M4A1 (75) W is not a difficult task to do for most cannons it will face. It can take a few hits from Pz IIIs that are equipped with [[KwK39 (50 mm)]], Shermans equipped with [[M3 (75 mm)]] and T-34 and KV-1's equipped with the [[L-11 (76 mm)]] that will have a difficulty for reliable penetration on the M4A1 (75) W's armour. Meanwhile most guns above 3.7 battle rating will penetrate the armour with ease. However, even up-gunned tanks can have a hard time penetrating it with the sloped armour the M4A1 models are shaped with.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=620|rbMinHp=354}}

The {{PAGENAME}} has got a decent speed of 38 km/h (42 km/h AB), with a relative bad acceleration that makes it an easy prey for enemy vehicles when it have just started its movement. The reverse speed of 4 km/h (5 km/h AB) would make it important to not peek too much outside of cover. Even though it have a relative bad acceleration, it can still move its hull relative fast to throw off incoming shells. The narrow tracks on the tank gives it a hard time to get a good grip on soft soil when in movement, making movement more efficient when on solid ground or road when wanting to move it around.

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

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

{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || 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" | 71 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0 || 0.1 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M89 || 259 || 3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''71''' || 66 ''(+5)'' || 31 ''(+40)'' || 1 ''(+70)'' || No
|-
|}
Note:

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear from the rack after having been shot or loaded.


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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (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 || 600 (200) || 576 || -10°/+30° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| 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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


Similar to the other 75 mm Shermans, the M4A1 (75) W has a decent gun to take out most opponents even when uptiered. The tank can handle itself against enemies, but it's never a problem to work with your team in it, cover your allies when they are moving forward. The M4A1 (75) W has advantages over the Soviet T-34, Japanese Chi-Nu and German Pz.III/IV by having a early stabilizer that makes short stop and shooting faster, but facing US or British M4's can be a problematic since they share similar armour and gun. While rival M4 tanks would not be a threat to a seasoned player, they can prove a nuisance to beginners.

The M4A1 (75) W has effective frontal armour for most common enemies you will face in a downtier, but the armour is relative weak against some enemies in an uptier. Enemies that should be prioritized in deadliness are mainly tank destroyers like the M10, Achilles, Jagdpanzers and SU-85 since their guns will slice through the M4A1's armour like butter and demolish the tank, while the tank destroyers can be difficult to take out with the M4A1's 75 mm cannon from the front.

When facing these dangerous enemies, it is best to move around them and flank their sides, especially since these vehicles like the Jagdpanzer IV's have thick enough sloped armour that makes the 75 mm M3 inefficient against the front plate. The M4A1's slow acceleration can make this a difficult task to do in Realistic Battle, but it will be easier in Arcade with the enhanced engine power, so it's easier to flank enemies.

=== Against the M4A1 (75) W ===
'''Light tank/SPAA''': light vehicles with below-average penetration may struggle to fight an M4A1 frontally. There are weakspots, though: the hull side armour at the front blends into the upper front plate, forming a visible and thin triangular section each side right above the front sprocket wheel. It is only 38 mm thick like the side and is pretty much unangled, so even from the front, a light tank with over ~55 mm penetration can penetrate these two areas and knock out some turret crew. SPAA, with their rapid firing autocannons, will make short work of the thin side armour by firing long bursts across the entire side if it is exposed. Other than these areas, the M4A1 is quite sturdy, so do not shoot at places like upper front plate, turret, not even the spherical MG port.

'''Medium tanks''': for medium tanks, apart from the two weakspots mentioned above, there are more weaknesses to shoot at on the M4A1. Tanks like the [[Pz.IV F2]] and 75 mm [[M4]] can target the upper part of the upper front plate where the armour gently blends with the driver's hatch and is almost laid horizontally flat, that area is less than 20 mm thick so average 75 mm/76 mm cannons will overmatch it and pierce through. Some might be wanting to shoot the turret, but American turrets are popular for their sturdiness. Although the on-paper thickness of the turret front is 63 mm, the gun mantlet, occupying most of the frontal turret, is actually 88 mm with slight angles. There are also thick framing around the gun barrel and the edge of the mantlet, which can cause non-penetrations. Therefore for common medium tanks with average cannons, it is best to avoid the turret/mantlet unless it is not facing you.

'''Heavy tank/tank destroyer''': these vehicles with more powerful guns can easily penetrate the M4A1's hull unless the incidence angle is too small that a ricochet happens. If you are to fire at the turret front, avoid the edges of the gun mantlet and the surroundings of the gun barrel. Shoot at the very middle parts besides the barrel where the effective thickness is no more than 90 mm.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

[[M4A2]]/[[M4A4 (1st PTG)|A4]]:

These Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75 mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300 m away. For an M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there is a guaranteed kill most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's an M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armour unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenceless. Note that their guns are equally weak against you, so wiggle around to disrupt their aim while you reload, you have a good chance of bouncing some shells.

[[KV-1 (ZiS-5)]]:

While the [[KV-1 (L-11)|L-11]] is underpowered, the [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|ZiS-5]] is potent enough to punch through the Sherman's front, and the Sherman is unable to penetrate the KV-1's thick armour especially with its add-on armour plates. If this heavy tank is encountered and it's angling the hull, aim at the gun mantlet as it is only 50 mm thick. You can knock out its gunner easily. Or shoot at the thin cupola, there's also some chance to kill the gunner. Of course, the best way is to shoot at its sides and rear without any angle, where its armour is unsloped, though it will still have to be at a close range to penetrate the armour. In addition, shots to the sides will most likely hit fuel tanks or ammunition storage, causing a fire or ammunition detonation and at best, time to reassess the situation.

[[Churchill I]], [[Churchill III]], [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]:

The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to kill at range. Again, manoeuvre as close to them as possible, the ideal distance being no more than 200 m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89 mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armour, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.

[[Pz.IV F2]]/[[Pz.IV G|G]]/[[Pz.IV H|H]]/[[Pz.IV J|J]]:

The historical nemesis of any Sherman, the Panzer IV is one of the Sherman's biggest threats at this rank. The long barrel 75 mm gun will easily penetrate the Sherman from the front. The F2 variant is admittedly easy to deal with. A single APCBC to its hull or turret should end it pretty quickly, even at long range. The other variants are slightly harder to deal with. They have thicker hull armour, at 80 mm, which will be much harder to penetrate with the APCBC over 500 m. Luckily the turret armour remains the same at 50 mm. Either aim here with APCBC or sacrifice damage potential and use the AP round to penetrate the hull.

[[StuG III F]]/[[StuG III G|G]]:

Another historical nemesis of the Sherman, and another big threat. The StuG III packs the same punch as the Panzer IV line with its long barrel 75 mm gun, whilst losing the turret, which turns out to be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Lacking a turret means that it will have to traverse the whole vehicle to target an enemy, but it also means that it has a lower profile. The StuG's armour profile is also more complex than the Panzer IV, with less flat areas. Certain areas are sloped and very bouncy. Luckily, there is a big weak spot. There are two flat plates on the front of the hull. The flat plate on the right is the drivers port. Shoot that and you are able to kill the driver, gunner and loader in one go. This is a very efficient way to destroy this vehicle. With the F variant, you can use APCBC to instantly one-shot this vehicle. With the G variant, it is more reliable to use AP at ranges within 500 m to ensure penetration.

[[R3 T20 FA-HS]]:

This speedy wheeled vehicle can circle around you with ease and wipe out all your crew with its fast firing autocannon. In a close encounter, never expose your side to it, and do not even angle your hull. Face your hull directly to the R3, because on each side of the cast hull, above the inducer wheel there is a triangular area that blends and connects the upper front plate to the side. By angling the hull, this triangle becomes unangled to the R3, making it easily penetrated, and the driver / gunner will usually get knocked out first. It is harder for the R3 to penetrate your unangled hull thus giving you more time to react and destroy it.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Sloped hull armour and thick frontal turret can deflect quite some shells sometimes.
* APCBC shell is pretty effective against common opponents like the Pz.IV series and early Shermans.
* Vertical stabiliser allows the tank to fire on the move, or shoot first in a sudden encounter.
* Fast turret traverse, easily deal with enemies from multiple directions.
* Relatively fast reload of about 5 seconds.
* Great mountain warfare capacities due to its 10° gun depression and 90+mm gun mantlet.
* HMG can effectively damage light vehicles (M18, VFW) or low-flying aircraft.
* Wet ammo stowage reduces chance of being ammo-racked

'''Cons:'''

* Narrow tracks give it awkward turning speed.
* 38 mm side is weak, even rank I vehicles can penetrate
* Short gun creates low shell velocity and curved trajectory. Requires better aiming at long range or with moving targets
* High profile compared to other medium tanks it faces
* Armour can't resist tanks like [[Pz.IV G]] or 76mm Sherman
* The cast hull creates frontal weak spots with very little effective thickness, eg. the triangles between upper front plate and the side, and the curved hull hatches

== 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 ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=china&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=cn_m4a1_76w_sherman Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|-eKsbrt54hA|'''Spade Review, {{PAGENAME}}. A Hull down beast!''' - ''Joseph 2000''}}

== 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;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
* ''other literature.''

{{China medium tanks}}

M4A4 (1st PTG) (China)

2021-04-13T11:15:59Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Max vert speed M4a4_1stPTG

{{About
| about = gift Chinese medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other M4 Shermans
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_m4a4_sherman_1st_ptg
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|store = 7055
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]]. It is identical to the tech tree [[M4A4 (China)|M4A4]] except for a unique skin and a pintle mounted heavy machine gun

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (transmission housing, turret, gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50.8 mm (56°) ''Front glacis'' 50.8 mm (8-17°) + 25.4 mm (29°) ''Viewports'' 34 + 25.4 mm (spherical) ''MG port'' 50.8 mm (3°) ''Radio antenna bulge'' 50.8 mm (cylindrical) ''Transmission housing'' || 38.1 mm 38.1 + 25.4 mm ''Ammo racks'' || 38.1 mm (21°) ''Top'' 38.1 mm ''Bottom'' || 19.5 mm ''Front section'' 12.7 mm (7°) ''Engine bay - centre'' 19.5 mm (23°) ''Engine bay - sides''
|-
| Turret || 76 mm (7-65°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 mm (9-26°) ''Turret front - gunner side'' 50.8 + 88.9 mm (cylindrical) ''Gun mantlet'' || 50.8 mm (1-3°) ''Turret sides'' 50.8 mm (58-66°) ''Roof radius'' || 50.8 mm (1-5°) ''Sponson'' 50.8 mm (21-65°) ''Roof slope'' || 25.4 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 50.8 mm (16°) || 25.4 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick and bogies are 10 mm thick.
* The belly of the tank is 12.7 mm thick.
* The internal wall separating the crew compartment from the engine bay is 9.5 mm thick.

The hull is very similar to the American [[M4|M4 Sherman]], with a 50.8 mm thick upper glacis and protruding hatches interrupting the glacis (reinforced with appliqué armour). A weak spot is the radio antenna bulge on the machine gunner side. The hull sides feature appliqué armour plates covering the ammunition storage racks. The turret is also very similar but lacks the appliqué armour on the right cheek, leaving a small weakened zone in that area. Frontal protection is quite good for its rank and shots from smaller anti-tank guns can generally be shrugged off, particularly when hull down. However more powerful guns such as the [[Pz.IV F2]]'s long 75 mm can destroy the tank easily, so care should be taken. The side armour is only 38.1 mm thick and can be easily penetrated by just about any anti-tank gun if not angled.

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


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

Based on the chassis of the M4, the {{PAGENAME}} has the same good all-round mobility: the tank accelerates quickly and is able to reach a maximum speed of 44 km/h in a dozen of seconds. The brakes are powerful and will make the M4A4 skid rather than slow down when driving at maximum speed. The violent braking also causes the hull to wobble, making your targeting less accurate. The reverse speed is rather poor: it won't get you out of a dangerous situation quickly enough. The lack of neutral steering makes turning on the spot slow (2 km/h): make sure to build a little speed before turning and you'll turn much faster (11 km/h). Turning in reverse is equally slow (-2 km/h) Turning at full speed doesn't make you lose much speed as your acceleration is good. The offroad mobility is good: the {{PAGENAME}} reaches 16 km/h when fording, 17 km/h when driving uphill with some speed built-up but a mere 10 km/h uphill from a stop start. The tracks are large and grant you a decent mobility on hard (solid ground, roads) and soft terrain (mud, snow, sand). Light and medium obstacles (fences, posts, bushes and small trees) are not a problem but large obstacles will reduce your mobility: avoid them.

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

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

{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || 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" | 98 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0 || 0.1 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M89 || 259 || 3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[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
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''98''' || 91 ''(+7)'' || 89 ''(+9)'' || 86 ''(+12)'' || 79 ''(+19)'' || 62 ''(+36)'' || 46 ''(+52)'' || 31 ''(+67)'' || 1 ''(+97)'' || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_M4A4_(Italy).png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
Notes:

* To go into battle with the turret basket empty of ammo, pack 79 ''(+19)'' shells (racks 1 to 4 emptied).
* To go into battle with the turret basket and the flanks empty of ammo, pack 31 ''(+67)'' shells (racks 1 to 7 emptied).
* The 8th rack is large and located in a weak spot: the bottom section of the armour. In case of penetration, there is a high risk of ammo rack detonation. Make sure not to expose your flanks unnecessarily.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

The M4A4 is armed with both a pintle-mounted 12.7 mm M2HB .50 cal machine gun and a coaxial 7.62 mm M1919A4 .30 cal machine gun. The latter is useful as a secondary machine gun to supplement the larger 12.7 mm machine gun, both increasing the volume of fire you can put out in a burst of your machine guns and providing a backup machine gun in case your .50 cal gunner runs out of ammo or is knocked out. The 12.7 mm machine gun is more useful as it does more damage and has more penetration. It can swivel independently of the main gun, but not a full 360 degrees around so you will still need to traverse the turret to follow moving targets. Both can be used to shoot at aircraft and unarmoured spots on enemy vehicles, and the .50 cal specifically is capable of damaging vehicles with very light armour due to the penetration.

{| 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 || 300 (200) || 577 || -10°/+30° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| 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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The M4 Sherman is an effective medium-range combat tank. Equipped with a fast-firing 75 mm gun and with good handling characteristics, the M4A4 can be an extremely useful asset in most battles.

In battle the M4A4 performs well as an all-rounder; the thick turret front and 10 degrees of gun depression make the tank ideal for taking hull-down positions which protect the thinner hull armour from being penetrated by enemy fire. The sloped front upper glacis, when angled, also provides good protection against enemy fire. An unusual - and useful - difference is that the upper glacis is sloped at 56 degrees rather than the standard 45 degrees, making it more of a threat and more powerful due to improving the chances of a round ricochet. The only downfall may be the 2 crew member position in the front that protrudes out to form a flat surface, but both are covered with an additional 20 mm plate. The reasonable mobility of the Sherman makes flanking a viable tactic. The main weakness of the M4A4 is the side armour - not only is it vertical and thin, but behind it most of the ammunition is stowed. The tall silhouette of the tank also makes finding suitable cover difficult. Overall, the M4 Sherman can be considered as an armoured jack-of-all-trades - it will serve a tanker well, however it will not excel in any particular role.

In battle, try to use terrain as cover. Hull-down positions are especially strong in the M4 Sherman, as it has a good 10 degrees of gun depression. The gun mantlet and turret are reasonably strong, but avoiding shots is still the best strategy. In this respect, a hull-down position hides the vulnerable hull. If this is not available, then angling the hull armour to present a greater slope is often a good idea, as this can bounce some low-powered cannon at any range and at longer ranges, render the hull impenetrable.

Another way to play the M4A4 is to tap into its traditional cavalry role, its mobility. The M4 Sherman is a great flanker as it is fast enough to get the jump on the enemy's side. Defeat the enemy at their weak front lines or go around the entire enemy force. Once in position at their sides or rear, ambush them. Ideally, the enemy should be too busy focusing on allies attacking in the front to notice the M4A4 instantly. Take out the weaker light or medium tanks, the 75 mm gun is not very ideal against heavy tanks like the KV-1s and Churchills so take out its friends to allow allies more room to outmanoeuvre them. An organized attack will increase the M4A4 chances on the battlefield and success.

The presence of a pivot-mounted .50 calibre machine gun gives the Sherman some flexibility. It can engage softer targets such as some tank destroyers and many SPAAGs at short ranges when loading a HE shell would be inconvenient. While not ideal, they provide the Sherman tank with some measure of protection against aircraft- sometimes enough to dissuade a pilot from making another pass. It can be an effective rang-finder for targets at longer ranges where the M1919 coaxial would be less effective. While it pales in comparison to the destructive effect of tank guns, it provides the Sherman with some flexibility over other comparable vehicles, who are restricted to their rifle-calibre coaxial machine guns.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

* [[M4A2]] / [[M4A4 (France)|A4]]: these Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75 mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300 m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there is a guaranteed kill most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's a M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armour unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenceless. Note that their guns are equally weak against you, so wiggle around to disrupt their aim while you reload, you have a good chance of bouncing some shells.

* [[KV I C 756 (r) (Germany)|KV I C 756 (r)]]: A vehicle that the M4 Sherman will have trouble against is this German KV-1. Upgunned with the [[KwK40 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK40]], this Beutepanzer is potent enough to punch through the Sherman's front, with its heavy frontal armour being almost impervious to the Sherman. If this heavy tank is encountered angling its hull, aim at the large gun mantlet as it is only 50 mm thick, or shoot at the thin copula, both of which can kill the gunner. Of course, the best way is to shoot at its sides and rear without any angle, where its armour is flat, though it will still have to be at a close range to penetrate the armour. In addition, shots to the sides will most likely hit fuel tanks or ammunition storage, causing a fire or ammunition detonation.

* [[Churchill I]], [[Churchill III]], [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]: The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to kill at range. Again, manoeuvre as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200 m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret front which is at most 89 mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull has multiple layers of armour, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb shells repeatedly.

* [[Pz.IV F2]]/[[Pz.IV G|G]]/[[Pz.IV H|H]]/[[Pz.IV J|J]]: The historical nemesis of any Sherman, the Panzer IV is one of the Sherman's biggest threats at this rank. The long barrel 75 mm gun will easily penetrate the Sherman from the front. The F2 variant is admittedly easy to deal with. A single APCBC to its hull or turret should end it pretty quickly, even at long range. The other variants are slightly harder to deal with. They have thicker hull armour, at 80 mm, which will be much harder to penetrate with the APCBC over 500 m. Luckily the turret armour remains the same at 50 mm. Either aim here with APCBC or sacrifice damage potential and use the AP round to penetrate the hull.

* [[StuG III F]]/[[StuG III G|G]]: Another historical nemesis of the Sherman, and another big threat. The StuG III packs the same punch as the Panzer IV line with its long barrel 75 mm gun, whilst losing the turret, which turns out to be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Lacking a turret means that it will have to traverse the whole vehicle to target an enemy, but it also means that it has a lower profile. The StuG's armour profile is also more complex than the Panzer IV, with less flat areas. Certain areas are sloped and very bouncy. Luckily, there is a big weak spot. There are two flat plates on the front of the hull. The flat plate on the right is the drivers port. Shoot that and you are able to kill the driver, gunner and loader in one go. This is a very efficient way to destroy this vehicle. With the F variant, you can use APCBC to instantly one-shot this vehicle. With the G variant, it is more reliable to use AP at ranges within 500 m to ensure penetration.

* [[R3 T20 FA-HS]]: this is a small, fast and annoying armoured car that is able to appear at unexpected positions early in the match. If you are aware of its presence, face your front towards it, it has zero chance of penetrating an M4 frontally, but make sure to slightly traverse your turret side to side while you reload if you fail to one-shot it, to disrupt its aim as it will usually target gun barrels. Firing MG rounds at the ammo box next to its autocannon also has a chance to cause an ammo detonation. If you are caught off guard (usually from the side), try your best to not present your side armour unangled, since it is large and only 38 mm thick, easily penetrable by the R3. Angle the hull immediately to swing your frontal hull or even the rear towards it, both of which is better than exposing your weak side armour. As it tries to find a weakspot, get your gun on it and destroy it. If it gets away it will be a huge harm to your entire team later on.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great penetration and post-penetration damage when using M61 shells; can frontally penetrate and one-shot most common opponents like the [[Pz.IV F2]], [[Chi-Nu]] or [[StuG III F]].
* Excellent gun depression of -10° plus the angled frontal turret allows it to utilise hills very well.
* Fitted with a vertical stabilizer, allowing more accurate fire on the move compared to other tanks, as well as better usage of shoot-n-scoot tactics.
* Great turret traverse speed allows it to deal with multiple threats easily.
* Pintle-mounted HMG provides an anti-aircraft defence or anti-tank duty against tanks like [[Marder III]].
* Adequate top speed allows it to get to positions in time, or to do tactical manoeuvres like flanking.

'''Cons:'''

* The best M61 shell struggles to penetrate heavy targets like [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)]], Churchill Mk.III or even the T-34 and M10 when angled.
* Trajectory is curved and velocity is low due to its short barrel, thus distant/moving targets are hard to shoot at.
* Large profile and weak side armour; flankers like the Sd.kfz.234/2 can easily see and penetrate it.
* Frontal armour is inadequate, will get frontally penetrated and one-shot by tanks like [[Pz.IV F2]] / G, [[StuG III F]] / G, [[M10 (Family)|M10]]
* Turret has weak spot in front of the gunner, making it easy to disable gun operation.
* Roof armour of 19.5 mm thick is vulnerable to airstrikes from large calibre guns like the widely used [[M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|M2 Browning]].
* Hull traverse is quite slow, making it sluggish in a turn.
* The narrow tracks offer poor ground flotation, thus poor off-road capabilities. Can only reach its top speed on paved or hard surfaces.

== History ==


=== 1st Provisional Tank Group ===
The M4A4 (1st PTG) was one of many M4 medium tanks armed with a 75 mm gun provided by the U.S to China through the lend-Lease program in April 1944. It was part of the 1st Provisional Tank Group, a joint American and Chinese unit formed in the China-Burma-India theatre in 1943, where it fought against the Japanese. It was deactivated in 1945 at the end of war, with the American troops returned to the US and the Chinese troops reformed as a separate unit which saw service in the Chinese Civil War (1946-49), where it was destroyed by Chinese communist forces in 1949.

This tank had a "Tiger face" painted on its mantlet and "claws" painted on the armoured plate in front of the driver. The top of the tank was painted yellow in order for it to be recognized by allied air units.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=china&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=cn_m4a4_sherman_1st_ptg Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|QUt65nikkaE|'''Should You Buy The {{PAGENAME}}?''' - ''Sako Sniper''|LLTK7UUwOck|'''{{PAGENAME}} - A Thinking Man's Battle Experience''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==


;Other M4A4s

* [[M4A4 (China)]]
* [[M4A4 (France)]]
* [[M4A4 (Italy)]]

== External links ==


* [https://www.cbi-theater.com/1ptg/1ptg.html <nowiki>[China - Burma - India]</nowiki> 1st Provisional Tank Group]

{{China medium tanks}}
{{China premium ground vehicles}}

M4A4 (China)

2021-04-13T11:15:20Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ vert max CN M4A4

{{About
| about = medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other M4 Shermans
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_m4a4_sherman
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]]. The American-made M4A4 tank is similar construction to the [[M4]] seen in the American tech tree, but fitted with an A57 Chrysler multi-bank engine. The larger engine design required a longer hull to hold it, resulting in the M4A4's elongated profile, as well as the wider spacing between the suspension bogies. Otherwise, the utility of the M4A4 in the Chinese tech tree is no different than any other 75 mm armed M4 Sherman tanks.

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (transmission housing, turret, gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50.8 mm (56°) ''Front glacis'' 50.8 mm (8-17°) + 25.4 mm (29°) ''Viewports'' 34 + 25.4 mm (spherical) ''MG port'' 50.8 mm (3°) ''Radio antenna bulge'' 50.8 mm (cylindrical) ''Transmission housing'' || 38.1 mm 38.1 + 25.4 mm ''Ammo racks'' || 38.1 mm (21°) ''Top'' 38.1 mm ''Bottom'' || 19.5 mm ''Front section'' 12.7 mm (7°) ''Engine bay - centre'' 19.5 mm (23°) ''Engine bay - sides''
|-
| Turret || 76 mm (7-65°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 mm (9-26°) ''Turret front - gunner side'' 50.8 + 88.9 mm (cylindrical) ''Gun mantlet'' || 50.8 mm (1-3°) ''Turret sides'' 50.8 mm (58-66°) ''Roof radius'' || 50.8 mm (1-5°) ''Sponson'' 50.8 mm (21-65°) ''Roof slope'' || 25.4 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 50.8 mm (16°) || 25.4 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick and bogies are 10 mm thick.
* The belly of the tank is 12.7 mm thick.
* The internal wall separating the crew compartment from the engine bay is 9.5 mm thick.

The hull is very similar to the American [[M4|M4 Sherman]], with a 50.8 mm thick upper glacis and protruding hatches interrupting the glacis (reinforced with appliqué armour). A weak spot is the radio antenna bulge on the machine gunner side. The hull sides feature appliqué armour plates covering the ammunition storage racks. The turret is also very similar but lacks the appliqué armour on the right cheek, leaving a small weakened zone in that area. Frontal protection is quite good for its rank and shots from smaller anti-tank guns can generally be shrugged off, particularly when hull down. However more powerful guns such as the [[Pz.IV F2]]'s long 75 mm can destroy the tank easily, so care should be taken. The side armour is only 38.1 mm thick and can be easily penetrated by just about any anti-tank gun at your rank if not angled.

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


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

Based on the chassis of the M4, the {{PAGENAME}} has the same good all-round mobility: the tank accelerates quickly and is able to reach a maximum speed of 44 km/h in a dozen of seconds. The brakes are powerful and will make the M4A4 skid rather than slow down when driving at maximum speed. The violent braking also causes the hull to wobble, making your targeting less accurate. The reverse speed is rather poor: it won't get you out of a dangerous situation quickly enough. The lack of neutral steering makes turning on the spot slow (2 km/h): make sure to build a little speed before turning and you'll turn much faster (11 km/h). Turning in reverse is equally slow (-2 km/h) Turning at full speed doesn't make you lose much speed as your acceleration is good. The offroad mobility is good: the {{PAGENAME}} reaches 16 km/h when fording, 17 km/h when driving uphill with some speed built-up but a mere 10 km/h uphill from a stop start. The tracks are large and grant you a decent mobility on hard (solid ground, roads) and soft terrain (mud, snow, sand). Light and medium obstacles (fences, posts, bushes and small trees) are not a problem but large obstacles will reduce your mobility: avoid them.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}The first modifications that you should research are of course, Parts, FPE, and Crew Replenishment. Then the M61 shot should be prioritized to maximize your tank-killing capability. After that, you should research the firepower modifications. Finally, you should research the mobility modifications, and finally the rest of the modifications.

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

{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}

The M4A4's 75 mm gun is average for its rank, but it will still be able to knock out many of its common enemies with a single shot such as the [[Pz.IV F2]], the [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]] and other [[M4 Sherman (Family)|M4 Shermans]]. It can also destroy more armoured targets like the [[KV-1 (L-11)]], albeit with more difficulty and precise aiming. However, the gun has a rather long reload time of 6.5 seconds stock, which is not ideal for dealing with multiple targets or sending a follow-up shot.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || 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" | 98 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
The main shell you should use is the M61 APCBC, which can punch through the most armour and has decent post-penetration damage. Around 20-25 of these rounds should be carried. You should also carry at least one HE shell, as you don't have a M2 heavy machine gun like other Shermans, so unarmoured vehicles like SPAAs will be hard to kill with just your paltry 7.62 mm machine gun. 2 or 3 smoke shells should also be carried in case you can't destroy an enemy and will have to settle for confusing it with smoke. In a pinch, these can also be used to hide from enemies. A couple AP rounds can also be carried, but the APCBC shot is better in all aspects.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0 || 0.1 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M89 || 259 || 3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[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
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''98''' || 91 ''(+7)'' || 89 ''(+9)'' || 86 ''(+12)'' || 79 ''(+19)'' || 62 ''(+36)'' || 46 ''(+52)'' || 31 ''(+67)'' || 1 ''(+97)'' || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_M4A4_(Italy).png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
Notes:

* To go into battle with the turret basket empty of ammo, pack 79 ''(+19)'' shells (racks 1 to 4 emptied).
* To go into battle with the turret basket and the flanks empty of ammo, pack 31 ''(+67)'' shells (racks 1 to 7 emptied).
* The 8th rack is large and located in a weak spot: the bottom section of the armour. In case of penetration, there is a high risk of ammo rack detonation. Make sure not to expose your flanks unnecessarily.

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

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

The M4A4 only has a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun and lacks the powerful roof-mounted M2 Browning seen on other Sherman models. This makes fending off lightly-armoured and fast opponents like the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|Puma]] more difficult as the main gun must be used instead. The lone M1919A4 is also unlikely to do significant damage to incoming aircraft. Also, the M1919A4 is also not ideal for dealing with thinly armored SPAAs, since the penetration is not impressive even for a machine gun.

{| 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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The M4 Sherman is a short to medium-range combat tank with good handling characteristics and equipped with an effective 75 mm gun, it can be an extremely useful asset in most battles.

In battle the M4 performs well as an all-rounder and jack-of-all-trades; the thick turret front and 10 degrees of gun depression make the tank ideal for taking hull-down positions which protect the thinner hull armour from being penetrated by enemy fire. The sloped front upper glacis, when angled, also provides good protection against enemy fire. An unusual - and useful - difference is that the upper glacis is sloped at 56 degrees rather than the standard 45 degrees, making it more of a threat and more powerful due to improving the chances of a round ricochet. The only downfall may be the 2 crew member position in the front that protrudes out to form a flat surface, but both are covered with an additional 20 mm plate. The reasonable mobility of the Sherman makes flanking a viable tactic. The main weakness of the M4 is the side armour - not only is it vertical and thin, but behind it most of the ammunition is stowed. The tall silhouette of the tank also makes finding suitable cover difficult. Overall, the M4 Sherman can be considered as an armoured jack-of-all-trades - it will serve a tanker well, however it will not excel in any particular role.

In battle, try to use terrain as cover. Hull-down positions are especially strong in the M4 Sherman, as it has a good 10 degrees of gun depression. The gun mantlet and turret are reasonably strong, but avoiding shots is still the best strategy. In this respect, a hull-down position hides the vulnerable hull. If this is not available, then angling the hull armour to present a greater slope is often a good idea, as this can bounce some low-powered cannon at any range and at longer ranges, render the hull impenetrable.

Another way to play the M4 Sherman is to tap into its traditional cavalry role, its mobility. The M4 Sherman is a great flanker as it is fast enough to get the jump on the enemy's side. Defeat the enemy at their weak front lines or go around the entire enemy force. Once in position at their sides or rear, ambush them. Ideally, the enemy should be too busy focusing on allies attacking in the front to notice the M4 instantly. Take out the weaker light or medium tanks, the 75 mm gun is not very ideal against heavy tanks like the [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] so take out its friends to allow allies more room to outmanoeuvre the KV tank. An organized attack will increase the M4 chances on the battlefield and success.

Compared to the contemporary [[T-34 (1943) (China)|T-34 (1943)]] in the PLA line of the Chinese tree, the M4A4 has worse mobility but enjoys vastly improved gun handling. They are good complements to each other, as the T-34 excels in fast, aggressive attacks while the M4A4 is good for methodical pushes and hull-down scenarios.

;Enemies worth noting:

[[M4A2]] / [[M4A4 (1st PTG)|M4A4]]: these Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300 m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there is a guaranteed kill most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's a M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armour unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenseless. Note that their guns are equally weak against you, so wiggle around to disrupt their aim while you reload, you have a good chance of bouncing some shells.

[[KV I C 756 (r) (Germany)|KV I C 756 (r)]]:

A vehicle that the M4 Sherman will have trouble against is this German KV-1. While the [[KV-1 (L-11)|L-11]] is underpowered, the [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|ZiS-5]] is potent enough to punch through the Sherman's front, and the Sherman is unable to penetrate the KV-1's thick frontal armour especially with its add-on armour plates. If this heavy tank is encountered and if it's angling the hull, aim at the gun mantlet as it is only 50 mm thick. You can knock out its gunner easily. Or shoot at the thin copula, there's also some chance to kill the gunner. Of course, the best way is to shoot at its sides and rear without any angle, where its armour is unsloped, though it will still have to be at a close range to penetrate the armour. In addition, shots to the sides will most likely hit fuel tanks or ammunition storage, causing a fire or ammunition detonation and at best, time to reassess the situation.

[[Churchill I]], [[Churchill III]], [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]:

The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to kill at range. Again, manoeuvre as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200 m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. Also, if you are trying to get a flank shot on them, keep in mind that the Churchill's sides have multiple layers of armour, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.

[[Pz.IV F2]]/G/H/J

The historical nemesis of any Sherman, the Panzer IV is one of the Shermans biggest threats at this rank. The long-barreled 75 mm gun will easily penetrate the Sherman from the front. However, The common F2 variant is admittedly easy to deal with. A single APCBC to its hull or turret should end it pretty quickly, even at long range. The other variants are slightly harder to deal with. They have thicker hull armour, at 80 mm, which will be much harder to penetrate with the APCBC over 500 m. Luckily the turret armour remains the same at 50 mm. Either aim here with APCBC or sacrifice damage potential and use the AP round to penetrate the hull.

[[StuG III F]] / [[StuG III G]]:

Another historical nemesis of the Sherman, and another big threat. The StuG III packs the same punch as the Panzer IV line with its long barrel 75 mm gun, whilst losing the turret, which turns out to be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Lacking a turret means that it will have to traverse the whole vehicle to target an enemy, but it also means that it has a lower profile. The StuG's armour profile is also more complex than the Panzer IV, with less flat areas. Certain areas are sloped and very bouncy. Luckily, there is a big weak spot. There are two flat plates on the front of the hull. The flat plate on the right is the drivers port. Shoot that and you are able to kill the driver, gunner and loader in one go. This is a very efficient way to destroy this vehicle. With the F variant, you can use APCBC to instantly one-shot this vehicle. With the G variant, it is more reliable to use AP at ranges within 500 m to ensure penetration. Another way to destroy this vehicle is to flank it and do a quick shot to the side. As the StuG's side armour is mostly flat and weak, penetration will not be a problem. Aim for the centre to quickly destroy it, or if you can't, shoot the engine or the driver so it can't move. This way, the vehicle and its powerful gun will be stuck facing one direction, and you can quickly finish it off.

[[8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.]]

This German half-track is armed with a potent 88 mm gun that can easily knock you out in one shot. However, the gun has a long reload and the half-track has literally no armour to speak of. Also, its crew members are spread out, so unless you manage to hull break it, you're going to need multiple shots to put it down. The shell you should use while dealing with this is of course your HE shell, packed with over 600 g of explosive. First, you take out the gun. The HE shell will also knock out most of the crew members around it too, as an added bonus. Then, take out the two crew members in front of the Flak 37. This may require some more careful aiming, but if you manage to get a good shot, it will likely destroy the vehicle immediately.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent gun depression of -10° plus the angled frontal turret allows it to utilise hills very well
* Great penetration and post-penetration damage when using M61 shells; can frontally penetrate and one-shot most opponents like the [[Pz.IV F2]], [[Chi-Nu]] and [[StuG III F]]
* Great turret traverse speed allows it to deal with multiple threats easily
* Adequate top speed allows it to get to positions in time, or to do tactical manoeuvres like flanking
* Fitted with a vertical stabilizer, allowing more accurate fire on the move compared to other tanks, as well as better usage of shoot-n-scoot tactics

'''Cons:'''

* Large profile and weak side armour; flankers like the Sd.kfz.234/2 can easily see and penetrate it
* Frontal armour is still inadequate, will get frontally penetrated and one-shot by tanks like [[Pz.IV F2]] / G, [[StuG III F]] / G, [[M10 (Family)|M10]]
* The best M61 shell struggles to penetrate heavy targets like [[StuG III G]], [[Churchill III]] or even the T-34 and M10 when angled
* Trajectory is curved and velocity is low due to its short barrel, thus distant/moving targets are hard to shoot at
* Hull traverse is quite slow, making it sluggish in a turn. Also the narrow tracks offer poor ground flotation, thus poor off-road capabilities. Can only reach its top speed on paved or hard surfaces
* Lack of M2 Browning machine gun seen on most other Shermans means anti-aircraft defence is weak
* Roof armour of 19.5 mm thick is vulnerable to airstrikes with AP cannons. For example the widely used [[M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|M2 Browning]] which can penetrate up to 31 mm of armour.

== History ==


===Development===
Due to a production shortage of Ford GAA V8 engines, the M4A4 was equipped with Chrysler A57 multibank engines instead. The production ran from July 1942 to November 1943, with 7,499 M4A4 produced. Because of the much more complex maintenance that the Chrysler engine required, the M4A4 was unpopular with American mechanics. Nearly all models were sent to the British, Soviets, and Chinese through Lend-lease.

During World War II, Chinese forces in India totally received 52 M4A4s, they were all deployed to the 1st Provisional Tank Group (1st PTG). The 1st PTG consisted of 7 battalions, the first three battalions were the main battle battalions and the rest were training battalions. While the 1st PTG was the best tank group of Chinese forces at the time, those tanks did not have the same layout due to lack of resources: some had .50 machine guns on the top of turret, some didn't. From the record and photo, the most complete M4A4 deployed to the 1st battalion is available in the game as the [[M4A4 (1st PTG)]].

===Combat usage===
'''China Burma India Theater'''

The Allied ground forces needed to face their enemy - the Japanese Army - in the China Burma India theatre. On the battlefield, [[M3A3 Stuart (China)|M3A3 Stuarts]] were used in engagements, but their armour was too thin to resist Japanese anti-tank cannons.

In 1943, Allied forces provided some M4s to British forces in India. At the same time, the 1st PTG was training in Bihar, they received 35 M4A4s from the US. During The Battle of Walawbum, some [[M3A3 Stuart (China)|Stuarts]] were destroyed by Japanese artillery. Because of the shortcomings the [[M3A3 Stuart (China)|M3A3]] light tanks, Allied forces deployed the M4A4s to the 1st PTG to remedy the lack of armour and firepower of the whole tank group, this part was not listed into Lend-Lease.

The M4A4s were mainly deployed into the 1st and 2nd tank battalion of 1st PTG along existing Stuarts. In 1944, after the battle for dominating the Burma Road, Allied forces found that M3A3's armour was too weak for tank battles, the loss of crews and tanks made Allied forces realized that they need more powerful and solid tanks. they decided to provided 17 M4A4s to 1st PTG to improve its battle performance. Finally, the 1st PTG had received 52 M4A4s in total. While these tanks were provided to Chinese forces nominally, they were used by U.S. and Chinese forces together.

After World War II, the U.S. retrieved all M4s provided to the 1st PTG.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=china&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=cn_m4a4_sherman Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|y3YNSt1vLVM|'''{{PAGENAME}} Spade Review. A Great tank!''' - ''Joseph 2000''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M4A4 (1st PTG)]]
* [[M4A4 (France)]]
* [[M4A4 (Italy)]]

== External links ==


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

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

{{China medium tanks}}

Sherman V (Italy)

2021-04-13T11:14:21Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Vert max for IT M4A4

{{About
| about = medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other M4 Shermans
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=it_m4a4_sherman
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]].

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (transmission housing, turret, gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50.8 mm (56°) ''Front glacis'' 50.8 mm (8-17°) + 25.4 mm (29°) ''Viewports'' 34 + 25.4 mm (spherical) ''MG port'' 50.8 mm (3°) ''Radio antenna bulge'' 50.8 mm (cylindrical) ''Transmission housing'' || 38.1 mm 38.1 + 25.4 mm ''Ammo racks'' || 38.1 mm (21°) ''Top'' 38.1 mm ''Bottom'' || 19.5 mm Front section'' 12.7 mm (7°) ''Engine bay - centre'' 19.5 mm (23°) ''Engine bay - sides
|-
| Turret || 76 mm (7-65°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 mm (9-26°) ''Turret front - gunner side'' 50.8 + 88.9 mm (cylindrical) ''Gun mantlet'' || 50.8 mm (1-3°) ''Turret sides'' 50.8 mm (58-66°) ''Roof radius'' || 50.8 mm (1-5°) ''Sponson'' 50.8 mm (21-65°) ''Roof slope'' || 25.4 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 50.8 mm (16°) || 25.4 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick and bogies are 10 mm thick.
* The belly of the tank is 12.7 mm thick.
* The internal wall separating the crew compartment from the engine bay is 9.5 mm thick.

The hull is very similar to the American [[M4|M4 Sherman]], with a 50.8 mm thick upper glacis and protruding hatches interrupting the glacis (reinforced with appliqué armour). A weak spot is the radio antenna bulge on the machine gunner side. The hull sides feature appliqué armour plates covering the ammunition storage racks. The turret is also very similar but lacks the appliqué armour on the right cheek, leaving a small weakened zone in that area. Frontal protection is quite good for its rank and shots from smaller anti-tank guns can generally be shrugged off, particularly when hull down. However more powerful guns such as the [[Pz.IV F2]]'s long 75 mm can destroy the tank easily, so care should be taken. The side armour is only 38.1 mm thick and can be easily penetrated by just about any anti-tank gun if not angled.

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


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

Based on the chassis of the M4, the {{PAGENAME}} has the same good all-round mobility: the tank accelerates quickly and is able to reach a maximum speed of 44 km/h in a dozen of seconds. The brakes are powerful and will make the M4A4 skid rather than slow down when driving at maximum speed. The violent braking also causes the hull to wobble, making your targeting less accurate. The reverse speed is rather poor: it won't get you out of a dangerous situation quickly enough. The lack of neutral steering makes turning on the spot slow (2 km/h): make sure to build a little speed before turning and you'll turn much faster (11 km/h). Turning in reverse is equally slow (-2 km/h) Turning at full speed doesn't make you lose much speed as your acceleration is good. The offroad mobility is good: the {{PAGENAME}} reaches 16 km/h when fording, 17 km/h when driving uphill with some speed built-up but a mere 10 km/h uphill from a stop start. The tracks are large and grant you a decent mobility on hard (solid ground, roads) and soft terrain (mud, snow, sand). Light and medium obstacles (fences, posts, bushes and small trees) are not a problem but large obstacles will reduce your mobility: avoid them.

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

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

{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || 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" | 98 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
When discussing {{PAGENAME}} shells, one always has to account for the fact that it's a medium tank. This means short to medium engagement range, so realistically it can benefit more from its short-range penetration figures than long-range sniping tanks would.

* M72 shot - {{Annotation|AP|Armour-Piercing}} - Solid shot, stock shell. Acceptable penetration, poor post-penetration damage.
* M48 shell - {{Annotation|HE|High-Explosive fragmentation shell}} - Low-velocity shell useful against soft targets, in particular when hitting an open-topped vehicle. Harmless against any vehicle with more than 10 mm of armour.
* M61 shot - {{Annotation|APCBC|Armour-Piercing Capped Ballistic Capped}} - This shell has a better penetration than the M72 thanks to its ballistic cap and a good post-penetration damage thanks to its explosive filler.
* M89 smoke shell - Useful to blind enemy vehicles that are too remote for you to disable so that you can progress towards objectives.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 ||49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0 || 0.1 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M89 || 259 || 3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[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
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''98''' || 91 ''(+7)'' || 89 ''(+9)'' || 86 ''(+12)'' || 79 ''(+19)'' || 62 ''(+36)'' || 46 ''(+52)'' || 31 ''(+67)'' || 1 ''(+97)'' || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
Notes:

* To go into battle with the turret basket empty of ammo, pack 79 ''(+19)'' shells (racks 1 to 4 emptied).
* To go into battle with the turret basket and the flanks empty of ammo, pack 31 ''(+67)'' shells (racks 1 to 7 emptied).
* The 8th rack is large and located in a weak spot: the bottom section of the armor. In case of penetration, there is a high risk of ammo rack detonation. Make sure not to expose your flanks unnecessarily.

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

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

The M4A4 only has a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun and lacks the familiar pintle-mounted M2 Browning seen on other Sherman models. This makes fending off lightly-armoured and fast opponents like the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2 | Puma]] more difficult as the main gun must be used instead. The lone M1919A4 is also unlikely to do significant damage to incoming aircraft.

{| 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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The M4 Sherman is an effective medium-range combat tank. Equipped with a fast-firing 75mm gun and with good handling characteristics, the M4 can be an extremely useful asset in most battles.

In battle the M4 performs well as an all-rounder; the thick turret front and 10 degrees of gun depression make the tank ideal for taking hull-down positions which protect the thinner hull armour from being penetrated by enemy fire. The sloped front upper glacis, when angled, also provides good protection against enemy fire. An unusual - and useful - difference is that the upper glacis is sloped at 56 degrees rather than the standard 45 degrees, making it more of a threat and more powerful due to improving the chances of a round ricochet. The only downfall may be the 2 crew member position in the front that protrudes out to form a flat surface, but both are covered with an additional 20 mm plate. The reasonable mobility of the Sherman makes flanking a viable tactic. The main weakness of the M4 is the side armour - not only is it vertical and thin, but behind it most of the ammunition is stowed. The tall silhouette of the tank also makes finding suitable cover difficult. Overall, the M4 Sherman can be considered as an armoured jack-of-all-trades - it will serve a tanker well, however it will not excel in any particular role.

In battle, try to use terrain as cover. Hull-down positions are especially strong in the M4 Sherman, as it has a good 10 degrees of gun depression. The gun mantlet and turret are reasonably strong, but avoiding shots is still the best strategy. In this respect, a hull-down position hides the vulnerable hull. If this is not available, then angling the hull armour to present a greater slope is often a good idea, as this can bounce some low-powered cannon at any range and at longer ranges, render the hull impenetrable.

Another way to play the M4 Sherman is to tap into its traditional cavalry role, its mobility. The M4 Sherman is a great flanker as it is fast enough to get the jump on the enemy's side. Defeat the enemy at their weak front lines or go around the entire enemy force. Once in position at their sides or rear, ambush them. Ideally, the enemy should be too busy focusing on allies attacking in the front to notice the M4 instantly. Take out the weaker light or medium tanks, the 75 mm gun is not very ideal against heavy tanks like the [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] so take out its friends to allow allies more room to outmanoeuvre the KV tank. An organized attack will increase the M4 chances on the battlefield and success.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

[[M4A2]] / [[M4A4 (1st PTG)|A4]]: these Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there is a guaranteed kill most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's a M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armor unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenseless. Note that their guns are equally weak against you, so wiggle around to disrupt their aim while you reload, you have a good chance of bouncing some shells.

[[Churchill Mk I]], [[Churchill Mk III]]:

The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to kill at range. Again, maneuver as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armor, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.

[[KV-1 (ZiS-5)]]:

A vehicle that the M4 Sherman will have trouble against is the KV-1. While the [[KV-1 (L-11)|L-11]] is underpowered, the [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|ZiS-5]] is potent enough to punch through the Sherman's front, and the Sherman is unable to penetrate the KV-1's thick armour especially with its dd-on armor plates. If this heavy tank is encountered frontally, aim at the vertical area on the round gun mantlet as it is only 90mm thick. You can knock out its gunner this way. Or shoot at the vertical part where the gun mantlet doesn't cover to disable its turret ring and gunner / loader. Note: do not shoot at the frontal hull as it is too thick for the M61 shell. Of course, the best way is to shoot at its sides and rear without any angle, where its armour is unsloped, though it will still have to be at a close range to penetrate the armour. In addition, shots to the sides will most likely hit fuel tanks or ammunition storage, causing a fire or ammunition detonation and at best, time to reassess the situation.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent gun depression of -10° plus the angled frontal turret allows it to utilise hills very well
* Great penetration and post-penetration damage when using M61 shells; can frontally penetrate and one-shot most opponents like the [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]], [[SU-76M|SU-76]], [[M4A1]] or even the early [[KV-1 (Family)|KV-1]]
* Great turret traverse speed allows it to deal with multiple threats easily
* Sloped hull armour provides good protection against small calibre / low-penetration shells (eg. 75mm M3), and even large calibre guns when angled correctly. In addition, Italy is usually grouped with Germany therefore this M4 won't face the long 75mm, increasing its survivability
* Adequate top speed allows it to get to positions in time, or to do tactical manoeuvres like flanking
* Pintle-mounted HMG provides an anti-aircraft defence or anti-tank duty against tanks like [[ZiS-30]]
* Fitted with a vertical stabilizer, allowing more accurate fire on the move compared to other tanks, as well as better usage of shoot-n-scoot tactics

'''Cons:'''

* Large profile and weak side armour; flankers like the M24 Chaffee can easily see and penetrate it
* Frontal armour is still inadequate, will get frontally penetrated and one-shot by tanks like Achilles, [[M10 (Family)|M10]] and T-34-57
* The best M61 shell struggles to penetrate heavy targets like [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)]], Churchill Mk.III or even the T-34 and M10 when angled
* Trajectory is curved and velocity is low due to its short barrel, thus distant/moving targets are hard to shoot at
* Hull traverse is quite slow, making it sluggish in a turn
* Roof armour of 19.5 mm thick is vulnerable to airstrikes with AP cannons. For example the widely used [[M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|M2 Browning]]

== History ==

After the end of WW2, the United States started to export Sherman tanks in multiple versions for military and civil use. Italy, as part of NATO, was subject to this export deal. The US delivered at least 57 M4 Sherman tanks (M4A2 and M4A4) as part of ally cooperation. After their life in Italian service, they were demilitarized, scrapped and some other were refurbished from scrap and smuggled as tractors (32 reported Sherman tanks) to Israel to aid the IDF with 105 mm howitzers in the Israel-Palestine war.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=italy&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=it_m4a4_sherman Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
* Skins and camouflages for the [[M4A4 (China)]] or the [[M4A4 (France)]] can be used for the {{PAGENAME}}.

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|x8toili-cYE|'''M4A4 Sherman Medium Tank (Italy)''' - ''Orangefan''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M4A4 (1st PTG)]]
* [[M4A4 (China)]]
* [[M4A4 (France)]]

== External links ==


* [http://www.esercito.difesa.it/en/History/Pagine/M4-Sherman-Medium-Tank.aspx <nowiki>[Esercito]</nowiki> M4 "Sherman" Medium Tank -1946]

{{Italy medium tanks}}

Sherman I Composito (Italy)

2021-04-13T11:13:50Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Max vert speed for IT M4 Hybrid

{{About
| about = premium medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other M4 Shermans
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=it_sherman_75_37
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]].

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull sides, rear and roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (front glacis, transmission housing, turret, gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50.8 mm (54-57°) ''Front glacis'' 50.8 mm (43-48°) ''Viewports'' 38.1 (spherical) + 50.8 mm ''MG port'' 50.8 mm (cylindrical) ''Transmission housing'' 50.8 mm (8°) ''Truncated glacis over the tracks'' || 50.8 mm (7°) ''Front part'' 38.1 mm 38.1 + 25.4 mm ''Ammo racks'' || 38.1 mm (10°) || 50.8 mm (0-48°) ''Front glacis'' 19.5 mm Turret area'' 19.5 mm (7°) ''Engine bay - centre'' 19.5 mm (23°) ''Engine bay - sides
|-
| Turret || 76.2 mm (7-65°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 mm (7-25°) ''Turret front - gunner side'' 38.1 + 38.1 mm (cylindrical) ''Gun mantlet'' || 50.8 mm (1-4°) ''Turret sides'' 50.8 mm (58-66°) ''Roof radius'' || 50.8 mm (2-4°) ''Sponson'' 50.8 mm (61-66°) ''Roof slope'' || 25.4 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 50.8 mm (16°) || 25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick and bogies are 10 mm thick.

The hull is very similar to the US [[M4A1]] with a 50.8 mm frontal sloped armour but with a front glacis welded on the rest of the hull instead of a cast one. Protruding viewports and truncated corners interrupt the sloped armour of the glacis and thus are weak spots easy to target for the enemy when up close. The hull sides feature appliqué armour plates covering the ammunition stowage racks. The turret is also very similar but lacks the M4's appliqué armour on the right cheek (gunner side), leaving a small weakened zone in that area. Frontal protection is quite good for its rank and shots from smaller anti-tank guns can generally be shrugged off, particularly when hull down. However more powerful guns such as the [[Pz.IV F2]]'s long 75 mm can destroy the tank easily, so care should be taken. The side armour is only 38.1 mm thick and can be easily penetrated by just about any anti-tank gun if not angled.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=620|rbMinHp=354}}

Based on the chassis of the M4A1, the {{PAGENAME}} has the same good all-round mobility: the tank accelerates quickly and is able to reach a maximum speed of 42 km/h in a dozen of seconds. The brakes are powerful and will make the M4 Hybrid skid rather than slow down when driving at maximum speed. The violent braking also causes the hull to wobble, but your vertical stabilizer will fully compensate this effect as soon as your is slower than 20 km/h. The reverse speed is rather poor: it won't get you out of a dangerous situation quickly enough. The lack of neutral steering makes turning on the spot slow (2 km/h): make sure to build a little speed before turning and you'll turn much faster (11 km/h). Turning in reverse is equally slow (-2 km/h) Turning at full speed doesn't make you lose much speed as your acceleration is good. The offroad mobility is good: the {{PAGENAME}} reaches 19 km/h when fording, 17 km/h when driving uphill with some speed built-up but a mere 10 km/h uphill from a stop start. The tracks are large and grant you a decent mobility on hard (solid ground, roads) and soft terrain (mud, snow, sand). Light and medium obstacles (fences, posts, bushes and small trees) are not a problem but large obstacles will reduce your mobility: avoid them.

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

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

{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || 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" | 78 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.8 || 31.6 ||38.4||42.5|| 45.2 || rowspan="2" |6.50|| rowspan="2" |5.75|| rowspan="2" |5.30
| rowspan="2" |5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 ||20.4||22.6|| 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
When discussing {{PAGENAME}} shells, one always has to account for the fact that it's a medium tank. This means short to medium engagement range, so realistically it can benefit more from its short-range penetration figures than long-range sniping tanks would.

* M72 shot - {{Annotation|AP|Armour-Piercing}} - Solid shot, stock shell. Acceptable penetration, poor post-penetration damage.
* M48 shell - {{Annotation|HE|High-Explosive fragmentation shell}} - Low-velocity shell useful against soft targets, in particular when hitting an open-topped vehicle. Harmless against any vehicle with more than 10 mm of armour.
* M61 shot - {{Annotation|APCBC|Armour-Piercing Capped Ballistic Capped}} - This shell has a better penetration than the M72 thanks to its ballistic cap and a good post-penetration damage thanks to its explosive filler.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''78''' || 67 ''(+11)'' || 59 ''(+19)'' || 41 ''(+37)'' || 1 ''(+77)'' || No
|-
|}
Note:

* As they are modeled by sets of 2, shells disappear from the rack only after you fire both shells in the set.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (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 || 300 (200) || 577 || -10°/+25° || ±60°
|-
|}
The roof-mounted M2HB .50 cal heavy machine gun is very good at knocking out tracks, punching through lightly armoured vehicles and shooting down low-flying aircraft. Use it sparsely because of its low ammo count.

{| 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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
The small calibre of the M1919A4 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

== Usage in battles ==


The M4 Sherman is an effective medium-range combat tank. Equipped with a fast-firing 75 mm gun and with good handling characteristics, the M4 can be an extremely useful asset in most battles.

In battle the M4 performs well as an all-rounder; the thick turret front and 10 degrees of gun depression make the tank ideal for taking hull-down positions which protect the thinner hull armour from being penetrated by enemy fire. The sloped front upper glacis, when angled, also provides good protection against enemy fire. An unusual - and useful - difference is that the upper glacis is sloped at 56 degrees rather than the standard 45 degrees, making it more of a threat and more powerful due to improving the chances of a round ricochet. The only downfall may be the 2 crew member position in the front that protrudes out to form a flat surface, but both are covered with an additional 20 mm plate. The reasonable mobility of the Sherman makes flanking a viable tactic. The main weakness of the M4 is the side armour - not only is it vertical and thin, but behind it most of the ammunition is stowed. The tall silhouette of the tank also makes finding suitable cover difficult. Overall, the M4 Sherman can be considered as an armoured jack-of-all-trades - it will serve a tanker well, however it will not excel in any particular role.

In battle, try to use terrain as cover. Hull-down positions are especially strong in the M4 Sherman, as it has a good 10 degrees of gun depression. The gun mantlet and turret are reasonably strong, but avoiding shots is still the best strategy. In this respect, a hull-down position hides the vulnerable hull. If this is not available, then angling the hull armour to present a greater slope is often a good idea, as this can bounce some low-powered cannon at any range and at longer ranges, render the hull impenetrable.

Another way to play the M4 Sherman is to tap into its traditional cavalry role, its mobility. The M4 Sherman is a great flanker as it is fast enough to get the jump on the enemy's side. Defeat the enemy at their weak front lines or go around the entire enemy force. Once in position at their sides or rear, ambush them. Ideally, the enemy should be too busy focusing on allies attacking in the front to notice the M4 instantly. Take out the weaker light or medium tanks, the 75 mm gun is not very ideal against heavy tanks like the [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] so take out its friends to allow allies more room to outmanoeuvre the KV tank. An organized attack will increase the M4 chances on the battlefield and success.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

[[M4A2]] / [[M4A4 (1st PTG)|A4]]: these Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75 mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there is a guaranteed kill most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's a M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armour unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenseless. Note that their guns are equally weak against you, so wiggle around to disrupt their aim while you reload, you have a good chance of bouncing some shells.

[[Churchill Mk I]], [[Churchill Mk III]]:

The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to kill at range. Again, manoeuvre as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armour, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.

[[KV-1 (ZiS-5)]]:

A vehicle that the M4 Sherman will have trouble against is the KV-1. While the [[KV-1 (L-11)|L-11]] is underpowered, the [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|ZiS-5]] is potent enough to punch through the Sherman's front, and the Sherman is unable to penetrate the KV-1's thick armour especially with its add-on armour plates. If this heavy tank is encountered frontally, aim at the vertical area on the round gun mantlet as it is only 90 mm thick. You can knock out its gunner this way. Or shoot at the vertical part where the gun mantlet doesn't cover to disable its turret ring and gunner / loader. Note: do not shoot at the frontal hull as it is too thick for the M61 shell. Of course, the best way is to shoot at its sides and rear without any angle, where its armour is unsloped, though it will still have to be at a close range to penetrate the armour. In addition, shots to the sides will most likely hit fuel tanks or ammunition storage, causing a fire or ammunition detonation and at best, time to reassess the situation.

[[R3 T20 FA-HS]] (AB / mixed RB):

This speedy wheeled vehicle can circle around you with ease and wipe out all your crew with its fast firing autocannon. In a close encounter, never expose your side to it, and do not even angle your hull. Face your hull directly to the R3, because on each side of the cast hull, above the inducer wheel there is a triangular area that blends and connects the upper front plate to the side. By angling the hull, this triangle becomes unangled to the R3, making it easily penetrated, and the driver / gunner will usually get knocked out first. It is harder for the R3 to penetrate your unangled hull thus giving you more time to react and destroy it.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent gun depression of -10° plus the angled frontal turret allows it to utilise hills very well.
* Great penetration and post-penetration damage when using M61 shells; can frontally penetrate and one-shot most opponents like the [[Pz.IV F2]], [[Chi-Nu]] and T-34.
* Great turret traverse speed allows it to deal with multiple threats easily.
* Well angled upper front plate can bounce quite some shells when properly angled.
* Adequate top speed allows it to get to positions in time, or to do tactical manoeuvres like flanking.
* Pintle-mounted HMG provides an anti-aircraft defence or anti-tank duty against tank destroyers like [[Marder III]].
* Fitted with a vertical stabilizer, allowing more accurate fire on the move compared to other tanks, as well as better usage of shoot-n-scoot tactics

'''Cons:'''

* Large profile and weak side armour; flankers like the Sd.Kfz.234/2 can easily see and penetrate it.
* The cast hull creates frontal weak spots with very little effective thickness, eg. the triangles between upper front plate and the side, and the curved hull hatches
* Frontal armour is still inadequate, will get frontally penetrated and one-shot by tanks like [[Pz.IV F2]]/[[Pz.IV G|G]], [[StuG III F]]/[[StuG III G|G]], [[M10 (Family)|M10]].
* The best M61 shell struggles to penetrate heavy targets like [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)]], [[Churchill III]] or even the T-34 and M10 when angled.
* Trajectory is curved and velocity is low due to its short barrel, thus distant/moving targets are hard to shoot at.
* Hull traverse is quite slow, making it sluggish in a turn.
* Roof armour of 19.5 mm thick is vulnerable to aircraft equipped with AP cannons like the [[M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|M2 Browning]].

== History ==


;Development

In America the first M4 Hybrid was built on the 28th Aug of 1943 by the company Chrysler. The tank consisted of a [[M4|M4 Sherman]] hull (RHA) welded with a frontal glacis (UFP) of [[M4A1]], basically a mixture of cast and rolled armour. They only modified the hull and the rest was the same. These tanks were sent to Pacific and to Europe theatres where they were used by Allies in that time to fight Germany, Italy and Japan. Later, the tanks would be modified with better guns, leading to various variants showing up around the world. (ex. [[M4 Tipo IC]]).

;Italy

In Italy the Armistice was signed in September 1943, ending the Italian armoured Troops, Italian tanks ended up captured by the enemy (Germany and Italian Social Republic) or they were destroyed. The Italian Armoured Troops were dislocated in Sardegna and Corsica and were not authorized to join the 1° Raggruppamento Motorizzato Italiano, constituted the 28 September 1943 in the area of Puglia, or the Corpo Italiano di Liberazione (C.I.L.) (Italian Liberation Corp) and Gruppi di Combattimento (Fighting Groups) who fought the Axis forces with the Allies from October 1943 to April 1945.

After the war, Italy reconstituted in 1945 and 1946 a minor military command for the territorial defense, the unit was equipped wih Italian, British and American Tanks. For example, America and Great Britain would give Italy many Shermans tank variants for free, which they used extensively post-war, some of the Sherman tanks used were :

* M4 75/37 (M4 Hybrid, [[M4A4 (Italy)|M4A4]])
* M4 76/55 ([[M4 Tipo IC]], [[Sherman Vc (Italy)|M4 Tipo Vc]])
* M4 105/22 (M4A3(105))

These tanks and armoured vehicles were given to Italy, the first official armoured corps for Italy was founded in September 1947 and was reunited in Roma to create the first post-war tankers School. Italian Shermans were used from 1948 until the early 1950s, the last ones being officially put out of service in 1952.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=italy&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=it_sherman_75_37 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|TxiKY5ukN1I|'''Premium Review. {{PAGENAME}}. Not worth Full Price''' - ''Joseph 2000''|olWMdTeJ9Pc|'''{{PAGENAME}} - Containing Your Impatience For Showing Off''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same composite hull

* [[M4 Tipo IC]]

== External links ==

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

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

{{Italy medium tanks}}
{{Italy premium ground vehicles}}

M4A4 (France)

2021-04-13T11:11:59Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Vert max speed FR M4A4

{{About
| about = medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other M4 Shermans
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_m4a4_sherman
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} French medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]].

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (transmission housing, turret, gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50.8 mm (56°) ''Front glacis'' 50.8 mm (8-17°) + 25.4 mm (29°) ''Viewports'' 34 + 25.4 mm (spherical) ''MG port'' 50.8 mm (3°) ''Radio antenna bulge'' 50.8 mm (cylindrical) ''Transmission housing'' || 38.1 mm 38.1 + 25.4 mm ''Ammo racks'' || 38.1 mm (21°) ''Top'' 38.1 mm ''Bottom'' || 19.5 mm ''Front section'' 12.7 mm (7°) ''Engine bay - centre'' 19.5 mm (23°) ''Engine bay - sides''
|-
| Turret || 76 mm (7-65°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 mm (9-26°) ''Turret front - gunner side'' 50.8 + 88.9 mm (cylindrical) ''Gun mantlet'' || 50.8 mm (1-3°) ''Turret sides'' 50.8 mm (58-66°) ''Roof radius'' || 50.8 mm (1-5°) ''Sponson'' 50.8 mm (21-65°) ''Roof slope'' || 25.4 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 50.8 mm (16°) || 25.4 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick and bogies are 10 mm thick.
* The belly of the tank is 12.7 mm thick.
* The internal wall separating the crew compartment from the engine bay is 9.5 mm thick.

The hull is very similar to the American [[M4|M4 Sherman]], with a 50.8 mm thick upper glacis and protruding hatches interrupting the glacis (reinforced with appliqué armour). A weak spot is the radio antenna bulge on the machine gunner side. The hull sides feature appliqué armour plates covering the ammunition storage racks. The turret is also very similar but lacks the appliqué armour on the right cheek, leaving a small weakened zone in that area. Frontal protection is quite good for its rank and shots from smaller anti-tank guns can generally be shrugged off, particularly when hull down. However more powerful guns such as the [[Pz.IV F2]]'s long 75 mm can destroy the tank easily, so care should be taken. The side armour is only 38.1 mm thick and can be easily penetrated by just about any anti-tank gun if not angled.

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


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

Based on the chassis of the M4, the {{PAGENAME}} has the same good all-round mobility: the tank accelerates quickly and is able to reach a maximum speed of 44 km/h in a dozen of seconds. The brakes are powerful and will make the M4A4 skid rather than slow down when driving at maximum speed. The violent braking also causes the hull to wobble, making your targeting less accurate. The reverse speed is rather poor: it won't get you out of a dangerous situation quickly enough. The lack of neutral steering makes turning on the spot slow (2 km/h): make sure to build a little speed before turning and you'll turn much faster (11 km/h). Turning in reverse is equally slow (-2 km/h) Turning at full speed doesn't make you lose much speed as your acceleration is good. The offroad mobility is good: the {{PAGENAME}} reaches 16 km/h when fording, 17 km/h when driving uphill with some speed built-up but a mere 10 km/h uphill from a stop start. The tracks are large and grant you a decent mobility on hard (solid ground, roads) and soft terrain (mud, snow, sand). Light and medium obstacles (fences, posts, bushes and small trees) are not a problem but large obstacles will reduce your mobility: avoid them.

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

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

{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || 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" | 98 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
The available ammunition allows for engaging all types of targets:

* M72 shot - {{Annotation|AP|Armour-Piercing}} - Solid shot, stock shell. An armour-piercing shell with acceptable penetration but poor post-penetration damage.
* M48 shell - {{Annotation|HE|High-Explosive fragmentation shell}} - A low-velocity shell useful against soft targets, in particular when hitting an open-topped vehicle. Harmless against any enclosed vehicle with more than 10 mm of armour.
* M61 shot - {{Annotation|APCBC|Armour-Piercing Capped Ballistic Capped}} - A capped armour-piercing shell with a better penetration than the M72 thanks to its ballistic cap and a good post-penetration damage thanks to its explosive filler.
* M89 smoke shell - A shell deploying a smoke screen on impact, useful to blind enemy vehicles that are too remote for you to disable so that you can progress towards objectives.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M89 || 259 || 3.0 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[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
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''98''' || 91 ''(+7)'' || 89 ''(+9)'' || 86 ''(+12)'' || 79 ''(+19)'' || 62 ''(+36)'' || 46 ''(+52)'' || 31 ''(+67)'' || 1 ''(+97)'' || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_M4A4_(Italy).png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
Notes:

* Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
* To go into battle with the turret basket empty of ammo, pack 79 ''(+19)'' shells (racks 1 to 4 emptied).
* To go into battle with the turret basket and the flanks empty of ammo, pack 31 ''(+67)'' shells (racks 1 to 7 emptied).
* The 8th rack is large and located in a weak spot: the bottom section of the armor. In case of penetration, there is a high risk of ammo rack detonation. Make sure not to expose your flanks unnecessarily.

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

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| 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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
The small calibre of the M1919A4 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

Furthermore, with only 1 coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun and without the familiar pintle-mounted M2 Browning HMG seen on other Sherman models, the M4A4 is badly equipped to fend off fast and lightly armoured vehicles like the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|Puma]], having to rely on the main gun instead.

== Usage in battles ==

A well-rounded tank like most Shermans, the M4A4 enjoys decent armour, mobility, and firepower compared to its peers. Anyone familiar with the early Sherman models from other tech trees will feel right at home. It is best used at medium ranges, where the gun and armour are both quite effective, but it can partake in close range brawling in a pinch thanks to its vertical stabilizer. Stick close to teammates, keep an eye on the surroundings, and avoid overextending, as the reverse speed is bad and it is hard to retreat quickly.

While the frontal armour is good, especially when angled, staying constantly exposed to enemy fire is not advised due to a large number of weak spots. When hull-down, try to hide the portion of the right turret cheek next to the gun mantlet when possible, as the armour there is thin and lucky shot from a reserve tank might go through it. The side armour is very poor and it pays to watch out for flankers, even SPAAs.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

[[M4A2]] / [[M4A4 (1st PTG)|A4]]: these Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there is a guaranteed kill most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's a M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armor unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenseless. Note that their guns are equally weak against you, so wiggle around to disrupt their aim while you reload, you have a good chance of bouncing some shells.

[[KV I C 756 (r) (Germany)|KV I C 756 (r)]]:

A vehicle that the M4 Sherman will have trouble against is this German KV-1. While the [[KV-1 (L-11)|L-11]] is underpowered, the [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|ZiS-5]] is potent enough to punch through the Sherman's front, and the Sherman is unable to penetrate the KV-1's thick armour especially with its add-on armour plates. If this heavy tank is encountered and it's angling the hull, aim at the gun mantlet as it is only 50 mm thick. You can knock out its gunner easily. Or shoot at the thin cupola, there's also some chance to kill the gunner. Of course, the best way is to shoot at its sides and rear without any angle, where its armour is unsloped, though it will still have to be at a close range to penetrate the armour. In addition, shots to the sides will most likely hit fuel tanks or ammunition storage, causing a fire or ammunition detonation and at best, time to reassess the situation.

[[Churchill I]], [[Churchill III]], [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]:

The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to kill at range. Again, manoeuvre as close to them as possible, the ideal distance being no more than 200 m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89 mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armour, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.

[[Pz.IV F2]]/[[Pz.IV G|G]]/[[Pz.IV H|H]]/[[Pz.IV J|J]]:

The historical nemesis of any Sherman, the Panzer IV is one of the Sherman's biggest threats at this rank. The long barrel 75 mm gun will easily penetrate the Sherman from the front. The F2 variant is admittedly easy to deal with. A single APCBC to its hull or turret should end it pretty quickly, even at long range. The other variants are slightly harder to deal with. They have thicker hull armour, at 80 mm, which will be much harder to penetrate with the APCBC over 500 m. Luckily the turret armour remains the same at 50 mm. Either aim here with APCBC or sacrifice damage potential and use the AP round to penetrate the hull.

[[StuG III F]]/[[StuG III G|G]]:

Another historical nemesis of the Sherman, and another big threat. The StuG III packs the same punch as the Panzer IV line with its long barrel 75 mm gun, whilst losing the turret, which turns out to be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Lacking a turret means that it will have to traverse the whole vehicle to target an enemy, but it also means that it has a lower profile. The StuG's armour profile is also more complex than the Panzer IV, with less flat areas. Certain areas are sloped and very bouncy. Luckily, there is a big weak spot. There are two flat plates on the front of the hull. The flat plate on the right is the drivers port. Shoot that and you are able to kill the driver, gunner and loader in one go. This is a very efficient way to destroy this vehicle. With the F variant, you can use APCBC to instantly one-shot this vehicle. With the G variant, it is more reliable to use AP at ranges within 500 m to ensure penetration.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent gun depression of -10° plus the angled frontal turret allows it to utilise hills very well
* Great penetration and post-penetration damage when using M61 shells; can frontally penetrate and one-shot most opponents like the [[T-34 (Family)|T-34,]] Crusader, [[M4]] and others
* Vertical stabiliser allows it to fire on the move, or, in a sudden encounter, fire before the enemy which is critical
* Well angled frontal armour; when angling the hull it can deflect some low calibre / low-penetrating shells like the Stuarts' 37 mm, 75 mm M1, 76 mm F-34 / Zis-5 and others
* Adequate top speed allows it to get to positions in time, or to do tactical manoeuvres like flanking
* Rather fast reload speed for follow up shots
* Plenty of reserve ammunition for prolonged fighting without replenishing at captured points
* Due to it being a part of the German tech tree, you will not have to face the long barrel 75 mm (RB/SB) which increases its survivability quite a bit

'''Cons:'''

* Large profile and weak side armour; flankers like the M24 Chaffee can easily see and penetrate it
* Frontal armour is still inadequate, will get frontally penetrated and one-shot by tanks like Achilles, [[M10 (Family)|M10]] and T-34-57
* The best M61 shell struggles to penetrate heavy targets like [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)]], Churchill Mk.III or even the T-34 and M10 when angled
* Trajectory is curved and velocity is low due to its short barrel, thus distant/moving targets are hard to shoot at
* Hull traverse is quite slow, making it sluggish in a turn
* Roof armour of 19.5 mm thick is vulnerable to airstrikes with AP cannons. For example the widely used [[M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|M2 Browning]]

== History ==


===Combat usage===
The M4A4 was a M4 variant exclusively manufactured for export purposes. They equipped British, French, Italian and French armies.
The {{PAGENAME}} were provided officially to the Free French Forces through the lend-lease program alongside the M4A2 in 1943 and 1944.
656 Shermans were allocated to the Free French Forces: 274 M4A4 and 382 M4A2. The first M4A4 were delivered in 1943 in the ports of Algiers and Casablanca to equip French Armoured Divisions. They were then transported to the UK in 1944 in preparation of the invasion of France and saw combat action in France in 1944 and in Western Germany in early 1945.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=france&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=fr_m4a4_sherman Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M4A4 (1st PTG)]]
* [[M4A4 (China)]]
* [[M4A4 (Italy)]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:M4_Sherman|[Wikipedia] M4 Sherman]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M4_Sherman <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Medium Tank M4 Sherman]
* [http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/french_shermans/french_shermans.html <nowiki>[The Shadock]</nowiki> French Shermans during WW2]

{{France medium tanks}}

M4A1 (France)

2021-04-13T11:11:19Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ max vert speed French M4A1

{{About
| about = medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other M4 Shermans
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_m4a1_sherman
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} French medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.75 "La Résistance"]]. At its BR, the M4A1 Sherman is a very capable medium tank perfect for an aggressive play style due to its ability to react quickly and fire relatively accurately while on the move.

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

'''Armour type:'''

*Cast homogeneous armour (hull, turret, cupola)
*Rolled homogeneous armour (hull side - bottom)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 19.5 mm (63-84°) ''Front glacis - Upper section'' 50.8 mm (48-63°) ''Front glacis - Centre section'' 34 + 25.4 mm (spherical) ''MG port'' 38.1 mm (spherical) ''Front glacis - Sides'' 50.8 mm (cylindrical) ''Transmission housing'' || 38.1 mm (1-24°) ''Top'' 38.1 mm ''Bottom'' || 38.1 mm ''Upper plate'' 38.1 mm (13°) ''Lower plate'' 38.1 mm (50°) ''Lower glacis'' || 50.8 mm (27-39°) ''Front glacis'' 19.5 mm (0-28°) Turret area'' 19.5 mm (7°) ''Engine bay - centre'' 19.5 mm (20-24°) ''Engine bay - sides
|-
| Turret || 50.8-76.2 mm (18-71°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 + 76.2 mm (cylindrical) ''Gun mantlet'' || 50.8 mm (cylindrical) || 50.8 mm (4°) || 25.4 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 50.8 mm (spherical) || 50.8 mm (spherical) ''Outer ring'' 25.4 mm ''Centre''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while bogies are 10 mm thick and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 12.7 mm thick.
* A small patch on the turret front right side is thinner (50.8 mm) than the rest (76.2 mm).
* Bolt edges on the transmission housing are 101.6 mm thick.

The M4A1 is distinctive from its cast hull construction, causing it to have a curved hull shape. The front glacis armour has varying slope angles that can make shots bounce but also presents several weaknesses. The biggest is in the hull front and side joints with slightly flat angles when angling the tank, another major one is the cast construction which diminishes the labeled effectiveness of the front armour. Though its armour is still effective against certain enemy fire, one must take into account the very thin side armour (38.1 mm): anti-tank weaponry of any rank will be capable of penetrating this weak side armour so protect your flank.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=620|rbMinHp=354}}

Beware of the very poor reverse speed as it only has one reverse gear. This affects the tank's ability to play in a defensive role.

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

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

{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || 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" | 90 || rowspan="2" | -12°/+18° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}
The 75 mm M3 gun is mounted in the M34 gun mount with the periscopic, a skinny gun mount compared to the future M34A1 which all future 75 mm M4 Sherman guns are mounted. This lowers the area the gun mantlet covers to contribute to turret front armour, but does present a slightly greater gun depression by -2° than the future M34A1 mounts. Combined with the very fast turret traverse rate, fast reload time of 6.5 seconds and a vertical gun stabilizer, the 75 mm M3 cannon is capable of destroying nearly all armoured targets. The gun depression angle of -12° also makes this tank excel in hull down positions.

==== Ammunition ====
When discussing the M4A1's shells, one always has to account for the fact that it's a medium tank. This means short to medium engagement range, so realistically it can benefit more from its short-range penetration figures than long-range sniping tanks would.

* M72 shot - {{Annotation|AP|Armour-Piercing}} - Solid shot, stock shell. An armour-piercing shell with acceptable penetration but poor post-penetration damage.
* M48 shell - {{Annotation|HE|High-Explosive fragmentation shell}} - A low-velocity shell useful against soft targets, in particular when hitting an open-topped vehicle. Harmless against any enclosed vehicle with more than 10 mm of armour.
* M61 shot - {{Annotation|APCBC|Armour-Piercing Capped Ballistic Capped}} - A capped armour-piercing shell with a better penetration than the M72 thanks to its ballistic cap and a good post-penetration damage thanks to its explosive filler.
* M89 smoke shell - A shell deploying a smoke screen on impact, useful to blind enemy vehicles that are too remote for you to disable so that you can progress towards objectives.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.30 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.30 || 0.0 || 0.5 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M89 || 259 || 3.0 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_M4A1.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M4A1 (identical).]]

{| 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
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''90''' || 82 ''(+8)'' || 75 ''(+15)'' || 72 ''(+18)'' || 70 ''(+20)'' || 54 ''(+36)'' || 38 ''(+52)'' || 22 ''(+68)'' || 1 ''(+89)'' || Yes
|-
|}
Notes:

* The visual discrepancy concerns rack 8: 28 shells are modeled but it contains only 21 shells.
* Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
* Flanks and turret empty: 22 ''(+68)'' shells.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (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 || 600 (200) || 577 || -10°/+22° || ±60°
|-
|}
The roof-mounted M2HB .50 cal heavy machine gun is very good at knocking out tracks, punching through lightly armoured vehicles and shooting down low-flying aircraft. Use it sparsely because of its low ammo count.

{| 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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
The small calibre of the M1919A4 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

== Usage in battles ==

As prior stated, the M4A1 Sherman plays best in an aggressive role. Firing on the move is not a difficult task with this tank due to the vertical stabilizer. Take advantage of this tank's immense gun depression of -12°.

The tall profile of the tank is an advantage and disadvantage. In the context of a hull-down position, it is an advantage due to you being able to angle the turret down over a hill or crest without having to pull further up the hill. The tall profile, however, does make you more visible and the tall hull makes it easy to set off an ammo rack.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

[[M4A2]] / [[M4A4 (1st PTG)|A4]]: these Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there is a guaranteed kill most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's a M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armor unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenseless. Note that their guns are equally weak against you, so wiggle around to disrupt their aim while you reload, you have a good chance of bouncing some shells.

[[KV I C 756 (r) (Germany)|KV I C 756 (r)]]:

A vehicle that the M4 Sherman will have trouble against is this German KV-1. While the [[KV-1 (L-11)|L-11]] is underpowered, the [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|ZiS-5]] is potent enough to punch through the Sherman's front, and the Sherman is unable to penetrate the KV-1's thick armour especially with its add-on armour plates. If this heavy tank is encountered and it's angling the hull, aim at the gun mantlet as it is only 50 mm thick. You can knock out its gunner easily. Or shoot at the thin cupola, there's also some chance to kill the gunner. Of course, the best way is to shoot at its sides and rear without any angle, where its armour is unsloped, though it will still have to be at a close range to penetrate the armour. In addition, shots to the sides will most likely hit fuel tanks or ammunition storage, causing a fire or ammunition detonation and at best, time to reassess the situation.

[[Churchill I]], [[Churchill III]], [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]:

The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to kill at range. Again, manoeuvre as close to them as possible, the ideal distance being no more than 200 m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89 mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armour, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.

[[Pz.IV F2]]/[[Pz.IV G|G]]/[[Pz.IV H|H]]/[[Pz.IV J|J]]:

The historical nemesis of any Sherman, the Panzer IV is one of the Sherman's biggest threats at this rank. The long barrel 75 mm gun will easily penetrate the Sherman from the front. The F2 variant is admittedly easy to deal with. A single APCBC to its hull or turret should end it pretty quickly, even at long range. The other variants are slightly harder to deal with. They have thicker hull armour, at 80 mm, which will be much harder to penetrate with the APCBC over 500 m. Luckily the turret armour remains the same at 50 mm. Either aim here with APCBC or sacrifice damage potential and use the AP round to penetrate the hull.

[[StuG III F]]/[[StuG III G|G]]:

Another historical nemesis of the Sherman, and another big threat. The StuG III packs the same punch as the Panzer IV line with its long barrel 75 mm gun, whilst losing the turret, which turns out to be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Lacking a turret means that it will have to traverse the whole vehicle to target an enemy, but it also means that it has a lower profile. The StuG's armour profile is also more complex than the Panzer IV, with less flat areas. Certain areas are sloped and very bouncy. Luckily, there is a big weak spot. There are two flat plates on the front of the hull. The flat plate on the right is the drivers port. Shoot that and you are able to kill the driver, gunner and loader in one go. This is a very efficient way to destroy this vehicle. With the F variant, you can use APCBC to instantly one-shot this vehicle. With the G variant, it is more reliable to use AP at ranges within 500 m to ensure penetration.

[[R3 T20 FA-HS]]:

This speedy wheeled vehicle can circle around you with ease and wipe out all your crew with its fast firing autocannon. In a close encounter, never expose your side to it, and do not even angle your hull. Face your hull directly to the R3, because on each side of the cast hull, above the inducer wheel there is a triangular area that blends and connects the upper front plate to the side. By angling the hull, this triangle becomes unangled to the R3, making it easily penetrated, and the driver / gunner will usually get knocked out first. It is harder for the R3 to penetrate your unangled hull thus giving you more time to react and destroy it.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Familiar M4 Sherman game style
* Good 75 mm gun, with adequate damage and a decent rate of fire
* Excellent gun depression of -12° plus the angled frontal turret allows it to utilise hills very well
* Well angled frontal armour; when angling the hull it can deflect some low calibre / low-penetrating shells like the 75 mm M1, 76 mm F-34 / Zis-5
* Very fast turret traverse speed allows it to deal with multiple threats quite easily
* Adequate top speed allows it to get to positions in time, or to do tactical manoeuvres like flanking.
* Pintle-mounted HMG provides anti-aircraft defence
* Fitted with a vertical stabilizer, allowing more accurate fire on the move compared to other tanks, as well as better usage of shoot-n-scoot tactics

'''Cons:'''

* Armour is not as strong against up-gunned vehicles like the [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV F2]] and the [[T-34 (1942)|T-34 mod.1942]]
* The best M61 shell struggles to penetrate heavy targets like [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]] and [[KV I C 756 (r) (Germany)|KV I C 756 (r)]]
* Trajectory is curved and velocity is low due to its short barrel, thus distant/moving targets are hard to shoot at
* 38.1 mm side armour is vulnerable to flankers like the Sd.kfz.234/2
* Narrow tracks offer poor ground flotation, thus poor off-road capabilities
* Prone to damage by artillery barrages, tracks can be hit and the fuel supply can be ignited
* Ammunition storage is vulnerable to cooking off
* May tip over when travelling across steep inclines

* The cast hull creates frontal weakspots with very little effective thickness, eg. the triangles between upper front plate and the side, and the curved hull hatches

== History ==

===Development===
The Battle of France in 1940 proved to America that their current tank arsenal would not be able to withstand a German assault. The only tanks in their inventory at that time was the [[M2A4|M2 Light Tanks]] and the [[M2|M2 Medium Tank]], both are inadequate against the German [[Pz.III F|Panzer IIIs]] and the [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IVs]]. The US Army, in response, ordered for a tank armed with a 75 mm gun. While a 75 mm gun was available for use, a turret able to mount the gun was not. So while the turret and tank design underwent development, the 75 mm would be mounted on the stopgap design, the [[M3 Lee|M3 Lee]] tank in a sponson mount. This interim design put the 75 mm on a lower and limited traverse mount that restricted its firing angle, but it did give the Allies a tank with the gun, so it was issued by the thousands until a better design could be made.

During the M3's development, the designs of the 75 mm armed vehicle were being drawn up and submitted by the Ordnance Department. Specifications on the tank design were strict, with restrictions made on the tank's height, width, and weight in order to make it able to be transported over bridges, roads, railroads, and on ships. These specifications would help the army by making the tank be very flexible on strategic, logistical, and tactical grounds. On April 1941, the Armored Force Board chose the simplest of the designs, which was a redesigned M3 hull and chassis with a turret mounting the 75 mm gun designated the ''T6'', completed in September 1941. This tank would then designated the '''Medium Tank M4''' in American service. The tank would become the most used Allied tank during World War II as it was lended out by the thousands in the Lend-Lease program to the Allied countries. The British called the M4 the "Sherman", which coined into the tank's name '''M4 Sherman''' that it would be known as in history. The production for the Shermans began on October 1941 and would continue to be produced until the end of the war in 1945 with around 50,000 units produced, making it the second most-produced tank in World War II before the [[T-34 (1942)|T-34 tank]].

===Design===
Many variants of the Shermans were produced, but they all followed a similar layout. The driver and bow gunner sat in the front driving compartment, the fighting compartment in the middle housed the turret its three crew member, and in the back was the engine compartment. The Sherman used many features present in previous American tank designs, the vertical volute suspension system (VVSS) and radial engine from the [[M2A4|M2 Light Tanks]], and the sloping armour of the [[M2|M2 medium tanks]]. This became a contributing factor on the Sherman's reliability on the field, as most of the design flaws were ironed out with the previous tank designs. The tank mounted the [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3 gun]], giving the tank very good AP and HE capabilities. The Sherman's turret traverse speed was very fast, able to traverse a full 360 degrees in only 15 seconds, which is considerably faster than the traverse speed on most German tanks. Another unique feature on the Sherman was the installation of a [[Gun stabilizer|gyroscopic stabilizer]] on the gun and sight, making the Sherman one of the first produced tanks to incorporate those features. While the stabilization was only done for the vertical plane, it kept the gun stable enough to be able to shoot on the move effectively, with a study showing a 70 % hit probability on an enemy 300 to 1,200 yards away when moving at a speed of 15 mph. However, this feature was controversial among the crew and experiences with it vary.

The '''M4A1 Sherman''' model ran on a gasoline Continental R975C-1 radial engine and was one of the first models of the Sherman developed. The model in-game features the early M38 telecopic sight in the M4 periscope with no zoom, which was later replaced with a M55 telescopic sight in the gun mantlet by recommendation from the British.<ref name="ZalogaArmorT1">Zaloga Steven. ''Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II'' Stackpole Books, 2008, "Baptism Of Fire"</ref> The tank's hull was fully cast, giving the tank a distinctive rounded slope front and sides. Though the rounded shape gave the frontal armour uneven angling, it provided adequate protection up to 100 mm in thickness in certain areas. Casting the hull took less man hours to perform, but suffered from the limited capability of most American factories and was hard to repair on the field. Thus, welding was prioritized as the primary manufacturing method in the other Sherman variants.<ref name="ZalogaArmorT3">Zaloga Steven. ''Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II'' Stackpole Books, 2008, "The School of Tank Technology"</ref> Nevertheless, up to 6,281 M4A1s were produced from February 1942 to December 1943, out of the 49,234 Sherman units produced in the war.

===French service===
After the Fall of France, the Free French force served with the Allies. They soon relied on new modernising equipment from the United States Lend-Lease. From the period of 1943 to the end of the war, the United States supplied a total of 657 M4 Sherman tanks to the Free French, of which 383 were the M4A2 and 274 were the M4A4 Sherman tanks.<ref name="ZalogaArmorAppC">Zaloga Steven. ''Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II'' Stackpole Books, 2008, "Appendix C"</ref> These tanks, along with M3A3 and M5A1 Stuart light tanks helped formed the Free French armoured divisions (''Division Blindée (DB)''), which themselves were modeled after the American armoured divisions. The Free French armoured divisions would be committed to the Battle of Normandy in 1944, with the 2nd DB composted entirely of M4A2 while the 1st and 5th DB came with a mixed assortment of M4A2 and M4A4. Replacing lost or worn-down equipment in the Free French armoured divisions led to the issuement of vehicles from the US Army inventory, leading to the presence of the M4, M4A1, and M4A3 Sherman models in the divisions.<ref name="VignerasFrench">Vigneras, Marcel. United States Army in World War II: Special Studies. 3 Rearming the French. Washington, DC: Office of the Chief of Military History, Dep. of the Army, 1957. Print. pp.244-246</ref> They have also been seen using M4 Sherman models with different armaments, such as the [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm Gun M1]] and the [[M4A3 (105)|105 mm howitzer]].

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=france&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=fr_m4a1_sherman Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|KmPZt_g-hbE|'''The Classic - French M4A1 Sherman - RB Gameplay''' - ''Virus''|IC-H4TIPTyI|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M4 Sherman (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[M8A1]]
* [[T14]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:M4_Sherman|[Wikipedia] M4 Sherman]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M4_Sherman <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Medium Tank M4 Sherman]
* [http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/french_shermans/french_shermans.html <nowiki>[The Shadock]</nowiki> French Shermans during WW2]

===References===
<references />

{{France medium tanks}}

Sherman II

2021-04-13T11:09:27Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Vert speed max Sherman 2

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

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai"]]. The Sherman II is the designation of the American [[M4A1|M4A1 Sherman]] and is fitted with a [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm gun]] with access to APCR ammunition.

The Sherman II is basically a M4A1 Sherman, to which users of it in the American ground forces tree will be very familiar with. Almost everything with it is identical with the American version, however the Sherman II has access to the T45 APCR ammunition. This tank play style is one maximizing the -12° gun depression in hull-down positions and its very good automotive performances to travel with blistering speed on the battlefield to attack the enemy from a place they wouldn't expect.

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

*Cast homogeneous armour
*Rolled homogeneous armour (Lower side hull)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38.1-50.8 mm (48°-72°) ''Front glacis'' 50.8 mm (11-58°) ''Transmission area'' || 38.1 mm (1-71°) ''Top'' 38.1 ''Bottom'' || 38.1 mm (0-69°) ''Top'' 38.1 mm (13-51°) || 19.5 mm
|-
| Turret || 76.2 mm (2-66°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 mm (3-49°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 50.8 mm (0-65°) || 50.8 + 4 mm (0-60°) || 25.4 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 50.8 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Sand skirts on the suspension sides are 4 mm thick.
* Front armour slope not even, lower part is weaker than top.
* A small patch on the turret front right side is thinner (50.8 mm) than the rest (76.2 mm).
* Bolt edges on the transmission housing are 101.6 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 620|rbMinHp= 354}}

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

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

{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || 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" | 90 || rowspan="2" | -12°/+18° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
When discussing {{PAGENAME}} shells, one always has to account for the fact that it's a medium tank. This means short to medium engagement range, so realistically it can benefit more from its short-range penetration figures than long-range sniping tanks would.

* M72 shot - {{Annotation|AP|Armour-Piercing}} - Solid shot, stock shell. Acceptable penetration, poor post-penetration damage.
* M48 shell - {{Annotation|HE|High-Explosive fragmentation shell}} - Low-velocity shell useful against soft targets, in particular when hitting an open-topped vehicle. Harmless against any vehicle with more than 10 mm of armour.
* M61 shot - {{Annotation|APCBC|Armour-Piercing Capped Ballistic Capped}} - This shell has a better penetration than the M72 thanks to its ballistic cap and a good post-penetration damage thanks to its explosive filler.
* T45 shot- {{Annotation|APCR|Armour-Piercing Composite Round}} - Subcalibre round with high penetration but only on flat surfaces, poor post-penetration damage.
* M89 smoke shell - Useful to blind enemy vehicles that are too remote for you to disable so that you can progress towards objectives.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
| T45 shot || APCR || 139 || 135 || 121 || 105 || 91 || 79
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14.0 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T45 shot || APCR || 868 || 3.81 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M89 || 259 || 3.0 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_M4A1.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M4A1 (identical).]]

{| 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
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''90''' || 82 ''(+8)'' || 75 ''(+15)'' || 72 ''(+18)'' || 70 ''(+20)'' || 54 ''(+36)'' || 38 ''(+52)'' || 22 ''(+68)'' || 1 ''(+89)'' || Yes
|-
|}
Notes:

* The visual discrepancy concerns rack 8: 28 shells are modeled but it contains only 21 shells.
* Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
* Flanks and turret empty: 22 ''(+68)'' shells.

==== Optics ====

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
! colspan="3" | {{PAGENAME}} [[Optics]]
|-
! Which ones
! Default magnification
! Maximum magnification
|-
! Main Gun optics
| x1.85 || x3.5
|-
! Comparable optics
| colspan="2" | [[M4A2]]
|-
|}

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (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 || 600 (200) || 576 || -10°/+22° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| 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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The best use of the Sherman II is in defence or an exploitation movement.

In the defence: hull-down position. Find a terrain like a hill where the Sherman can inch forward, exposing only the turret, yet be able to aim down most of the horizon with the 75 mm gun. This allows the Sherman to use the most of the turret and gun mantlet armour as well as minimizing the amount of the body able to be hit by incoming enemy fire while dishing out quite a considerable amount of fire towards the enemy with a fast-firing 75 mm gun. If enemy fire at the hull-down position intensifies or wound the crew members, simply reversing can put the Sherman under adequate cover and reposition for another attempt to attack the enemy.

In exploitation, attack enemy utilizing the Sherman's adequate speed and handling. Manoeuvre into enemy territory scanning for targets. A benefit of the fast reloads and the traverse rate of the Sherman is that it allows for quick reaction to enemies spotted at various directions. Remember, the general rule of tank combat, the first person to shoot generally wins the battle. As such, it is imperative for the success of this tactic to attack an enemy not aware of the Sherman's presence and movement. As such, an unaware enemy will probably be exposing their weak points such as the side armour, allowing for a well-placed 75 mm shot to damage the interior. Try not to be caught up in one position as being stuck in one place will cause the enemy to eventually swarm the Sherman and destroy it.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

[[M4A2]] / [[M4A4 (1st PTG)|A4]]: these Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there is a guaranteed kill most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's a M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armor unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenseless. Note that their guns are equally weak against you, so wiggle around to disrupt their aim while you reload, you have a good chance of bouncing some shells.

[[KV I C 756 (r) (Germany)|KV I C 756 (r)]]:

A vehicle that the M4 Sherman will have trouble against is this German KV-1. While the [[KV-1 (L-11)|L-11]] is underpowered, the [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|ZiS-5]] is potent enough to punch through the Sherman's front, and the Sherman is unable to penetrate the KV-1's thick armour especially with its add-on armour plates. If this heavy tank is encountered and it's angling the hull, aim at the gun mantlet as it is only 50 mm thick. You can knock out its gunner easily. Or shoot at the thin cupola, there's also some chance to kill the gunner. Of course, the best way is to shoot at its sides and rear without any angle, where its armour is unsloped, though it will still have to be at a close range to penetrate the armour. In addition, shots to the sides will most likely hit fuel tanks or ammunition storage, causing a fire or ammunition detonation and at best, time to reassess the situation.

[[Churchill I]], [[Churchill III]], [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]:

The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to kill at range. Again, manoeuvre as close to them as possible, the ideal distance being no more than 200 m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89 mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armour, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.

[[Pz.IV F2]]/[[Pz.IV G|G]]/[[Pz.IV H|H]]/[[Pz.IV J|J]]:

The historical nemesis of any Sherman, the Panzer IV is one of the Sherman's biggest threats at this rank. The long barrel 75 mm gun will easily penetrate the Sherman from the front. The F2 variant is admittedly easy to deal with. A single APCBC to its hull or turret should end it pretty quickly, even at long range. The other variants are slightly harder to deal with. They have thicker hull armour, at 80 mm, which will be much harder to penetrate with the APCBC over 500 m. Luckily the turret armour remains the same at 50 mm. Either aim here with APCBC or sacrifice damage potential and use the AP round to penetrate the hull.

[[StuG III F]]/[[StuG III G|G]]:

Another historical nemesis of the Sherman, and another big threat. The StuG III packs the same punch as the Panzer IV line with its long barrel 75 mm gun, whilst losing the turret, which turns out to be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Lacking a turret means that it will have to traverse the whole vehicle to target an enemy, but it also means that it has a lower profile. The StuG's armour profile is also more complex than the Panzer IV, with less flat areas. Certain areas are sloped and very bouncy. Luckily, there is a big weak spot. There are two flat plates on the front of the hull. The flat plate on the right is the drivers port. Shoot that and you are able to kill the driver, gunner and loader in one go. This is a very efficient way to destroy this vehicle. With the F variant, you can use APCBC to instantly one-shot this vehicle. With the G variant, it is more reliable to use AP at ranges within 500 m to ensure penetration.

[[R3 T20 FA-HS]]:

This speedy wheeled vehicle can circle around you with ease and wipe out all your crew with its fast firing autocannon. In a close encounter, never expose your side to it, and do not even angle your hull. Face your hull directly to the R3, because on each side of the cast hull, above the inducer wheel there is a triangular area that blends and connects the upper front plate to the side. By angling the hull, this triangle becomes unangled to the R3, making it easily penetrated, and the driver / gunner will usually get knocked out first. It is harder for the R3 to penetrate your unangled hull thus giving you more time to react and destroy it.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Excellent gun depression -12° plus the angled frontal turret allows it to utilise hills very well
* Great penetration and post-penetration damage when using M61 shells; can frontally penetrate and one-shot most opponents like the [[Pz.IV F2]], [[M4]], [[Chi-Nu]]
* Has access to APCR ammunition, effective against thick but flat armour like that of the [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]
* Great turret traverse speed allows it to deal with multiple threats easily
* Adequate top speed allows it to get to positions in time, or to do tactical manoeuvres like flanking
* Pintle-mounted HMG provides an anti-aircraft defence or anti-tank duty against tanks like [[Marder III]]
* Fitted with a vertical stabilizer, allowing more accurate fire on the move compared to other tanks, as well as better usage of shoot-n-scoot tactics

'''Cons:'''

* Frontal armour is still inadequate, will get frontally penetrated and one-shot by tanks like [[Pz.IV F2]] / G, [[StuG III F]] / G, [[M10 (Family)|M10]]
* Large profile and weak side armour; flankers like the Sd.kfz.234/2 or GAZ trucks can easily see and penetrate it
* When opponents are angling, both AP and APCR struggle to penetrate heavy targets like [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]] and [[KV I C 756 (r) (Germany)|KV I C 756 (r)]]
* Narrow tracks offer poor ground flotation, thus poor off-road capabilities. Can only reach its top speed on paved or hard surfaces
* Prone to damage by artillery barrages, tracks can be hit and the fuel supply can be ignited
* Ammunition storage is vulnerable to detonation
* May tip over when travelling across steep inclines
* The cast hull creates frontal weakspots with very little effective thickness, eg. the triangles between upper front plate and the side, and the curved hull hatches

== History ==

===Development===
The Battle of France in 1940 proved to America that their current tank arsenal would not be able to withstand a German assault. The only tanks in their inventory at that time was the [[M2A4|M2 Light Tanks]] and the [[M2|M2 Medium Tank]], both are inadequate against the German [[Pz.III F|Panzer IIIs]] and the [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IVs]]. The US Army, in response, ordered for a tank armed with a 75 mm gun. While a 75 mm gun was available for use, a turret able to mount the gun was not. So while the turret and tank design underwent development, the 75 mm would be mounted on the stopgap design, the [[M3 Lee|M3 Lee]] tank in a sponson mount. This interim design put the 75 mm on a lower and limited traverse mount that restricted its firing angle, but it did give the Allies a tank with the gun, so it was issued by the thousands until a better design could be made.

During the M3's development, the designs of the 75 mm armed vehicle were being drawn up and submitted by the Ordnance Department. Specifications on the tank design were strict in order to maximize logistical support. Restrictions were made on the tank's height, width, and weight in order to make it able to be transported over bridges, roads, railroads, and on naval ships. These specifications would help the Army by making the tank be very flexible on strategic, logistical, and tactical grounds. On April 1941, the Armored Force Board chose the simplest of the designs, which was a redesigned M3 hull and chassis with a turret mounting the 75 mm gun designated the ''T6'', completed in September 1941. This tank would then designated the '''Medium Tank M4''' in American service. The tank would eventually become the most used Allied tank during World War II as it was lended out by the thousands in the Lend-Lease program to the Allied countries. The British called the M4 the "Sherman", which coined into the tank's name '''M4 Sherman''' that it would be known as in history. The production for the Shermans began on October 1941 and would continue to be produced until the end of the war in 1945 with around 50,000 units produced, making it the second most-produced tank in World War II before the [[T-34 (1942)|T-34 tank]].

===Design===
Many variants of the Shermans were produced, but they all followed a similar layout. The driver and bow gunner sat in the front driving compartment, the fighting compartment in the middle housed the turret its three crew member, and in the back was the engine compartment. The Sherman used many features present in previous American tank designs, the vertical volute suspension system (VVSS) and radial engine from the [[M2A4|M2 Light Tanks]], and the sloping armour of the [[M2|M2 Medium Tanks]]. This became a contributing factor on the Sherman's reliability on the field, as most of the design flaws were ironed out with the previous tank designs. The tank mounted the 75 mm M3 gun, giving the tank very good AP and HE capabilities. The Sherman's turret traverse speed was very fast, able to traverse a full 360 degrees in only 15 seconds, which is considerably faster than the traverse speed on most German tanks. Another unique feature on the Sherman was the installation of a gyroscopic stabilizer on the gun and sight, making the Sherman one of the first produced tanks to incorporate those features. While the stabilization was only done for the vertical plane, it kept the gun stable enough to be able to shoot on the move effectively, with a study showing a 70 % hit probability on an enemy 300 to 1,200 yards away when moving at a speed of 15 mph. However, this feature was controversial among the crew and experiences with it vary.

The ''[[M4A1|M4A1 Sherman]]'' model (known in British nomenclature as the '''Sherman II''') ran on a gasoline Continental R975C-1 radial engine and was one of the first models of the Sherman developed. The model in-game features the early M38 telecopic sight in the M4 periscope with no zoom, which was later replaced with a M55 telescopic sight in the gun mantlet by recommendation from the British.<ref name="ZalogaArmorT1">Zaloga Steven. ''Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II'' Stackpole Books, 2008, "Baptism Of Fire"</ref> The tank's hull was fully cast, giving the tank a distinctive rounded slope front and sides. Though the rounded shape gave the frontal armour uneven angling, it provided adequate protection up to 100 mm in thickness in certain areas. Cast armour was used because casting took less man hours to perform, but suffered from the limited capability of most American factories and was hard to repair on the field. Thus, welding was prioritized as the primary manufacturing method in the other Sherman variants.<ref name="ZalogaArmorT3">Zaloga Steven. ''Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II'' Stackpole Books, 2008, "The School of Tank Technology"</ref> Nevertheless, up to 6,281 M4A1s were produced from February 1942 to December 1943, out of the 49,234 Sherman units produced in the war.

===British nomenclature===
The British had a different naming convention with their equipment than the Americans. It is this naming system that actually gave the M4 Medium tank their namesake "Sherman". As the American differentiate the M4 models with letter and numbers such as [[M4|M4]], [[M4A1|M4A1]], [[M4A2|M4A2]], and [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3]]. The British use roman numerals past the name "Sherman". Thus, the nomenclature translate to:

* ''[[Firefly «Scorpion»|Sherman I]]'' - M4
* ''[[Sherman II]]'' - M4A1
* ''Sherman III'' - M4A2
* ''Sherman IV'' - M4A3
* ''[[Sherman Firefly|Sherman V]]'' - M4A4
* ''Sherman VII'' - M4A6

Past these designation, there would be a letter to signify differences in model design. A designation ending with "A" indicates the usage of the [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm gun]]. A designation ending with "B" indicates the usage of the [[M4 (105 mm)|105 mm howitzer]]. A designation ending with "Y" would indicate the usage of the [[M4A3 (76) W|Horizontal Volute Suspension System (HVSS)]]. Finally, a designation ending with "C" indicates the usage of the [[Ordnance QF 17-pounder (76 mm)|17-pdr gun]], essentially translating to the [[Sherman Firefly|Firefly]]. There was a word addition "Hybrid" exclusive to the Sherman I variant, meaning the M4 Hybrid design which used a cast front armour, but a welded rear design.<ref name="JohnChrisSherman">Christopher John. ''Sherman M4 Medium Tank'' Amberley Publishing, 2014</ref>

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

==References==
<references />

== See also ==


* [[M4A1]] - American equivalent of the Sherman II.
* [[Independent|A1E1 Independent]] - The only other tank in the British tech tree with AP-HE ammunition.

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

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

{{Britain medium tanks}}

Calliope

2021-04-13T11:08:03Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Vert stab max speed Calliope

{{About
| about = premium American medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other vehicles related to the M4 Sherman
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m4_sherman_calliope
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.49 "Weapons of Victory"]]. Though using the base model of a [[M4|M4 Sherman]], it has a 60 round rocket rack sitting above the turret that fires 114 mm rockets at a general location. While giving the team a good edge in firepower, the rocket rack also presents a large weak point that can be targeted with a high-explosive round for an ammo-rack detonation.

This vehicle has guide rails for 114 mm M8 rockets mounted on an M4 tank turret. The main cannon is still usable at any time.

The rocket armaments greatest disadvantage is the inaccuracy, despite its fin-stabilized tail. There is no guidance system, thus every barrage needs to be fired in an arc, greatly increasing the warhead dispersion. Furthermore, the stabilizing fins showed little impact in lateral guidance when fired from the ground, in comparison with their aerial version.

Another drawback is the small warhead with only a 1.9 kg of high explosive filler. Adequate against barricades and entrenchments, but lacking in stopping power against heavy armoured vehicles such as tanks and pillboxes. It is recommended to use multiple rockets on even medium tanks. Additionally, as with any other ground vehicle firing unguided rockets, the weapon will present a very loud but distinct firing signature, allowing enemies to identify the type of vehicle as well as its location on the map. The distinct smoke trail from fired rockets can also reveal the position of the vehicle. However, the higher fire rate of the M8 rockets allows for multiple volleys of rockets to be fired quickly at a target. The ensuing flash, fire and smoke effects from constant barrage against a target can temporarily blind targets and thus can be used as an emergency smoke screen. This rocket launcher system allowed fire not only from a defilade position but also from point-blank range.

Drawbacks are the inaccuracy of the volleys due to arc fire and the lack of anti-tank damage. The warheads are pure HE, thus they need to hit thinly armoured areas, like rooftops and armour hulls above the tracks to be able to deal with any sort of damage. You may wish to get close to a target before firing a volley to have the best chance of your barrage hitting the target.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, Side, Rear, Hull roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Transmission area)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50.8 mm (56°) ''Front glacis'' 50.8 mm (12-56°) ''Transmission area'' 50.8 (13-20°) + 25.4 mm (35°) ''Protruding hatches'' || 38.1 mm 38.1 + 25.4 mm ''Appliqué addition'' || 38.1 mm (0-10°) ''Top'' 25.4 mm (33-64°) ''Bottom'' || 19.5 mm ''Sides'' 12.7 mm ''Engine deck and center''
|-
| Turret || 76.2-88.9 mm (4-67°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 + 88.9 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 50.8 mm (0-68°) || 50.8 mm (2-66°) || 25.4 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 50.8 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 17 mm thick.
* The front armour has two protruding areas for the driver and co-driver hatches. These are weak points, as they present a flat armour surface.
* Belly armour is 12.7 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=620|rbMinHp=354}}

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || 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" | 97 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M89 || 259 || 3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[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
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''97''' || 91 ''(+6)'' || 88 ''(+9)'' || 86 ''(+11)'' || 78 ''(+19)'' || 63 ''(+34)'' || 46 ''(+51)'' || 31 ''(+66)'' || 1 ''(+96)'' || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_M4.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M4 Sherman.]]
Notes:

* To go into battle with the turret basket empty of ammo, pack 78 ''(+19)'' shells (racks 1 to 4 emptied).
* To go into battle with the turret basket and the flanks empty of ammo, pack 31 ''(+66)'' shells (Racks 1 to 7 empty).
* The 8th rack is large and located at a a weak spot: the bottom section of the armor. In case of penetration, there is a high risk of ammo rack detonation. Make sure not to expose your flanks unnecessarily.

=== Additional armament ===

{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
{{main|M8}}

Rocket launcher tubes can easily be detonated by high-explosives when they are loaded with rockets.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | 114 mm [[M8]] rocket
|-
! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
|-
| 60 || -9°/+12° || ±180° || N/A
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M8 || Rocket || 29 || 29 || 29 || 29 || 29 || 29
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M8 || Rocket || 260 || 19.8 || 0 || 0.1 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

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


{| 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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The Sherman Calliope, offers 114 M8 rockets which are mounted on top of the turret, these are stored in a rack which houses the rockets. The mount is also a separate ammo rack, if hit it can destroy the rockets and a repair will have to be performed. Machine gun fire can also destroy the rockets and large machine fire from large calibre machine guns, aircraft and autocannons or larger will destroy the rack and rockets.

With a large calibre HE round, a single hit to the rocket rack can knock out the entire tank. Since the round detonates all the rockets in the rack explode, causing an apocalyptic explosion which blows the turret off and knocks out the crew.

The rocket rack is not protected by any armour plates, it only has 5 mm structural steel. Since the rocket racks are installed above the turret, it allows you to fire over objects. However, the disadvantage is you can no longer hide behind rocks and objects for safety.
Using the M8 rockets, the M8 rockets are not armour piercing they are high explosive meaning they will detonate when they hit something. The M8 rockets can be used to distract enemy tankers and cause lots of damage to their tanks. Another advantage of using the rockets, they fire rapidly and can knock out light tanks and lightly armoured fighting vehicles with ease.

The Sherman Calliope packs the legendry 75 mm, M3 cannon the cannon can make short work of enemy tanks. To best unitise this cannon, use the shot and AP rounds. It’s best not to have any rockets in your rocket ammo rack, when you engage in short close range combat, due to the risk of a HE or an arty round penetrating and knocking out your tanks by destroying the rocket racks.

However, using the cannon and rockets together can be an exceptionally good combination – the quick reload time of the cannon and combined with the rockets makes for a very potent tank. To get the best out of this, use the terrain to your advantage. Use buildings and trees to hide behind, then pop out when the enemy drives by and shoot them fire the rockets to cause disorientation, they will produce a thick dark cloud preventing your target from locating you. Then fire the 75 mm M3 cannon into the enemy turret and knock it out.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Armament:
** Quick-firing 75 mm gun with adequate shell options
** Is now equipped with 60 rockets, a salvo can blind or even cripple, if not destroy other enemy tanks
** Despite the rockets having very low penetration, the rack sits about a 1 meter above the already tall Sherman, allowing the calliope to hit the very weak top armour of its target at close range
* Armour:
** Reasonably good frontal protection, can work nicely when in down-tiers
** Turret is quite strong

'''Cons:'''

* Size:
** The Sherman is already a pretty large vehicle, the addition of the rockets makes the Calliope stick out like a sore thumb.
* Armament:
** The 75 mm gun begins to lack the penetration to go up against tougher foes
** Does not get access to the T45 APCR shot
** Rockets are inaccurate past ~100 meters
** Rockets act as a massive (and unarmoured) ammunition rack
** Rockets only have 29 mm of penetration
** Loses access to the .50 calibre M2 machine gun
** The distinctive firing sound of the rockets can lure unwanted enemies
** The rocket launcher is not linked to the main gun and will also aim at the target marker, meaning it will point downwards when you have returned to cover and the target marker is on the cover directly in front of you.
* Armour:
** Overall armour protection is no longer effective against tougher foes, especially against the German long 75 mm gun
** The extra 25.4 mm side plating indicates the location of ammunition racks (can be resolved by taking less than 23 cannon rounds)

== History ==

===Development===
Midway into World War II in 1943, the Western Allies realized that unlike the Soviet Union, they did not have any form of a "multiple rocket launcher system" that the Soviets had with their ''Katyusha Launchers'' trucks. The idea of rocket launchers isn't new at this period, they present some advantage over the standard mortar or howitzer. The rocket launcher can launch massive amounts of high-explosive ammunition at a longer distance at a shorter time with a greater psychological impact than normal artillery, at the price of a longer reload time and less accuracy. The Soviets showed the best utilization of this weapon with their ''Katyushas'', having a whole bunch of them fire at a designated target, minimizing accuracy loss with a full area saturation of fire. The effectiveness of this system prompted the Allies to start producing some form of multiple rocket launcher system as well.

In 1943, the project began in the United States and the design was to use the current [[M4|M4 Sherman]] tanks in service to mount the rocket launchers to bring into combat. The design, developed by Victor Hawkins, had a rocket mount on the Sherman turret with sixty launch tubes, all made to fire the 4.5 in. M8 rockets. The project gave the experimental tank design the designation '''T34''', and the troops adopted the name '''"Calliope"''', which was the name of a steam organ and has a similar look.

===Combat usage===
These rocket launcher tanks were sent to France in 1944, although many never saw combat for various reasons. During its development, three different variants were made. The original T34 had 60 tubes for the 4.5 in. rockets with 36 fixed tubes on top and 24 on the bottom able to be jettisoned (except on the [[M4A1|M4A1 Sherman]] variant). The second, T34E1, has the 24 jettisonable tubes replaced by 28 tubes, though the total tubes were still 60. The T34E2 had the rocket calibre increased from 4.5 in. to 7.2 in. with the same 60 tubes. This saw combat during the 1944-1945 time span.

However, the modifications of the Shermans seem unnecessary as the war progressed, new development had the rocket launcher system mated to trucks, armoured chassis, and jeeps so the tanks could be left alone to do its purpose. But when the Calliope saw service in the Pacific and Europe, its performance was moderately successful. The T34 was replaced by the T40 "Whiz Bang" Sherman, which was a Sherman with a tank-mounted multiple rocket launcher system like the T34, but only saw combat in the last few months of the war and had the 7.2 in. rockets.

=== In-game description ===
A jet-powered volley-fire system on the base of regular Sherman tank, it received the addition of a T34E1 launch system with a tubes for M8 missiles. The first versions had the body of a T34, which did not allow them to fire the tank cannon, so a modification of the T34E1 was created that was equipped with a special adapter that allowed the tank cannon to be fired on that body.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=us_m4_sherman_calliope Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images

[[File:T-34-rocket-launcher-France.jpg|250px|thumb|none|The T34 "Calliope" firing a salvo of 4.5 inch rockets.]]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|RuBjkyZT6Yw|'''The Shooting Range #6''' - ''Challenge'' section at 05:58 discusses hunting aircraft with the Calliope.|vtSiQhePXWc|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M4]]
* [[M4A2]]
* [[M4 748 (a) (Germany)]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[15 cm Pz.W.42]]
* [[BM-13N]]
* [[Cromwell V (RP-3)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/775/|[Devblog] РСЗО T34 Sherman Calliope]]

{{USA medium tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}

T20

2021-04-13T11:07:05Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ vert stab max T20

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_t20
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.63 "Desert Hunters"]]. Intended as a replacement for the [[M4|M4 Sherman]] tank, it features a rear transmission that gives it a much lower profile than the Sherman series, as well as the [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm gun]] for additional anti-tank firepower.

The T20 is a more mobile and smaller vehicle platform than the Sherman series. A vehicle with a similar play style to the T20 would be the [[T25|T25]], not surprising considering the T25 is an upgrade of the T20 prototype models.

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

The armour is similar to a late M4 Sherman model with a sloped 63.5 mm, as such enemies that can take out the M4 (76) models will also be able to penetrate the T20 straight through the front hull unless compound angling.

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull rear, Turret roof)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 63.5 mm (47°) ''Front glacis'' 63.5 mm (52°) ''Lower glacis''|| 50.8 mm ''Front'' 38.1 mm ''Rear'' || 38.1 mm (11-54°)|| 19 mm
|-
| Turret || 88.9 mm (2-55°) ''Turret front'' 88 + 88.9 mm (1-23°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 63.5 mm (0-58°) || 63.5 mm (3-69°) || 25.4 mm
|-
| Cupola || 51 mm ||51 mm
|51 mm
|25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* The sides have boxes and sand skirts that give an additional 4 mm of armour
* Belly armour is 12.7 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=775|rbMinHp=442}}

The T20's greatest strength lays in its mobility. The forward and reverse speeds are nearly the same due to the transmission, so retreating from cover after exposing itself to fire is easy and quick.

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

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

{{main|M1 (76 mm)}}

Armed with the 76 mm M1 gun, the T20's armament can do sterling performances against vehicles of its caliber, so while the T20 itself is easy to take out, it can destroy the enemy the same if it can get the first penetrating shot off first. The front placement of the turret also allows the T20 to expose the minimum amount of its body when it comes out to fire.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm M1]] || 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" | 75 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.85 || 31.63 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.79 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M62 shell || APCBC || 149 || 146 || 133 || 119 || 106 || 95
|-
| M42A1 shell || HE || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7
|-
| M79 shot || AP || 134 || 132 || 121 || 109 || 99 || 89
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M62 shell || APCBC || 792 || 7.00 || 1.2 || 14.0 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| M42A1 shell || HE || 800 || 5.84 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 390 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M79 shot || AP || 792 || 6.80 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
|}

==== [[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
|-
| '''75''' || 57 ''(+18)'' || 47 ''(+28)'' || 33 ''(+42)'' || 19 ''(+56)'' || 9 ''(+66)'' || 1 ''(+74)'' || Yes
|-
|}

Turret empty: 47 ''(+28)''

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (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 || 1,000 (200) || 576 || -10°/+30° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| 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 || 5,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

===Tactics===
'''Offense:''' The T20 in an offensive mode should be done by exploiting its mobility with the terrain. Thus, the T20 would be great in areas with lots of cover. Unless in a close-range engagement or in an emergency, it is not recommended to fire the T20's cannon while on the move just like any other tank as it affects accuracy. Thus, the T20 should move forwards, make contact with an enemy, fire if possible then move to cover if the enemy was not taken out with the first shot. The T20 should not go alone due to the vulnerability of its armour, so make sure allies are accompanied with the T20 for additional firepower and protection, most preferably a heavy tank.

'''Defense:''' The T20 in a defensive mode should be played similarly like the [[M18 GMC|M18 Hellcat]] due to its mobility and firepower. However, a benefit over the M18 is the increased armour, so more risk could be taken with exposing the tank to the enemy to get a good shot placement. Allow the enemy to run their tank into the T20's line of sight, don't try to move and expose the tank otherwise the attacking enemy tank would be aware of the T20's position and also may shoot first, disabling critical components if not destroying the T20 outright. Due to the positioning of the internal components, an enemy tank attacking the rear would actually minimize the damage to the crew compartment as the shell must pass through both the transmission and the engine. If the turret ring and crew remain untouched (unlikely, but a possibility), the player could traverse the turret to the enemy at the rear and attack it, though the attack on the engine may also create a fire, so the ''FPE'' modification is necessary for this unorthodox method.

===Other considerations===
Most medium tanks that the T20 will meet in battle can be penetrated through their front armor, though flanking will be more effective when facing more heavily-armored opponents in an uptier such as later [[Panther tank (Family)|Panther]] variants, the [[T-44]], and the [[Strv 81]], etc.

Most heavy tanks and some case-mate tank destroyers such as the [[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2]], the [[Tiger II (Family)|Tiger II]], the [[Jagdpanther]] and the [[Jagdtiger]] will be almost impossible to defeat from the front due to their thick armour. Thus, it is necessary to flank such opponents in order to be able to easily destroy them from the side and rear.

Any tanks at the BR will, of course, be easy targets if the T20 catch them at their sides, which is very possible due to the greater mobility of the tank. A single hit from the 76 mm APCBC shell will devastate the interior and can lead to quick destruction or loss in combat efficiency.

Practically all enemies at the BR will be able to easily penetrate the front armor of the T20, with the exception of most SPAAs, so it is important to stay out-of-sight and avoid direct engagements whenever possible.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 76 mm gun, reloads fast, available ammunition is good for most foes
* Smaller profile, smaller target
* Fast turret traverse rate
* Good gun elevation/depression combo
* Very mobile and fast in forward and reverse
* Sloped 63.5 mm front hull armour is resistant to most glancing shot, and can frequently ricochet when angled
* Side armour thicker than M4 Sherman (50 mm > 38 mm)
* Rear transmission and engine may help absorb rear shots to protect crew
* RP and SL boost from premium status, great for leveling through Rank III and IV vehicles

'''Cons:'''

* Armour can be easily penetrated
* Small internal volume, one shot can easily knock out entire crew
* Front ammo rack between driver & co-driver doesn't empty until no ammo is left
* The 76mm gun is quite inadequate for frontal engagements, must aim for weakspots.

== History ==


===Development===
When the [[M4|M4 Sherman]] went into production in October 1941, it was considered one of the best Allied tanks of the time period. However, the observers in the North African Campaign noticed a trend in German tank development. Tanks like the [[Pz.III J|Panzer III]] were getting better frontal armour and a [[KwK 39 (50 mm)|longer 5 cm cannon]], and the same happened with the [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IV]] when it received the [[KwK 40 (75 mm)|long 7.5 cm cannon]] as its main armament. These two tanks' improvements indicated that overtime, the Sherman itself may find itself on the shorter end of the stick, and thus plans for its successor started in Spring of 1942.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt">Hunnicutt, R.P. ''Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series'' U.S.A.: Feist Publications, 1971</ref>

The new tank was to have superior aspects of firepower, mobility, and armour over the M4 Sherman and German counterparts, as well as the incorporation of lessons learned from the tank fighting against German forces. The new tank was one of the more technologically advanced American tanks by attempting to meet these requirements. The layout on the tank was similar as the Sherman's, with two in the front driving compartment and three in a turret. The surface area of the tank was reduced by utilizing a box design for the hull rather than sponsons, which led to equipment being stored outside the tank rather than inside it as in the M4. The tank's size was further reduced by having the transmission design be placed in the rear of the tank by the engine rather than in the front, leading to the removal of the power shaft needed to connect the front transmission on the M4 to its engine. This arrangement led to the tank having a much smaller profile than the M4. To further improve the tank, it was decided to give the tank a high-velocity [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm gun]]. In May 1942, the first mock-up of the tank was produced, showing all its advantages over M4 Medium while keeping the same weight. Many of the observers present, including General Devers, liked the design and thus Ordnance Department continued forth with its development, designating the base vehicle as the '''T20'''.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

===Testings===
The T20 design went through many tests and variants as Ordnance try out various components and parts to see which would work best. One of the attempts was to try out different armaments as the 76 mm M1 was still new from the developmental stage, leading to the usage of guns like the [[M7 (76 mm)|3-inch gun]] on the ''"E2"'' variants from the [[M10 GMC|M10]] and a [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm gun]] on the ''"E1"'' variants from the Sherman with an added autoloader. Transmission designs were tried as well, each with distinctive names. While the T20 designation stands for the tank with an automatic transmission, the ''T22'' had a gear box transmission from the Sherman and the ''T23'' had an electric drive derived from the [[M6A1|M6 heavy tank]]. Of all these designs, none of the "E2" variants were produced as the 76 mm M1 proved successful, and only one "E1" was built on the T22.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

Another tried component was the suspension system on the T20 designs. The T20 and T22 produced in May and June 1943 respectively had an early variant of the horizontal-volute suspension system (HVSS), which would see itself on the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4 Sherman]] in the future (The first T23 would have the standard vertical-volute suspension system (VVSS) already used on the Sherman). Tests on the tanks progressed until Armored Force recommended the usage of a torsion bar suspension system on the tanks with wider tracks. This led to the ''T20E3'' tank, the second pilot model for the T20, to be produced in July 1943 with said torsion bar suspension, though it would not be the only T20 series tank that would have the specific suspension.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

Testings with the tank in general went without much fanfare. The T20's transmission proved to be unreliable with oil leaks and overheating, but testings continued until February 1944 (T20E3 until December) when the T20 was dropped in favor of other promising designs. The T22 also encountered trouble in the transmission and engine after driving 900 miles, the continued problems also causing the T22 to be dropped in February 1944. The T22E1 design with the 75 mm auto-loading gun arrived for tests in November 1943, and though the auto-loader worked with a 20 round per minute fire rate, the insufficiency of the 75 mm gun and the questionable reliability of the auto-loader had it dropped in February 1944. Of the designs, the T23 is the one that proved promising enough for an order of 250 tanks to be placed in May 1943.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

===T23===
The T23 tank design with the rear electric transmission was rather popular in the testing grounds. A perk of the electric transmission is that the engine's performance can be varied without being in proportion with the speed of the tank, allowing for the prolonging of the engine life. Another thing the electric transmission provide is that it could be remote-controlled (though this feature was not tested for efficiency). Ten T23 prototypes arrived at Abderdeen Proving Grounds and Fort Knox for service tests around October 1943, and while the prototypes performed well compared to the other T20 series, it was deemed unsatisfactory for combat usage for its difficult maintenance attention. Another reason they refused the tank was logistics, as accepting a totally new tank without much parts commonality with their current M4 Sherman means for the retraining of tank and maintenance crew as well as obtaining a large inventory of spare parts to keep the tank in operational order. As such, the T23 was not approved for service by Armored Forces.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

T23 still saw tests and in April 1943, a recommendation came in for the T23 to be used with a torsion bar suspension system, which was done and delivered in 29 August 1944 as the ''T23E3''. After being sent to Aberdeen Proving Ground for tests and then to Fort Knox for inspection by Armored Forces, they once again refused it due to a lack in interest to the complicated electric transmission. Another test attempt was on the ''T23E4'' variant which gave the T23 tank the same HVSS as on the Sherman, however objection by the U.S. Army engineers for its excessive width and lack of attention by armoured boards once again put the T23 on hold, and kept it that way until the end of the war.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

===Successors===
With the initial rejection of the T23 by Armored Forces, it was clear that they were looking for something much more than a marginal upgrade over their existent and abundant M4 Shermans. By the time the T20 series were tested, the U.S. forces have discovered two new tanks on the battlefield, the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]] and the [[Panther D|Panther]]. With these new benchmarks, the T20 would not be as big of an improvement over the M4 Sherman when coming up against these two specific tanks. However, not all was lost with the T20 series as Ordnance Department's tests on the tanks were incorporated into future tank designs. The T23's turret was first adapted onto the [[M4A1 (76) W|M4A1 Sherman]] to give the Sherman a 76 mm gun as the original Sherman turret with the 75 mm gun was too small for the 76 mm gun. The tested horizontal-volute suspension system on the T20s was also adapted onto the Sherman in the "E8" program, producing tanks like the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3E8]]. As these components, the T20's engineering feat carried on to help the American forces fight in Normandy and beyond.

The T20 still left a basis for future designs as in the production time of the T23, the preexisting request for 250 was altered for 50 of them to be modified. 40 of them to be upgraded with a [[M3 (90 mm)|90 mm gun]] and 10 more with the same gun upgrade, but with an armour upgrade as well. These programs would be called the ''[[T25|T25]]'' and ''T26''; the latter eventually becoming the approved American tank ''[[M26|M26 Pershing]]''.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

== Media ==

{{Youtube-gallery|Lec0mwCN81I|'''The Shooting Range #84''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 05:53 discusses the T20.}}

== 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 ==


=== References ===
<references />

{{USA medium tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}

M4A3 (76) W

2021-04-13T10:58:41Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Max vert stab 76 M4A3

M4A2 (76) W

2021-04-13T10:57:52Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Vert stab speed on 76 M4A2

M4A1 (76) W

2021-04-13T10:57:12Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ max speed for vert stab for 76 M4A1

M4

2021-04-13T10:53:32Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Max speed for vertical stab added

{{About
| about = American medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other M4 Shermans
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m4_sherman
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced along with the rest of the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]].

Armed with a 75 mm cannon and a sloped front armour, the M4 Sherman gives the balance of firepower and mobility for the US ground tree. The in-game model represents a "Sherman 1.5" design with an M55 telescopic sight in a new gun mantlet with appliqué armour added in front of the gunner and on the ammo racks.

The iconic American medium tank has a very distinctive silhouette with its high front sloping armour, flat sides, and rounded turret shape. The olive-drab green M4 medium uses a welded construction for the hull, resulting in the sharp-edged hull shape compared to the [[M4A1|cast M4A1 medium]]. The turret, constructed the same way with cast steel in all 75 mm M4 medium variants, used an M34A1 gun mount for the 75 mm M3 gun; a change from the M34 gun mount in that the M34A1 used a combination of an M55 telescopic sight and an M4 periscope with an M38 telescopic sight in it.

The hull's sloping glacis is at 56 degrees, as usual with the early model of M4 Shermans. The model is a "small hatch" variant as seen with the hatch shape being parallel with the hull. This configuration also caused the hatch to protrude from the hull's sloping contour, resulting in the interruptions in the slope that compromises the sloped armour's overall effectiveness. To mitigate this problem, armour plates are welded in front of the interruptions for additional protection. Aside from this note, some other features on the front glacis are the bundled desert-coloured jerry cans in the driver's area and the road wheel right on the transmission cover. On the side hull, one distinctive feature of the M4 Sherman was the added appliqué over the sponson ammunition area. While this does provide minute protection, they also serve as highlights for the enemy to aim for an ammo rack destruction.

The 75 mm cast turret, designated D50878, was one produced in early 1943. The early M34A1 gun mount design added onto the tank as well as an appliqué "cheek" in front of the gunner, as the redesign of the turret and room for the power traverse caused the armour in front of the gunner to be thinner than the rest of the turret. The M34A1 gun mount is noted as early due to the presence of lifting rings on the top of the gun mount as well as mounting bolts on the sides, both that are eliminated in the later model. A curious note for keen eyes is the lack of a loader hatch on the turret top, a feature not introduced until productions in late 1943. Another note is the pistol port on the left rear side of the turret. On top of the commander's cupola is the distinctive .50 cal M2 Browning machine gun that is commonly seen on American vehicles.

The M4 medium's use of the Continental R975 radial engine results in a distinctive engine deck as well. It has a protruding hood over the air intake on top, followed by a relatively flat top all the way to the rear. Besides, the hooded air intake on both sides within the shielded wall are filler ports for the radiators. Outside of the wall are two more filler ports for the fuel tanks on both sides. On the very rear, the large engine doors are visible, featuring early door hinges used as early as the M3 medium. On both sides of the door, engine filters are also present.

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


'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, Side, Rear, Hull roof)
*Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Transmission area)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50.8 mm (56°) ''Front glacis'' 50.8 mm (12-56°) ''Transmission area'' 50.8 (13-20°) + 25.4 mm (35°) ''Protruding hatches'' || 38.1 mm 38.1 + 25.4 mm ''Appliqué addition'' || 38.1 mm (0-10°) ''Top'' 25.4 mm (33-64°) ''Bottom'' || 19.5 mm ''Sides'' 12.7 mm ''Engine deck and center''
|-
| Turret || 76.2-88.9 mm (4-67°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 + 88.9 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 50.8 mm (0-68°) || 50.8 mm (2-66°) || 25.4 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 50.8 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Front armour has two protruding areas for driver and co-driver hatches. These are weak points as they present a flat armour surface.
* Belly armour is 12.7 mm thick.

Though most high-end anti-tank weapons can cleave through the M4 Sherman's front armour rather easily, some smaller-calibre weapons less than 75 mm would have some trouble going against the front armour. In these cases, aim for weak points like the protruding hatches in the front sloping armour, or even the crest of the transmission housing, where the slope is minimum in both areas. The turret has a very robust construction so if there is no faith in penetrating through the front hull easily, don't bother trying to penetrate the turret from the front except for the very small weak point on the gunner's position of the turret.

If a shot can be made to the M4 Sherman's sides, send it towards the front half of the tank where it would either cripple the crew or ignite one of the ammunition racks strewn all over the internals.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=620|rbMinHp=354}}

The {{PAGENAME}} is powered with an engine able to adequate for its weight class. While accelerating up to this speed can be sluggish at first, the {{PAGENAME}} takes to a running start after Gear 4.

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

Obvious first choice for research would be Parts in tier I. For the tier II it might be worth a risk to go for M61 shot first, as its such a significant improvement over the stock shell. The other option being FPE. On tier III Filters and Crew Replenishment are very important, and in tier IV further mobility improvements with the Engine and then Transmission should be prioritized. Once done - Horizontal Drive and two modifications responsible for accuracy or Artillery Support. The least important module to research is the M89 shell due to its extremely situational use.

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

{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}

75 mm M3 gun is a competent, well-handling gun for a medium tank. Even without any modifications, its ability to fulfil its role, though where it begins to shine is with the M61 shot. Default, M72, suffers from issues typical to US and British sold shots - poor post-penetration effects. This means it's preferable to take down enemy gunner first, usually by hitting the right side of the turret.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || 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" | 97 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
When discussing {{PAGENAME}} shells, one always has to account for the fact that it's a medium tank. This means short to medium engagement range, so realistically it can benefit more from its short-range penetration figures than long-range sniping tanks would.

* M72 shot - {{Annotation|AP|Armour-Piercing}} - Solid shot, stock shell. Acceptable penetration, poor post-penetration damage.
* M48 shell - {{Annotation|HE|High-Explosive fragmentation shell}} - Low-velocity shell useful against soft targets, in particular when hitting an open-topped vehicle. Harmless against any vehicle with more than 10 mm of armour.
* M61 shot - {{Annotation|APCBC|Armour-Piercing Capped Ballistic Capped}} - This shell has a better penetration than the M72 thanks to its ballistic cap and a good post-penetration damage thanks to its explosive filler.
* M89 smoke shell - Useful to blind enemy vehicles that are too remote for you to disable so that you can progress towards objectives.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.30 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.30 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M89 || 259 || 3.0 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[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
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''97''' || 91 ''(+6)'' || 88 ''(+9)'' || 86 ''(+11)'' || 78 ''(+19)'' || 63 ''(+34)'' || 46 ''(+51)'' || 31 ''(+66)'' || 1 ''(+96)'' || style="text-align:center" | No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
Notes:

* To go into battle with the turret basket empty of ammo, pack 78 ''(+19)'' shells (racks 1 to 4 emptied).
* To go into battle with the turret basket and the flanks empty of ammo, pack 31 ''(+66)'' shells (racks 1 to 7 emptied).
* The 8th rack is large and located in a weak spot: the bottom section of the armour. In case of penetration, there is a high risk of ammo rack detonation. Make sure not to expose your flanks unnecessarily.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

The M4 Sherman is armed with two machine guns, a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun on the pintle-mount atop the M4 Sherman turret, the famous .50 cal "Ma Deuce" machine gun. This weapon is the same type as the one used in American aircraft, though at a slower fire rate. However, this leads to the anti-aircraft power of the weapon as most formidable against low strafing attacking aircraft.

The second machine gun is a general-purpose 7.62 mm M1919A4 Browning machine gun mounted in the coaxial position. A typical machine gun not too unlike on many other vehicles, the machine gun is just average.

{| 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 || 600 (200) || 577 || -10°/+25° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| 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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The M4 Sherman is an effective medium-range combat tank. Equipped with a fast-firing 75mm gun and with good handling characteristics, the M4 can be an extremely useful asset in most battles.

In battle the M4 performs well as an all-rounder; the thick turret front and 10 degrees of gun depression make the tank ideal for taking hull-down positions which protect the thinner hull armour from being penetrated by enemy fire. The sloped front upper glacis, when angled, also provides good protection against enemy fire. An unusual - and useful - difference is that the upper glacis is sloped at 56 degrees rather than the standard 45 degrees, making it more of a threat and more powerful due to improving the chances of a round ricochet. The only downfall may be the 2 crew member position in the front that protrudes out to form a flat surface, but both are covered with an additional 20 mm plate. The reasonable mobility of the Sherman makes flanking a viable tactic. The main weakness of the M4 is the side armour - not only is it vertical and thin, but behind it most of the ammunition is stowed. The tall silhouette of the tank also makes finding suitable cover difficult. Overall, the M4 Sherman can be considered as an armoured jack-of-all-trades - it will serve a tanker well, however it will not excel in any particular role.

In battle, try to use terrain as cover. Hull-down positions are especially strong in the M4 Sherman, as it has a good 10 degrees of gun depression. The gun mantlet and turret are reasonably strong, but avoiding shots is still the best strategy. In this respect, a hull-down position hides the vulnerable hull. If this is not available, then angling the hull armour to present a greater slope is often a good idea, as this can bounce some low-powered cannon at any range and at longer ranges, render the hull impenetrable.

Another way to play the M4 Sherman is to tap into its traditional cavalry role, its mobility. The M4 Sherman is a great flanker as it is fast enough to get the jump on the enemy's side. Defeat the enemy at their weak front lines or go around the entire enemy force. Once in position at their sides or rear, ambush them. Ideally, the enemy should be too busy focusing on allies attacking in the front to notice the M4 instantly. Take out the weaker light or medium tanks, the 75 mm gun is not very ideal against heavy tanks like the [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] so take out its friends to allow allies more room to outmanoeuvre the KV tank. An organized attack will increase the M4 chances on the battlefield and success.

The presence of a pivot-mounted .50 calibre machine gun gives the Sherman some flexibility. It can engage softer targets such as some tank destroyers and many SPAAGs at short ranges when loading a HE shell would be inconvenient. While not ideal, they provide the Sherman tank with some measure of protection against aircraft- sometimes enough to dissuade a pilot from making another pass. It can be an effective rang-finder for targets at longer ranges where the M1919 in the turret would be less effective. While it pales in comparison to the destructive effect of tank guns, it provides the Sherman with some flexibility over other comparable vehicles, who are restricted to their rifle-calibre coaxial machine guns.

There will be concerns about certain vehicles:

'''[[M4A2]] / [[M4A4 (1st PTG)|A4]]'''

* These Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there can guarantee a knock-out most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's a M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armor unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenseless. Note that their guns are equally weak against you, so wiggle around to disrupt their aim while you reload, you have a good chance of bouncing some shells.

;[[Churchill I]], [[Churchill III]], [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]

* The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to penetrate at range. Again, manoeuvre as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armour, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.

;[[KV-1 (Family)|KV-1 and variants]]:

* A vehicle that the M4 Sherman will have trouble against is the KV-1. While the [[KV-1 (L-11)|L-11]] is underpowered, the [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|ZiS-5]] is potent enough to punch through the Sherman's front, and the Sherman is unable to penetrate the KV-1's thick frontal armour. If this heavy tank is encountered, try to shoot it in its sides and rear, where its armour is thinner and unsloped, though it will still have to be at a close range to penetrate the armour. In addition, shots to the sides will most likely hit fuel tanks or ammunition storage, causing a fire or ammunition detonation and at best, time to reassess the situation.

;[[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV F2]]/[[Pz.IV G|G]]/[[Pz.IV H|H]]/[[Pz.IV J|J]]:

* The historical nemesis of any Sherman, the Panzer IV is one of the Shermans biggest threats at this rank. The long barrel 75mm gun will easily penetrate the Sherman from the front. The F2 variant is admittedly easy to deal with. A single APCBC to its hull or turret should end it pretty quickly, even at long range. The other variants are slightly harder to deal with. They have thicker hull armour, at 80mm, which will be much harder to penetrate with the APCBC over 500m. Luckily the turret armour remains the same at 50mm. Either aim here with APCBC or sacrifice damage potential and use the AP round to penetrate the hull.

;[[StuG III F]]/[[StuG III G|G]]:

* Another historical nemesis of the Sherman, and another big threat. The StuG III packs the same punch as the Panzer IV line with its long barrel 75mm gun, whilst losing the turret, which turns out to be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Lacking a turret means that it will have to traverse the whole vehicle to target an enemy, but it also means that it has a lower profile. The StuG's armour profile is also more complex than the Panzer IV, with less flat areas. Certain areas are sloped and very bouncy. Luckily, there is a big weak spot. There are two flat plates on the front of the hull. The flat plate on the right is the drivers port. Shoot that and you are able to knock outthe driver, gunner and loader in one go. This is a very efficient way to destroy this vehicle. With the F variant, you can use APCBC to instantly one-shot this vehicle. With the G variant, it is more reliable to use AP at ranges over 500m to ensure penetration.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent gun depression of -10° plus the angled frontal turret allows it to utilise hills very well
* Great penetration and post-penetration damage when using M61 shells; can frontally penetrate and one-shot most opponents like the [[Pz.IV F2]], [[Chi-Nu]] and T-34
* Great turret traverse speed allows it to deal with multiple threats easily
* Adequate top speed allows it to get to positions in time, or to do tactical manoeuvres like flanking
* Pintle-mounted HMG provides an anti-aircraft defence or anti-tank duty against tanks like [[Marder III]]
* Fitted with a vertical stabilizer, allowing more accurate fire on the move compared to other tanks, as well as better usage of shoot-n-scoot tactics

'''Cons:'''

* Large profile and weak side armour; flankers like the Sd.Kfz.234/2 can easily see and penetrate it
* Frontal armour is still inadequate, will get frontally penetrated and one-shot by tanks like [[Pz.IV F2]]/[[Pz.IV G|G]], [[StuG III F]]/[[StuG III G|G]], [[M10 (Family)|M10]]
* The best M61 shell struggles to penetrate heavy targets like [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)]], [[Churchill III]] or even the T-34 and M10 when angled
* Trajectory is curved and velocity is low due to its short barrel, thus distant/moving targets are hard to shoot at
* Hull traverse is quite slow, making it sluggish in a turn. Also the narrow tracks offer poor ground flotation, thus poor off-road capabilities. Can only reach its top speed on paved or hard surfaces
* Roof armour of 19.5 mm thick is vulnerable to airstrikes with AP cannons. For example the widely used [[M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|M2 Browning]]

== History ==


The Battle of France in 1940 proved to America that their current tank arsenal would not be able to withstand a German assault. The only tanks in their inventory at that time was the [[M2A4|M2 light tank]] and the [[M2|M2 medium tank]], both are inadequate against the German [[Pz.III F|Panzer IIIs]] and the [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IVs]]. The US Army, in response, ordered for a tank armed with a 75 mm gun. While a 75 mm gun was available for use, a turret able to mount the gun was not. So while the turret and tank design underwent development, the 75 mm would be mounted on the stopgap [[M3 Lee|M3 Lee]] tank in a sponson mount. This interim design put the 75 mm on a lower and limited traverse mount that restricted its firing angle, but it did give the Western Allies a tank with the gun, so it was issued by the thousands until a better design could be produced.

During the M3 medium's development, the designs of the 75 mm armed vehicle were being drawn up and submitted by the Ordnance Department. Specifications on the tank design were strict in order to maximize logistical support. Restrictions were made on the tank's height, width, and weight in order to make it able to be transported over bridges, roads, railroads, and on naval ships. These specifications would help the Army by making the tank be very flexible on strategic, logistical, and tactical grounds. On April 1941, the Armored Force Board chose the simplest of the designs, which was a redesigned M3 hull and chassis with a turret mounting the 75 mm gun designated the ''T6'', completed in September 1941. This tank would then designated the '''Medium Tank M4''' in American service. The tank would eventually become the most used Allied tank during World War II as it was lent out by the thousands in the Lend-Lease program to the Allied countries. The British designated the M4 the "[[Sherman II|Sherman]]", which coined into the tank's name '''M4 Sherman''' that it would be known as in history. The production for the Shermans began on October 1941 and would continue to be produced until the end of the war in 1945 with around 50,000 units produced, making it the second most-produced tank in World War II before the [[T-34 (1942)|T-34 tank]].

=== Design ===
Many variants of the Shermans were produced, but they all followed a similar layout. The driver and bow gunner sat in the front driving compartment, the fighting compartment in the middle housed the turret its three crew member, and in the back was the engine compartment. The Sherman used many features present in previous American tank designs, the vertical volute suspension system (VVSS) and radial engine from the [[M2A4|M2 Light Tanks]], and the sloping armour of the [[M2|M2 Medium Tanks]]. This became a contributing factor on the Sherman's reliability on the field, as most of the design flaws were ironed out with the previous tank designs. The tank-mounted the 75 mm M3 gun, giving the tank very good AP and HE capabilities. The Sherman's turret traverse speed was very fast, able to traverse a full 360 degrees in only 15 seconds, which is considerably faster than the traverse speed on most German tanks. Another unique feature on the Sherman was the installation of a gyroscopic stabilizer on the gun and sight, making the Sherman one of the first produced tanks to incorporate those features. While the stabilization was only done for the vertical plane, it kept the gun stable enough to be able to shoot on the move effectively, with a study showing a 70 % hit probability on an enemy 300 to 1,200 yards away when moving at a speed of 15 mph. However, this feature was controversial among the crew and experiences with it vary.

The '''M4 Sherman''' model ran on a gasoline Continental R975 radial engine and was one of the first models of the Sherman developed. The early M4 Sherman featured the M38 telescopic sight in the M4 periscope with no zoom, but experience in North Africa and recommendations from the British changed the sight into the M55 telescopic sight integrated into the gun mantlet.<ref name="ZalogaArmorT1">Zaloga Steven. ''Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II'' Stackpole Books, 2008, "Baptism Of Fire"</ref> This change in optics required appliqué armour to be added at the turret area in front of the gunner since the modification left the area weaker than the overall turret. This problem would be fixed in later-production models of the M4 Sherman. The tank's hull was welded, with the front armour plate placed on a 56-degree sloping angle. An early design defect with the design was the protruding armoured hatches for the driver and assistant driver. These protrusions create "shot traps" as they were in a near vertical position that gave less protection on the front armour than the sloping areas. This was fixed on later models as well. Up to 6,748 M4A1s were produced from July 1942 to January 1944, out of the 49,234 total Sherman units produced in the war.

===Combat usage===
====European Theater====
The Shermans first saw combat in the North African Campaign in the Second Battle of El Alamein on October 1942 in the hands of the British. It was much quicker to reinforce the British armoured divisions with the more than 300 Shermans sent to North Africa than it was to create new American ones. It proved much better than the German [[Pz.III F|Panzer IIIs]] and [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IVs]], able to eliminate them at distances more than 2,000 yards away. The Americans received their first Shermans in the next month in Operation Torch. However better the Shermans were to the German tanks at the time, the Allied armoured units still suffered casualties against the German tanks and anti-tank guns, most notably in the Battle of Kasserine Pass. In Italy, the Shermans proved much more mobile than the German Panzers, able to travel cross-country on the hilly terrain with ease. However, it was at this stage that the Sherman's shortcoming began to take face in the advent of the newer German tanks, the [[Tiger H1|Tiger Is]] and [[Panther D|Panthers]]. These two tanks featured armour that proved impenetrable when fired at the front, and with guns that could take out the Shermans from farther than the Sherman's effective combat range. The Shermans have to hit the side of these tanks for penetration and at ranges that were considered suicidal. Although programs were initiated to [[M4A1 (76) W|up-gun the Sherman with a 76 mm gun]], American leaders determine that the Panther and Tigers would not be produced in large quantities and were not as great as a threat as these two vehicles could still be destroyed by the 75 mm gun and standard anti-tank equipment.

During the invasion of France, it was clear that the Sherman's current build with a 75 mm gun was no longer going to cut it against the German armoured forces. While the Sherman was adequate against what little Panzer III and IVs the Germans have left and against infantry and fortifications with the 75 mm gun, the Panthers and Tigers were in much large quantity than expected, and proved better in armour and firepower to the Shermans. Though in the bocage country of France, the Allies lost more tanks to hidden anti-tank guns and infantry weapons than to tanks. Despite these losses, the mass production of M4 Sherman back in the United States ensured that enough tanks were available for the Allied Forces as they spearhead through France, plus the lack of any other capable tanks meant they had to use the Shermans for the time being. The large quantities of Shermans produced during the war gave the Allied armoured units a major advantage of being fully equipped as the German panzer divisions were rarely in full strength, with some US infantry divisions having more tracked vehicles than some of the panzer divisions. Due to the high attrition rates, tank crews sometimes add [[Add-on_Armor|improvised armour]] onto their Shermans in the form of sandbags and logs in hopes of increased survival, but these were determined to be ineffective from evaluations. A more effective method was to have metal armour welded on in improvisation, and an official project was made for such "assault tanks" that ended with the [[M4A3E2|M4A3E2 "Jumbos"]] with 254 made for the fighting in Europe. The Allies continued to use 75 mm Shermans until the Battle of the Bulge in Winter 1944, when the commanders request only 76 mm Shermans to be brought into Europe as the battle showed the intense armour disparity with the German's large numbers of [[Panther G|Panthers]] and [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II tanks]]. While new units arriving in Europe were armed exclusively with 76 mm armed-Shermans, the veteran units kept the 75 mm Shermans, to which it continued to do well against softer targets with little threat from German armour due to their declining numbers.

====Pacific Theater====
The M4 Sherman's importance in the Pacific theatre was less than that of the European theatre due to the different tactical doctrine established from the amphibious nature of combat. Only about 20 tank battalions fielded by the US Army were sent to support the Pacific theatre of operations, compared to the total 16 armoured divisions and 70 tank battalions they have in service. The low priority in tanks was due to the following reasons. Firstly, the jungle terrain on most of the islands fought on was unsuitable for the deployment of large-scale armoured units, relegating armour support to light tanks such as the [[M3 Stuart|M3 Stuarts]]. Secondly, the Japanese forces' armoured units were rather inferior to the American tank forces by 1943. While the Japanese [[Ha-Go|Type 95 Ha-Go]] tank was comparable to the [[M2A4|M2A4 Light Tank]], the Shermans out gun these tanks by a large margin. Such a large margin that the tank crew prefer to use high-explosive shots against the Japanese tank than regular armour-piercing as the AP rounds would penetrate straight through without causing much damage in the interior of the tank. The Japanese developed the [[Chi-Nu|Type 3 Chi-Nu]] and the [[Chi-To|Type 4 Chi-To]] to fight back the Shermans, but these two never saw combat as they were kept at the Japanese homeland for the defence against the Allied invasion.

The Shermans, when deployed, were superior to most of the Japanese anti-tank equipment and often were essential to some of the Marines advances on some of the island assaults. In 1945, the equipping of flamethrower Shermans known as ''M4A3R3'', nicknamed "Zippos", were a significant boost to the infantry's firepower in having a very long range of fire compared to the standard infantry-modelled flamethrowers with the benefit of being in an armoured vehicle. The Japanese solution against the Shermans, other than with their 47 mm anti-tank guns, were often suicidal tactics ranging from placing satchel charges right onto the tank, using pole-mounted anti-tank mines to reach and destroy the tank or even simply throwing oneself underneath a tank with mine or other explosive and triggering it manually.

==== Lend-Lease ====
The Sherman tank was given out in large numbers to American Allies during World War II under the Lend-Lease policy. While America retained about 20,361 Shermans in the Army and Marine Corps, 17,184 went to Britain (about 34% of Shermans produced and 78% of Shermans given out) and the Soviet Union obtained 4,102 Shermans.<ref name="ZalogaArmorT2">Zaloga Steven. ''Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II'' Stackpole Books, 2008, "The British Sherman"</ref> China obtained 812 Shermans, Brazil with 53, and New Zealand and Australia for 153 Shermans total. Other countries using the Shermans were Poland, Free France, and Czechoslovakia. The British deployed the Sherman among their armoured squadrons in such a large number to become the standard tank of their armoured forces. The increased threat of German tanks in the European theatre also provoked the British to up-gun the M4 Sherman with a more capable gun, resulting in the [[Sherman Firefly|Firefly]].

==== Post-War ====
After the war, the Shermans continued serving America and its allies as the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3E8]] with a new suspension and the 76 mm gun. The [[M26|M26 Pershing]] that was introduced late in World War II was phased out for the Shermans due to its unreliability, and the Sherman stayed until the [[M46|M46 Patton]] was introduced. After being phased out of American service, many other countries still used the Sherman as their main tank, mainly Israel where they up-gun the tank with the much powerful post-war French 75 mm and 105 mm gun as the M-50 and M-51 respectively (nicknamed "Super Shermans"). These proved successful as they were able to fight against the Soviet-supplied [[T-54 (1947)|T-54 tanks]] and [[T-34-85]]s in Middle East service, proving the Sherman as a successful and adaptable design for many years to come.

=== In-game description ===
The Americans did an excellent job recognizing the problems with the M3's main-caliber weaponry being mounted in a side sponson. Immediately after it began full-scale production, they began work on a new, more modern tank with a 75 mm cannon in a fully traversing turret. Its prototype, termed the T6, was ready for trials at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in September 1941.

The M4 was a medium tank boasting a welded hull, a cast turret, and the 350 hp Continental R-975, a gas-powered radial engine. Design of the M4 began in 1941, and by July 1942 it was ready for full-scale production. Between July 1942 and January 1944, 6,748 M4s rolled off the line. The tank's welded hull boosted its ammunition capacity in comparison with cast hulls by expanding its internal armored capacity. The hull's front plate initially had viewing slits, though armor covers were welded over them and periscopes were added. The front part of the hull's gear compartment on older models consisted of three sections bolted together. Tanks had a narrow mantlet for the M34 artillery mount, while subsequent units employed a fully cast forward hull section and M34A1 artillery mount with a wide mantlet. The last batches, which were made beginning at the end of 1943, had the front of their hulls made from cast and rolled pieces. At the beginning of 1944 the frontal plate became one piece, moving the driver and gunner hatches to the top of the hull. The angled frontal armor went from 56° to 47° from vertical.

The Pressed Steel Car Company kicked off production of the first M4 tanks in July 1942. Four more companies were added later.

M4 tanks saw combat in Africa, Italy, the Western front, and the Pacific islands through 1945.

Shermans proved a strong option with good reliability and maneuverability in addition to armament and armor suiting its roll as a medium tank.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=us_m4_sherman Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|wCUERS1CEJA|'''{{PAGENAME}} Sherman Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''|GOuPWRJqlK8|'''Pages of History: M4 Sherman''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M4 Sherman (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[M8A1]]
* [[T14]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/2988/current/|[Vehicle Profile] M4 Sherman [Decal Included]]]
* [[wikipedia:M4_Sherman|[Wikipedia] M4 Sherman]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M4_Sherman <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Medium Tank M4 Sherman]
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=40 <nowiki>[Military Factory]</nowiki> M4 Sherman (Medium Tank, M4)]

=== References ===
<references />

{{USA medium tanks}}

T25

2021-04-13T10:52:19Z

U3726243: /* Survivability and armour */ Max speed for vertical stab for the T25

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_t25
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.53 "Firestorm"]]. The T25 is, for all intents and purposes, a prototype [[M26|M26 Pershing]], with nearly the same design, turret, and gun. It comes directly after the [[M4A3 (76) W]] in the American medium tank line.

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (front glacis, turret)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull side, rear and roof, turret roof, cupola roof)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 76.2 mm (47°) ''Front Glacis'' 63.5 mm (56°) ''Lower Glacis''|| 50.8 mm ''Front half'' 38.1 mm ''Rear half'' || 38.1 mm (7-22°) || 19.05 mm
|-
| Turret || 76.2 mm (1-80°) ''Turret front'' 88.9 mm (7-80°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 63.5 mm (0-31°) || 63.5 mm (1-3°) || 25.4 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 76.2 mm (spherical) || 76.2 mm ''Outer ring'' 25.4 mm ''Centre''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, bogies, and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Machine gun port on hull is a weak spot due to flat armour.
* An internal plate (19.05 mm) separates the crew compartment from the engine compartment.
* The turret ring is protected by an additional 35 mm lip (21°).

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=775|rbMinHp=442}}

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

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

{{main|M3 (90 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (90 mm)|90 mm M3]] || 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" | 50 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 9.75 || rowspan="2" | 8.63 || rowspan="2" | 7.95 || rowspan="2" | 7.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M77 shot || AP || 162 || 160 || 148 || 135 || 123 || 113
|-
| M82 shot || APCBC || 173 || 170 || 159 || 145 || 133 || 121
|-
| M304 shot || APCR || 287 || 281 || 259 || 234 || 211 || 191
|-
| M71 shell || HE || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M77 shot || AP || 822 || 10.61 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M82 shot || APCBC || 813 || 10.94 || 1.2 || 14 || 137.2 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| M304 shot || APCR || 1,021 || 7.62 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| M71 shell || HE || 823 || 10.55 || 0 || 0.1 || 925 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

==== [[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
! 7th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''50''' || 49 ''(+1)'' || 41 ''(+9)'' || 33 ''(+17)'' || 25 ''(+25)'' || 17 ''(+33)'' || 9 ''(+41)'' || 1 ''(+49)'' || No
|-
|}
Note:

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount
! Capacity (Belt capacity)
! Rate of fire (shots/minute)
! Vertical guidance
! Horizontal guidance
|-
| Pintle || 500 (200) || 576 || -10°/+60° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount
! Capacity (Belt capacity)
! Rate of fire (shots/minute)
! Vertical guidance
! Horizontal guidance
|-
| Coaxial || 4,500 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The T25 is a medium tank, but the mobility can give the impression that it is a quick heavy tank when driving it. Its top speed is on par with the [[Comet I|Comet]], but it accelerates slower. The T25 is respectably mobile and is one of the first American tanks to have neutral steering, which allows for excellent and light low-speed handling and useful in tight urban maps. The T25's saving grace is the fact that it's got the 90 mm, on par to the Tiger's [[KwK 36 (88 mm)|88 mm gun]].

When using this tank, use it as what it is - a medium tank. It has many of the very desirable qualities for a medium tank - containing elements of a tank destroyer, a medium tank, and a heavy tank into one powerful package. Its armour is above average, being on par with a Tiger I, because of it being sloped. When angled, the tank is extremely tough, but do not expect the armour to save the T25 every time - the common [[IS-2]] is extremely dangerous. Its hide may be thick, but once upgraded, it can keep up with things like Panthers, but don't expect to win any running races soon! Its speed is what surprises many players, as American tanks are not known for their speed. This speed can allow flanking manoeuvres and to get to positions impossible for most American tanks. This leads into its tank destroyer capability - the part that makes the T25 very effective. It has access to the famed M82 APCBC rounds, which matches Russian tanks on post-penetration effect, owing to the round's massive 137 grams of explosive filler. And for good measure, it has the same penetration as a Tiger 1's 88mm APCBC rounds. It even has access to very powerful APCR rounds for it's BR, but the T25 will not usually need 260 mm of penetration. Its various qualities make it a jack of all trades, with its only weakness being mobility and thin side armour. The T25 gives a glimpse of American medium tank gameplay after the Sherman series.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful 90 mm gun, same gun mounted on the M26 and the M36 GMC
* Vertical gun stabilizer that works up to 24 km/h
* Mounts a .50 cal machine gun on top for anti-aircraft defence
* Unlike following 90mm M3 vehicles, no first-stage ammo rack = no reload time penalty. This can be helpful during prolonged fights, and extra valuable in the assault mode
* It's a middle ground between the M26 and the M4A3 (76) W
* Lower profile than the [[M4A3 (76) W |M4 Sherman]] tanks
* Much more manoeuvrable and faster than the M26 Pershing
* Can immediately research the M82 shell upon purchase
* Has neutral steering
* Similar play style to that of the M26 Pershing
* .50 cal AA machine gun that can rotate a full 360 degree

'''Cons:'''

* 90 mm cannon is notorious for having a longer reload time than its competitors
* Armour is woefully inadequate at its rank
* Slow, can't keep up with T-34 and Panthers, even Tiger IIs on some terrains
* Stock shell is bad

== History ==

=== T20 series ===
After the [[M4|M4 Sherman]] was adopted as the United States military's standard tank, work began on a new tank design to be the successor of the M4 Sherman. U.S. Ordnance Department got to work in spring of 1942, which would lead up to the ''[[T20]]'' tank designs. The T20, along with its variants like the ''T22'' and ''T23'', were all marginal improvements over the M4 Sherman with a more powerful [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm gun]], a rear transmission design, and having a much lower profile. While the Ordnance Dept. tinkered around with these designs with various components, the Armored Board rejected the few designs offered to them for being maintenance extensive, as well as not seeing a need to replace their abundant and well-suited M4 Shermans on the field. While the tanks were rejected, they did provide some technical upgrades to the current Sherman designs. An example of this is the horizontal-volute suspension system (HVSS)that eventually became the suspension of the "E8" Shermans such as the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3E8]].<ref name="PershingHunnicutt">Hunnicutt, R.P. ''Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series'' U.S.A.: Feist Publications, 1971</ref> Another example is the T23 turret, which would become the main turret on Shermans mounting the 76 mm cannon on the "E6" program.

Though the Armored Board rejected the tanks for immediate combat use, the Ordnance Dept. continued their development. The T20s were not completely disregarded, as one of the models, the T23, was seen as promising enough that an initial order of 250 tanks was placed in May 1943. As tests continued, the order was modified. 50 of the tanks were to be adapted to use a [[M3 (90 mm)|90 mm gun]] as its main armament. Forty of them were to be simple T23 upgrades with the new turret, but ten were to also have additional armour on the hull. These two 90 mm tanks asked are designated the '''T25''' and ''T26'' respectively.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

===Development of the T25===
The first T25 was made by adding a 90 mm gun turret onto the T23. This converted T23 first arrived at Aberdeen Proving Ground on 21 January 1944, and a second one arrived at Fort Knox on 29 April. Both models had a horizontal-volute suspension system with 23-inch tracks. This original T25 was roughly 3 tons heavier than the T23 and carried the 90 mm gun T7, the prototype of the 90 mm M3. Other changes from the T23 consists of a narrower and longer driver hatch to adapt to the gun mantlet of the new turret, as well as smaller changes in the interior for increased ammo storage. The transmission was still that of the T23 with the electric transmission with a Ford GAN engine.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

Another variant of the T25 was developed by the Ordnance Dept when they discovered that the electric drive on the T25 and T26 added too much weight to the overall design. This variation changed the transmission on the two tanks to a Torqmatic transmission design, essentially an improved T20's transmission design, as well as torsion bar suspension. These variants were designated with an "E1" name to ''T25E1'' and ''T26E1''. It was decided that the "E1" tanks were to be the standard production model with them to go along with the orders. Production and deliveries of the T25E1 and T26E1 were carried out between February to May 1944. The T25E1 and T26E1 participated in a series of tests at Aberdeen Proving Grounds and Fort Knox to determine their combat suitability and design flaws. Testing for the E1 tanks lasted from their arrival in February to summer of 1944.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

===Rejection and fate===
By summer of 1944, Operation Overlord commenced and battle reports coming in from the troops are taken in for any suggestions on future tank development. The troops in Normandy were running into anti-tank defences able to destroy their [[M4|M4 Shermans]] with ease, and now they called for a tank with more powerful armament and increased armour. This new perspective caused an unfortunate setback for the T25 in comparison to its up-armoured brother T26. As such, priority on the T25 declined as priority work went into the T26 and into fixing its faults. Only 42 tanks, 2 T25 and 40 T25E1s, were produced between January and May of 1944.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

The T25 and T25E1 tanks continued on in the Armored Board and Ordnance Dept. as test pieces for other projects. The T25 in Armored Board stayed in testing until the 28th of September, 1944, before their focus also switched to the T26 series. The Ordnance Dept. converted a T25E1 tank into a T26E3 variant to test for various modifications that would go onto the redesigning of the T26E1 into the T26E3. The T25E1 was also tested with various of guns like a 90 mm gun T14. There was also a proposal to mount a [[T5E1 (105 mm)|105 mm T5E1 gun]], but this never passed the concept drawing stages.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

The T26 and T26E1 models, now the main focus of the Ordnance Dept. and Armored Board, had the defects found from field testing fixed by late 1944. This polished variant was designated the ''T26E3''. This tank, with an order of 250 already made since January of 1944, went on into production that November, with 40 tanks delivered by the end of the year. The T26E3, in a bid for further testing, was sent to Europe for combat evaluation on the field against German armour. The T26E3 would provide sterling service against German heavy tanks like the [[Panther G|Panther]] and [[Tiger E|Tiger I]]. The T26E3 tank was then finally accepted and standardized on March 1945 in Army Ground Forces as the [[M26|M26 Pershing]].<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

=== In-game description ===
An experimental medium tank built at the Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant in January, 1944. Only two of them were ever built. They were never used in combat. One of the precursors to the M26 medium tank, armed with a 90mm gun and comparable armor.

== Media ==


;Skins


{| class="catlist" frame="box" style="background: #efefef;" align="center"
|[[File:GEN_LIVE_WT_1_HPL.jpg|510px|link=https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=us_t25|]] ||
|-
|}

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|yHuUGzezChI|'''Best after-party picks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:08 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== 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 ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/814/|[Devblog] T25 Medium Tank and Panzerwerfer 42 Auf.Sf - with developer's answers]]

===References===
<references />

{{USA medium tanks}}

M4A2

2021-04-13T10:50:49Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ Max speed for vert stab on M4A2

{{About
| about = American medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other M4 Shermans
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m4a2_sherman
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced along with the initial American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. It is the third of the Sherman medium tank series and the last 75 mm variant before unlocking the 76 mm equipped models. The in-game model represents a "Sherman 2.0" design with the new front armour model angling at an uninterrupted 47 degree and a better cast turret.

Compared to its predecessor, the M4A2 is the only 75 mm Sherman with an uninterrupted and welded front glacis sloped at 47 degrees. This eliminates most of the weak points of the earlier [[M4A1|M4A1]] and [[M4|M4]] models, though by this battle rating most enemy weaponry could penetrate the front glacis of the Sherman. Compensation for the better enemy is that the M4A2 Sherman has access to the T45 APCR ammunition for its 75 mm gun.

Another noted difference is the loss of the turret appliqué armour on the right side of the gun mantlet. This does not sacrifice armour as the turret base armour at that location is thickened to compensate for the loss.

Finally, the M4A2 runs with the General Motors 6046 diesel double-engine. This does not impact automotive performances greatly, but it does change the engine deck shape, exhaust emission, and engine noise.

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

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 63.5 mm (47°) ''Front glacis'' 51-108 mm (12-56°) ''Transmission housing'' || 38.1 mm || 38.1 mm (7-10°) || 19.5 mm
|-
| Turret || 76 mm (3-65°) ''Turret front'' 89 + 51 mm (2-62°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 51 mm (2-64°) || 51 mm (2-60°) || 19.5 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 51 mm || 19.5 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, the bogies are 10 mm, and the tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Small applique armour are placed on the side hull armour over ammunition that gives an extra 25.4 mm
* A small patch on the turret front right side is thinner (51 mm) than the rest (76 mm).

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=635|rbMinHp=363|AoAweight=1.15}}

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

It is advisable to research ''Parts'' first, then ''Fire Protection Equipment'', then the ''M61 shot'' round.

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

{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || 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" | 97 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
| T45 shot || APCR || 139 || 135 || 121 || 105 || 91 || 79
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0 || 0.1 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T45 shot || APCR || 868 || 3.81 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M89 || 259 || 3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[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
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''97''' || 91 ''(+6)'' || 88 ''(+9)'' || 86 ''(+11)'' || 78 ''(+19)'' || 63 ''(+34)'' || 46 ''(+51)'' || 31 ''(+66)'' || 1 ''(+96)'' || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_M4.png|right|thumb|x200px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M4 Sherman.]]
Notes:

* To go into battle with the turret basket empty of ammo, pack 78 ''(+19)'' shells (racks 1 to 4 emptied).
* To go into battle with the turret basket and the flanks empty of ammo, pack 31 ''(+66)'' shells (Racks 1 to 7 empty).
* The 8th rack is large and located at a a weak spot: the bottom section of the armour. In case of penetration, there is a high risk of ammo rack detonation. Make sure not to expose your flanks unnecessarily.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (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 || 300 (200) || 577 || -10°/+25° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| 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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The general playstyle of this tank is to be a support tank. This tank doesn't have the armour to be on the front lines. Surviving on the front lines will be quite hard, though not impossible. Try to stay in the 2nd or 3rd line and support the team, or hide behind heavily armoured teammates and help them assault the enemy. Capturing cap zones is also good for this vehicle. This Sherman is pretty fast. Be note, be wary of T-34 and Panzer IV tanks. These have guns that can easily penetrate the M4A2's armour even if angled well. It is best to use hull down tactics, or shoot first and knock-out their gunner. T-34s are tougher and they can very easily one shot the M4A2 from the side to keep the sides protected. T-34s have thin armour but sloped, and if angled, are hard to destroy, so aim for the turret. T-34E STZ's are very hard to take it and once again, the turret.

The tactics which should be used; is not to stay in the same place. Move after every shot so the enemy has to counter that move thus leaving the enemy unit exposed. Once the M4A2 has access to different camouflages: it will be able to blend into the background (Works very well with a flanking manoeuvre), then wait for the enemy to drive right past the tank.

''[[:Category:Game_modes|Arcade Battles]]'' 
When in this [[:Category:Game_modes|Game Mode]] Game Mode: The tank is: fast, but weakly armoured. Its gun is pretty decent with enough penetration. Capture zones and support the team by firing at enemy medium tanks.

''[[:Category:Game_modes|Realistic Battles]]'' and ''[[:Category:Game_modes|Simulator Battles]]'' 
The tank performs it's role as medium tank very well. It uses speed; as an advantage and very thick frontal armour. Which gives this tank, an edge over the enemy. However, It offers; some very thin armour around the side and the rear of the tank. Which can be penetrated;- by almost all the tanks in [[:Category:Second_rank_ground_vehicles|2nd rank]] and on. So watching the sides and rear are very important, neglecting to protect them can often result in a destroyed M4A2.

When engaging the enemy forces; It is recommended to turn into their fire with the front of the tank. Since the front is one of the thickest armoured front installed on a tank. This can often save the tank from its end. However, if a skilled enemy player aims for one of the critical components of the movement, such as the tracks, engine, transmission, or the driver, they could stop the M4A2 from performing this action.

A weak point of this tank is the machine gun port on the front. A single well placed shot could end the tank.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

M4A2 / [[M4A4 (1st PTG)|A4]]: these Sherman tanks are widely used by both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75 mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300 m away. For an M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there can guarantee a knock out most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's an M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armour unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenceless. Note that their guns are equally weak against you, so wiggle around to disrupt their aim while you reload, you have a good chance of bouncing some shells.

[[KV I C 756 (r) (Germany)|KV I C 756 (r)]]:

A vehicle that the M4 Sherman will have trouble against is this German KV-1. While the [[KV-1 (L-11)|L-11]] is underpowered, the [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|ZiS-5]] is potent enough to punch through the Sherman's front, and the Sherman is unable to penetrate the KV-1's thick armour especially with its dd-on armour plates. If this heavy tank is encountered and if it's angling the hull, aim at the gun mantlet as it is only 50mm thick. You can knock out its gunner easily. Or shoot at the thin copula, there's also some chance to knock out the gunner. Of course, the best way is to shoot at its sides and rear without any angle, where its armour is unsloped, though it will still have to be at a close range to penetrate the armour. In addition, shots to the sides will most likely hit fuel tanks or ammunition storage, causing a fire or ammunition detonation and at best, time to reassess the situation.

[[Churchill Mk I]], [[Churchill Mk III]], [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]:

The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to penetrate at range. Again, maneuver as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armour, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.

[[Pz.IV F2]]/[[Pz.IV G|G]]/[[Pz.IV H|H]]/[[Pz.IV J|J]]:

The historical nemesis of any Sherman, the Panzer IV is one of the Shermans biggest threats at this rank. The long barrel 75mm gun will easily penetrate the Sherman from the front. The F2 variant is admittedly easy to deal with. A single APCBC to its hull or turret should end it pretty quickly, even at long range. The other variants are slightly harder to deal with. They have thicker hull armour, at 80mm, which will be much harder to penetrate with the APCBC over 500m. Luckily the turret armour remains the same at 50mm. Either aim here with APCBC or sacrifice damage potential and use the AP round to penetrate the hull.

[[StuG III F]]/[[StuG III G|G]]:

Another historical nemesis of the Sherman, and another big threat. The StuG III packs the same punch as the Panzer IV line with its long barrel 75mm gun, whilst losing the turret, which turns out to be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Lacking a turret means that it will have to traverse the whole vehicle to target an enemy, but it also means that it has a lower profile. The StuG's armour profile is also more complex than the Panzer IV, with less flat areas. Certain areas are sloped and very bouncy. Luckily, there is a big weak spot. There are two flat plates on the front of the hull. The flat plate on the right is the drivers port. Shoot that and you are able to incapacitate the driver, gunner and loader in one go. This is a very efficient way to destroy this vehicle. With the F variant, you can use APCBC to instantly one-shot this vehicle. With the G variant, it is more reliable to use AP at ranges within 500m to ensure penetration.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent gun depression of -10° plus the angled frontal turret allows it to utilise hills very well
* Great firepower: adequate penetration and post-penetration damage when using M61 shells; can frontally penetrate and one-shot most opponents like the [[Pz.IV F2]], [[Chi-Nu]] and [[StuG III F|StuG III]] F. It also has APCR for hitting thick, flat armour up close, for example the [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]
* Great turret traverse speed allows it to deal with multiple threats easily
* Well angled frontal hull provides protection against small calibre / low-penetration guns (eg. 75mm M3, 50mm KwK39), and even large calibre guns when angled correctly. The side armour can be boosted with add-on armour
* Adequate top speed allows it to get to positions in time, or to do tactical manoeuvres like flanking
* Pintle-mounted HMG provides an anti-aircraft defence or anti-tank duty against tanks like [[Marder III]]
* Fitted with a vertical stabilizer, allowing more accurate fire on the move compared to other tanks, as well as better usage of shoot-n-scoot tactics

'''Cons:'''

* Large profile and weak side armour; flankers like the Sd.kfz.234/2 can easily see and penetrate it
* Frontal armour is still inadequate, will get penetrated and one-shot by tanks like [[Pz.IV F2]] / G, [[StuG III F]] / G, [[M10 (Family)|M10]]
* M61 and T45 all struggle to penetrate angled targets like [[StuG III G]], Churchill Mk.III or even the T-34 and M10
* Trajectory is curved and velocity is low due to its short barrel, thus distant/moving targets are hard to shoot at
* Hull traverse is quite slow, making it sluggish in a turn. Also the narrow tracks offer poor ground flotation, thus poor off-road capabilities. Can only reach its top speed on paved or hard surfaces
* Roof armour of 19.5 mm thick is vulnerable to airstrikes with AP cannons. For example the widely used MG151 15/20mm

== History ==

===Development===
The Battle of France in 1940 proved to America that their current tank arsenal would not be able to withstand a German assault. The only tanks in their inventory at that time was the [[M2A4|M2 Light Tanks]] and the [[M2|M2 Medium Tank]], both are inadequate against the German [[Pz.III F|Panzer IIIs]] and the [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IVs]]. The US Army, in response, ordered for a tank armed with a 75 mm gun. While a 75 mm gun was available for use, a turret able to mount the gun was not. So while the turret and tank design underwent development, the 75 mm would be mounted on the stopgap design, the [[M3 Lee|M3 Lee]] tank in a sponson mount. This interim design put the 75 mm on a lower and limited traverse mount that restricted its firing angle, but it did give the Allies a tank with the gun, so it was issued by the thousands until a better design could be made.

During the M3's development, the designs of the 75 mm armed vehicle were being drawn up and submitted by the Ordnance Department. Specifications on the tank design were strict, with restrictions made on the tank's height, width, and weight in order to make it able to be transported over bridges, roads, railroads, and on ships. These specifications would help the army by making the tank be very flexible on strategic, logistical, and tactical grounds. On April 1941, the Armored Force Board chose the simplest of the designs, which was a redesigned M3 hull and chassis with a turret mounting the 75 mm gun designated the ''T6'', completed in September 1941. This tank would then designated the '''Medium Tank M4''' in American service. The tank would become the most used Allied tank during World War II as it was lent out by the thousands in the Lend-Lease program to the Allied countries. The British called the M4 the "Sherman", which coined into the tank's name '''M4 Sherman''' that it would be known as in history. The production for the Shermans began on October 1941 and would continue to be produced until the end of the war in 1945 with around 50,000 units produced, making it the second most-produced tank in World War II before the [[T-34 (1942)|T-34 tank]].

===Design===
Many variants of the Shermans were produced, but they all followed a similar layout. The driver and bow gunner sat in the front driving compartment, the fighting compartment in the middle housed the turret its three crew member, and in the back was the engine compartment. The Sherman used many features present in previous American tank designs, the vertical volute suspension system (VVSS) and radial engine from the M2 light tanks, and the sloping armour of the M2 Medium. This became a contributing factor on Sherman's reliability on the field, as most of the design flaws were ironed out with the previous tank designs. The tank-mounted the [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3 gun]], giving the tank very good AP and HE capabilities. The Sherman's turret traverse speed was very fast, able to traverse a full 360 degrees in only 15 seconds, which is considerably faster than the traverse speed on most German tanks. Another unique feature on the Sherman was the installation of a [[Gun stabilizer|gyroscopic stabilizer]] on the gun and sight, making the Sherman one of the first produced tanks to incorporate those features. While the stabilization was only done for the vertical plane, it kept the gun stable enough to be able to shoot on the move effectively, with a study showing a 70 % hit probability on an enemy 300 to 1,200 yards away when moving at a speed of 15 mph. However, this feature was controversial among the crew and experiences with it vary.

The '''M4A2 Sherman''' model ran on a GM 6046 diesel engine. The Sherman model in-game is one of the later production models, featuring improvements on the turret and hull design to maximize armour thickness. The tank's hull was welded, with the earlier models having the front armour plate placed on a 56-degree sloping angle. However, this design had protrusions on the driver and assistant driver hatches that created "shot traps" as these protrusions gave less protection than the frontal armour plate. This was fixed on later models with a 47-degree angling instead, which eliminated the shot traps and made the frontal armour more effective than before. Up to 8,053 M4A2s were produced from April 1942 to May 1944, out of the 49,234 Sherman units produced in the war. Throughout the war, the M4A2 was mostly given out to other allies or used by the US Marine Corps as the US Army doctrine called for the use of only gasoline-engine Shermans such as the M4A3.

===Combat usage===
====European theater====
The Shermans first saw combat in the North African Campaign in the Second Battle of El Alamein on October 1942 in the hands of the British. It was much quicker to reinforce the British armoured divisions with the more than 300 M4 Shermans sent to North Africa than it was to create new American ones. It proved much better than the German [[Pz.III F|Panzer IIIs]] and [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IVs]], able to eliminate them at distances more than 2,000 yards away. The Americans received their first Shermans in the next month in Operation Torch. However better the Shermans were to the German tanks at the time, the Allied armoured units still suffered casualties against the German tanks and anti-tank guns, most notably in the Battle of Kasserine Pass. In Italy, the Shermans proved much more mobile than the German Panzers, able to travel cross-country on the hilly terrain with ease. However, it was at this stage that the Sherman's shortcoming began to take face in the advent of the newer German tanks, the [[Tiger H1|Tiger Is]] and [[Panther D|Panthers]]. These two tanks featured armour that proved impenetrable when fired at the front, and with guns that could take out the Shermans from farther than the Sherman's effective combat range. The Shermans have to hit the side of these tanks for penetration, and at ranges that were considered suicidal. Although programs were initiated to [[M4A1 (76) W|up-gun the Sherman with a 76 mm gun]], American leaders determine that the Panther and Tigers would not be produced in large quantities and were not as great as a threat as these two vehicles could still be destroyed by the 75 mm gun and standard anti-tank equipment.

During the Invasion of France, it was clear that the Sherman's current build with a 75 mm gun was no longer going to cut it against the German armoured forces. While the Sherman was adequate against what little Panzer III and IVs the Germans have left and against infantry and fortifications with the 75 mm gun, the Panthers and Tigers were in much large quantity than expected, and proved better in armour and firepower to the Shermans. Though in the bocage country of France, the Allies lost more tanks to hidden anti-tank guns and infantry weapons than to tanks. Despite these losses, the mass production of M4 Sherman back in the United States ensured that enough tanks were available for the Allied Forces as they spearhead through France, plus the lack of any other capable tanks meant they had to use the Shermans for the time being. The large quantities of Shermans produced during the war gave the Allied armoured units a major advantage of being fully equipped as the German panzer divisions were rarely in full strength, with some US infantry divisions having more tracked vehicles than some of the panzer divisions. Due to the high attrition rates, tank crews sometimes add [[Add-on Armor|improvised armour]] onto their Shermans in the form of sandbags and logs in hopes of increased survival, but these were determined to be ineffective from evaluations. A more effective method was to have metal armour welded on in improvisation, and an official project was made for such "assault tanks" that ended with the [[M4A3E2|M4A3E2 "Jumbos"]] with 250 made for the Battle of Normandy. During the Battle of Normandy, the first 76 mm Shermans on the M4A1 were put into combat in Operation Cobra in limited numbers. The Allies continued to primarily use the 75 mm Shermans until the Battle of the Bulge in Winter 1944, when the commanders request only 76 mm Shermans to be brought into Europe as the battle showed the intense armour disparity with the German's large numbers of [[Panther G|Panthers]] and [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II's]]. While new units arriving in Europe were armed exclusively with 76 mm armed-Shermans, the veteran units kept the 75 mm Shermans, to which it continued to do well against softer targets with little threat from German armour due to their extreme declining numbers.

====Pacific theater====
The M4 Sherman's importance in the Pacific theatre was less than that of the European theatre due to the different tactical doctrine established from the amphibious nature of combat. Only about 20 tank battalions fielded by the US Army were sent to support the Pacific theatre of operations, compared to the total of 16 armoured divisions and 70 tank battalions they have in service. The low priority in tanks was due to the following reasons. Firstly, the jungle terrain on most of the islands fought for against the Japanese were unsuitable for the deployment of large-scale armoured units, relegating armour support to light tanks such as the [[M3 Stuart|M3 Stuarts]]. Secondly, the Japanese forces' armoured units were rather inferior to the American tank forces by 1943. While the Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go tank was comparable to the M2A4 light tank, the Shermans out gun these tanks by a large margin. Such a large margin that the tank crew prefer to use high-explosive shots against the Japanese tank than regular armour-piercing as the AP rounds would penetrate straight through without causing much damage in the interior of the tank. The Japanese developed the Type 3 Chi-Nu and the Type 4 Chi-To to fight back the Shermans, but these two never saw combat as they were kept at the Japanese Homeland for the defence against the Allied invasion.

The Shermans, when deployed, were superior to most of the Japanese anti-tank equipment and often were essential to some of the Marine's advances on some of the island assaults. In 1945, the equipping of flamethrower Shermans known as ''M4A3R3'', nicknamed "Zippos", were a significant boost to the infantry's firepower in having a very long range of fire compared to the standard infantry-modelled flamethrowers with the benefit of being in an armoured vehicle. The Zippos are able to flush out enemy combatants from within heavily fortified bunkers and caves that would be dangerous for even flamethrower infantry to take out. The Japanese solution against the Shermans, other than with their 47 mm anti-tank guns, were often suicidal tactics ranging from placing satchel charges right onto the tank, using pole-mounted anti-tank mines to reach and destroy the tank or even simply throwing oneself underneath a tank with mine or other explosive and triggering it manually.

====Lend-Lease====
The Sherman tank was given out in large numbers to American Allies during World War II under the Lend-Lease policy. While America retained about 20,361 Shermans in the Army and Marine Corps, 17,184 went to Britain (about 34% of Shermans produced and 78% of Shermans given out) and the Soviet Union obtained 4,102 Shermans.<ref name="ZalogaArmorT2">Zaloga Steven. ''Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II'' Stackpole Books, 2008, "The British Sherman"</ref> China obtained 812 Shermans, Brazil with 53, and New Zealand and Australia for 153 Shermans total. Other countries using the Shermans were Poland, Free France, and Czechoslovakia. The British deployed the Sherman among their armoured squadrons in such a large number to become the standard tank of their armoured forces. The increased threat of German tanks in the European theatre also provoked the British to up-gun the M4 Sherman with a more capable gun, resulting in the [[Sherman Firefly|Firefly]].

====Post-War====
After the war, the Shermans continued serving America and its allies as the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3E8]] with a new suspension and 76 mm gun. The [[M26|M26 Pershing]] that was introduced late in World War II was phased out for the Shermans due to its unreliability, and the Sherman stayed until the [[M46|M46 Patton]] was introduced. After being phased out of American service, many other countries still used the Sherman as their main tank, mainly Israel where they up-gun the tank with the much powerful post-war French [[SA50 (75 mm)|75 mm]] and [[CN-105-F1 (105 mm)|105 mm]] gun as the [[M4A4 (SA50)|M-50]] and M-51 respectively (nicknamed "Super Shermans"). These proved successful as they were able to fight against the Soviet-supplied [[T-54 (1947)|T-54 tanks]] and [[T-34-85]]s in Middle East service, proving the Sherman as a successful and adaptable design for many years to come.

=== In-game description ===
The second mass produced modification differed from the M4 in that two GMC 671 diesel engines were installed to make up for the Continental's insufficiencies. The engine and transmission were pulled from M3A3 and M3A5 medium tanks. In April 1942 the first M4A2 prototype was tested, with full-scale production subsequently beginning.

The tank had a welded hull, and the front plate initially had viewing slits cut out, though armour covers were later welded on and periscopes added. From the beginning of 1944 the front plate was made from a single piece, while the driver and gunner hatches were moved to the roof of the hull. The angle of the frontal armour went from 56° to 47° from vertical. The low-revving diesel engine gave the M4A2 better off-road ability and significantly more range as opposed to carburetor engines.

Approximately 8,000 M4A2s were produced between April 1942 and December 1943.

The tanks saw action in Africa and Italy, on the Western and Eastern fronts, and on Pacific islands through 1945. Lend-Lease included 1,992 of them delivered to the USSR.

In 1943 problems with the M4A2 were exposed by the Russian winter: those sent to the USSR had a smooth rubber protector for their tracks that made it tough to move across frozen roads. The difficulty finding traction was further complicated by a high center of gravity, giving the tank a habit of flipping over. Overall, it was the equivalent of the Soviet T-34 and was used similarly. The Sherman was much quieter than Soviet tanks, also lending itself to more effective infantry fire from behind its armour while on the move due to its lighter suspension.

== Media ==

[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23M4A2 '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the M4A2 from http://live.warthunder.com]

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M4]]
* [[Calliope]]
* [[M4 748 (a) (Germany)]]

== External links ==


===References===
<references />

{{USA medium tanks}}

M4A1

2021-04-13T10:48:55Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */ max speed for vertical stab on M4A1

{{About
| about = American medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other M4 Shermans
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m4a1_1942_sherman
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. The M4A1 is the first Sherman to be unlocked in the American ground tree and provides the player a new balance in armour, firepower, and mobility to use against the enemy. The in-game model is the basic Sherman design during the years of fighting in North Africa, informally called "Sherman 1" with a basic M38 telescopic sight inside the M4 periscope as the gunner's main method of aiming.

The M4A1 Sherman is distinctive from its cast hull construction, causing it to have a curved hull shape. This causes the front hull armour to have a varying slope angle across the glacis, but it also presents several weaknesses. First is in the hull front and side joint with slightly flat angles when angling the tank, the next is the cast construction which diminishes the labelled effectiveness of the front armour. The last is the vision blocks at the top of the front plate. Though at its battle rating, its armour is still effective against smaller gun caliber enemy fire.

The 75 mm M3 gun is mounted in the M34 gun mount with the periscope, a skinny gun mount compared to the future M34A1 which all future 75 mm M4 Sherman guns are mounted. This lowers the area the gun mantlet covers to contribute to turret front armour but does present a slightly greater gun depression by -2° than the future M34A1 mounts.

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

'''Armour type:'''

*Cast homogeneous armour (hull, turret, cupola)
*Rolled homogeneous armour (hull side - bottom)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 19.5 mm (63-84°) ''Front glacis - Upper section'' 50.8 mm (48-63°) ''Front glacis - Centre section'' 34 + 25.4 mm (spherical) ''MG port'' 38.1 mm (spherical) ''Front glacis - Sides'' 50.8 mm (cylindrical) ''Transmission housing'' || 38.1 mm (1-24°) ''Top'' 38.1 mm ''Bottom'' || 38.1 mm ''Upper plate'' 38.1 mm (13°) ''Lower plate'' 38.1 mm (50°) ''Lower glacis'' || 50.8 mm (27-39°) ''Front glacis'' 19.5 mm (0-28°) Turret area'' 19.5 mm (7°) ''Engine bay - centre'' 19.5 mm (20-24°) ''Engine bay - sides
|-
| Turret || 50.8-76.2 mm (18-71°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 + 76.2 mm (cylindrical) ''Gun mantlet'' || 50.8 mm (cylindrical) || 50.8 mm (4°) || 25.4 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 50.8 mm (spherical) || 50.8 mm (spherical) ''Outer ring'' 25.4 mm ''Centre''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while bogies are 10 mm thick and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 12.7 mm thick.
* A small patch on the turret front right side is thinner (50.8 mm) than the rest (76.2 mm).
* Bolt edges on the transmission housing are 101.6 mm thick.

Taking out the M4A1 Sherman is not an incredibly difficult task. Any gun with 100+ mm of penetration will go through the front plate. Panzer III users, however, would have some trouble penetrating the sloped frontal armour, even the later Panzer III models with the 50 mm KwK 39 cannon. The T-34 with the L-11 cannon can also have a difficult time penetrating the front armour. Instead, use your speed and mobility to flank the Sherman, and a shot to the 38mm thick side armour will most likely cause an ammo detonation, destroying the Sherman. If you are forced to face a Sherman head-on, aim for the flat spot around the vision blocks at the top of the front plate. They are extremely thin and upon penetration will destroy or heavily disable the Sherman.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 620|rbMinHp= 354|}}

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

At this rank, the difference between a stock tank and an upgraded one are quite minimal as the M4 Sherman still has adequate firepower and mobility to make a difference on the front-lines. The most notable traits would be sluggishness due to the engine and general inaccuracy over long ranges.

Focus on the survival parts, and then move on towards the M61 shot module, which will improve instant destruction upon penetration.

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

{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || 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" | 90 || rowspan="2" | -12°/+18° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical max 24km/h || 22.9 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.6 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
When discussing {{PAGENAME}} shells, one always has to account for the fact that it's a medium tank. This means short to medium engagement range, so realistically it can benefit more from its short-range penetration figures than long-range sniping tanks would.

* M72 shot - {{Annotation|AP|Armour-Piercing}} - Solid shot, stock shell. Acceptable penetration, poor post-penetration damage.
* M48 shell - {{Annotation|HE|High-Explosive fragmentation shell}} - Low-velocity shell useful against soft targets, in particular when hitting an open-topped vehicle. Harmless against any vehicle with more than 10 mm of armour.
* M61 shot - {{Annotation|APCBC|Armour-Piercing Capped Ballistic Capped}} - This shell has a better penetration than the M72 thanks to its ballistic cap and a good post-penetration damage thanks to its explosive filler.
* M89 smoke shell - Useful to blind enemy vehicles that are too remote for you to disable so that you can progress towards objectives.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke characteristic
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity in m/s
! Projectile Mass in kg
! ''Screen radius in m''
! ''Screen time in s''
! ''Screen hold time in s:''
! ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
|-
| M89 || 259 || 3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[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
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''90''' || 82 ''(+8)'' || 75 ''(+15)'' || 72 ''(+18)'' || 70 ''(+20)'' || 54 ''(+36)'' || 38 ''(+52)'' || 22 ''(+68)'' || 1 ''(+89)'' || Yes
|-
|}
Notes:

* The visual discrepancy concerns rack 8: 28 shells are modeled but it contains only 21 shells.
* Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
* Flanks and turret empty: 22 ''(+68)'' shells.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (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 || 600 (200) || 577 || -10°/+22° || ±60°
|-
|}
The roof-mounted M2HB .50 cal heavy machine gun is very good at knocking out tracks, punching through lightly armoured vehicles and shooting down low-flying aircraft. Use it sparsely because of its low ammo count.
{| 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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
The small calibre of the M1919A4 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

== Usage in battles ==


At a battle rating of 3.3, the M4A1 Sherman is a very capable medium tank. The 75 mm M3 cannon is capable of destroying nearly all armoured targets at the battle rating. Combined with the very fast turret traverse rate, fast reload time of 6.5 seconds and a vertical gun stabilizer, this tank is suited to an aggressive play style due to the M4A1's ability to react quickly and fire relatively accurately without coming to a full stop. The gun depression of -12° also makes this tank excel in hull-down positions, unlike any other tank. One must take into account this tanks very thin side armour of 38.1 mm thick, anti-tank weaponry of any rank will be capable of penetrating this weak side armour so protect the flanks.

Beware of this tank's very poor reverse speed as it only has one reverse gear. This affects the tank's ability to play in a defensive role. In addition, this tank is very prone to an engine fire, so the FPE is a modification that must be completed ASAP. Also, be sure not to let the enemy get sight of the driver and radio operators hull viewports. One single halfway decent shot, even from 20 to 30 mm guns can end the M4A1.

When it comes to armour, it may save you from time to time, but don't rely on it too much. Never angle this tank, becouse the rounded edges of the upper frontal plate are very thin. Remember that your biggest adventage is the combination of good mobility, capable gun, and decent armour.

The M4A1 Sherman plays best in an aggressive role. Firing on the move is not a difficult task with this tank due to the vertical stabilizer. Take advantage of this tank's immense gun depression of -12°.

The tall profile of the tank is an advantage and disadvantage. In the context of a hull down position, it is an advantage due to the M4A1 being able to angle the turret down over a hill or crest without having to pull further up the hill. The tall profile, however, does make the M4A1 more visible and the tall hull makes it easy to set off an ammo rack.

Enemies worth noting at this rank are the Panzer IV F2, the T-34 variants with the F-34 cannon, and the British Churchill infantry tank. All these tanks have adequate guns that could destroy the M4A1 in one shot.

If the M4A1 has been uptiered then it has a significantly higher chance of being picked off due to its weak side armor and with the rest of its armor being less effective due to more advanced enemy cannons.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

[[M4A2]] / [[M4A4 (1st PTG)|A4]]: these Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there can guarantee a knock out most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's a M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armor unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenseless. Note that their guns are equally weak against you, so wiggle around to disrupt their aim while you reload, you have a good chance of bouncing some shells.

[[KV I C 756 (r) (Germany)|KV I C 756 (r)]]:

A vehicle that the M4 Sherman will have trouble against is this German KV-1. While the [[KV-1 (L-11)|L-11]] is underpowered, the [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|ZiS-5]] is potent enough to punch through the Sherman's front, and the Sherman is unable to penetrate the KV-1's thick armour especially with its add-on armour plates. If this heavy tank is encountered and it's angling the hull, aim at the gun mantlet as it is only 50 mm thick. You can knock out its gunner easily. Or shoot at the thin cupola, there's also some chance to knock out the gunner. Of course, the best way is to shoot at its sides and rear without any angle, where its armour is unsloped, though it will still have to be at a close range to penetrate the armour. In addition, shots to the sides will most likely hit fuel tanks or ammunition storage, causing a fire or ammunition detonation and at best, time to reassess the situation.

[[Churchill I]], [[Churchill III]], [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]:

The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to penetrate at range. Again, manoeuvre as close to them as possible, the ideal distance being no more than 200 m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89 mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armour, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.

[[Pz.IV F2]]/[[Pz.IV G|G]]/[[Pz.IV H|H]]/[[Pz.IV J|J]]:

The historical nemesis of any Sherman, the Panzer IV is one of the Sherman's biggest threats at this rank. The long barrel 75 mm gun will easily penetrate the Sherman from the front. The F2 variant is admittedly easy to deal with. A single APCBC to its hull or turret should end it pretty quickly, even at long range. The other variants are slightly harder to deal with. They have thicker hull armour, at 80 mm, which will be much harder to penetrate with the APCBC over 500 m. Luckily the turret armour remains the same at 50 mm. Either aim here with APCBC or sacrifice damage potential and use the AP round to penetrate the hull.

[[StuG III F]]/[[StuG III G|G]]:

Another historical nemesis of the Sherman, and another big threat. The StuG III packs the same punch as the Panzer IV line with its long barrel 75 mm gun, whilst losing the turret, which turns out to be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Lacking a turret means that it will have to traverse the whole vehicle to target an enemy, but it also means that it has a lower profile. The StuG's armour profile is also more complex than the Panzer IV, with less flat areas. Certain areas are sloped and very bouncy. Luckily, there is a big weak spot. There are two flat plates on the front of the hull. The flat plate on the right is the drivers port. Shoot that and you are able to knock out the driver, gunner and loader in one go. This is a very efficient way to destroy this vehicle. With the F variant, you can use APCBC to instantly one-shot this vehicle. With the G variant, it is more reliable to use AP at ranges within 500 m to ensure penetration.

[[R3 T20 FA-HS]]:

This speedy wheeled vehicle can circle around you with ease and wipe out all your crew with its fast firing 20mm autocannon. Watch out for your gun barrel, as the R3 can easily destroy it. In a close encounter, never expose your side to it, as the 20mm will shred through the thin 38mm plate and detonate your ammo. However, a good thing is that you can rely on your .50 cal to destroy the R3.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Good 75 mm gun, with adequate damage and a decent rate of fire
* Frontal glacis offers good armour at its rank and tend to make rounds ricochet
* Very fast turret traverse speed
* Thick gun mantlet, and overall very good sloped turret armour
* Very strong when in a hull down position
* Excellent gun depression -12 degrees
* Very mobile once acceleration kicks in
* Pintle-mounted HMG provides an anti-aircraft defence and can shoot down lightly armoured targets
* Fitted with a vertical stabilizer, allowing more accurate fire on the move compared to other tanks, as well as better usage of shoot-n-scoot tactics

'''Cons:'''

* Armour is not as strong against up-gunned vehicles like the [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV F2]] and the [[T-34 (1942)|T-34 mod.1942]]
* The 38.1 mm side armour is vulnerable to even Rank I anti-tank fire and anti-aircraft guns
* Narrow tracks offer poor ground flotation, thus poor off-road capabilities
* Prone to damage by artillery barrages, tracks can be hit and the fuel supply can be ignited
* Ammunition storage is vulnerable to cooking off
* May tip over when travelling across steep inclines
* A shot through hull vision blocks can set off turret's ammo supply and hull sponson ammo and a lucky shot might even knock the M4A1 out
* Has a high profile especially when compared to other medium tanks
* The cast hull creates frontal weakspots with very little effective thickness, eg. the triangles between upper front plate and the side, and the curved hull hatches

== History ==

===Development===
The Battle of France in 1940 proved to America that their current tank arsenal would not be able to withstand a German assault. The only tanks in their inventory at that time was the [[M2A4|M2 Light Tanks]] and the [[M2|M2 Medium Tank]], both are inadequate against the German [[Pz.III F|Panzer IIIs]] and the [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IVs]]. The US Army, in response, ordered for a tank armed with a 75 mm gun. While a 75 mm gun was available for use, a turret able to mount the gun was not. So while the turret and tank design underwent development, the 75 mm would be mounted on the stopgap design, the [[M3 Lee|M3 Lee]] tank in a sponson mount. This interim design put the 75 mm on a lower and limited traverse mount that restricted its firing angle, but it did give the Allies a tank with the gun, so it was issued by the thousands until a better design could be made.

During the M3's development, the designs of the 75 mm armed vehicle were being drawn up and submitted by the Ordnance Department. Specifications on the tank design were strict, with restrictions made on the tank's height, width, and weight in order to make it able to be transported over bridges, roads, railroads, and on ships. These specifications would help the army by making the tank be very flexible on strategic, logistical, and tactical grounds. On April 1941, the Armored Force Board chose the simplest of the designs, which was a redesigned M3 hull and chassis with a turret mounting the 75 mm gun designated the ''T6'', completed in September 1941. This tank would then designated the '''Medium Tank M4''' in American service. The tank would become the most used Allied tank during World War II as it was lent out by the thousands in the Lend-Lease program to the Allied countries. The British called the M4 the "Sherman", which coined into the tank's name '''M4 Sherman''' that it would be known as in history. The production for the Shermans began on October 1941 and would continue to be produced until the end of the war in 1945 with around 50,000 units produced, making it the second most-produced tank in World War II before the [[T-34 (1942)|T-34 tank]].

===Design===
Many variants of the Shermans were produced, but they all followed a similar layout. The driver and bow gunner sat in the front driving compartment, the fighting compartment in the middle housed the turret its three crew member, and in the back was the engine compartment. The Sherman used many features present in previous American tank designs, the vertical volute suspension system (VVSS) and radial engine from the M2 light tanks, and the sloping armour of the M2 Medium. This became a contributing factor on the Sherman's reliability on the field, as most of the design flaws were ironed out with the previous tank designs. The tank-mounted the [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3 gun]], giving the tank very good AP and HE capabilities. The Sherman's turret traverse speed was very fast, able to traverse a full 360 degrees in only 15 seconds, which is considerably faster than the traverse speed on most German tanks. Another unique feature on the Sherman was the installation of a [[Gun stabilizer|gyroscopic stabilizer]] on the gun and sight, making the Sherman one of the first produced tanks to incorporate those features. While the stabilization was only done for the vertical plane, it kept the gun stable enough to be able to shoot on the move effectively, with a study showing a 70 % hit probability on an enemy 300 to 1,200 yards away when moving at a speed of 15 mph. However, this feature was controversial among the crew and experiences with it vary.

The '''M4A1 Sherman''' model ran on a gasoline Continental R975C-1 radial engine and was one of the first models of the Sherman developed. The model in-game features the early M38 telescopic sight in the M4 periscope with no zoom, which was later replaced with an M55 telescopic sight in the gun mantlet by recommendation from the British.<ref name="ZalogaArmorT1">Zaloga Steven. ''Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II'' Stackpole Books, 2008, "Baptism Of Fire"</ref> The tank's hull was fully cast, giving the tank a distinctive rounded slope front and sides. Though the rounded shape gave the frontal armour uneven angling, it provided adequate protection up to 100 mm in thickness in certain areas. Casting the hull took fewer man hours to perform, but suffered from the limited capability of most American factories and was hard to repair on the field. Thus, welding was prioritized as the primary manufacturing method in the other Sherman variants.<ref name="ZalogaArmorT3">Zaloga Steven. ''Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II'' Stackpole Books, 2008, "The School of Tank Technology"</ref> Nevertheless, up to 6,281 M4A1s were produced from February 1942 to December 1943, out of the 49,234 Sherman units produced in the war.

===Combat usage===
====European theater====
The Shermans first saw combat in the North African Campaign in the Second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942 in the hands of the British. It was much quicker to reinforce the British armoured divisions with the more than 300 M4 Shermans sent to North Africa than it was to create new American ones. It proved much better than the German [[Pz.III F|Panzer IIIs]] and [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IVs]], able to eliminate them at distances more than 2,000 yards away. The Americans received their first Shermans in the next month in Operation Torch. However better the Shermans were to the German tanks at the time, the Allied armoured units still suffered casualties against the German tanks and anti-tank guns, most notably in the Battle of Kasserine Pass. In Italy, the Shermans proved much more mobile than the German Panzers, able to travel cross-country on the hilly terrain with ease. However, it was at this stage that the Sherman's shortcoming began to take face in the advent of the newer German tanks, the [[Tiger H1|Tiger Is]] and [[Panther D|Panthers]]. These two tanks featured armour that proved impenetrable when fired at the front, and with guns that could take out the Shermans from farther than the Sherman's effective combat range. The Shermans have to hit the side of these tanks for penetration and at ranges that were considered suicidal. Although programs were initiated to [[M4A1 (76) W|up-gun the Sherman with a 76 mm gun]], American leaders determine that the Panther and Tigers would not be produced in large quantities and were not as great as a threat as these two vehicles could still be destroyed by the 75 mm gun and standard anti-tank equipment.

During the Invasion of France, it was clear that the Sherman's current build with a 75 mm gun was no longer going to cut it against the German armoured forces. While the Sherman was adequate against what little Panzer III and IVs the Germans have left and against infantry and fortifications with the 75 mm gun, the Panthers and Tigers were in much large quantity than expected, and proved better in armour and firepower to the Shermans. Though in the bocage country of France, the Allies lost more tanks to hidden anti-tank guns and infantry weapons than to tanks. Despite these losses, the mass production of M4 Sherman back in the United States ensured that enough tanks were available for the Allied Forces as they spearhead through France, plus the lack of any other capable tanks meant they had to use the Shermans for the time being. The large quantities of Shermans produced during the war gave the Allied armoured units a major advantage of being fully equipped as the German panzer divisions were rarely in full strength, with some US infantry divisions having more tracked vehicles than some of the panzer divisions. Due to the high attrition rates, tank crews sometimes add [[Add-on Armor|improvised armour]] onto their Shermans in the form of sandbags and logs in hopes of increased survival, but these were determined to be ineffective from evaluations. A more effective method was to have metal armour welded on in improvisation, and an official project was made for such "assault tanks" that ended with the [[M4A3E2|M4A3E2 "Jumbos"]] with 250 made for the Battle of Normandy. During the Battle of Normandy, the first 76 mm Shermans on the M4A1 were put into combat in Operation Cobra in limited numbers. The Allies continued to primarily use the 75 mm Shermans until the Battle of the Bulge in Winter 1944, when the commanders request only 76 mm Shermans to be brought into Europe as the battle showed the intense armour disparity with the German's large numbers of [[Panther G|Panthers]] and [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II's]]. While new units arriving in Europe were armed exclusively with 76 mm armed-Shermans, the veteran units kept the 75 mm Shermans, to which it continued to do well against softer targets with little threat from German armour due to their extreme declining numbers.

====Pacific theater====
The M4 Sherman's importance in the Pacific theatre was less than that of the European theatre due to the different tactical doctrine established from the amphibious nature of combat. Only about 20 tank battalions fielded by the US Army were sent to support the Pacific theatre of operations, compared to the total 16 armoured divisions and 70 tank battalions they have in service. The low priority in tanks was due to the following reasons. Firstly, the jungle terrain on most of the islands fought for against the Japanese were unsuitable for the deployment of large-scale armoured units, relegating armour support to light tanks such as the [[M3 Stuart|M3 Stuarts]]. Secondly, the Japanese forces' armoured units were rather inferior to the American tank forces by 1943. While the Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go tank was comparable to the M2A4 light tank, the Shermans out gun these tanks by a large margin. Such a large margin that the tank crew prefer to use high-explosive shots against the Japanese tank than regular armour-piercing as the AP rounds would penetrate straight through without causing much damage in the interior of the tank. The Japanese developed the Type 3 Chi-Nu and the Type 4 Chi-To to fight back the Shermans, but these two never saw combat as they were kept at the Japanese Homeland for the defence against the Allied invasion.

The Shermans, when deployed, were superior to most of the Japanese anti-tank equipment and often were essential to some of the Marine's advances on some of the island assaults. In 1945, the equipping of flamethrower Shermans known as ''M4A3R3'', nicknamed "Zippos", were a significant boost to the infantry's firepower in having a very long range of fire compared to the standard infantry-modelled flamethrowers with the benefit of being in an armoured vehicle. The Zippos are able to flush out enemy combatants from within heavily fortified bunkers and caves that would be dangerous for even flamethrower infantry to take out. The Japanese solution against the Shermans, other than with their 47 mm anti-tank guns, were often suicidal tactics ranging from placing satchel charges right onto the tank, using pole-mounted anti-tank mines to reach and destroy the tank or even simply throwing oneself underneath a tank with mine or other explosive and triggering it manually.

====Lend-Lease====
The Sherman tank was given out in large numbers to American Allies during World War II under the Lend-Lease policy. While America retained about 20,361 Shermans in the Army and Marine Corps, 17,184 went to Britain (about 34% of Shermans produced and 78% of Shermans given out) and the Soviet Union obtained 4,102 Shermans.<ref name="ZalogaArmorT2">Zaloga Steven. ''Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II'' Stackpole Books, 2008, "The British Sherman"</ref> China obtained 812 Shermans, Brazil with 53, and New Zealand and Australia for 153 Shermans total. Other countries using the Shermans were Poland, Free France, and Czechoslovakia. The British deployed the Sherman among their armoured squadrons in such a large number to become the standard tank of their armoured forces. The increased threat of German tanks in the European theatre also provoked the British to up-gun the M4 Sherman with a more capable gun, resulting in the [[Sherman Firefly|Firefly]].

====Post-War====
After the war, the Shermans continued serving America and its allies as the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3E8]] with a new suspension and 76 mm gun. The [[M26|M26 Pershing]] that was introduced late in World War II was phased out for the Shermans due to its unreliability, and the Sherman stayed until the [[M46|M46 Patton]] was introduced. After being phased out of American service, many other countries still used the Sherman as their main tank, mainly Israel where they up-gun the tank with the much powerful post-war French [[SA50 (75 mm)|75 mm]] and [[CN-105-F1 (105 mm)|105 mm]] gun as the [[M4A4 (SA50)|M-50]] and M-51 respectively (nicknamed "Super Shermans"). These proved successful as they were able to fight against the Soviet-supplied [[T-54 (1947)|T-54 tanks]] and [[T-34-85]]s in Middle East service, proving the Sherman as a successful and adaptable design for many years to come.

===In-game description===
The M4А1 was an M4 medium tank with a cast hull, cast turret, and the 350 hp Continental R-975, a gas-powered radial engine. The M4A1 went into full-fledged production in February 1942, with 6,281 rolling off the lines between then and January 1944. The hull's front plate initially had viewing slits cut out, though later it was made from one piece. The front section of the gear compartment was made out of three pieces, subsequently becoming a single section. The M34 cannon mantlet was replaced with the M34A1 by 1943.

M4A1 tanks were shipped to Great Britain as part of Lend-Lease. The Sherman's baptism by fire came in North Africa, where the British thought the new American tanks played a fairly significant role in the victory at El Alamein. M4A1s also served in Italy.

The tank enjoyed a strong reputation in battle, quickly replacing the M3 as the Americans' main medium tank. The M4 turned out to be best for desert combat, a conclusion confirmed by post-war experience as well. The flat, wide open spaces in Africa were a perfect natural environment allowing it to exploit its reliability, high speed, comfortable interior, excellent field of view, and radio communications. The tank's range suffered, but the Allies handled that issue by streamlining their supply lines. In addition, tankers often carried along with extra fuel in canisters. A high silhouette made the M4 easy to target, and its armament was made obsolete in 1943 with the appearance of the German Pz.V and Pz.VI tanks. The M4's weaknesses were an engine, ammunition, and fuel tanks prone to fire and explosions due to its relatively light armour.



== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=us_m4a1_1942_sherman Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|WER1vaO-y8w|'''{{PAGENAME}} - Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''|kQqLfmL33JI|'''{{PAGENAME}} Sherman Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''|48O5JUtPqtU|'''Tank Chats #39 Sherman M4A1 "Michael"''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M4 Sherman (Family)]]

;Other M4A1 vehicles in the game

* [[M4A1 (76) W]] - American version with a [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm gun]]
* [[Sherman II]] - A version in the British tech tree
* [[M4A1 (France)]] - A version in the French tech tree
* [[M4A1 (FL10)]] - A premium version with an [[AMX-13]] turret placed on it; located in the French tech tree
* [[M4A1 (75) W (China)]] - A version with a T23 turret, but with a 75 mm gun, in the Chinese tech tree

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/711|[Devblog] Developers about M4A1]]
* [[wikipedia:M4_Sherman|[Wikipedia] M4 Sherman]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M4_Sherman <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Medium Tank M4 Sherman]
* [https://flyingheritage.org/Explore/The-Collection/United-States/M4A1-Sherman-Medium-Tank.aspx <nowiki>[Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum]</nowiki> M4A1 Sherman Medium Tank]

=== References ===

;Bibliography
<references />

{{USA medium tanks}}

M4A3E2

2021-04-13T10:40:01Z

U3726243: /* Main armament */

{{About
| about = American heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other M4 Shermans
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m4a3e2_sherman_jumbo
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==


The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. It is built off a standard M4A3 chassis, with a T23 turret with a 75 mm gun, and up-armoured on nearly all sides. This gives the M4A3E2 boasts nearly 100 mm of frontal armour sloped at 47°, giving it a massive armour upgrade from the regular M4 Shermans. As a side note, the nickname "Jumbo" was likely never used during WWII, as there is no record of it. However, its use both on the Wiki and in-game is still prevalent.

The M4A3E2 looks like a normal Sherman medium tank, but it is still a very heavy tank and is used as a breakthrough tank to attack fortified enemy positions. It is certainly not a medium tank like normal Shermans. It is a great tank when fighting Tigers as the 88mm cannons cannot penetrate the armour of the M4A3E2 from its sides when angled efficiently. As such it allows players to get close to Tigers and attack them from the sides, or force them to retreat. When fighting Panthers the M4A3E2 is less effective as the 75mm cannon on the Panther can penetrate the armour of the Jumbo Sherman from the front even when angled more than 30 degrees at 500 meters. Only at close range can high-velocity guns, such as Soviet 85mm or German 88mm guns, penetrate the frontal glacis. However, larger calibres, such as the Soviet 122mm gun, will slice right through the armour.

It takes on the general look of an [[M4A2|M4A2]] but is much more armoured (and also uses a Ford gasoline engine). The M4A3E2 features the double layered front armour giving the vehicle its distinctive 101.6 mm total front armour, giving its boast of being better armoured than the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]]. The transmission housing is also considerably beefier too from the addition of armour at the area as well. The front of the T23-style turret is also distinctive with the very blocky gun mantlet and circular barrel shroud around the rather underwhelming 75 mm gun barrel.

The sides and suspension look like the usual game with the M4 Sherman series, but with minor differences. The flat side armour of the hull, instead of 38.1 mm thick, is now 76.2 mm thick for much stronger side protection. However, the lower side hull around the bogie suspension area is still only 38.1 mm thick, vulnerable to most regular anti-tank weapons. Another minor difference is the tracks, the T48 rubber chevron tracks are equipped with extended end connectors in an effort to improve ground pressure performance for the additional weight of the armour.

However, the rear does not have any extra armour and is much thinner. The roof of the tank is very thinly armoured as well, only having 19.5 mm on the hull and 25.4 mm on the turret, so beware as artillery barrages tend to set engine compartment modules on fire.

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret roof, cupola roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret, cupola, gun mantlet, transmission housing, MG port)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 63.5 + 38.1 mm (47°) ''Front glacis'' 25.4 + 34 mm ''MG port'' 114.3-139.7 mm (cylindrical) ''Transmission housing'' || 76.2 mm ''Top'' 38.1 mm ''Bottom'' || 38.1 mm (10°) ''Upper plate'' 38.1 mm (7°) ''Lower plate'' 38.1 mm (24°) ''Lower glacis'' || 63.5 + 38.1 mm (42°) ''Front glacis'' 19.5 mm ''Centre'' 19.5 mm (8°) ''Rear - Centre'' 19.5 mm (24°) ''Rear - Sides''
|-
| Turret || 152.4 mm (0-52°) ''Turret front'' 177.8 mm (4-60°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 152.4 mm (4-42°) || 152.4 mm (0-79°) || 63.5 mm (28°) ''Front'' 25.4 mm ''Centre''
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 51 mm (conical) || 51 mm ''Outer ring'' 25.4 mm ''Centre''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, while bogies are 10 mm thick and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 25.4 mm thick.
* Hull underside right above the tracks are 9.5 mm thick.

The M4A3E2 presents very little frontal weak spots in an engagement. It is best to try and force the Jumbo to try and angle his vehicle towards the player or his allies. An angle more than 30 degrees can expose the much weaker lower side hull armour in the suspension that is only 38.1 mm thick. With a powerful enough gun, a round can penetrate this area and damage the crew, or even set off the ammunition all cluttered up on the bottom of the tank.

If a frontal engagement is unavoidable and is unfortunately armed with guns unable to penetrate through the front glacis, there are only two areas that are viable. First is the machine gun port, which is one of the areas that is not layered with the extra 38.1 mm added on top of the base armour. Guns like the Panzer IV 75 mm KwK 40 guns that are unable to cleave through the front glacis can push their luck in this area, with small "sweet spots" that the round can pass through. Another way to attack the M4A3E2 in this scenario is exploiting a shot-trap in the gun mantlet. The small corner flaps on the bottom corners of the gun mantlet have a tendency to deflect rounds downwards onto the 19.5 mm hull roof armour. While this will be left to the ricochet chances, it is still possible and can be used if no other scenarios are favourable.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=646|rbMinHp=442|AoAweight=|abMaxHp=795}}

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

In Tier I, ''Parts'' should, of course, be the prioritized module for field repairs. This will unlock Tier II modifications and grant access to the very vital ''FPE'' and ''M61 shot'', the former for preservation against fires and the latter to improve damage in the battlefield.

Then in Tier III, ''Crew Replenishment'' should be obtained for crew survival improvement and the APCR ''T45 shot'' for improved armour-piercing power. After that, everything else could be done at one's own priorities, but ''Engine'' should be invested for better automotive performances and ''M89'' for the smoke capabilities.

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

{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || 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" | 104 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical || 19.4 || 26.9 || 32.6 || 36.1 || 38.4 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* M72 shot - {{Annotation|AP|Armour-Piercing}} - Solid shot, stock shell. An armour-piercing shell with acceptable penetration but poor post-penetration damage.
* M48 shell - {{Annotation|HE|High-Explosive fragmentation shell}} - A low-velocity shell useful against soft targets, in particular when hitting an open-topped vehicle. Harmless against any enclosed vehicle with more than 10 mm of armour.
* M61 shot - {{Annotation|APCBC|Armour-Piercing Capped Ballistic Capped}} - A capped armour-piercing shell with a better penetration than the M72 thanks to its ballistic cap and a good post-penetration damage thanks to its explosive filler.
* T45 shot - {{Annotation|APCR|Armour-Piercing Composite Round}} - Subcalibre round with high penetration but only on flat surfaces, with a high muzzle velocity but a poor post-penetration damage potential.
* M89 - Smoke shell - A very low-velocity shell deploying a smoke screen on impact, useful to blind enemy vehicles that are too remote for you to disable so that you can progress towards objectives.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
|-
| T45 shot || APCR || 139 || 135 || 121 || 105 || 91 || 79
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| T45 shot || APCR || 868 || 3.81 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M89 || 259 || 3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''104''' || 100 ''(+4)'' || 50 ''(+54)'' || 0 ''(+104)'' || No
|-
|}
Notes:

* As they are modeled by sets of 2, shells disappear from the rack only after you fire both shells in the set.
* Turret empty: 100 ''(+4)'' shells.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (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 || 600 (200) || 577 || -10°/+30° || ±60°
|-
|}
The roof-mounted M2HB .50 cal heavy machine gun is very good at knocking out tracks, punching through lightly armoured vehicles and shooting down low-flying aircraft. Use it sparsely because of its low ammo count.

{| 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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
The small calibre of the M1919A4 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

== Usage in battles ==


The M4A3E2 is best in assaulting enemy positions with allies. Its great mobility for a heavy tank, especially with its armour, makes it a vehicle able to charge into battle and take anything head-on with confidence. It can act as a bullet magnet against enemy tanks more worried about the M4A3E2, diverting fire that would've gone to more vulnerable teammates. Though the 75mm gun's AP performance is not suited to the type of enemies expected at the BR, it can still harass enemies and the gun is lethal enough that enemies will be forced to show their front armour towards the Jumbo else a 75 mm penetrates their side armour. Their focus on the Jumbo can allow allies to move around and eliminate them. During all this, take care not to over-angle and show the lower side armour too much as this will allow vehicles to penetrate through down there and damage modules, even the ammunition storage if they are lucky.

Another role the M4A3E2 is good it is as a flanker. Due to its great mobility as a heavy tank, the M4A3E2 Jumbo can manoeuvre like a medium tank around the battlefield. This is also beneficial to the 75 mm gun as it would permit the M4A3E2 a chance to attack the weaker side armours of enemy vehicles. Once flanking around and finding a prime position in a firing angle right into an enemy chokepoint, minimize exposure to anything but the front armour and the M4A3E2 can remain a formidable obstacle to all opponents. Take care not to be outflanked by enemy players aware of the M4A3E2 position.

Due to the M4A3E2 Jumbo having a slightly higher battle-rating than the other M4 Shermans, it can face tanks such as the [[Panther D]] and [[Tiger_H1|Tiger H1]], meaning its 75 mm cannon starts becoming less effective. For this reason, it is advisable to take the T45 APCR ammo into battle once unlocked, at least enough to take on the armoured targets the Jumbo will face.

The Soviet 85 mm can be a threat, so caution is advised when going up against tanks armed with the 85 mm, such as the [[T-34-85]], [[SU-85]], and [[IS-1]]. The [[Jagdpanzer 38(t)]] and [[Jagdpanzer IV]] can be tricky when facing off against them. Their frontal armour is too thick and sloped for the 75 mm M3 gun to have any effect on it. For these two targets, it is advised to target their tracks and transmission and then flank for a side shot, where the armour is much weaker. Also, the [[Dicker Max]] wields a 105 mm that can penetrate the front plate of the M4A3E2 Jumbo, so caution is advised against those as well. The 2 last common threats from the German tree are the [[Panzer IV/70(A)]] and [[Panzer IV/70(V)]]. The same advice can be taken from the Jagdpanzer 38(t) and Jagdpanzer IV but also considering that these tank destroyers can penetrate your frontal hull and turret under 500m. The [[SU-152]] and [[ISU-152]] with the stock APHE round can sometimes penetrate your frontal plate, however, special caution should be paid to the ISU-152. From the front, the 75mm gun will struggle to penetrate the armour of the ISU-152 but an ISU-152 using the HEAT shell can easily penetrate anywhere in the front hull and turret. The best tactic to countering the ISU-152 is to attempt to flank it as the side armour is only 75 mm thick. If flanking it is not possible, aim for the barrel, as it will reduce the accuracy of the ISU-152's main gun, and many ISU-152 players will not shoot the main gun if the barrel is damaged. Remember to wait for the ISU-152 to shoot before engaging it, as the reload time of the ISU-152 is very long. Finally, there is one more common opponent from the Soviet/Chinese tree: [[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2]]. Its 122 mm gun can easily penetrate the Jumbo, regardless of angle and distance. To destroy it, shoot at it when it's reloading or is unaware of your presence. For the 1943 model, aim at the cupola or the curved part of its hull armour that blends into the side. It has only 4 crew so killing all the turret crew (3, which is easy) will destroy it. For the [[IS-2 (1944)|1944 model]], only aim at the turret or the cupola as its hull is very strong.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Decent 75 mm gun with APCR rounds
* High rate of fire for the main gun
* Excellent gun depression
* Very strong turret armour from all sides, very good at hull down position
* Very good at leading a spearhead towards a capture point where it can provide cover to weaker allied tanks with more powerful guns
* Excellent frontal armour, about 101 mm thick
* Excellent all around turret armour, average 152 mm thick
* Can absorb a lot of damage
* Better mobility than the Russian KV-1 and the British Churchill
* Equipped with gun stabilizer, making it more accurate at moving and when preparing a shot after moving. Works up to 24km/h
* Good acceleration
* Incredibly tough when angled
* Wide tracks enable it to have decent off-road mobility, unlike other previous Sherman models
* Learning curve from previous Sherman variant will help a lot at mastering this tank

'''Cons:'''

* [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm gun]] lacks penetration against [[:Category:Heavy tanks|heavy tanks]]
* It needs allies support to be effective in battle as it cannot deal serious damage on its own
* Armour weak spot above the gun-mantlet (63.5 mm @ 60°)
* Small bottom corners on M4A3E2 gun mantlet can serve as shot traps
* Side armour better than normal, but still weak (76.2 mm), but the lower side hull armour is even worse (38.1 mm)
* Very thin rear armour
* Inability to compound angle greatly due to very weak lower side hull armour that would be penetrated
* Tall profile makes it a bigger target
* Bad off-road manoeuvrability
* Low top speed of 35 km/h
* Reverse speed is bad
* Hull MG is a weak spot
* Due to the layered armour at the front and the armour over-matching mechanic, the upper glacis armour can be dubious in that it does not reliably ricochet shells, particularly those from large calibre guns like the T-34-85
* Stock round struggles a noticeable amount at this BR, struggling to pen common enemies such as a T-34-85

== History ==

===Development===
Even before the invasion of Normandy, the Allied commanders had to figure out a method in order to breach heavily-defended fortification lines such as the Siegfried Line blocking the path from France to Germany. One of the solutions was for the implementation of "assault tanks" to enter enemy territory and root out the enemy fortifications. The initial plan was for the production of the [[M26|M26 Pershing]] tanks to fulfil this role, but setbacks in its development caused the M26 deployment to be delayed until 1945. A quick solution must be made to fill this "assault tank" role for the invasion of Europe in 1944.

The US ordinance then took their abundant [[M4|M4 Shermans]] in stock and fixed them up for the new role they've been assigned in. Although keeping the same engine, the armour was upped from around 76.2 mm initial thickness to 102 mm and angled at 47 degrees from vertical. This angle would influence later Sherman design such as the M4A3 by changing the original 56 degrees angled glacis with protruding crew hatches to 47 degrees angled glacis without any protrusion from the crew hatches. This modified M4 Sherman's armour when angled would then be 150 mm line-of-sight (LOS) thick and 180 mm effective. The side armour is also increased to 76.2 mm thick and the turret is redesigned to provide more protection. These modified Shermans were designated the '''M4A3E2''' by the Ordnance Department, whereas the nickname "Jumbo" was likely a post-war invention. At the end of the modifications, the Sherman "Jumbo" now weighed about 42 tons and moves a lower speed of 22 miles per hour. A drawback to the increased weight of the Sherman is that the Vertical Volute Suspension System (VVSS) from the Sherman was unable to take the weight easily, so extra care was taken by the crew members to not break the suspension.

In March of 1944, the US Army ordered for 254 of these vehicles to be delivered for use for European Operations. Intended for the assault on the Normandy Beachhead, it was deployed in Normandy after D-Day to assist the infantry push through German defences. The M4A3E2 originally came with the 75 mm guns to support infantry with its better HE shells compared to the planned 76 mm instalment, but the 76 mm was installed later in the campaign and called the [[M4A3E2 (76) W|M4A3E2 (76) W Jumbo]].

===Combat usage===
The M4A3E2 was well-liked by the crew and commanders due to its protection value. Despite the weight difference and strain on the suspension, it performed reliably and could absorb damage that would otherwise destroy regular Shermans. Later in the war, when the quantity of the M4 Sherman "Jumbos" were unable to meet the demand, George S. Patton ordered for existing M4 Shermans to weld on armour plates scavenged from knocked out tanks to makeshift "on-the-field" Jumbos. This caused the newer Shermans such as the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3 (76) W HVSS]] could have the same protection by welding metal onto the hull. One of the Jumbo's notable participation in the war was in Patton's Third Army where it spearheaded the assault to Bastogne to relieve the pinned down 101st Paratroopers (though they deny needing a "rescue").

When the war in the European Theater ended, the M4A3E2s were then placed stateside for the preparation for the invasion of the Japanese Home Islands. However, this was never to be fulfilled as Japan then surrendered to the United States in September 1945. The M4A3E2 Shermans proved to be a very effective stop-gap solution until heavier armoured tanks such as the Pershing could come into play. In 1948, about 96 Sherman Jumbos still remained in US inventory.

=== In-game description ===
The M4 Sherman went through its most interesting modification at the end of 1943, when American builders presented a compromise design. It was a direct infantry support tank to be used at the beginning of 1944 during infantry landings in Northern Europe. The solution, which was quite simple, came about after it became clear that the T26E1 heavy assault tank would be ready for full-scale production no earlier than January 1945: boost the tank's armour to 10 cm. At the same time a heavier turret was designed with 10.5 cm armour, the changes together resulting in a tank that weighed in at 38 tons. Experience on the front showed that modernized tracks with fixed grousers were the best option, and they ended up giving the new tank a significant speed boost. It was able to traverse rough terrain at a top speed of 22 mph.

The Fisher Tank Arsenal launched production of the M4A3E2 in May 1944 and finished in June of the same year. The tanks, which were bequeathed the nickname "Jumbo", were delivered to Europe that fall and served successfully through the end of the war.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=heavy_tank&vehicle=us_m4a3e2_sherman_jumbo Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|kmLZDtH7FpU|'''The Shooting Range #208''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 05:42 discusses the {{PAGENAME}} Jumbo.|WglgTOAzkEw|'''Heavy tanks are loved and hated for their armour. {{PAGENAME}} Jumbo''' - ''HowToPlay1337''|l31USzTa5EQ|'''How to destroy the Jumbo''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|WqofzCegX98|'''{{PAGENAME}} Jumbo Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M4 Sherman (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[M8A1]]
* [[T14]]

;Carbon-copy vehicles

* [[Cobra King]]
* [[M4A3E2 (France)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/704|[Devblog] Steel Generals: M4A3E2]]
* [[wikipedia:M4_Sherman#M4A3E2|[Wikipedia] M4 Sherman - M4A3E2]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/m4a3e2-jumbo-assault-tank <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Assault Tank M4A3E2 Jumbo]

{{USA heavy tanks}}