Difference between revisions of "M4A3E2"

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{{Specs-Card
 
{{Specs-Card
 
|code=us_m4a3e2_sherman_jumbo
 
|code=us_m4a3e2_sherman_jumbo
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 
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<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
  
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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.
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The '''M4A3E2 Sherman - Assault Tank''' is an armoured modification of the M4A3, which is the fourth variant of the early-generation [[M4 Sherman (Family)|Medium Tank M4 (Sherman) family]]. The U.S. Army decided in early 1944 that they needed an armoured version of a medium tank for an assault role in the forthcoming European Theatre of Operations (ETO). However, they had previously rejected proposals for such a vehicle, and time was running out. The decision was made to modify the newest standard U.S. Army medium tank of the time, the M4A3 Sherman, since the new [[T26E1-1|T26E1-1 heavy tank]] prototype would not be ready in time and earlier designs had been completely inadequate for the role. The vehicle evolved into the M4A3E2 Sherman - Assault tank, sometimes known as the Sherman Jumbo. With only 254 units constructed, it constituted less than 1% of overall M4 Sherman production. However, its unique design made a lasting impression, making it one of the most widely recognized M4 Sherman variants. It should be emphasized that the term 'Jumbo' does not exist in any military material and is probably certainly a post-war nickname, possibly developed by a model kit company. An extra 38 mm of armour plate was to be welded to the upper hull front and sides of the M4A3 variant, bringing the overall thickness to 101 mm on the front and 76 mm on the sides. The back upper hull and top, as well as the lower hull, remained unmodified. The turret was based on the T23 turret and had a similar interior arrangement as well as a complete basket, however, the pistol port was removed. The thickness was about 152 mm all around, however, it reduced to 63 mm at the back below the bulge. The 75 mm M3 tank gun was mounted in a modified M62 Gun mount designed for the 76 mm M1 tank gun. The M62's original 50 mm cast gun shield was reinforced with an additional 127 mm armour plate, resulting in a massive mantlet that covered over three-quarters of the turret front.
  
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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.
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Introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]], the M4A3E2 is a makeshift heavy tank based on the original M4A3 Sherman variant. Though it appears to be a standard M4A3 Sherman medium tank, it can absorb significantly more damage than any M4 Sherman variants and can efficiently assault enemy positions. The majority of common enemies in the M4A3E2 ranks struggle to penetrate this vehicle from the front. As you use the M4A3E2 to spearhead an aggressive drive, opponents will typically direct their fire towards you, letting your teammates attack enemy targets without less pressure. However, despite its impressive protection, the 75 mm M3 tank gun in the M4A3E2 is lacklustre. It lacks the armour penetration to engage most opponents within its ranks from the front. In order to properly destroy enemy vehicles, players will frequently have to flank the enemies for the weaker side armour. The M4A3E2 tracks have been enlarged with duckbill connectors to spread the tank's increased weight over a larger area, and a more powerful engine has been added to improve mobility.
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It takes on the general look of an [[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.
 
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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.
 
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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 ==
 
== General info ==
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<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
  
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'''Armour type:'''  
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'''Armour type:'''
  
 
* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret roof, cupola roof)
 
* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret roof, cupola roof)
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* Cast homogeneous armour (turret, cupola, gun mantlet, transmission housing, MG port)  
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* Cast homogeneous armour (turret, cupola, gun mantlet, transmission housing, MG port)
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
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! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
|-
 
|-
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| Hull || 63.5 + 38.1 mm (47°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 25.4 + 34 mm ''MG port'' <br> 114.3-139.7 mm (cylindrical) ''Transmission housing'' || 76.2 mm ''Top'' <br> 38.1 mm ''Bottom'' || 38.1 mm (10°) ''Upper plate'' <br> 38.1 mm (7°) ''Lower plate'' <br> 38.1 mm (24°) ''Lower glacis'' || 63.5 + 38.1 mm (42°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 19.5 mm ''Centre'' <br> 19.5 mm (8°) ''Rear - Centre'' <br> 19.5 mm (24°) ''Rear - Sides''
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| Hull || 63.5 + 38.1 mm (47°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 25.4 + 34 mm ''MG port'' <br> 114.3-139.7 mm (cylindrical) ''Transmission housing'' || 76.2 mm ''Top'' <br> 38.1 mm ''Bottom'' || 38.1 mm (10°) ''Upper plate'' <br> 38.1 mm (7°) ''Lower plate'' <br> 38.1 mm (24°) ''Lower glacis'' || 63.5 + 38.1 mm (42°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 19.5 mm ''Centre'' <br> 19.5 mm (8°) ''Rear - Centre'' <br> 19.5 mm (24°) ''Rear - Sides''
 
|-
 
|-
 
| Turret || 152.4 mm (0-52°) ''Turret front'' <br> 177.8 mm (4-60°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 152.4 mm (4-42°) || 152.4 mm (0-79°) || 63.5 mm (28°) ''Front'' <br> 25.4 mm ''Centre''
 
| Turret || 152.4 mm (0-52°) ''Turret front'' <br> 177.8 mm (4-60°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 152.4 mm (4-42°) || 152.4 mm (0-79°) || 63.5 mm (28°) ''Front'' <br> 25.4 mm ''Centre''
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* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, while bogies are 10 mm thick and tracks are 20 mm thick.
 
* 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.
 
* Belly armour is 25.4 mm thick.
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* Hull underside right above the tracks are 9.5 mm thick.
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* Hull underside right above the tracks is 9.5 mm thick.
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While >160 mm of line-of-sight thickness is nothing to sneeze at, there are still a few guns around the M4A3E2's BR that can cleave through it with little effort. Give the German Long 88, Soviet 122mm, and 152mm guns the respect they deserve; they can easily knock the Jumbo out in one shot regardless of angle.
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However, if you can't penetrate the M4A3E2's glacis, there are still points that were not (or could not be) well-armoured; namely, the machine gun port, cupola, and lower side.
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The M4A3E2 presents very little frontal weak spots in an engagement. If possible, it is best to try and force the Jumbo to try and angle his vehicle. An angle of more than 30 degrees can expose the much weaker 38mm thick lower side armour. With a powerful enough gun, a round can penetrate this area and damage the crew, immobilize the tank, or detonate the ammo.
  
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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.
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If the M4A3E2 decides not to angle significantly enough to expose its weak lower side, there are a few other areas to try and penetrate. The semi-spherical machine gun port is only about 60 mm thick, so nearly any gun around this BR can attempt to penetrate it. However, it is an extremely hard target to hit, especially when the Jumbo angles and moves back and forth. Make sure to aim for the gun port proper, as a shell that clips the horseshoe shaped bit of armour around it will generally fail to penetrate.
  
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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.
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The cupola of the M4A3E2 is another small weak point. Tanks like the Tiger 1 that lack the penetration to cut through the glacis can float a shell through the Jumbo's low cupola. An APHE shell that manages to detonate will generally kill the entire turret crew, crippling the tank.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
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{{Specs-Economy}}
 
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
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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.
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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 combat effectiveness.
  
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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.
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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 shell. Fully upgraded, the Jumbo can glide around very fast for a heavy, so mobility upgrades are recommended.
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
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|-
 
|-
 
! ''Arcade''
 
! ''Arcade''
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| rowspan="2" | 104 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Vertical|up to 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
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| rowspan="2" | 104 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Vertical|up to 24 km/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''
 
! ''Realistic''
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* 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.
 
* 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.
  
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{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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{{:M3 (75 mm)/Ammunition|M72 shot, M48 shell, M61 shot, T45 shot, M89}}
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! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
 
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|-
 
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! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
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! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
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! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
 
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|-
 
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! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 
−
|-
 
−
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
 
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|-
 
−
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
 
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|-
 
−
| 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%"
 
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! colspan="10" | Shell details
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
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! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
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! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(m)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 
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! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
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! 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<br>(m/s)
 
−
! Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 
−
! Screen radius<br>(m)
 
−
! Screen deploy time<br>(s)
 
−
! Screen hold time<br>(s)
 
−
! Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
−
|-
 
−
| M89 || 259 || 3 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
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<!-- '''Last updated: 2.1.0.113''' -->
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<!-- '''Last updated: 2.27.2.40''' -->
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
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|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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Notes:
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'''Notes''':
  
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* As they are modeled by sets of 2, shells disappear from the rack only after you fire both shells in the set.
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* As they are modelled by sets of 2, shells disappear from the rack only after you've fired both shells in the set.
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* Turret empty: 100&nbsp;''(+4)'' shells.
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* Floor left rack only: 50&nbsp;''(+54)'' shells.
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{{Clear}}
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
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<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
  
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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.
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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 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.
  
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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.
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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 armour 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.
 
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.
  
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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.
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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 500 m. 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 75 mm 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.
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Shooting the commander's cupola is often necessary to destroy or at least disable heavily armored tanks. The Tiger H1 cannot be frontally penetrated with the APHE or AP shell, or by the APCR when angled, so the best place to shoot it is the commander's cupola, with the APHE shell. The same can be used against T-34-85, IS-1 and IS-2 tanks.
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Against the Jumbo, if you encounter one, shoot for the barrel and the tracks, then attempt to either flank it and shoot from the sides, or fire at the enemy's the machinegun port. This is not completely reliable due to the weak gun, sometimes only the machinegunner will be killed, but it is the only chance to frontally destroy it.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
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* Very strong turret armour from all sides, very good at hull down position
 
* 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
 
* 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 frontal armour and excellent all around turret armour
−
* Excellent all around turret armour, average 152 mm thick
 
 
* Can absorb a lot of damage
 
* Can absorb a lot of damage
−
* Better mobility than the Russian KV-1 and the British Churchill
+
* Good mobility
−
* Equipped with gun stabilizer working up to 24km/h, making it more to shoot while moving.
+
* Equipped with gun stabilizer working up to 24 km/h, making it capable of shooting while moving
 
* Good acceleration
 
* Good acceleration
 
* Incredibly tough when angled
 
* Incredibly tough when angled
−
* Wide tracks enable it to have decent off-road mobility, unlike other previous Sherman models
+
* Wide tracks enable it to have decent off-road mobility
 
* Learning curve from previous Sherman variant will help a lot at mastering this tank
 
* Learning curve from previous Sherman variant will help a lot at mastering this tank
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
−
* [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm gun]] lacks penetration against [[:Category:Heavy tanks|heavy tanks]]
+
* [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3 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
 
* 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°)
+
* Armour weak spot above the gun mantlet
 
* Small bottom corners on M4A3E2 gun mantlet can serve as shot traps
 
* 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)
+
* Side armour better than normal, but still weak, but the lower side hull armour is even worse
 
* Very thin rear armour
 
* Very thin rear armour
 
* Inability to compound angle greatly due to very weak lower side hull armour that would be penetrated
 
* Inability to compound angle greatly due to very weak lower side hull armour that would be penetrated
 
* Tall profile makes it a bigger target
 
* Tall profile makes it a bigger target
 
* Bad off-road manoeuvrability
 
* Bad off-road manoeuvrability
−
* Low top speed of 35 km/h
+
* Low top speed
−
* Reverse speed is bad
+
* Bad reverse speed
 
* Hull MG is a weak spot
 
* 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
 
* 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
+
* Stock round struggles a noticeable amount at this BR, struggling to penetrate common enemies
 +
* The frontal armour advantage is negated in an uptier against more powerful guns and chemical projectiles
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
Line 256: Line 207:
 
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.
 
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.
+
US Ordnance 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]].
 
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]].
Line 265: Line 216:
 
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.
 
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 ===
+
{{break}}
 +
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
 +
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
 
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 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.
 
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.
 +
{{Navigation-End}}
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
Line 274: Line 228:
  
 
;Skins
 
;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.]
+
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m4a3e2_sherman_jumbo Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
 
;Videos
 
;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''}}
+
{{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. M4A3E2 Jumbo''' - ''HowToPlay1337''|l31USzTa5EQ|'''How to destroy the Jumbo''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
Line 285: Line 240:
  
 
;Other M4A3E2 vehicles in the game
 
;Other M4A3E2 vehicles in the game
 +
 
* [[Cobra King]]
 
* [[Cobra King]]
 
* [[M4A3E2 (76) W]]
 
* [[M4A3E2 (76) W]]

Latest revision as of 22:46, 22 September 2024

Introducing Wiki 3.0
This page is about the American heavy tank M4A3E2. For other M4 Shermans, see M4 Sherman (Family). For other uses, see M4 (Disambiguation).
M4A3E2
us_m4a3e2_sherman_jumbo.png
GarageImage M4A3E2.jpg
ArtImage M4A3E2.png
M4A3E2
USA flag.png USA
III Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
5.3 5.7 5.7
Class:
Research:33 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:105 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png

Description

The M4A3E2 Sherman - Assault Tank is an armoured modification of the M4A3, which is the fourth variant of the early-generation Medium Tank M4 (Sherman) family. The U.S. Army decided in early 1944 that they needed an armoured version of a medium tank for an assault role in the forthcoming European Theatre of Operations (ETO). However, they had previously rejected proposals for such a vehicle, and time was running out. The decision was made to modify the newest standard U.S. Army medium tank of the time, the M4A3 Sherman, since the new T26E1-1 heavy tank prototype would not be ready in time and earlier designs had been completely inadequate for the role. The vehicle evolved into the M4A3E2 Sherman - Assault tank, sometimes known as the Sherman Jumbo. With only 254 units constructed, it constituted less than 1% of overall M4 Sherman production. However, its unique design made a lasting impression, making it one of the most widely recognized M4 Sherman variants. It should be emphasized that the term 'Jumbo' does not exist in any military material and is probably certainly a post-war nickname, possibly developed by a model kit company. An extra 38 mm of armour plate was to be welded to the upper hull front and sides of the M4A3 variant, bringing the overall thickness to 101 mm on the front and 76 mm on the sides. The back upper hull and top, as well as the lower hull, remained unmodified. The turret was based on the T23 turret and had a similar interior arrangement as well as a complete basket, however, the pistol port was removed. The thickness was about 152 mm all around, however, it reduced to 63 mm at the back below the bulge. The 75 mm M3 tank gun was mounted in a modified M62 Gun mount designed for the 76 mm M1 tank gun. The M62's original 50 mm cast gun shield was reinforced with an additional 127 mm armour plate, resulting in a massive mantlet that covered over three-quarters of the turret front.

Introduced in Update 1.45 "Steel Generals", the M4A3E2 is a makeshift heavy tank based on the original M4A3 Sherman variant. Though it appears to be a standard M4A3 Sherman medium tank, it can absorb significantly more damage than any M4 Sherman variants and can efficiently assault enemy positions. The majority of common enemies in the M4A3E2 ranks struggle to penetrate this vehicle from the front. As you use the M4A3E2 to spearhead an aggressive drive, opponents will typically direct their fire towards you, letting your teammates attack enemy targets without less pressure. However, despite its impressive protection, the 75 mm M3 tank gun in the M4A3E2 is lacklustre. It lacks the armour penetration to engage most opponents within its ranks from the front. In order to properly destroy enemy vehicles, players will frequently have to flank the enemies for the weaker side armour. The M4A3E2 tracks have been enlarged with duckbill connectors to spread the tank's increased weight over a larger area, and a more powerful engine has been added to improve mobility.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull101 / 76 / 38
Turret177 / 152 / 152
Crew5 people
Visibility122 %

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret roof, cupola roof)
  • Cast homogeneous armour (turret, cupola, gun mantlet, transmission housing, MG port)
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 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 is 9.5 mm thick.

While >160 mm of line-of-sight thickness is nothing to sneeze at, there are still a few guns around the M4A3E2's BR that can cleave through it with little effort. Give the German Long 88, Soviet 122mm, and 152mm guns the respect they deserve; they can easily knock the Jumbo out in one shot regardless of angle.

However, if you can't penetrate the M4A3E2's glacis, there are still points that were not (or could not be) well-armoured; namely, the machine gun port, cupola, and lower side.

The M4A3E2 presents very little frontal weak spots in an engagement. If possible, it is best to try and force the Jumbo to try and angle his vehicle. An angle of more than 30 degrees can expose the much weaker 38mm thick lower side armour. With a powerful enough gun, a round can penetrate this area and damage the crew, immobilize the tank, or detonate the ammo.

If the M4A3E2 decides not to angle significantly enough to expose its weak lower side, there are a few other areas to try and penetrate. The semi-spherical machine gun port is only about 60 mm thick, so nearly any gun around this BR can attempt to penetrate it. However, it is an extremely hard target to hit, especially when the Jumbo angles and moves back and forth. Make sure to aim for the gun port proper, as a shell that clips the horseshoe shaped bit of armour around it will generally fail to penetrate.

The cupola of the M4A3E2 is another small weak point. Tanks like the Tiger 1 that lack the penetration to cut through the glacis can float a shell through the Jumbo's low cupola. An APHE shell that manages to detonate will generally kill the entire turret crew, crippling the tank.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB38 / 5 km/h
RB and SB36 / 5 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
1 back
Weight37.8 t
Engine power
AB954 hp
RB and SB500 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB25.2 hp/t
RB and SB13.2 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 38 5 37.8 646 795 17.09 21.03
Realistic 36 5 442 500 11.69 13.23

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB1 580 → 1 954 Sl icon.png
RB1 715 → 2 121 Sl icon.png
SB2 377 → 2 940 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications29 700 Rp icon.png
57 900 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost1 200 Ge icon.png
Crew training30 000 Sl icon.png
Experts105 000 Sl icon.png
Aces470 Ge icon.png
Research Aces360 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
80 / 130 / 140 % Sl icon.png
148 / 148 / 148 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
1 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 700 Sl icon.png
140 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
3 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 300 Sl icon.png
230 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
3 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 300 Sl icon.png
230 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement us.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
1 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 700 Sl icon.png
140 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 900 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_usa_APCBC_ammo_pack
Research:
1 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 500 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
1 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 700 Sl icon.png
140 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_usa_APCR_ammo_pack
Research:
1 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 700 Sl icon.png
140 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
75mm_us_M89_Smoke_ammo_pack
Research:
3 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
6 300 Sl icon.png
230 Ge icon.png

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 combat effectiveness.

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 shell. Fully upgraded, the Jumbo can glide around very fast for a heavy, so mobility upgrades are recommended.

Armaments

Main armament

75 mm M3 cannon
Vertical stabilizer
Reduces the swing of the gun in one plane while moving
Ammunition104 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
6.5 → 5.0 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 25°
Main article: M3 (75 mm)
75 mm M3 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 104 -10°/+25° ±180° Vertical 19.4 26.9 32.6 36.1 38.4 6.50 5.75 5.30 5.00
Realistic 14.3 16.8 20.4 22.6 24.0

Ammunition

  • M72 shot - AP - Solid shot, stock shell. An armour-piercing shell with acceptable penetration but poor post-penetration damage.
  • M48 shell - HE - 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 - APCBC - 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 - APCR - 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.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		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 104 102 93 84 75 68
T45 shot APCR 139 135 121 105 91 79
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
M72 shot AP 619 6.3 - - - 47° 60° 65°
M48 shell HE 463 6.3 0.2 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 - - - 66° 70° 72°
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 9 5 20 50

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the M4A3E2
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 modelled by sets of 2, shells disappear from the rack only after you've fired both shells in the set.
  • Floor left rack only: 50 (+54) shells.

Machine guns

12.7 mm M2HB machine gun
Ammunition600 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate575 shots/min
Vertical guidance-10° / 30°
Horizontal guidance-60° / 60°
7.62 mm M1919A4 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition3 000 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate500 shots/min
Main articles: M2HB (12.7 mm), M1919A4 (7.62 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.

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 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 armour 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, 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 500 m. 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 75 mm 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. 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.

Shooting the commander's cupola is often necessary to destroy or at least disable heavily armored tanks. The Tiger H1 cannot be frontally penetrated with the APHE or AP shell, or by the APCR when angled, so the best place to shoot it is the commander's cupola, with the APHE shell. The same can be used against T-34-85, IS-1 and IS-2 tanks.

Against the Jumbo, if you encounter one, shoot for the barrel and the tracks, then attempt to either flank it and shoot from the sides, or fire at the enemy's the machinegun port. This is not completely reliable due to the weak gun, sometimes only the machinegunner will be killed, but it is the only chance to frontally destroy it.

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 and excellent all around turret armour
  • Can absorb a lot of damage
  • Good mobility
  • Equipped with gun stabilizer working up to 24 km/h, making it capable of shooting while moving
  • Good acceleration
  • Incredibly tough when angled
  • Wide tracks enable it to have decent off-road mobility
  • Learning curve from previous Sherman variant will help a lot at mastering this tank

Cons:

  • 75 mm M3 gun lacks penetration against 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
  • Small bottom corners on M4A3E2 gun mantlet can serve as shot traps
  • Side armour better than normal, but still weak, but the lower side hull armour is even worse
  • 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
  • Bad reverse speed
  • 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 penetrate common enemies
  • The frontal armour advantage is negated in an uptier against more powerful guns and chemical projectiles

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 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.

US Ordnance then took their abundant 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 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 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.


Archive of the 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
Videos
The Shooting Range #208 - Pages of History section at 05:42 discusses the M4A3E2 Jumbo.
Heavy tanks are loved and hated for their armour. M4A3E2 Jumbo - HowToPlay1337
How to destroy the Jumbo - War Thunder Official Channel

See also

Other M4A3E2 vehicles in the game

External links


USA heavy tanks
M4 Jumbo  M4A3E2 · Cobra King · M4A3E2 (76) W
M6  M6A1 · T1E1 · T1E1 (90) · M6A2E1
T26  T26E1-1 · T26E5
T29/30/34  T29 · T30 · T34
T32  T32 · T32E1
M103  M103
Others  T14

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