Post–World War II Sherman tanks


This article deals with Sherman tanks extensive use around the world after World War II and catalogues foreign post–World War II use and conversions of Sherman tanks and variants based on the Sherman chassis.

Variant history

US Sherman tanks as foreign military aid

  • E4/E6 Shermans – Two of what would become the last of the US-produced Sherman tank variants. During the early 1950s, US Ordnance military depots and/or outsourced private civilian contractors installed the 76 mm M1 tank gun in the older small-type turret of M4A1 and M4A3 Shermans. The USA provided these M4A1E6 or M4A3E4 Shermans to its various allies and friendly and pro-USA states in Europe and Asia.
  • HVSS-type Shermans – The USA also fitted many of their postwar stocks of Sherman tanks with the more advanced Horizontal Volute Spring Suspension system and this upgraded feature would be typically noted after the main vehicle's designation.

    Canadian

  • Sherman Badger – Canada's replacement of its Ram Badger Flame tank, the Sherman Badger was a turretless M4A2 HVSS Sherman with Wasp IIC flamethrower in place of hull machine gun, developed sometime from 1945 to 1949. The 150 gallons at 250 psi was effective to 125 yards, with elevation of +30 to -10 degrees and traverse of 30 degrees left and 23 degrees right. This inspired the US T68.
  • Sherman Kangaroo – From late World War II to the 1960s, Canada converted/used some Grizzlies, at least one very similar Skink, and M4A2W HVSS Shermans to Kangaroo armored personnel carriers.

    Mexican

  • M32 Chenca – In 1998, Napco International of the USA upgraded M32B1 TRV Sherman-chassis armoured recovery vehicles with Detroit Diesel 8V-92-T diesel engines.

    Indian

Indian units equipped with Sherman Vs fought in Burma. These Sherman Vs were kept in service with the Indian Army after independence and were in use well into the 1960s. India also bought 200 surplus M4A3E4s from the US stocks in the 1950s. Some Indian M4s were modified locally with the French 75 mm CN 75-50 cannon and some other with the Soviet 76 mm D-85 cannon. These modifications tried to benefit from the guns of AMX-13 and PT-76 tanks also used by Indian Army. Shermans remained in service with the Indian Army until 1971.
  • Sherman VA/M4A4 – although never a US production type, at least one source claims that India had one regiment partly equipped with Sherman V with 76 mm guns. India did receive the upgunned M4A3E4.
  • Upgunned Sherman – two regiments of Shermans re-armed with the French 75 mm gun from the AMX-13 and referred to as upgunned Shermans.

    Argentina

  • Repotenciado – Conversions of British Sherman VC and IC Hybrid to include a diesel engine and a new armament suite, the 105 mm FTR L44/57 gun, a co-axial MAG-58 machine gun, and turret pintle-mounted M2HB machine gun..

    Chilean

  • M50/60 – Converted Israeli M50 Shermans, which not having guns fitted at time of purchase were refitted with the IMI-OTO 60 mm High Velocity Medium Support gun. Claimed to be the very last fighting Shermans, they remained in Chilean service until 1999, when they were replaced by the Leopard 1V and AMX-30B2.

    Egyptian

Egypt is one of the least-known users of the Sherman. Egyptian Sherman tanks saw limited combat in the Arab-Israeli wars in 1956, 1967 and 1973. This included a local version which was installed with a French AMX-13 tank's 75 mm gun turret. In all, Egypt only had a small number of Sherman tanks, probably less than 150 total. Most Shermans in their service with of the M4A4 variant, purchased from the British military forces in Egypt after WWII.
  • M4A4 with FL-10 Turret – M4A4 fitted with the diesel engine of M4A2 and the FL-10 turret of the French AMX-13 light tank.

    Israeli

At its birth, Israel had a limited number of armored vehicles, mostly scout cars and truck chassis hastily converted into armored cars. Israeli tank force consisted of old French Hotchkiss H-39 tanks and better tanks were desperately needed. Israelis searched junkyards in Palestine, Europe, and as far away as the Philippines looking for tanks. In Palestine, in a repair depot near the city of Tira, one or two ex-British rusted Shermans were found. In Italy 32 Shermans armed with 105 mm howitzers were found and smuggled back to Israel, as tractors. Since these tanks came from junkyards, they were generally unserviceable and required extensive work. Some of the Italian tanks had been demilitarized and the Shermans required hard work before being delivered to the Israeli Army. After the United Nations cease-fire Israelis assembled all the leftover World War II matériel they had. Most of the tanks in service were a varied assortment of Shermans, 32 tanks with only one Sherman lost in combat. The Israelis gave the designation of M1 to its entire Sherman force. They were standardized by re-arming them with M3 guns, but still a mixture of different features existed, and additional Shermans arrived from the Philippines.
More tanks were needed by Israel. By coincidence Israel found France willing to sell surplus Shermans and provide military assistance. About 60 surplus 76mm Shermans and spare parts and equipment was received, so two new armored Sherman brigades were created. In 1956 Israel requested France to supply 100 improved M50 Shermans, equipped with long-barreled 75mm high-velocity cannon. Many of the Egyptian tanks in the Sinai peninsula were also Shermans, so captured ones joined Israeli army. France developed the M51 Super Sherman, with a 105 mm cannon with lower recoil in a modified turret. Some 200 of Israel's 300 Shermans were modified to this version.

Gun tanks

  • Sherman – Six early salvaged Shermans had a Krupp 75 mm field gun to replace the original gun destroyed during post–World War II scrapping. Later these tanks were rearmed with 105 mm M4 howitzers.
  • Sherman M-1 – Israeli designation of any Sherman model armed with the 76 mm gun M1.
  • * Super Sherman M-1 – Israeli designation of M4A1 fitted with HVSS suspension.
  • Sherman M-3 – Israeli designation of any Sherman model armed with the 75 mm gun M3.
  • Sherman M-4 – Israeli designation of any Sherman model armed with the 105 mm howitzer M4.
  • Sherman M-50 – Upgraded Sherman with the French CN 75-50 75 mm gun, as used in the French AMX 13 light tank, in the "old" turret fitted with a counterweight. Entered service in 1956. Was used in the Suez Crisis, the Six-Day War and the Yom Kippur War. Sometimes colloquially misnamed as Super Sherman.
  • * M-50 Continental – subvariant with Continental R-975 gasoline engine and VVSS suspension. 50 units converted.
  • * M-50 Cummins – subvariant with Cummins diesel engine and HVSS suspension.
  • Sherman M-51 – Upgraded M4A1 with improved engine and T23 turret modified to fit a shortened variant of the French 105 mm Modèle F1 gun with large muzzle brake. Was used in the Six Days War and the Yom Kippur War. Sometimes colloquially referred to as Isherman. About 100 of the remaining tanks of this model were sold to Chile in late 1970s, where they received a new engine and transmission in early 1990s. All of them were replaced by ex-Dutch Leopard 1V in late 1990s

    Artillery tanks

See Rocket artillery for rocket/missile tank photos.
  • M-50 155 mm – The M-50 was an open structured self-propelled artillery piece, mounting a single French Model 50 155 mm howitzer at the back of the hull, which was based on the "long" hull of M4A4 fitted with Continental engine. The gun was developed in the early 1960s by Israeli Ordnance Corps in cooperation with France. Probably about 120 units were produced. In early 1970s M-50s were fitted with HVSS and Cummins diesel engines. It was used in the War of Attrition, Six Day War, Yom Kippur War and the 1982 Lebanon War. Some reserve units were armed with the M-50 at least until 1985.
  • Ro'em – A self-propelled artillery piece mounting Soltam M-68 155 mm L/33 howitzer in large enclosed superstructure. Uses Sherman chassis with Cummins VT-8-460Bi diesel engine and HVSS. Probably about 200 units were produced. The gun saw combat in the Yom-Kippur War and the 1982 Lebanon War. Currently out of active service.
  • L-39 – Like L-33, but with longer barrel. Apparently it was not adopted.
  • Makmat 160 mm – Soltam M-66 160 mm mortar mounted on a Sherman chassis, in an open-topped compartment with folding front plate. It was adopted in 1968 and used in the War of Attrition, the Yom Kippur War and the 1982 Lebanon War.
  • MAR-240 – In place of the turret, a side-facing launcher for 36 240 mm rockets was fitted. These were Israeli made copies of the Soviet rockets used by the BM-24 multiple launch rocket system. Apparently never reached mass production. MAR stands for Medium Artillery Rocket.
  • Episkopi – Similar to MAR-240, but mounting a back-looking launcher for four 290 mm ground-to-ground rockets with high-explosive/fragmentation or cluster warhead. Was adopted in 1973, saw combat for the first time in the 1982 Lebanon War. Is colloquially known as MAR-290, and the name Ivry is also sometimes applied to the launching vehicle. An improved launcher on the Centurion tank chassis was later developed, but remained experimental. In the 1990s was replaced in active service by the M270 MLRS.
  • Kilshon or Kachlilit – The Kilshon was developed to reduce the losses suffered by SAM suppression aircraft by launching anti-radiation missiles from the ground. The Kilshon was based on turretless hull of the Sherman M-51 on which an AGM-45 Shrike ARM launcher was mounted. To deliver the desired range, a specially modified AGM-45 with booster was used. Later a prototype was developed for use with the AGM-78 Standard ARM, but with the retirement of Shermans from IDF service the Keres system was placed onto a heavy truck chassis for the finalized design instead.