Difference between revisions of "M4A5"
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'''Armour type:''' | '''Armour type:''' | ||
| − | *Cast | + | * Cast homogeneous armour |
| − | *Rolled | + | * Rolled homogeneous armour (Machine gun turret, Transmission, Lower side hull, Rear engine, Roof) |
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
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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).'' --> | ||
| − | The M4A5 Ram II is a tank that can hold its own. It is a highly mobile tank that can conquer the toughest of terrain, with a top speed of up to 40 km/h in Realistic battles and up to 44 km/h in Arcade battles. It also has great frontal and turret armour | + | The M4A5 Ram II is a tank that can hold its own. It is a highly mobile tank that can conquer the toughest of terrain, with a top speed of up to 40 km/h in Realistic battles and up to 44 km/h in Arcade battles. It also has great frontal and turret armour, when angled it can bounce rounds. |
However, the one weakness is the side armour past the turret ring and towards the engine, which is only 50 mm thick. Behind this armour, the crew, engine and access to the ammo racks are located. A single hit with an APCBC or High Explosive round will blow the poor tank up like a firework. To get the best from this, charge into battle and find cover when the enemy starts to flank you. Stay behind cover, only exposing the sides of the tank when your teammates are with you and can handle any flanking tanks which may try to flank and knock you out. The Ram II can deter enemy planes, its Browning 7.62 mm machine gun with its high firing arcs can shoot down planes that try to dive bomb you in battle. | However, the one weakness is the side armour past the turret ring and towards the engine, which is only 50 mm thick. Behind this armour, the crew, engine and access to the ammo racks are located. A single hit with an APCBC or High Explosive round will blow the poor tank up like a firework. To get the best from this, charge into battle and find cover when the enemy starts to flank you. Stay behind cover, only exposing the sides of the tank when your teammates are with you and can handle any flanking tanks which may try to flank and knock you out. The Ram II can deter enemy planes, its Browning 7.62 mm machine gun with its high firing arcs can shoot down planes that try to dive bomb you in battle. | ||
| − | + | The Shot Mk. 9 is the round that should be used as main ammunition, it provides good penetration, allowing for the toughest and scariest tanks on the battlefield to knocked out with well-placed shots to their weak spots. | |
| − | + | The M4A5 Ram II has two main playstyles: | |
| − | + | * Offensive Head towards the cap zone as fast possible, fire around every four seconds this is able to scare the enemy tankers away. However, if you encounter a heavy tank such as KV-1 – stop, aim for the lower turret, cannon and turret ring and knock that tank out before you proceed or detract it and shoot its cannon, disabling it firing capability allowing your team mates behind you to finish it off. | |
| − | Head towards the cap zone as fast possible, fire around every four seconds this is able to scare the enemy tankers away. However, if you encounter a heavy tank such as KV-1 – stop, aim for the lower turret, cannon and turret ring and knock that tank out before you proceed or detract it and shoot its cannon, disabling it firing capability allowing your team mates behind you to finish it off. | ||
Then once in the spawn and it has been capped, head out and flank the rears of the enemy team. The M4A5's Shot Mk.9 can handle any threats which can be encountered. However, do not let the enemy tankers flank you and shoot you in your rear or side, this will knock you out. | Then once in the spawn and it has been capped, head out and flank the rears of the enemy team. The M4A5's Shot Mk.9 can handle any threats which can be encountered. However, do not let the enemy tankers flank you and shoot you in your rear or side, this will knock you out. | ||
| − | + | * Defensive - The M4A5 Ram II provides great frontal protection, keep the front angled and pointed towards the enemy with the rear and sides protected by rocks, remains of tanks, and objects. Or use the tow hook and tow some knocked out tanks to provide your sides and rear with extra protection. Then once the enemy tanks have been knocked out move out and stay with your team mates or bunker down at a strategic point and set an ambush up. | |
| − | The M4A5 Ram II provides great | ||
=== Pros and cons === | === Pros and cons === | ||
| Line 212: | Line 210: | ||
The aftermath of the Battle of France left the British military decimated as most of their equipment had to be left behind in their withdrawal at Dunkirk. Desperate for military equipment, particularly tanks, they requested from the U.S. to help produce the necessary vehicles to supplement the armoured forces. Canada further assisted the British with armoured vehicle production. The Canadian Pacific Railway's Angus Shops were contracted to build 300 [[Valentine Mk I|Valentine tanks]] for the British, and later Canada themselves ordered 488 Valentines to build up their own tank forces. The Canadians realized that, in addition to the Valentines, they needed a cruiser tank to attack and exploit breakthroughs. Complications between adapting British designs to North American standards and the difference in material quality caused the Canadians to seek an American-derived cruiser tank rather than a British design. | The aftermath of the Battle of France left the British military decimated as most of their equipment had to be left behind in their withdrawal at Dunkirk. Desperate for military equipment, particularly tanks, they requested from the U.S. to help produce the necessary vehicles to supplement the armoured forces. Canada further assisted the British with armoured vehicle production. The Canadian Pacific Railway's Angus Shops were contracted to build 300 [[Valentine Mk I|Valentine tanks]] for the British, and later Canada themselves ordered 488 Valentines to build up their own tank forces. The Canadians realized that, in addition to the Valentines, they needed a cruiser tank to attack and exploit breakthroughs. Complications between adapting British designs to North American standards and the difference in material quality caused the Canadians to seek an American-derived cruiser tank rather than a British design. | ||
| − | The current standard U.S. tank at the time was the interim design [[M3 Lee|M3 Lee]]. With the 75 mm gun on a sponson rather than its own turret, the M3 Medium tank currently wasn't a suitable candidate as the standard cruiser tank. In 1941, the Canadian Interdepartmental Tank Committee decided to use the M3 chassis as a foundation for a new and better, locally-produced design. The British took interest on this redesigning of the M3 Medium tank and sent a tank expert, L.E.Carr, to assist in the designing of the hull and turret. The hull itself was to be cast and the turret was designed around the expectations to mount the [[Ordnance QF 6-pounder Mk.V (57 mm)|6-pounder]] or the 75 mm gun. The name for the design was the | + | The current standard U.S. tank at the time was the interim design [[M3 Lee|M3 Lee]]. With the 75 mm gun on a sponson rather than its own turret, the M3 Medium tank currently wasn't a suitable candidate as the standard cruiser tank. In 1941, the Canadian Interdepartmental Tank Committee decided to use the M3 chassis as a foundation for a new and better, locally-produced design. The British took interest on this redesigning of the M3 Medium tank and sent a tank expert, L.E.Carr, to assist in the designing of the hull and turret. The hull itself was to be cast and the turret was designed around the expectations to mount the [[Ordnance QF 6-pounder Mk.V (57 mm)|6-pounder]] or the 75 mm gun. The name for the design was the Ram, while the US would designate the Canadian models as the M4A5 |
Throughout the Ram's designing and testing, the Canadians ran into problems due to their lack of inexperience in tank design as well as lacking the production lines suitable for the production of tank parts. Since the tank was derived from the M3, the production line required parts such as the transmission and engine that were being built in the USA, but which were required for US tank production, resulting in little surplus for Canadian use. The United States assisted in the production of the Ram by producing the pilot models and the Canadian Tank Arsenal was to be built by Montreal Locomotive Works, themselves a subsidiary of the American Locomotive Company who had experience building M3 tanks for the Americans. | Throughout the Ram's designing and testing, the Canadians ran into problems due to their lack of inexperience in tank design as well as lacking the production lines suitable for the production of tank parts. Since the tank was derived from the M3, the production line required parts such as the transmission and engine that were being built in the USA, but which were required for US tank production, resulting in little surplus for Canadian use. The United States assisted in the production of the Ram by producing the pilot models and the Canadian Tank Arsenal was to be built by Montreal Locomotive Works, themselves a subsidiary of the American Locomotive Company who had experience building M3 tanks for the Americans. | ||
| − | The first prototype was produced in June 1941 and featured a full 360 degree traversable turret with a cast steel body, featuring the same powertrain and engine as the M3 it was derived from. The Ram was also adapted for British specifications with adaption to a right-hand drive and weaponry. Overall the Ram was also shorter than the M3. It also featured the side doors and a machine gun turret on the front, but these were removed in later versions. Production for the Ram started in November. Though intended to be fitted with the 6-pounder, the first 50 Rams produced used a 2-pounder due to lack of guns or mounts available for the Canadians. These were labelled | + | The first prototype was produced in June 1941 and featured a full 360 degree traversable turret with a cast steel body, featuring the same powertrain and engine as the M3 it was derived from. The Ram was also adapted for British specifications with adaption to a right-hand drive and weaponry. Overall the Ram was also shorter than the M3. It also featured the side doors and a machine gun turret on the front, but these were removed in later versions. Production for the Ram started in November. Though intended to be fitted with the 6-pounder, the first 50 Rams produced used a 2-pounder due to lack of guns or mounts available for the Canadians. These were labelled Ram Mk.I. By February 1942, the Ram design switched back to the 6-pounder, which was designated the Ram Mk.II, production of which continued until July 1943. During that time span, about 2,032 Rams and its variants were produced. |
===Combat history=== | ===Combat history=== | ||
Unfortunately, by the time the Ram became battle-worthy for the front-lines, the Americans had started their mass-production of the [[M4|M4 Shermans]]. The M4 Sherman was by all means similar in automotive performance, but benefited by the mass-production of the American automotive industry. The Ram was designed primarily to give the M3 Medium a turret, and the arrival of the M4 made the design redundant, and obsolete. In March 1942, the Canadian government made the decision to switch all production lines to produce the [[M4A1|M4A1]], with the Ram production only continuing until the proper machinery was ready. The Ram never saw combat usage and was only used as a training vehicle in Britain until mid-1944. | Unfortunately, by the time the Ram became battle-worthy for the front-lines, the Americans had started their mass-production of the [[M4|M4 Shermans]]. The M4 Sherman was by all means similar in automotive performance, but benefited by the mass-production of the American automotive industry. The Ram was designed primarily to give the M3 Medium a turret, and the arrival of the M4 made the design redundant, and obsolete. In March 1942, the Canadian government made the decision to switch all production lines to produce the [[M4A1|M4A1]], with the Ram production only continuing until the proper machinery was ready. The Ram never saw combat usage and was only used as a training vehicle in Britain until mid-1944. | ||
| − | The Ram never saw combat as a tank, but variants of it did. Many Ram tanks were converted into armoured personnel carriers known as the | + | The Ram never saw combat as a tank, but variants of it did. Many Ram tanks were converted into armoured personnel carriers known as the Kangaroo, flamethrower vehicles known as the Badger, artillery observation vehicles, ammunition carriers, armoured recovery vehicles, and anti-tank gun tractor. Its most combat-oriented variant was the Sexton self-propelled gun with the 25-pounder howitzer developed to support the infantry, though the Sexton was also produced by the chassis from the Grizzly design. |
After World War II, the Netherlands were free to take possession of any Ram tanks in army dumps on their territory. The Dutch used these tanks to equip their first tank units, the 1st and 2nd Tank Battalions. The Rams were in a poor state from low maintenance and disuse so they received additional Rams from Britain in slightly better conditions in 1947. By 1950, most of the Rams were broken down and only 50 were available for use between the two battalions. They were all replaced, along with Shermans in their inventory, by the [[Centurion Mk 3|Centurion]] tank in 1952. The Rams only usage past that was as static pillboxes on the IJssel line facing the Soviets in the Cold War. | After World War II, the Netherlands were free to take possession of any Ram tanks in army dumps on their territory. The Dutch used these tanks to equip their first tank units, the 1st and 2nd Tank Battalions. The Rams were in a poor state from low maintenance and disuse so they received additional Rams from Britain in slightly better conditions in 1947. By 1950, most of the Rams were broken down and only 50 were available for use between the two battalions. They were all replaced, along with Shermans in their inventory, by the [[Centurion Mk 3|Centurion]] tank in 1952. The Rams only usage past that was as static pillboxes on the IJssel line facing the Soviets in the Cold War. | ||
===Legacy=== | ===Legacy=== | ||
| − | The Ram, unfortunately, went down in history as one of Canada's war design failures, with the M4 Sherman being produced in parallel by the U.S. overtaking it. It is also a testament to the disparity in the industrial base between the two countries. The Ram could still be attributed to kick-starting Canadian production lines to be able to produce the M4A1 Shermans, which were designated the | + | The Ram, unfortunately, went down in history as one of Canada's war design failures, with the M4 Sherman being produced in parallel by the U.S. overtaking it. It is also a testament to the disparity in the industrial base between the two countries. The Ram could still be attributed to kick-starting Canadian production lines to be able to produce the M4A1 Shermans, which were designated the Grizzly. |
About 6 Ram tanks still survive today, with only 3 being the original tank design. | About 6 Ram tanks still survive today, with only 3 being the original tank design. | ||
| Line 241: | Line 239: | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:'' | ''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;'' | * ''reference to the series of the vehicles;'' | ||
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' | * ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' | ||
| Line 248: | Line 245: | ||
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:'' | <!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:'' | ||
* ''topic on the official game forum;'' | * ''topic on the official game forum;'' | ||
| − | |||
* ''other literature.'' --> | * ''other literature.'' --> | ||
Revision as of 20:15, 7 August 2021
| This page is about the American medium tank M4A5. For other uses of the designation, see M4 (Disambiguation). |
Contents
Description
The M4A5 Ram II is a premium rank II American medium tank with a battle rating of 3.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.61 "Road to Glory".
The first Canadian tank added into War Thunder, the Ram II was an attempt by the Canadians to produce their own turreted tank with the M3 Medium chassis. The Ram can be called a "hybrid" between the M3 medium tanks and the M4 Sherman.
The M4A5 is quite a hybrid of traits from the British and American ground forces trees. The Ram is made up of the transmission, suspension, and engine from the American M3 Lee, the turret platform of an M4 Sherman, and the British 6-pounder gun. Thus, in its place in Rank 2, the play style is akin to the M3 Lee's mobility with the power of a turreted tank. It should then be played like any standard American medium tank, with extra caution on the weak points presented on the front armour right next to the front machine gun turret.
General info
Survivability and armour
Armour type:
- Cast homogeneous armour
- Rolled homogeneous armour (Machine gun turret, Transmission, Lower side hull, Rear engine, Roof)
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear (Slope angle) | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 88.9 mm (26-66°) Front glacis 50.8 mm (0-58°) Lower glacis 50.8 mm (12-87°) Driver's port |
63.5 mm (0-67°) Upper 38.1 mm Lower |
38.1 mm (0-64°) Top <br. 38.1 mm (0-52°) | 38.1 mm 25.4 mm Engine deck |
| Turret | 60.325 mm (22-26°) Turret front 69.85 (0-71°) + 38.1 mm Gun shield 44.45 + 63.5 mmGun mantlet |
69.85 - 76.2 mm (0-70°) | 69.85 mm (0-58°) | 38.1 mm |
| Machine gun turret | 63.5 + 50.8 mm | 63.5 mm | 63.5 mm | 50.8 mm |
| Armour | Sides | Roof | ||
| Cupola | 22.2 + 50.8 mm | 25.4 mm |
Notes:
- Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 17 mm thick.
- 8 mm RHA plate separating the engine and crew compartment.
- Only the upper hull sides are 63.5 mm thick, the lower part is still only 38.1 mm
- Armour protecting the transmission is only 50.8 mm thick
- Most ammo racks are located below the turret and underneath the upper hull where it's only protected by 38.1 mm unangled armour
Mobility
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 45 | 6 | 29.5 | 620 | 763 | 21.02 | 25.86 |
| Realistic | 40 | 6 | 354 | 400 | 12 | 13.56 | |
Modifications and economy
2 × 50 / 80 / 110 % 2 × 130 / 130 / 130 % | Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
Main armament
| 57 mm 6pdr OQF Mk.III | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 92 | -7°/+20° | ±180° | Vertical | 19.04 | 26.35 | 32.00 | 35.39 | 37.65 | 5.20 | 4.60 | 4.24 | 4.00 |
| Realistic | 11.90 | 14.00 | 17.00 | 18.80 | 20.00 | ||||||||
Ammunition
| 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 | ||
| Shot Mk.5 | AP | 101 | 97 | 82 | 66 | 53 | 43 |
| Shot Mk.5 HV | AP | 108 | 104 | 87 | 70 | 57 | 46 |
| Shot Mk.8 | APC | 110 | 106 | 89 | 72 | 59 | 48 |
| Shot Mk.9 | APCBC | 122 | 118 | 101 | 84 | 70 | 58 |
| Shell Mk.10 | HE | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| 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% | |||||||
| Shot Mk.5 | AP | 815 | 2.8 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 47° | 60° | 65° |
| Shot Mk.5 HV | AP | 853 | 2.8 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 47° | 60° | 65° |
| Shot Mk.8 | APC | 853 | 2.87 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 48° | 63° | 71° |
| Shot Mk.9 | APCBC | 801 | 3.23 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 48° | 63° | 71° |
| Shell Mk.10 | HE | 655 | 2.72 | 0 | 0.1 | 590 | 79° | 80° | 81° |
Ammo racks
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
5th rack empty |
6th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92 | 83 (+9) | 74 (+18) | 62 (+30) | 46 (+46) | 33 (+59) | 1 (+91) | No |
Turret clear: 74 (+18)
Machine guns
| 7.62 mm M1919A4 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Coaxial | 1,480 (250) | 500 | N/A | N/A |
| Pintle | 1,480 (250) | 500 | -10°/+70° | ±60° |
| Hull | 1,480 (250) | 500 | -8°/+60° | -120°/+50° |
Usage in battles
The M4A5 Ram II is a tank that can hold its own. It is a highly mobile tank that can conquer the toughest of terrain, with a top speed of up to 40 km/h in Realistic battles and up to 44 km/h in Arcade battles. It also has great frontal and turret armour, when angled it can bounce rounds.
However, the one weakness is the side armour past the turret ring and towards the engine, which is only 50 mm thick. Behind this armour, the crew, engine and access to the ammo racks are located. A single hit with an APCBC or High Explosive round will blow the poor tank up like a firework. To get the best from this, charge into battle and find cover when the enemy starts to flank you. Stay behind cover, only exposing the sides of the tank when your teammates are with you and can handle any flanking tanks which may try to flank and knock you out. The Ram II can deter enemy planes, its Browning 7.62 mm machine gun with its high firing arcs can shoot down planes that try to dive bomb you in battle.
The Shot Mk. 9 is the round that should be used as main ammunition, it provides good penetration, allowing for the toughest and scariest tanks on the battlefield to knocked out with well-placed shots to their weak spots.
The M4A5 Ram II has two main playstyles:
- Offensive Head towards the cap zone as fast possible, fire around every four seconds this is able to scare the enemy tankers away. However, if you encounter a heavy tank such as KV-1 – stop, aim for the lower turret, cannon and turret ring and knock that tank out before you proceed or detract it and shoot its cannon, disabling it firing capability allowing your team mates behind you to finish it off.
Then once in the spawn and it has been capped, head out and flank the rears of the enemy team. The M4A5's Shot Mk.9 can handle any threats which can be encountered. However, do not let the enemy tankers flank you and shoot you in your rear or side, this will knock you out.
- Defensive - The M4A5 Ram II provides great frontal protection, keep the front angled and pointed towards the enemy with the rear and sides protected by rocks, remains of tanks, and objects. Or use the tow hook and tow some knocked out tanks to provide your sides and rear with extra protection. Then once the enemy tanks have been knocked out move out and stay with your team mates or bunker down at a strategic point and set an ambush up.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Great balance of armour, speed and firepower: relatively easy to play
- Extremely good at taking hits with 5 crew members, similar playstyle to M4A3E2 Jumbo
- Fast firing punchy 57 mm main gun that can handle most foe it encounters (4 second completely aced out reload)
- Premium bonuses + many unlockable camouflage options
- Main gun is semi-stabilized
- Small profile for a medium tank
- Access to engine-generated smoke
Cons:
- While the sloped frontal armour is adequate, there are several weak spots on the hull and the turret
- 57 mm gun lacks explosive filler and might require follow-up shots
- Slow reverse speed and acceleration
- Very cramped turret, a single shot will likely disable all 3 crew members
- No standard .50 calibre machine gun only 7.62 mm
History
Development
The aftermath of the Battle of France left the British military decimated as most of their equipment had to be left behind in their withdrawal at Dunkirk. Desperate for military equipment, particularly tanks, they requested from the U.S. to help produce the necessary vehicles to supplement the armoured forces. Canada further assisted the British with armoured vehicle production. The Canadian Pacific Railway's Angus Shops were contracted to build 300 Valentine tanks for the British, and later Canada themselves ordered 488 Valentines to build up their own tank forces. The Canadians realized that, in addition to the Valentines, they needed a cruiser tank to attack and exploit breakthroughs. Complications between adapting British designs to North American standards and the difference in material quality caused the Canadians to seek an American-derived cruiser tank rather than a British design.
The current standard U.S. tank at the time was the interim design M3 Lee. With the 75 mm gun on a sponson rather than its own turret, the M3 Medium tank currently wasn't a suitable candidate as the standard cruiser tank. In 1941, the Canadian Interdepartmental Tank Committee decided to use the M3 chassis as a foundation for a new and better, locally-produced design. The British took interest on this redesigning of the M3 Medium tank and sent a tank expert, L.E.Carr, to assist in the designing of the hull and turret. The hull itself was to be cast and the turret was designed around the expectations to mount the 6-pounder or the 75 mm gun. The name for the design was the Ram, while the US would designate the Canadian models as the M4A5
Throughout the Ram's designing and testing, the Canadians ran into problems due to their lack of inexperience in tank design as well as lacking the production lines suitable for the production of tank parts. Since the tank was derived from the M3, the production line required parts such as the transmission and engine that were being built in the USA, but which were required for US tank production, resulting in little surplus for Canadian use. The United States assisted in the production of the Ram by producing the pilot models and the Canadian Tank Arsenal was to be built by Montreal Locomotive Works, themselves a subsidiary of the American Locomotive Company who had experience building M3 tanks for the Americans.
The first prototype was produced in June 1941 and featured a full 360 degree traversable turret with a cast steel body, featuring the same powertrain and engine as the M3 it was derived from. The Ram was also adapted for British specifications with adaption to a right-hand drive and weaponry. Overall the Ram was also shorter than the M3. It also featured the side doors and a machine gun turret on the front, but these were removed in later versions. Production for the Ram started in November. Though intended to be fitted with the 6-pounder, the first 50 Rams produced used a 2-pounder due to lack of guns or mounts available for the Canadians. These were labelled Ram Mk.I. By February 1942, the Ram design switched back to the 6-pounder, which was designated the Ram Mk.II, production of which continued until July 1943. During that time span, about 2,032 Rams and its variants were produced.
Combat history
Unfortunately, by the time the Ram became battle-worthy for the front-lines, the Americans had started their mass-production of the M4 Shermans. The M4 Sherman was by all means similar in automotive performance, but benefited by the mass-production of the American automotive industry. The Ram was designed primarily to give the M3 Medium a turret, and the arrival of the M4 made the design redundant, and obsolete. In March 1942, the Canadian government made the decision to switch all production lines to produce the M4A1, with the Ram production only continuing until the proper machinery was ready. The Ram never saw combat usage and was only used as a training vehicle in Britain until mid-1944.
The Ram never saw combat as a tank, but variants of it did. Many Ram tanks were converted into armoured personnel carriers known as the Kangaroo, flamethrower vehicles known as the Badger, artillery observation vehicles, ammunition carriers, armoured recovery vehicles, and anti-tank gun tractor. Its most combat-oriented variant was the Sexton self-propelled gun with the 25-pounder howitzer developed to support the infantry, though the Sexton was also produced by the chassis from the Grizzly design.
After World War II, the Netherlands were free to take possession of any Ram tanks in army dumps on their territory. The Dutch used these tanks to equip their first tank units, the 1st and 2nd Tank Battalions. The Rams were in a poor state from low maintenance and disuse so they received additional Rams from Britain in slightly better conditions in 1947. By 1950, most of the Rams were broken down and only 50 were available for use between the two battalions. They were all replaced, along with Shermans in their inventory, by the Centurion tank in 1952. The Rams only usage past that was as static pillboxes on the IJssel line facing the Soviets in the Cold War.
Legacy
The Ram, unfortunately, went down in history as one of Canada's war design failures, with the M4 Sherman being produced in parallel by the U.S. overtaking it. It is also a testament to the disparity in the industrial base between the two countries. The Ram could still be attributed to kick-starting Canadian production lines to be able to produce the M4A1 Shermans, which were designated the Grizzly.
About 6 Ram tanks still survive today, with only 3 being the original tank design.
Media
- Skins
- Videos
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
| USA medium tanks | |
|---|---|
| M2 | M2 |
| M3 | M3 Lee · ▃Grant I |
| M4 | M4 · Calliope · M4A1 · M4A1 (76) W · M4A2 · M4A2 (76) W · M4A3 (105) · M4A3 (76) W · M4/T26 |
| M26 Pershing | T20 · T25 · M26 · M26 T99 · M26E1 |
| M46/47/48 Patton | M46 · M46 "Tiger" · M47 · M48A1 · T54E1 · T54E2 |
| M60 | M60 · M60A1 (AOS) · M60A1 RISE (P) · M60A2 · M60A3 TTS · M728 CEV · 120S |
| MBT-70 | MBT-70 · XM803 |
| M1 Abrams | XM1 (Chrysler) · XM1 (GM) |
| M1 Abrams · M1 KVT · IPM1 | |
| M1A1 · M1A1 HC · M1A1 Click-Bait | |
| M1A2 Abrams · M1A2 SEP · M1A2 SEP V2 | |
| Other | T95E1 |
| Australia | M1A1 AIM |
| Canada | M4A5 |
| Israel | ▃Magach 3 (ERA) · ▃Merkava Mk.1 · ▃Merkava Mk.2B · ▃Merkava Mk.3D |
| Turkey | M60 AMBT |
| USA premium ground vehicles | |
|---|---|
| Light tanks | LVT(A)(4) · M2A4 (1st Arm.Div.) · M3A1 (USMC) · ▃Stuart VI (5th CAD) · M8 LAC · M8A1 GMC |
| M18 "Black Cat" · Super Hellcat · T18E2 · M551(76) · T114 · M1128 Wolfpack | |
| Medium tanks | ▃Grant I · M4A5 · Calliope · T20 · M26 T99 · M26E1 · M46 "Tiger" · T54E1 · T54E2 · ▃Magach 3 (ERA) · M728 CEV |
| XM1 (GM) · XM1 (Chrysler) · M1 KVT · M1A1 Click-Bait | |
| Heavy tanks | T14 · Cobra King · M6A2E1 · T29 · T30 |
| Tank destroyers | T28 · T55E1 |
