Difference between revisions of "M4A2 (USSR)"

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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 
<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
{{main|M1 (76 mm)}}
 
  
 
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! ''Arcade''
 
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 71 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.78 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
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| rowspan="2" | 71 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Vertical|up to 24 km/h}} || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.78 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
 
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! ''Realistic''
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
 
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
 
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<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}
 
  
 
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== History ==
 
== History ==
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
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<!--''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''-->
=== M4 Sherman ===
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===Lend-Lease===
The start of World War II and the Battle of France had America find that their current armoured forces were completely inadequate to fight back a German armour assault. With only the [[M2A4|M2 light tanks]] and the [[M2]] available with their 37 mm cannons, the Americans greatly increased their efforts in tank development to bolster their defences but to satisfy demands from Great Britain for adequate tanks to rebuild their decimated armoured forces. The requirements set by the US Army called for a tank armed with a 75 mm gun. While a 75 mm gun was available for use, a turret mounting the gun on a tank was not. Thus, while the turret and tank design underwent development, the 75 mm would be mounted on the stopgap design - the [[M3 Lee|M3 Lee]] tank - in a "sponson" mount. During the M3's development, the designs of the 75 mm armed vehicle were submitted by the Ordnance Department. In April 1941, the Armored Force Board chose the simplest of the designs, which was a redesigned M3 hull and chassis with a turret mounting the 75 mm gun designated the ''T6'', completed in September 1941. This tank would then designated the '''[[M4|M4 Sherman]]'''. The production for the Sherman began in October 1941 and would continue to be produced until the end of the war in 1945 with around than 50,000 units produced, making it the second most-produced tank in World War II before the [[T-34 (1942)|T-34 tank]]. The Sherman first saw service in North Africa in the hands of the British, and the Shermans continued to see service throughout the North African campaign, Tunisian campaign, and the Italian campaign in the British and American armies. However, the 75 mm gun on the Sherman soon found itself saw as inadequate when the Germans began fielding their new generation of heavy tanks, the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]] and the [[Panther D|Panther]], which could defend itself against the 75 mm gun and take out the Sherman at a long range. A desire to up-gun the Sherman grew among Ordnance officers to fight incoming armour threats and started as far back as 1942.
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[[File:Matilda Mk II USSR.jpg|x250px|right|thumb|none|Matilda Mk II tanks in Soviet service.]]
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The Soviet participation in the United States' Lend-Lease program started in Autumn of 1941 when the United States and United Kingdom agreed to give military aid. Tanks were of particular interests to the Soviets in order to replenish their Summer losses against Germany during Operation ''Barbarossa''. The first tanks sent were from Great Britain with [[MK-IX_"Valentine"_(USSR)|Valentines]] and [[MK-II_"Matilda"_(USSR)|Matildas]], which played a part in the Battle of Moscow.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_British">Zaloga 2017, Loc 63, 95 of 1264</ref> The United States provided their [[M3 Stuart]] light tanks and [[M3_Medium_(USSR)|M3 Medium]] tanks in late 1941/early 1942 (The two were designated ''{{Annotation|M3L|Legkhiy/Light}}'' and ''{{Annotation|M3S|sredniy/Medium}}'' respectively to avoid name confusion).<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_M3Stuart">Zaloga 2017, Loc 245-257 of 1264</ref><ref name="ZalogaLendLease_M3Medium">Zaloga 2017, Loc 305 of 1264</ref> These American tanks were not viewed with satisfaction, with the head of Soviet tank industry, Vyacheslav Malyshev, even considering stopping all American tank imports and focusing instead on American trucks.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_Trucks">Zaloga 2017, Loc 420-426 of 1264</ref> Despite that, the Soviets were interested in America's newest medium tank, the M4 Sherman, and were eager to obtain some as soon as possible.  
  
===Development===
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===Shermans in the Soviet Union===
The desire for a hole puncher on the Sherman started in the Ordnance department, seen as an improvement to the Sherman tank's overall combat ability to fight future tank threats. It started with the adaption of the 3-inch anti-tank gun, the most powerful American anti-tank weapon at the time, into the M4 Sherman. The gun proved too heavy and too bulky for a straight adaption so a simpler and smaller gun model was created called the ''76 mm M1'', which could be practically fitted into the M4 Sherman turret. The 76 mm differed from the 3-inch in ammunition as well, using a different propellant case but the same shells. The first guns were trialled in a [[M4A1|M4A1 Sherman]], but while Ordnance approved the vehicle, Armored Board rejected it as it caused the turret interior to be too cramped for the crew and also the lack of need of such vehicle. This solution was fixed by taking the cancelled T23 project and adapting the turret into the Sherman, which was easy as the Sherman and the T23 used the same turret ring diameter. The larger turret allowed for a more practical mounting of the 76 mm gun and more room for the crew to move around in. This variant was approved and production was to start in early 1944 for the upcoming invasion of Europe in Operation Overlord to counter the German Tiger I and the Panther tanks.
+
Though the M4 and M4A1 were available, the Soviets disliked the gasoline Continental radial engine due to their experience with the M3 Light and Medium tanks. Instead, they asked for the diesel GMC engine variant M4A2 Sherman. The M4A2 had been in production since April 1942, but the time needed for the production to supply the demand meant that the first M4A2 only arrived in the Soviet Union by 21 September 1942. The Soviets would also received two M4A4 tank models in 1943 for trial purposes, however the Soviet disliked the Chrysler A57 engine configuration, and so opted not to receive any more M4A4 tanks.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_M4Intro">Zaloga 2017, Loc 616-633 of 1264</ref><ref name="TankArchivesM4A4">Samsonov 2013</ref>
  
===Design===
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The first M4A2 tanks in the Soviet Union would first see service with the 5th Guards Tank Brigade and the 563rd Separate Tank Battalion.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_M4Intro" /><ref name="GillonoUnits">Gillono and Hulbert 2011, pg 23</ref> The first major campaign the M4A2 were involved in was the Battle of Kursk in the 229th Tank Regiment with 38 M4A2 Shermans.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_Kursk">Zaloga 2017, Loc 554 of 1264</ref> As the M4A2 deliveries grew and so did the crew experience, the Soviets came to appreciate the qualities of the M4A2 Sherman. A report on 23 October 1943 from the 5th Guards Tank Brigade regarding their M4A2 Shermans noted:<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_M4Intro" />
Aside from the enlarged T23 turret, the Sherman interior layout was largely unchanged from the original design. The driver and bow gunner still sat in the front, the three-man turret crew in the centre, and the engine compartment in the back. The exterior design of the hull was also largely unchanged with the vertical volute suspension system (VVSS) and sloping front armour.
 
  
The '''M4A2 (76) W Sherman''' model ran on a GM 6046 diesel engine. Being built off the original [[M4A2|M4A2]], the hull construction was welded, which proved simpler to produce than casting. Early M4A2 variants had the front armour plate placed on a 56-degree sloping angle, but this design had protrusions on the driver and assistant driver hatches that created "shot traps" as these protrusions gave less protection than the frontal armour plate. This was fixed on later models with 47-degree angling instead, which eliminated the shot traps and made the frontal armour more effective than before. The M4A2 (76) W variant, as indicated by the name, mounted the 76 mm gun instead of the usual 75 mm. The "W" designation on the Sherman indicated that the vehicle had the "wet stowage" feature in response to complaints that the Sherman can easily catch fire due to exploding ammunition. The "wet stowage" encased the ammo containers in a liquid mixture that would douse the flames when penetrated or block flaming shrapnel from penetrating shots from hitting the ammunition. The containers also placed all the ammunition in the bottom centre of the tank, reducing the likeliness of it being hit by a shell as the penetrating shell must go through every armour and obstacle to hit the tank centre. This feature was only present after February 1944 and severely decreased the rate of Sherman fires. Of the 49,234 Sherman produced in World War II, 2,915 M4A2 (76)s were produced from April 1944 to May 1945.
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{{Quote
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|Due to its high speed, M4A2 tank is very convenient for exploitation, and offers great maneuverability. Armament is consistent with its design and it has fragmentation and armor-piercing shells with very high penetration. The 75 mm gun and two Browning machine guns are trouble-free. Its disadvantages include a great height making it a bigger target on the battlefield. Armor, despite the greater thickness (60 mm), is substandard. There were cases when it was penetrated by an antitank rifle at a distance of 80 meters. In addition, there were a number of cases where Ju-87, while bombing the tanks, penetrated the side armor and turret armor with 20 mm cannon fire, resulting in crew casualties. Compared with the T-34, the M4A2 is easier to operate, and more durable when making long marches as the motors do not require frequent adjustment. In combat, these tanks are working well.
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}}
  
===Combat usage===
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The M4 was given the nickname "emcha" by the Soviet soldiers, which was a contraction of the Russian pronounciation of M4 (M-''Chetire'').<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_M4Intro" />
Despite the stock of 76 mm Shermans now available for them, the commanders opted to not bring any during the invasion of France in June 1944. The issues were logistical, as having a 76 mm armament would mean supplying a different set of ammo to the task forces. Another issue was that the 76 mm gun had a less lethal high-explosive round at hand, meaning combat against infantry or fixed emplacements would be slightly harder. This forced 75 mm armed Shermans to have to compete against the better armed and armoured Panthers and Tigers in the initial period of the invasion. The combat debut of the 76 mm Shermans as the [[M4A1 (76) W|M4A1 (76)]] was during Operation Cobra in July 1944, as a response to the growing German armour threat in Europe. The 2nd and 3rd Armored Divisions received 52 of these Shermans and the rest were distributed among the tank battalions in the infantry divisions. Deliveries of the M4(76) began coming into Europe from August 1944. The M4 (76) and M4 (75) Shermans served alongside each other, though the 75 mm Shermans were around in larger numbers and the opinions of the 76 mm cannon vary from a necessary addition to a burden. Nevertheless, the M4(76) began to be supplied among the tank battalions and armoured divisions to face the intense combat at the Siegfried Line. The 75 mm guns stayed as the primary armament of the armoured forces until the Battle of the Bulge, which had much American armour destroyed by the German onslaught of heavy German tanks such as their [[Panther G|Panther]] and [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II's]]. The negative response from both troops and press had Allied commanders, even Eisenhower himself, request only 76 mm Sherman to be delivered instead of 75 mm in response. The new units arriving in Europe after the Battle of the Bulge were all equipped with 76-mm Shermans. Despite their appearance, 75 mm Shermans were still in stock in the armoured divisions and were still held in high regards for their better capacity to destroy soft targets with high-explosive shells.
 
  
After the war, the Shermans continued serving America and its allies as the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3E8]] with a new suspension and 76 mm gun. The [[M26|M26 Pershing]] that was introduced late in World War II was phased out for the Shermans due to its unreliability, and the Sherman stayed until the [[M46|M46 Patton]] was introduced. After being phased out of American service, many other countries still used the Sherman as their main tank, mainly Israel where they up-gunned the tank with the much powerful post-war French 75 mm and 105 mm gun as the M-50 and M-51 respectively (nicknamed "Super Shermans"). These proved successful as they were able to fight against the Soviet-supplied [[T-54 (1947)|T-54 tanks]] and [[T-34-85]]s in Middle East service, proving the Sherman as a successful and adaptable design for many years to come.
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The Soviets continued requesting more M4A2 Shermans to fill their armies, with 2,000 more expected from July 1943 to June 1944. Although this was at odds with America's plans to switch M4 production over to the 76 mm gun at the end of 1943, the Fisher Body production lines at the Grand Blanc Tank Arsenal was slated to continue producing 75 mm armed M4s until May 1944 for the Soviet's orders.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_3rdProtocol">Zaloga 2017, Loc 166, 649 of 1264</ref>
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[[File:Soviet M4A2 tanks on Krenova street in Brno.gif|x200px|left|thumb|none|Soviet M4A2 (76) W in Brno, Czechoslovakia in April 1945.]]
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===76 mm Shermans ===
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The Soviet Union's next order of 3,000 Shermans would be for M4 Shermans equipped with the new 76 mm M1 gun.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_76mm">Zaloga 2017, Loc 660 of 1264</ref> These M4A2 (76 mm) Shermans began arriving to the Soviet Union in September 1944.<ref name="TankArchivesEmcha">Samsonov 2017</ref> ​The first combat unit to be equipped with these M4A2 (76) Shermans was the 1st Mechanized Corps in the same month the M4A2 (76) began to arrive. Other units that received and used the M4A2 (76) Shermans were the 1st, 8th, and 9th Guards Mechanized Corps, as well as the 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps.<ref name="GillonoEUUnits">Gillono and Hulbert 2011, pg 17-18</ref>
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[[File:M4A2 (USSR) Historical - 03 May 1945.jpg|thumb|right|x250px|none|A Lend-Lease M4A2 (76) W Sherman in Soviet service in May 1945 at Grabow, Germany.]]
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The first action the M4A2 (76) Sherman saw in Soviet service in was in December 1944, when the 6th Guards Tank Army and its associated 9th Guards Mechanized Corps conducted offensive operations in Hungary.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_76mm" /><ref name="LozaShermans">Loza and Gebhardt 1996</ref> The M4A2 (76) Shermans would see large-scale usage in 1945 during the Soviet's offensives towards Germany, sometimes alongside the M4A2 (75) versions. Some of the most notable Soviet actions the M4A2 (76) were in the Vistula–Oder offensive in Winter 1945, the Vienna Offensive in Spring 1945, and finally the Battle of Berlin in April-May 1945, where most notably the 1st Mechanized Corps, equipped with 165 M4A2 Shermans prior to the battle, participated in the heavy fighting.<ref name="TankArchives1stMCBerlin">Samsonov 2015</ref>
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The final M4A2 Sherman usage by the Soviet Union was in Operation ''August Storm'', the Soviet invasion of Manchuria against Japan in August 1945.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_76mmUsage">Zaloga 2017, Loc 665-672 of 1264</ref> This offensive saw M4A2 Shermans used on the Transbaikal Front, with the M4A2s in the 3rd and 9th Guards Mechanized Corps, as well as smaller units such as the 48th Separated Tank Battalion and 201st Tank Brigade present (the 201st were held in reserves).<ref name="GillonoUnits" /><ref name="LozaShermans" /> In all, 250 M4A2 Sherman tanks were present in the Soviet forces when the invasion of Manchuria commenced.<ref name="TankArchivesEast">Samsonov 2014</ref> <ref name="TankArchivesHVSS">Samsonov 2018</ref>
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===Lend-Lease numbers===
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Of the 12,485 tanks and armored fighting vehicles sent to the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1945 in the Lend-Lease program, 4,102 of those were of the M4A2 Sherman tanks, with 2,007 being of the M4A2 (75 mm) version, and 2,095 being the M4A2 (76 mm) version. Of the tanks sent, the Soviet records reported the receiving of only 3,664 tanks; the difference mainly due to deliveries being sunk on the way and discrepancies between the United States and Soviet Union archives.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_Tables">Zaloga 2017, Loc 899-1212 of 1264</ref><ref name="GillonoShermans">Gillono and Hulbert 2011, pg 1</ref> Of the 76 mm variants, 460 tanks were versions with the HVSS suspension designs, which began arriving in March-April 1945, delivered too late to see combat in Europe.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_76mmUsage" /> However, 128 of the tanks saw use with the 9th Guards Mechanized Corps (84 tanks) and the 201st Tank Brigade (44 tanks) in Manchuria.<ref name="TankArchivesHVSS" /> These figures also indicate that the Soviet Union was one of the largest users of the M4A2 (76 mm) Shermans, of which 2,915 were manufactured in total by the United States.<ref name="M4(76)_LendLease">Zaloga 2003, Loc 686 of 977</ref>
  
 
=== In-game description ===
 
=== In-game description ===
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== Media ==
 
== Media ==
 
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
{{Youtube-gallery|Zh8JUqody5g|'''The Shooting Range #59''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 00:34 discusses the Soviet Shermans.}}
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;Skins
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=ussr&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=ussr_m4a2_76w_sherman Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
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;Videos
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{{Youtube-gallery|Zh8JUqody5g|'''The Shooting Range #59''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 00:34 discusses the Soviet Shermans.|OS0HFHzjlTY|'''Russian M4A2 (76) W Sherman Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
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<!--''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.''
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* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''-->
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;Other M4A2 tanks in the game
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* [[M4A2]]
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* [[M4A2 (76) W]]
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* [[M4 748 (a) (Germany)]]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
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<!--''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
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* ''other literature.''-->
* ''other literature.''
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=== References ===
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<references />
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;Bibliography:
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* Gillono, Claude; Hulbert, Leife. ''Comrade Emcha: Red Army Shermans of WW2 (Battleline, 2)''. The Oliver Publishing Group, 2011
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* Loza, Dimitry; Gebhardt, James F. ''Commanding the Red Army's Sherman Tanks: The World War II Memoirs of Hero of the Soviet Union Dimitry Loza''. University of Nebraska Press, 1996.
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* Samsonov, Peter. "Common Questions: Sherman Preference." ''Tank Archives'', Blogger, 22 Jun. 2015, [http://www.tankarchives.ca/2015/06/common-questions-sherman-preference.html ​Website]. Accessed 24 Mar. 2021.
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* Samsonov, Peter. "Lend Lease Impressions: M4A4 Sherman." ''Tank Archives'', Blogger, 12 Sep. 2013, [http://www.tankarchives.ca/2013/09/lend-lease-impressions-m4a4-sherman.html ​Website]. Accessed 24 Mar. 2021.
 +
* Samsonov, Peter. "M4A2(76)W: Emcha With a Long Hand." ''Tank Archives'', Blogger, 30 Jul. 2017, [http://www.tankarchives.ca/2017/07/m4a276w-emcha-with-long-hand.html Website]. Accessed 23 Mar. 2021.
 +
* Samsonov, Peter. "New Legs for the Emcha." ''Tank Archives'', Blogger, 15 Dec. 2018, [http://www.tankarchives.ca/2018/12/new-legs-for-emcha.html Website]. Accessed 24 Mar. 2021.
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* Samsonov, Peter. "Soviet Tanks in the Far East." ''Tank Archives'', Blogger, 09 Apr. 2014, [http://www.tankarchives.ca/2014/04/soviet-tanks-in-far-east.html ​Website]. Accessed 24 Mar. 2021.
 +
* Zaloga, Steven J. ''M4 (76mm) Sherman Medium Tank 1943-65''. Osprey Publishing Ltd., 20 Apr. 2003.
 +
* Zaloga, Steven J. ''Soviet Lend-Lease Tanks of World War II''. Osprey Publishing Ltd., 20 Jul. 2017.
  
 
{{USSR medium tanks}}
 
{{USSR medium tanks}}
 
{{USSR premium ground vehicles}}
 
{{USSR premium ground vehicles}}

Revision as of 17:10, 14 April 2021

Rank VI Israel | Premium | Golden Eagles
Merkava Mk.2D Pack
This page is about the premium medium tank M4A2 (USSR). For other M4 Shermans, see M4 Sherman (Family). For other uses, see M4 (Disambiguation).
▂M4A2
ussr_m4a2_76w_sherman.png
GarageImage M4A2 (USSR).jpg
▂M4A2
AB RB SB
5.3 5.3 5.3
Purchase:2 980 Specs-Card-Eagle.png
Show in game

Description

The ▂M4A2 (76) W is a premium rank III Soviet medium tank with a battle rating of 5.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.45 "Steel Generals".

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

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

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull38 / 38 / 38
Turret63 / 63 / 63
Crew5 people
Visibility122 %

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Transmission area)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 63.5 mm (47°) 38.1 mm 38.1 mm 19.5 mm
Turret 88.9 mm 63.5 mm 63.5 mm 25.4 mm
Armour Sides Roof
Cupola 63.5 mm 25.4 mm

Notes:

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

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB52 / 7 km/h
RB and SB46 / 6 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
1 back
Weight33.0 t
Engine power
AB782 hp
RB and SB410 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB23.7 hp/t
RB and SB12.4 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 52 7 33 635 782 19.24 23.7
Realistic 46 6 363 410 11 12.42

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
AB1 319 Sl icon.png
RB1 532 Sl icon.png
SB2 031 Sl icon.png
Crew training10 000 Sl icon.png
Experts250 000 Sl icon.png
Aces630 Ge icon.png
Research Aces870 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
Talisman.png 2 × 90 / 150 / 180 % Sl icon.png
Talisman.png 2 × 160 / 160 / 160 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Mods tank reinforcement ussr.png
Crew Replenishment
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Mods tank ammo.png
76mm_usa_APCBC_ammo_pack
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support

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

Armaments

Main armament

Vertical stabilizer
Reduces the swing of the gun in one plane while moving
Ammunition71 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
7.6 → 5.9 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 25°
76 mm M1 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 71 -10°/+25° ±180° Vertical 22.85 31.62 38.40 42.47 45.18 7.67 6.78 6.25 5.90
Realistic 14.28 16.80 20.40 22.56 24.00

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
M62 shell APCBC 149 146 133 119 106 95
M42A1 shell HE 7 7 7 7 7 7
M79 shot AP 134 132 121 109 99 89
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%
M62 shell APCBC 792 7.00 1.2 14.0 63.7 48° 63° 71°
M42A1 shell HE 800 5.84 0.1 0.5 390 79° 80° 81°
M79 shot AP 792 6.80 N/A N/A N/A 47° 60° 65°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the M4A1 (76) W (identical to the M4A2 (76) W)
Full
ammo
1st
rack empty
2nd
rack empty
3rd
rack empty
4th
rack empty
5th
rack empty
Visual
discrepancy
71 57 (+14) 43 (+28) 29 (+42) 15 (+56) (+70) Yes

Machine guns

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°
Ammunition3 000 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate500 shots/min
12.7 mm M2HB
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 600 (200) 577 -10°/+30° ±60°
7.62 mm M1919A4
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 3,000 (250) 500 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

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

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

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

Pros and cons

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

History

Lend-Lease

Matilda Mk II tanks in Soviet service.

The Soviet participation in the United States' Lend-Lease program started in Autumn of 1941 when the United States and United Kingdom agreed to give military aid. Tanks were of particular interests to the Soviets in order to replenish their Summer losses against Germany during Operation Barbarossa. The first tanks sent were from Great Britain with Valentines and Matildas, which played a part in the Battle of Moscow.[1] The United States provided their M3 Stuart light tanks and M3 Medium tanks in late 1941/early 1942 (The two were designated M3L and M3S respectively to avoid name confusion).[2][3] These American tanks were not viewed with satisfaction, with the head of Soviet tank industry, Vyacheslav Malyshev, even considering stopping all American tank imports and focusing instead on American trucks.[4] Despite that, the Soviets were interested in America's newest medium tank, the M4 Sherman, and were eager to obtain some as soon as possible.

Shermans in the Soviet Union

Though the M4 and M4A1 were available, the Soviets disliked the gasoline Continental radial engine due to their experience with the M3 Light and Medium tanks. Instead, they asked for the diesel GMC engine variant M4A2 Sherman. The M4A2 had been in production since April 1942, but the time needed for the production to supply the demand meant that the first M4A2 only arrived in the Soviet Union by 21 September 1942. The Soviets would also received two M4A4 tank models in 1943 for trial purposes, however the Soviet disliked the Chrysler A57 engine configuration, and so opted not to receive any more M4A4 tanks.[5][6]

The first M4A2 tanks in the Soviet Union would first see service with the 5th Guards Tank Brigade and the 563rd Separate Tank Battalion.[5][7] The first major campaign the M4A2 were involved in was the Battle of Kursk in the 229th Tank Regiment with 38 M4A2 Shermans.[8] As the M4A2 deliveries grew and so did the crew experience, the Soviets came to appreciate the qualities of the M4A2 Sherman. A report on 23 October 1943 from the 5th Guards Tank Brigade regarding their M4A2 Shermans noted:[5]

Quote icon.png

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

The M4 was given the nickname "emcha" by the Soviet soldiers, which was a contraction of the Russian pronounciation of M4 (M-Chetire).[5]

The Soviets continued requesting more M4A2 Shermans to fill their armies, with 2,000 more expected from July 1943 to June 1944. Although this was at odds with America's plans to switch M4 production over to the 76 mm gun at the end of 1943, the Fisher Body production lines at the Grand Blanc Tank Arsenal was slated to continue producing 75 mm armed M4s until May 1944 for the Soviet's orders.[9]

Soviet M4A2 (76) W in Brno, Czechoslovakia in April 1945.

76 mm Shermans

The Soviet Union's next order of 3,000 Shermans would be for M4 Shermans equipped with the new 76 mm M1 gun.[10] These M4A2 (76 mm) Shermans began arriving to the Soviet Union in September 1944.[11] ​The first combat unit to be equipped with these M4A2 (76) Shermans was the 1st Mechanized Corps in the same month the M4A2 (76) began to arrive. Other units that received and used the M4A2 (76) Shermans were the 1st, 8th, and 9th Guards Mechanized Corps, as well as the 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps.[12]

A Lend-Lease M4A2 (76) W Sherman in Soviet service in May 1945 at Grabow, Germany.

The first action the M4A2 (76) Sherman saw in Soviet service in was in December 1944, when the 6th Guards Tank Army and its associated 9th Guards Mechanized Corps conducted offensive operations in Hungary.[10][13] The M4A2 (76) Shermans would see large-scale usage in 1945 during the Soviet's offensives towards Germany, sometimes alongside the M4A2 (75) versions. Some of the most notable Soviet actions the M4A2 (76) were in the Vistula–Oder offensive in Winter 1945, the Vienna Offensive in Spring 1945, and finally the Battle of Berlin in April-May 1945, where most notably the 1st Mechanized Corps, equipped with 165 M4A2 Shermans prior to the battle, participated in the heavy fighting.[14]

The final M4A2 Sherman usage by the Soviet Union was in Operation August Storm, the Soviet invasion of Manchuria against Japan in August 1945.[15] This offensive saw M4A2 Shermans used on the Transbaikal Front, with the M4A2s in the 3rd and 9th Guards Mechanized Corps, as well as smaller units such as the 48th Separated Tank Battalion and 201st Tank Brigade present (the 201st were held in reserves).[7][13] In all, 250 M4A2 Sherman tanks were present in the Soviet forces when the invasion of Manchuria commenced.[16] [17]

Lend-Lease numbers

Of the 12,485 tanks and armored fighting vehicles sent to the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1945 in the Lend-Lease program, 4,102 of those were of the M4A2 Sherman tanks, with 2,007 being of the M4A2 (75 mm) version, and 2,095 being the M4A2 (76 mm) version. Of the tanks sent, the Soviet records reported the receiving of only 3,664 tanks; the difference mainly due to deliveries being sunk on the way and discrepancies between the United States and Soviet Union archives.[18][19] Of the 76 mm variants, 460 tanks were versions with the HVSS suspension designs, which began arriving in March-April 1945, delivered too late to see combat in Europe.[15] However, 128 of the tanks saw use with the 9th Guards Mechanized Corps (84 tanks) and the 201st Tank Brigade (44 tanks) in Manchuria.[17] These figures also indicate that the Soviet Union was one of the largest users of the M4A2 (76 mm) Shermans, of which 2,915 were manufactured in total by the United States.[20]

In-game description

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

Media

Skins
Videos

See also

Other M4A2 tanks in the game

External links

References

  1. Zaloga 2017, Loc 63, 95 of 1264
  2. Zaloga 2017, Loc 245-257 of 1264
  3. Zaloga 2017, Loc 305 of 1264
  4. Zaloga 2017, Loc 420-426 of 1264
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Zaloga 2017, Loc 616-633 of 1264
  6. Samsonov 2013
  7. 7.0 7.1 Gillono and Hulbert 2011, pg 23
  8. Zaloga 2017, Loc 554 of 1264
  9. Zaloga 2017, Loc 166, 649 of 1264
  10. 10.0 10.1 Zaloga 2017, Loc 660 of 1264
  11. Samsonov 2017
  12. Gillono and Hulbert 2011, pg 17-18
  13. 13.0 13.1 Loza and Gebhardt 1996
  14. Samsonov 2015
  15. 15.0 15.1 Zaloga 2017, Loc 665-672 of 1264
  16. Samsonov 2014
  17. 17.0 17.1 Samsonov 2018
  18. Zaloga 2017, Loc 899-1212 of 1264
  19. Gillono and Hulbert 2011, pg 1
  20. Zaloga 2003, Loc 686 of 977
Bibliography
  • Gillono, Claude; Hulbert, Leife. Comrade Emcha: Red Army Shermans of WW2 (Battleline, 2). The Oliver Publishing Group, 2011
  • Loza, Dimitry; Gebhardt, James F. Commanding the Red Army's Sherman Tanks: The World War II Memoirs of Hero of the Soviet Union Dimitry Loza. University of Nebraska Press, 1996.
  • Samsonov, Peter. "Common Questions: Sherman Preference." Tank Archives, Blogger, 22 Jun. 2015, ​Website. Accessed 24 Mar. 2021.
  • Samsonov, Peter. "Lend Lease Impressions: M4A4 Sherman." Tank Archives, Blogger, 12 Sep. 2013, ​Website. Accessed 24 Mar. 2021.
  • Samsonov, Peter. "M4A2(76)W: Emcha With a Long Hand." Tank Archives, Blogger, 30 Jul. 2017, Website. Accessed 23 Mar. 2021.
  • Samsonov, Peter. "New Legs for the Emcha." Tank Archives, Blogger, 15 Dec. 2018, Website. Accessed 24 Mar. 2021.
  • Samsonov, Peter. "Soviet Tanks in the Far East." Tank Archives, Blogger, 09 Apr. 2014, ​Website. Accessed 24 Mar. 2021.
  • Zaloga, Steven J. M4 (76mm) Sherman Medium Tank 1943-65. Osprey Publishing Ltd., 20 Apr. 2003.
  • Zaloga, Steven J. Soviet Lend-Lease Tanks of World War II. Osprey Publishing Ltd., 20 Jul. 2017.


USSR medium tanks
T-28  T-28 (1938) · T-28 · T-28E
T-34-76  T-34 (Prototype) · T-34 (1940) · T-34 (1941) · T-34 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-34 (1942) · T-34E STZ · T-34E
T-34-57  T-34-57 · T-34-57 (1943)
T-34-85  T-34-85 (D-5T) · T-34-85 · T-34-85E
T-34-100  T-34-100
T-44  T-44 · T-44-100 · T-44-122
T-54  T-54 (1947) · T-54 (1949) · T-54 (1951)
T-55  TO-55 · T-55A · T-55AM-1 · T-55AMD-1
T-62  T-62 · T-62M-1
T-64  Object 435 · T-64A (1971) · T-64B
T-72  T-72A · T-72AV (TURMS-T) · T-72B · T-72B (1989) · T-72B3 · T-72M2 Moderna
T-80  T-80B · T-80U · T-80UD · T-80UK · T-80UM2 · T-80BVM · Object 292
T-90  Т-90А · T-90M
Trophies/Lend-Lease 
Germany  ▂T-III · ▂T-V
Great Britain  ▂МК-IX "Valentine"
USA  ▂M3 Medium · ▂M4A2

USSR premium ground vehicles
Light tanks  BA-11 · RBT-5 · BT-7A (F-32) · T-26 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-26E · T-126 · PT-76-57 · 2S38
Medium tanks  T-34 (Prototype) · T-34 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-34E · T-34-57 (1943) · T-34-85E · T-34-100 · T-44-122 · TO-55 · T-55AM-1 · T-72AV (TURMS-T) · T-80UD
  ▂M3 Medium · ▂M4A2 · ▂T-III · ▂T-V · ▂МК-IX "Valentine"
Heavy tanks  SMK · T-35 · ▂MK-II "Matilda" · KV-1E · KV-2 (1940) · KV-2 (ZiS-6) · KV-122 · KV-220 · IS-2 "Revenge" · Object 248 · IS-6 · T-10A
Tank destroyers  BM-8-24 · BM-13N · BM-31-12
  SU-57 · SU-76D · SU-76M (5th Gv.Kav.Corps) · SU-85A · SU-100Y · SU-122P · Object 120
SPAA  ▂Phòng không T-34 · ZUT-37