 
Built: 1941-1946
Weight: 30 tons
Max Speed: 38 kph
Max Range: 160 km
Armament: 75 mm cannon, two .30 caliber and one .50 caliber machine gun
Armor: 75 mm
Crew: 5
The M4 "Sherman" medium-tank was the main American battle tank of World War II. It was also used
by Britain, Russia, and other Allies. The M4 began production in 1941 and they were still in use
at the end of the war. While in command of the 3rd Army, General George Patton used Sherman tanks
to great effect during his 1944 dash across Europe.
Although the Sherman was less powerful than its German counterparts (though later versions were
faster and equipped with a larger cannon), it made up for its shortcomings by being available in
great numbers. By converting automobile factories to manufacture tanks, the US pushed the
production of Shermans up to 2,000 per month. Over 49,000 Sherman tanks were built during the
war more than all the tanks produced by Germany over the same time period. The Sherman was
also a very reliable tank and rarely broke down in combat.
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