Zenith Press

M4 Sherman at War

by  Michael Green and James D. Brown

Reviewed By  Andrew Birkbeck, IPMS# 27087

MSRP: $19.95 ISBN: 076032784X This is the fourth title in Zenith Press' AT WAR series, the previous titles being on the M1 Abrams, the Humvee and World War Two German "Panzers". The M4 Sherman title under review consists of 128 pages measuring 8.25" by 10.50", contained between a glossy card cover. Almost every page contains at least one well-produced photograph, some in color, some in black and white, and covering either period photos or shots taken of current day museum vehicles. The photos have been well chosen by the authors to help illustrate the topics under discussion in the book. The book's contents divides into four main chapters: · M4 Background · Description · Firepower and Armor Protection · Improvements Chapter One describes the US Army's tank development or lack thereof during the time period between the end of WW1 and the outbreak of war in Europe in 1939. In particular, this describes the development of the M2 and especially the M3 Medium Tanks, many of whose components carried over into the development and initial production of the M4 Sherman. This was especially so of the automotive and other lower hull components, including the bogies. The reader is introduced to sections on the M3's power plant, type of armor protection, and armament. Further sections cover the M3 in British Army service and its introduction into combat with US Army formations in North Africa in 1942. The second half of Chapter One then goes on to describe the development and testing of the M4 Sherman, and the various differences between major production models: M4, M4A1, M4A2, M4A3 and M4A4. (Coverage includes the M4A6, which saw a production run of only 75 units.) Following this discussion, a short remaining section is devoted to the introduction of the M4 series into battle, again first with British Army troops in North Africa and then US Army units in the same theater. The book's second chapter is titled "Description", and provides the reader with a fairly in-depth tour through the M4 Medium Tank's various main components: hull, suspension system, tracks, turret. As well as these main areas, the reader is further treated to a discussion of smaller sub-sections of vehicle components, such hull vision devices, the driver's instrument panel, the driver's various controls such as the gearshift, accelerator controls etc., down to such important things as the emergency escape hatch. These sections are well illustrated by appropriate photos, or illustrations from the appropriate U.S. Army manual. Other topics covered in this chapter include internal crew communication equipment, along with crew communication methods, with appropriate examples provided from various WW2 reports, as well as interviews with former tank crewmembers conducted by the authors. And various deficiencies associated with the M4 Sherman's tracks are also covered in this chapter, showing the various methods (such as use of grousers) used to try and overcome these shortcomings. Chapter Three covers "Firepower and Armor Protection", and as such describes the various rounds of ammunition carried by the M4 Sherman in WW2: Armor-piercing rounds, High Explosive, Phosphorus and "Canister" of various types each described. Along with the technical descriptions, the authors lay out the failings of the various rounds, especially the inability of any US armor-piercing round to puncture late war German tank armor with any degree of certainty, even from near point blank ranges. The authors then move on to catalog the two main types of gun tubes used on the Sherman (75mm and 76mm), along with the various ancillary components of the M34/M34A1 gun mount, both internal and external. Then comes descriptions of other main turret components such as the turret ring, ammunition storage, turret-sighting systems etc. Again all these topics are complimented by well chosen photos of restored vehicles from contemporary museums, or U.S. Army manual illustrations. The various crew members are at this point in the book covered, showing the roles played by each: driver, driver's assistant, gunner, loader, and commander. A discussion is also included, subtitled "Hitting The Target", which covers how the crew worked together using all their various on-board equipment to try and insure that the enemy targets under attack were engaged successfully. Or not, as the case often seemed to be. Chapter Three continues with coverage of armor protection, or in the case of the M4 Sherman, the lack thereof. The Germans called the Sherman the "Tommie Cooker" because of how easily their weapons could pierce its inadequate armor and set it alight when first introduced with the British Army in North Africa. The American crews likened the tank to the popular "Ronson" cigarette lighter. As the advertisements of the time said of this lighter: "lights first strike"! All this because of the lethal combination of inadequate armor and poor onboard ammunition storage facilities, which often left a Sherman tank a blazing wreck after being hit by German tank and infantry antitank weapons. The horrors of this combination are described in graphic detail using quotes from battlefield reports and author conducted interviews with Sherman crewmembers. Finally to Chapter Four, simply titled "Improvements". Here the authors cover the upgrading of the M4 Sherman, both second-generation modifications such as the change from the original 75mm gun to the 76mm gun and the introduction of the T23 turret, as well as the program to "re-manufacture" first generation Shermans. Also covered is the introduction of a second-generation commander's cupola, new driver's and assistant driver's hatches, new "wet" ammunition storage, and the change from VVSS to HVSS bogies/wheels/tracks. Coverage is also given briefly to the 105mm howitzer Shermans, and all too briefly to the Sherman "Firefly". The latter is unfortunate, since given the authors' wide coverage of the failings of the Sherman's 75 and 76mm guns to adequately puncture German armor, why not spend some time covering the one Sherman that COULD get the job done? But this is a minor quibble. In conclusion, I found this book an extremely useful description of by far THE most important U.S. tank of WW2. The book is well written and very well illustrated. If you are already an "expert" on the M4 Sherman, this book probably is not for you. But if like me you have always had a fascination with this tank but never delved deeply into the subject, this book would make an excellent primer for you. As such, I highly recommend it to anyone who wishes to find out the history and technical development behind this very important if flawed design. My sincere thanks to Zenith Press for providing IPMS/USA with this review copy and thereby allowing me to become more thoroughly acquainted with this workhorse of World War Two.

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