The M4 Sherman medium tank was regarded by many as the workhorse of the US Army during World War II. In fact, virtually all of the Allied armies employed the Sherman in their armed forces, including the British, who developed an upgunned variant called the "Firefly". Eleven different US plants manufactured six basic models of the Sherman, and by June 1944 over 49,234 battle-ready vehicles had been produced. While it was no match for the German Panther or Tiger tanks, the Sherman soldiered on, using its weight in numbers to wrest control of Europe from the Wehrmacht. The M4A3 was fitted with a long-barrel M1A1 76mm gun, which replaced the shorter and less effective 75mm gun, and sported a larger, more angular turret to house the bigger gun. In addition, the slope of the M4A3's frontal armor was changed to 47-degrees to increase frontal protection and simplify the production process.

In honor of its achievement, Minichamps has come out with an amazingly accurate 1:35 scale diecast replica of the famed US M4A3 Sherman. This stunning recreation features a rotating turret, elevating gun, working suspension, and treads that are made of flexible metal links! Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Length: 8-inches
Width: 3-inches
Height: 3-1/4-inches

Release Date: February 2002

Original Issue Price: $99.99

Historical Account: "Playing by the Numbers" - At the end of 1942, the "A3" version of the American M4 Sherman medium tank went into production, with the first vehicles appearing on the battlefield in early 1943. Its good armor and powerful 76mm gun made it superior to most German and Japanese tanks then in service. Later that year, however, it was outclassed by the new German Panther and Tiger tanks entering the fray. While it was faster than either German tank, it would oftentimes take as many as five Shermans to knock out a single Panther or Tiger.