The Sherman tank took the Allies through World War II and was upgraded for service in the Korean Conflict. The USMC used this tank's flame-throwing capability very effectively. Corporal Jerry Ravino was a Marine Corps tank loader and relates a harrowing story of bravery and courage that occurred on February 3rd, 1953, during "Operation Clam Bake."

In honor of its achievement, Corgi has come out with an amazingly accurate 1:50 scale diecast replica of the famed US Marine Corps M4A3 HVSS POA-CWS-H5 Sherman medium tank equipped with a flamethrower. Like the other vehicles in the "Forgotten Heroes" Collection, this vehicle has been 'muddied' to give it a more weathered appearance. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Length: 4-1/2-inches
Width: 2-inches

Historical Account: "Flame Out" - Despite being one of the most controversial weapons of war, especially after their macabre efficiency during WWII, the flamethrower both mounted on tanks and used by infantrymen served as a reasonably common weapon for much of the 20th century. However, the 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCWC) in Geneva stopped their use with most countries by 1983. This was partly due to them not only being grossly inhumane ways of fighting, but they were also made obsolete in the expanding scope of modern warfare, given their high maintenance and usually short range. Some nations abandoned flamethrowers earlier than 1980, such as the USA in 1978, however some military groups and nations continued to use them. The earliest use of flamethrower tanks in the Cold War was in the Korean War, from 1950-53 in which both the Churchill and Sherman Crocodile tanks, which served after their effectiveness was proven in 1943. Both proved rather cumbersome but the Churchill variants handled the unfamiliar terrain well and so proved highly versatile, however, the fuel trailer was problematic during the winter. The Sherman did not use the trailer by this stage, and could spit fire up to 30 yards further the Churchill's 120 yards. Having said this, they were not as mobile on rough terrain as the Churchill was.