The Sherman we have here at Armourgeddon started life in active duty for the US military before a tour with the Dutch army and finally into retirement with us. Such an imposing beast, the Armourgeddon Sherman takes pride of place in our museum on site, although often taken out of the hanger for appearances at shows and as the ultimate prop for the Hollywood glitterati. A star of the film Fury with Brad Pitt amongst others in recent years. The M4 Sherman was the main battle tank used in WWII by the US military and other Western Allied countries during WWII. Reliable, highly mobile, a mobile workhorse that held its own in battle; despite being far lighter than its German opponents deployed towards the end of the war. Numbering in the thousands, the majority of the Sherman fleet was deployed to Allied forces including the British Commonwealth nations in the American lease-lend programme which saw the USA give circa $50.1billion of materials between 1941 and 1945; a figure equivalent to $656billion in todays money and equated to 17% of the US total war expenses. 63% of the materials came to Britain, effectively ending the United States’ pretense of neutrality, which had been the dominant stance of US Foreign Policy since 1931 in one giant step away from non-intervention. The second most produced tank of the WWII after the Soviet T-32, the Sherman or M4 took its name from the American Civil War General Tecumseh Sherman. Having evolved from the M3, Grand and Lee with its unusual side-mounted 75mm gun, the Sherman was the first American tank to be completed wirh the main 75mm gun mounted on a fully traversing turret housed in a gyrostabilizer. This specification allowed the crews to fire with reasonable accuracy whilst travelling across difficult terrain. Mechanical reliability, ease of production, low-level maintenance, durability, moderate size and favourable weight all positively re-enforced the strength and success of this WWII icon. Standardised parts meant that although huge volumes of tanks were produced, the significant investment in tank recovery and repair units really paid off. Many damaged Shermans were repaired and returned to active service- a step change from the previous interventions where damaged tanks were left to ruin where they halted. These factors combined to give the US and Allied forces significantly larger numbers and allowed many units their own M4 or TD assets. The TD (Independent Tank Destroyer,) included the M36 tank destroyer. The M36 was created with an M4 chassis and hull with open-topped turrets and high-velocity guns. Typical US infantry divisions had their own M4 battalion, a TD battalion or even both by 1944. By this point, the German Panzer divisions were rarely at full strength, battle weary and depleted in numbers giving significant advantage to the American troops. It was at this juncture that the M4A3E8 was introduced as a variant to the traditional Sherman with a horizontal volute spring suspension and a 76mm gun. In the Asia-Pacific War, the M4 was used mainly against the Japanese infantry and strongholds. Although examples of the Japanese army clashing with a Sherman tank division are rare, where this did happen, the Sherman’s superiority was overwhelming. In all, over half a million vehicles were produced using this spec and the M4’s chassis also became the base for numerous other armoured vehicles Destroyers, Retrievers and Self-Propelled Artillery. A stalwart of the modern era of warfare, much loved by the US and Allies alike, the Sherman’s legend lives on today. The Armourgeddon M4 Sherman tank is available to visit in our museum, open year around from 9am to 4pm with an entrance fee of £5. Hundreds of objects, many military vehicles, guns and communication equipment make up the collection. Plenty to keep the young and old entertained on a visit to our site.