American tank production during World War II (original) (raw)

This page details tank production by the United States of America during World War II.

Light tanks

Stuart series

The USA began 1940 with the M1 and M2 Combat Cars (later designated M1 Light Tank). These were never used in combat, but their design formed the basis of the later M2, M3 and M5 light tanks. The British referred to the M3 as the Stuart.

     1940  1941  1942  1943  1944  1945

M1 34 M2 325 40 10 M3 - 2551 7839 3469 M5 - - 2825 4063 1963 M8 HMC

Notes:

M1 = Light Tank M1
M2 = Light Tank M2
M3 = Light Tank M3, 37 mm gun
M5 = Light Tank M5, 37 mm gun
M8 HMC = M8 Howitzer Motor Carriage, 75 mm M2 or M3 howitzer on M5 hull

Other light tanks

The M22 Locust was specially designed as an airmobile tank, to be delivered to the battlefield by glider.

The M24 Chaffee was intended as a replacement for the M3 and M5 series;

     1940  1941  1942  1943  1944  1945

M22 - - - 680 150 M24 - - - - 1930 2801 M18 MGC - - - 812 1695

M22 = Light Tank M22 Locust, 37 mm M6 gun

M24 = Light Tank M24 Chaffee, 75 mm M6 gun
M18 MGC = M18 Motor Gun Carriage, also known as the Hellcat, was a tank destroyer armed with a 76 mm M1 gun

Medium tanks

In 1939, the USA had manufactured 18 examples of the Medium M2 tank. This tank was never to see service, but its chassis and suspension were used as a basis for the Grant and Sherman tanks. Following the German invasion of France in 1940, a small number of Medium M2A1 tanks (an improvement of the M2) were manufactured for training, while a more modern tank (which was eventually to become the Medium M3 Grant) was designed.

The Grant was superseded by the Medium M4 Sherman. This originally carried a low-velocity 75 mm gun, suitable for use against infantry, but not very suitable as an anti-tank gun. Later versions of the Sherman were armed with a 76 mm (anti-tank) gun, or a 105 mm howitzer.

On the Sherman hull, the M10 and M36 tank destroyers (officially called Motor Gun Carriages) were produced.

The versatile Sherman hull was also used for a self-propelled artillery piece, the M7 Howitzer Motor Carriage.

     1940  1941  1942  1943  1944  1945

M2A1 6 88 M3 - 1342 4916 M4 - - 8017 21231 3504 651 M4 (76) - - - - 7135 3748 M4 (105) - - - - 2286 2394 M10 MGC - - 639 6067 M36 MGC - - - - 1400 924 M7 HMC - - 2028 786 1164 338 M12 GMC - - 60 40 M30 CC - - 60 40

Notes:

M2A1 = Medium M2A1
M3 = Medium M3 Lee/Grant. The American version was the Lee (named after General Lee); the slightly modified British version was the Grant (named after General Grant).
M4 = Medium M4 Sherman with 75 mm M3 (L/38) gun
M4 (76) = Medium M4 Sherman with 76 mm M1 gun
M4 (105) = Medium M4 Sherman with 105 mm howitzer
M10 MGC = M10 Motor Gun Carriage with 3" M7 gun
M36 MGC = M36 Motor Gun Carriage with 90 mm M1 gun
M7 HMC = M7 Howitzer Motor Carriage, M3 (Grant) or M4 (Sherman) hull with 105 mm howitzer in forward-facing mount
M12 GMC = M12 Gun Motor Carriage, M3 (Grant) hull with 155 mm M1918 gun in forward-facing mount
M30 CC = M30 Cargo Carrier, ammunition carrier for M12 GMC.

Heavy tanks

The Pershing heavy tank (named after General Pershing) was the only heavy tank used by the US armed forces during World War II.

     1944  1945

M26 40 2162