Description
The M4 Sherman was the most widely used medium tank by the United States and Western Allies in World War II. The M4 Sherman proved to be reliable, relatively cheap to produce, and available in great numbers.
The M4A3E2, unofficially nicknamed the “Jumbo“, was a heavily armored assault tank developed by the U.S. Army during World War II. Its purpose was to provide a tank with superior protection to spearhead infantry assaults and break through enemy fortifications. It was a stopgap solution created because the new heavy tank prototypes wouldn’t be ready in time for the Normandy invasion.
The Jumbo was based on the M4A3 Sherman chassis but featured significant armor upgrades. The frontal hull armor was thickened to 101 mm (4 inches), and a new, much more heavily armored turret was fitted, with frontal armor reaching up to 177 mm (7 inches). This made the tank’s frontal arc incredibly resistant to most German anti-tank guns, including the formidable 88 mm, earning it a fearsome reputation.
While the added armor dramatically increased its survivability, it also made the tank much heavier. To compensate for the 11,000-pound increase, the tank’s tracks were fitted with “duckbill” extended end connectors to spread the weight and improve mobility. The M4A3E2 initially retained the standard 75 mm main gun for infantry support, but some were later refitted with the more powerful 76 mm gun to better counter German tanks. Only 254 Jumbos were produced, but they proved highly effective and became a symbol of American ingenuity and industrial might.
Set consists of 15 fine metal 1:600th/3mm scale miniatures.
Producer: ‘Oddział Ósmy’ sc Marcin Kaźmierczak i Tomasz Kołuda, ul. Piotrkowska 107, 90-425 Łódź, Poland
