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The M4 Sherman was the most important Allied tank of the Second World War, produced in vast numbers in the United States and used by just about every Allied power. This expanded entry in the Images of War series looks at the Sherman, tracing its history from the earlier developments to post-war attempts to extend the life of the many surviving tanks.
The book is nicely organised, with chapters on the development of the Sherman, the massive production effort, the crew and their positions, the Sherman in combat (or at least in the field), the physical appearance of the Sherman, later attempts to improve it, the various Sherman specials, and the self-propelled guns based on the Sherman chassis. Each chapter begins with a useful introduction, again rather larger than is usual in this series. The pictures then have informative captions (purpose-written and not taken from the introduction text).
Each chapter contains some interesting pictures. The Sherman Described has some interesting pictures of the interior of the tank, along with detailed shots of the engines and key parts of the suspension. The Sherman Crew also has some good pictures of the interior, this time focusing on crew positions, as well as pictures of some sample crews. Sherman Production has a picture of a massive 37 ton piece of kit used to help produce the welded hull variants, and a good picture of a turret being dropped into place, clearly showing the turret basket.
The Sherman in Combat chapter would perhaps be better described as the Sherman in the Field - although there are a few combat shots, most of the pictures are away from the front line.
Overall this book contains an excellent selection of photos, well supported by a good text.
Chapters
1 - Development
2 - Sherman Production
3 - The Sherman Crew
4 - The Sherman in Combat
5 - The Sherman Described
6 - Improving the Breed
7 - Sherman Engineers' Tanks
8 - Sherman-Based Gun Motor Carriages
Appendix - Sherman Reference Data
Author: Pat Ware
Illustrations: Brian Delf
Edition: Paperback
Pages: 144
Publisher: Pen & Sword Military
Year: 2014