American armored fighting vehicle production during World War II
Encyclopedia
This page details tank
production by the United States of America
during World War II
.
entered the Second World War in 1942 they had only two tanks ready for combat the M1 Combat Car
and the M2 Light Tank
. Originally both tanks only came equipped with machine guns but in 1940, the M2A4 was upgraded to a 37mm anti-tank gun. The machine gun-armed tanks were never used in combat, and only a handful of cannon-armed vehicles saw service in the Pacific; but their design formed the basis of the later M3/M5 Light Tank. The British officially called their M3s' Stuarts, and often referred to them as "Honeys".
Notes:
was specially designed to British requirements 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;
) was designed.
The Lee was superseded by the Medium M4 Sherman
. This originally carried a 75 mm gun; later versions of the Sherman were armed with a 76 mm gun or a 105 mm howitzer.
On the Sherman hull, the M10 and M36 tank destroyers (officially called Gun Motor Carriages) were produced.
The M7 Howitzer Motor Carriage was originally built on the M-3 medium tank chassis, but later versions were built on the similar M-4 tank chassis.
Notes:
) was the only heavy tank used in combat by the US armed forces during World War II. An earlier design, the M6 Heavy Tank
, was not accepted for series production.
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
production by the United States of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Stuart series
By the time the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entered the Second World War in 1942 they had only two tanks ready for combat the M1 Combat Car
M1 Combat Car
The M1 Combat Car was a light tank used by the U.S. Cavalry in late 1930s. After the Spanish Civil War, most armies, including the U.S. Army, realized that they needed "gun" armed tanks and not vehicles armed merely with machine guns...
and the M2 Light Tank
M2 Light Tank
The Light Tank M2 was an American pre-World War II light tank that saw combat with the US Marine Corps 1st Tank Battalion on Guadalcanal in 1942, during World War II. Its service with the 1st Tank Battalion during the Pacific War was its only U.S...
. Originally both tanks only came equipped with machine guns but in 1940, the M2A4 was upgraded to a 37mm anti-tank gun. The machine gun-armed tanks were never used in combat, and only a handful of cannon-armed vehicles saw service in the Pacific; but their design formed the basis of the later M3/M5 Light Tank. The British officially called their M3s' Stuarts, and often referred to them as "Honeys".
| 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | 34 | - | - | - | - | - | 34 |
| M2 | 325 | 40 | 10 | - | - | - | 375 |
| M3 | - | 2,551 | 7,839 | 3,469 | - | - | 13,859 |
| M5 & M8 HMC | - | - | 2,825 | 4,063 | 1,963 | - | 8,851 |
| Total | 359 | 2,591 | 10,674 | 7,532 | 1,963 | - | 23,119 |
Notes:
- M1 = Combat Car M1, machine gun
- M2 = Light Tank M2, 37 mm gun
- M3/M5 = Light Tank M3, 37 mm gun
- M8 HMC = M8 Howitzer Motor Carriage, 75 mm M2 or M3 howitzer on M5 hull
Other light AVFs
The M22 LocustM22 Locust
The Light Tank M22 or Locust was an American-designed airmobile light tank which was produced during World War II. The Locust began development in 1941 after the British War Office requested that the American government design a purpose-built airborne light tank which could be transported by...
was specially designed to British requirements as an airmobile tank, to be delivered to the battlefield by glider.
The M24 Chaffee
M24 Chaffee
The Light Tank M24 was an American light tank used during World War II and in postwar conflicts including the Korean War and with the French in the War in Algeria and First Indochina War. In British service it was given the service name Chaffee, after the United States Army General Adna R...
was intended as a replacement for the M3 and M5 series;
| 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M22 | - | - | - | 680 | 150 | - | 830 |
| M24 | - | - | - | - | 1,930 | 2,801 | 4,731 |
| M18 GMC | - | - | - | 812 | 1,695 | - | 2,507 |
| Total | - | - | - | 1,492 | 3,775 | 2,801 | 8,068 |
- M22 = Light Tank M22 Locust, 37 mm M6 gun
- M24 = Light Tank M24 Chaffee, 75 mm M6 gun
- M18 GMCM18 HellcatThe 76 mm Gun Motor Carriage M18 was an American tank destroyer of World War II. The manufacturer, Buick, gave it the nickname "Hellcat" and it was the fastest tracked armored fighting vehicle during the war with a top speed up to 60 mph. Hellcat crews took advantage of the vehicle's...
= M18 Gun Motor Carriage, also known as the Hellcat, was a tank destroyer armed with a 76 mm M1 gun
Medium Tanks and AFVs
In 1939, the USA had manufactured 18 examples of the Medium M2 tank. This tank was never to see combat service, but its chassis and suspension were used as a basis for the Lee and Sherman tanks. Following the German invasion of France in 1940, a small number of Medium M2A1 tanks (an improved model) were manufactured for training, while a more modern tank (which was eventually to become the Medium M3 LeeM3 Lee
The Medium Tank M3 was an American tank used during World War II. In Britain the tank was called "General Lee", named after Confederate General Robert E. Lee, and the modified version built with a new turret was called the "General Grant", named after U.S. General Ulysses S. Grant.Design commenced...
) was designed.
The Lee was superseded by the Medium M4 Sherman
M4 Sherman
The M4 Sherman, formally Medium Tank, M4, was the primary tank used by the United States during World War II. Thousands were also distributed to the Allies, including the British Commonwealth and Soviet armies, via lend-lease...
. This originally carried a 75 mm gun; later versions of the Sherman were armed with a 76 mm gun or a 105 mm howitzer.
On the Sherman hull, the M10 and M36 tank destroyers (officially called Gun Motor Carriages) were produced.
The M7 Howitzer Motor Carriage was originally built on the M-3 medium tank chassis, but later versions were built on the similar M-4 tank chassis.
| 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M2A1 | 6 | 88 | - | - | - | - | 94 |
| M3 | - | 1,342 | 4,916 | - | - | - | 6,258 |
| M4 | - | - | 8,017 | 21,231 | 3,504 | 651 | 33,403 |
| M4 (76) | - | - | - | - | 7,135 | 3,748 | 10,883 |
| M4 (105) | - | - | - | - | 2,286 | 2,394 | 4,680 |
| M10 GMC | - | - | 639 | 6,067 | - | - | 6,706 |
| M36 GMC | - | - | - | - | 1,400 | 924 | 2,324 |
| M7 HMC | - | - | 2,028 | 786 | 1,164 | 338 | 4,316 |
| M12 GMC | - | - | 60 | 40 | - | - | 100 |
| M30 CC | - | - | 60 | 40 | - | - | 100 |
| Total | 6 | 1,430 | 15,720 | 28,164 | 15,489 | 8,055 | 68,864 |
Notes:
- M2A1 = Medium M2A1
- M3 = Medium M3 Lee/Grant. The US version in British service was the Lee (named after General LeeRobert E. LeeRobert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
); the British specification version (a different turret) was the Grant (named after General GrantUlysses S. GrantUlysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
). - M4 = Medium M4 Sherman with 75 mm M3 (L/38) gun
- M4 (76) = Medium M4 Sherman with 76 mm M1-series gun
- M4 (105) = Medium M4 Sherman with 105 mm howitzer
- M10 GMCM10 WolverineThe M10 tank destroyer, formally 3-inch Gun Motor Carriage, M10 was a United States tank destroyer of World War II based on the chassis of the M4 Sherman tank. It was numerically the most important U.S...
= M10 Gun Motor Carriage with 3" M7 gun - M36 GMCM36 JacksonThe M36 tank destroyer, formally 90 mm Gun Motor Carriage, M36, was an American tank destroyer used during World War II. American soldiers usually referred to them as TDs for 'tank destroyers'...
= M36 Gun Motor Carriage with 90 mm M1 gun - M7 HMCM7 PriestThe 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 was an American self-propelled artillery vehicle produced during World War II. It was given the official service name 105 mm Self Propelled Gun, Priest by the British Army, due to the pulpit-like machine gun ring, and following on from the Bishop and...
= M7 Howitzer Motor Carriage, M3 (Grant) or M4 (Sherman) hull with 105 mm howitzer in forward-facing mount. Given the nickname Priest by British gunners. - 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 PershingJohn J. Pershing
John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, GCB , was a general officer in the United States Army who led the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I...
) was the only heavy tank used in combat by the US armed forces during World War II. An earlier design, the M6 Heavy Tank
M6 Heavy Tank
The Heavy Tank M6 was an American heavy tank designed during World War II. The tank was produced in small numbers and never saw combat.-History and description:...
, was not accepted for series production.
| 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M26 | - | - | - | 40 | 2,162 | 2,202 |
- M26 = Heavy M26 Pershing, 90 mm M3 gun
See also
- Other countries' production figures
- FranceFrench armoured fighting vehicle production during World War IIThis is a list of French combat vehicle production before and during the Second World War. The numbers given are generally those of vehicles actually delivered including exported vehicles. However, it includes those vehicles not yet delivered in June 1940 in the 1940 totals. For the FT 17 only the...
- GermanyGerman armored fighting vehicle production during World War IIThis article lists production figures for German armored fighting vehicles during the World War II era. Vehicles include tanks, self-propelled artillery, assault guns and tank destroyers....
- Soviet UnionSoviet armored fighting vehicle production during World War IIDuring the Second World War from the start of the war between the Soviet Union and Germany on 22 June 1941 Soviet armoured vehicle production was necessary to replace losses due to combat and the loss of production facilities....
- United KingdomBritish armoured fighting vehicle production during World War IIThis article lists British armoured fighting vehicle production during World War II.-Nomenclature:Tanks were known by one of three identification schemes. Firstly a General Staff specification e.g. A13. This could apply to more than one vehicle or if the vehicle was privately developed not have a...
- France