American tank
production during World War II
This page details tank production
by the United States of America during World War II.
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
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
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The Grant was superseded by the Medium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.
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
M26 = Heavy M26 Pershing,
90 mm M3 gun
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