BR44 Sherman 1 (M4A1)

[OldenBUA]

I'm new to American stuff and just their numbering system drives me crazy !

Just call whatever you have an M3 and there's a fine chance that you'll be right...

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

The WWII system is gnomic..

almost everything is an M1, although they did change the number of the M20 from M10 !! to avoid confusion (in that case both vehicles were in the same units.

With Shermans -

M4 and M4A1 - used by the US and British.
M4A2 - USMC and Soviets
M4A3 - US Army Prefered vehicle, very little use elsewhere
M4A4 - British most common in NWE, hull is a bit longer due to multi-engines.

The M4A1 is the only one with the cast hull.

IanS

[NTM]

M4A2 was also used by the British in the Med and NWE (mainly DD units for the latter)
Another thing to take into account is the later wet stowage versions of the M4A1, M4A2 and M4A3 which had larger hatches for the driver and co-driver plus a flat glacis for the last two at a different angle to the previous raised hood versions. These latter versions were used mainly for 76mm armed tanks too. There is also little descernible difference between the various raised hood versions M4, Early M4A2 & M4A3 other than the engine deck and this along with the fact that the M4A4 was only 5 - 15cm longer (depending on which references you read) are probably not worth worrying about in 10mm IMHO.

This site although aimed at 1/72 has some excellent info on the various differences in the Sherman marks.

http://www.172shermans.com/