If it weren’t for U.S. involvement in WWII, the outcome of the war would likely have been drastically different. After America announced it was entering the war, following the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor, the direction of the conflict began to shift. Our great nation focused all industrial resources towards the war effort.
American influence on WWII is due in part to its military vehicles, particularly tanks. Though German military tanks were superior in terms of firepower, American tanks excelled in mobility. Many notable models were used against enemy forces, with the M4 Sherman being the most famous among them. This widely produced tank was relatively easy to manufacture and reliable in the field. Another tank deployed by US forces was the M26 Pershing. This vehicle was heavily armored and featured a 90mm gun.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of American tanks from Military Factory to determine World War II’s most armed American tanks. These were ranked based on their main gun and secondary armaments, and we included supplementary information from Military Factory regarding the type of tank, year introduced, manufacturer, number of tanks produced, and top speed. We also included some tanks that did not see combat and some prototypes to give the complete picture of what U.S. tanks were capable of in the World War II era.
Why Are We Writing About WWII American Tanks?
We are still feeling the effects of WWII today. The pressure on the U.S. to create new technology and better weapons led to technological advances that changed the world. For example, even though the T30 Heavy Tank never saw one day of combat during the war, its development led to other advancements, like the M60 Patton. The M60 Patton battle tank used during the Cold War era uses the same form of engine from the T30 converted to diesel.
These are World War II’s most armed American tanks:
26. Marmon-Herrington CTLS (CTL)
- Armament: .50 caliber Browning M2 heavy machine gun, .30 caliber Browning M1919 medium machine gun
- Type: Light tank/tankette
- Year introduced: 1935
- Manufacturer: Marmon Herrington
- Number of tanks produced: 875
- Top speed: 32.9 mph
25. M1 (Light Tank, M1 / M1 Combat Car)
- Armament: .50 caliber Browning M2 heavy machine gun with .30 M1919 Browning machine gun in turret
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1933
- Manufacturer: Rock Island Arsenal
- Number of tanks produced: 113
- Top speed: 44.7 mph
24. M22 Locust (Light tank, Airborne, M22)
- Armament: 37mm M6 main gun, 7.62mm Browning M1919 M4 coaxial machine gun
- Type: Airborne infantry light tank
- Year introduced: 1943
- Manufacturer: Marmon-Herrington Corporation
- Number of tanks produced: 830
- Top speed: 39.8 mph
23. Renault Ft-17
- Armament: 37mm main gun, 7.62mm machine guns
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1917
- Manufacturer: Renault
- Number of tanks produced: 3,694
- Top speed: 4.8 mph
22. M5 Stuart (Light tank, M5) (Stuart VI)
- Armament: 37mm M6 main gun, .30 caliber Browning M1919A4 coaxial machine gun
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1942
- Manufacturer: Cadillac / Massey Harris / American Car and Foundry
- Number of tanks produced: 8,884
- Top speed: 36 mph
21. M2 (Light tank, M2)
- Armament: 37mm M5 main gun, .30-06 Browning M1919 general purpose machine guns
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1935
- Manufacturer: Rock Island Arsenal
- Number of tanks produced: 696
- Top speed: 34.8 mph
20. M3 Stuart (Light Tank, M3)
- Armament: 37mm M5/M6 main gun, 5 x .30-06 Browning M1919A4 machine guns in various mounts
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1941
- Manufacturer: American Car & Foundry Company
- Number of tanks produced: 22,744
- Top speed: 36 mph
19. Medium Tank M2
- Armament: 37mm M3 main gun, 7 x .30-06 Browning M1919 machine guns in various mounts
- Type: Medium tank
- Year introduced: 1940
- Manufacturer: Rock Island Arsenal
- Number of tanks produced: 112
- Top speed: 26.1 mph
18. Sherman Crab
- Armament: 75mm main gun, .303 caliber coaxial machine gun
- Type: Special purpose mine flail tank tracked support vehicle
- Year introduced: 1942
- Manufacturer: State Factories
- Number of tanks produced: 1,000
- Top speed: 28.6 mph
17. Sherman DD (Duplex Drive)
- Armament: 75mm M3 main gun, .30 caliber Browning M1919 coaxial machine gun
- Type: Amphibious combat tank tracked combat vehicle
- Year introduced: 1944
- Manufacturer: State Factories
- Number of tanks produced: 200
- Top speed: 28.6 mph
16. T14 (Assault Tank T14)
- Armament: 75mm M3 main gun, .50 caliber Browning M2 heavy machine gun, .30 caliber coaxial M1919 Browning machine guns
- Type: Heavy tank/assault tank project
- Year introduced: 1944
- Manufacturer: American Locomotive Company
- Number of tanks produced: 2
- Top speed: 17.4 mph
- Note: This prototype did not see combat
15. M24 Chaffee (Light Tank, M24)
- Armament: 75mm main gun, 12.7mm machine gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine guns, 51mm smoke mortar
- Type: Reconnaissance light tank
- Year introduced: 1944
- Manufacturer: Cadillac / Massey Harris
- Number of tanks produced: 4,731
- Top speed: 34.8 mph
14. M3 Lee / M3 Grant (Medium Tank, M3)
- Armament: 75mm M2/M3 main gun, 37mm M5/M6 cannon, .30-06 caliber Browning M1919A4 machine guns
- Type: Medium tank
- Year introduced: 1941
- Manufacturer: Chrysler Corporation
- Number of tanks produced: 6,258
- Top speed: 26.1 mph
13. M18 Gun Motor Carriage (Hellcat)
- Armament: 76mm main gun, 12.7mm Browning M2HB anti-aircraft heavy machine gun
- Type: Tank destroyer
- Year introduced: 1943
- Manufacturer: General Motors / Buick
- Number of tanks produced: 2,507
- Top speed: 55 mph
12. Medium Tank T20
- Armament: 76mm main gun, .50 caliber Browning anti-aircraft machine gun, .30 caliber coaxial machine gun, .30 caliber bow-mounted machine gun
- Type: Prototype medium tank
- Year introduced: 1944
- Manufacturer: U.S. Ordnance Department
- Number of tanks produced: 4
- Top speed: 24.9 mph
- Note: This prototype did not see combat
11. Sherman Jumbo (Medium Tank, M4A3E2)
- Armament: 76mm main gun, .50 caliber anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, .30 caliber coaxial machine gun, .30 caliber bow-mounted machine gun, smoke mortar
- Type: Up-armored medium tank/assault tank
- Year introduced: 1944
- Manufacturer: Fisher Tank Arsenal
- Number of tanks produced: 254
- Top speed: 21.7 mph
10. M4A3(76)W HVSS Sherman (Easy Eight / M4A3E8)
- Armament: 76mm high-velocity main gun, .50 caliber Browning M2 anti-aircraft machine gun, .30-06 caliber coaxial machine gun, .30-06 caliber bow-mounted machine gun
- Type: Upped-gunned medium tank
- Year introduced: 1944
- Manufacturer: Detroit Tank Arsenal / Fisher Tank Arsenal
- Number of tanks produced: 2,617
- Top speed: 23 mph
9. M6 (Heavy tank M6)
- Armament: 76mm M7 main gun, 37mm M6 coaxial cannon, .50 caliber Browning M2HB, .50 caliber Browning M2, .30 caliber Browning M1919A4
- Type: Heavy tank project
- Year introduced: 1940
- Manufacturer: Baldwin Locomotive Works
- Number of tanks produced: 40
- Top speed: 21.7 mph
- Note: This prototype did not see combat
8. M10 Gun Motor Carriage (Wolverine / Achilles)
- Armament: 76.2mm M1 main gun, .50 caliber Browning M2HB anti-aircraft heavy machine gun
- Type: Tank destroyer/gun motor carriage
- Year introduced: 1942
- Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company / Fisher Tank Arsenal
- Number of tanks produced: 6,700
- Top speed: 25 mph
7. Sherman Firefly (Medium Tank, M4A4)
- Armament: 76.2mm Mk IV L/55 main gun, .50 caliber M2 Browning heavy machine gun, .30 caliber Browning M1919A4
- Type: Tank destroyer / medium tank
- Year introduced: 1944
- Manufacturer: State Factories
- Number of tanks produced: 2,100
- Top speed: 24.9 mph
6. M36 Gun Motor Carriage (Jackson / Slugger)
- Armament: 90mm M3 main gun, 12.7mm M2HB Browning heavy machine gun
- Type: Tank destroyer/gun motor carriage tracked combat vehicle
- Year introduced: 1944
- Manufacturer: Chevrolet / General Motors
- Number of tanks produced: 1,772
- Top speed: 30 mph
5. M26 Pershing
- Armament: 90mm main gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 7.62mm bow-mounted machine gun
- Type: Heavy tank / medium tank
- Year introduced: 1945
- Manufacturer: Fisher Tank Arsenal / Detroit Tank Arsenal
- Number of tanks produced: 4,550
- Top speed: 24.9 mph
4. T28 Super Heavy Tank (Gun Motor Carriage T95)
- Armament: 105mm T5E1 main gun, .50 caliber heavy machine gun
- Type: Self-propelled gun / heavy tank prototype
- Year introduced: 1945
- Manufacturer: Pacific Car and Foundry
- Number of tanks produced: 2
- Top speed: 12 mph
- Note: This prototype did not see combat
3. M4 Sherman (Medium Tank, M4)
- Armament: 105mm main gun, .50 caliber Browning M2 anti-aircraft machine gun, .30-06 caliber coaxial machine gun, .30-06 bow-mounted machine gun
- Type: Medium tank
- Year introduced: 1942
- Manufacturer: American Locomotive / Detroit Tank Arsenal / Lima Locomotive
- Number of tanks produced: 50,000
- Top speed: 23.9 mph
2. T29 (Heavy Tank T29)
- Armament: 105mm T5E2 main gun, 3 x .50 caliber Browning M2HB in various mounts, .30 caliber Browning M1919 machine gun
- Type: Heavy tank prototype vehicle
- Year introduced: 1944
- Manufacturer: State Factories
- Number of tanks produced: 6
- Top speed: 19.9 mph
- Note: This prototype did not see combat
1. T30 (Heavy Tank T30)
- Armament: 155mm T7 L/40 main gun, .50 caliber coaxial heavy machine gun, .30 caliber machine gun
- Type: Heavy tank prototype
- Year introduced: 1945
- Manufacturer: State Factories
- Number of tanks produced: 8
- Top speed: 16.5 mph
- Note: This prototype did not see combat
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