The M4 Sherman tank was a staple of the Allied Forces in World War II and left an indelible mark on the battlefield to many generations of tanks to come. It was, by far, the most widely produced American tank of that era, and for good reason — the M4 was one of the most heavily armed tanks during the conflict.
Outfitted with a 105mm main gun, a .50 caliber Browning M2 anti-aircraft machine gun, as well as more machine guns, the M4 was a formidable force on the battlefield. Most of the tanks of that era had smaller main guns ranging anywhere from 30mm to 90mm. However, all of WWII’s tanks would play a pivotal role in deciding the conflict, whether in the fields of Europe or the deserts of North Africa. (These are the 23 countries with the most tanks.)
Although tanks were introduced in the First World War, their technology was drastically upgraded by the time of World War II, and American tanks were on the cutting edge of this technology and firepower.
To determine the lightest and most heavily armed U.S. tanks of World War II, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of American tanks from Military Factory. We ranked these tanks based on their main gun and their secondary armaments. 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 full picture of what U.S. tanks were capable of in the World War II era.
The M3 Stuart was another prolific tank to emerge during World War II. Entering service in 1941, a grand total of nearly 23,000 tanks were produced. The M3 Stuart was one of the smaller American tanks in the war, but what it lacked in size it made up for in agility, hitting a top speed of about 35 mph. Overall, this tank balanced speed and firepower with a 75mm main gun, which was average for that time. (This is the most powerful U.S. Army vehicle engine.)
Aside from the main gun, all of the American tanks were outfitted with a secondary armament of machine guns. Most tanks had an American-made Browning machine gun standard — some were Browning M2s and others Browning M1919s, which served in an anti-aircraft, anti-armor, or anti-infantry capacity depending on the caliber.
Here is a look at the lightest and most-heavily armed American tanks of World War II:
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
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
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
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
Source: Three Lions / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
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
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
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
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
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
Source: Thomas_Brock / iStock via Getty Images
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
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
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
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
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
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
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
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
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
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
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
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
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
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
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
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
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
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
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
Source: wsmahar / E+ via Getty Images
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
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
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
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
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
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
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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