Sherman Tank | Armoured Core | Indian Army | Indian Defence Forces
Indian units during WWII were equipped with Sherman Vs from Lend Lease to fight in Burma. After WWII, these Sherman Vs were kept in service with the Indian Army after independence and were in use well into the 1960s. India also bought 200 M4A1E4(76)s and M4A3E4(76)s from the US in the 1950s. A number of M4s were modified with the French 75 mm CN 75-50 cannon and the Soviet 76 mm D-85 cannon. These modifications were likely done in India and acquired the guns from their own AMX-13 and PT-76 tanks.
Indian Shermans found their use in the 1965 War with Pakistan who also had M4s along with M48 Pattons. 332 Indian M4s were present in the conflict and helped provide support to the Centurions in the Battle of Assal Uttar which dozens of Pakistani vehicles were destroyed. M4s remained in service with the Indian Army until 1971. India also possessed a number of Sexton SPGs which were in service until the 1980s.
There would be three gun upgrades compared to the regular M4 Sherman, Tier 5 American medium tank in WoT. The French SA49 and SA50 (as seen on the AMX 13-75) and the D56-T gun, found in real life on the PT-76, Soviet amphibious tank.
Both the PT-76 and AMX-13 were very advanced tanks light tanks on the export market, newer than M4 Shermans, but decidedly less common in India. Therefore, they were harder to repair and keep in service. Also, with the (albeit limited) protection and greatly improved reliability the M4′s chassis gave the Indian Army, it was enough to convert some guns to the Shermans to replace the totally outdated 75mm L/40 that most Sherman V’s carried.
Not much is known about the Indian Sherman in combat, however the guns it carried were used to effect. Some unconverted PT-76′s did serve well as reconnaissance and as stopgap measures against light armor. For instance, in the Battle of Garibpur, where 14 PT-76′s took out a much larger force of M24 Chaffees, destroying 12 and capturing three. However, PT-76′s faced steep casualties fighting M48 Pattons, as could be expected.
The Sherman V, what the Indian (Upgunned) Sherman, is based on, was the main export Sherman, used post-war by many armies around the world, it’s US designation being the M4A4. It carried the General Motors 6046 engine (as seen one the M4A2E4 premium Sherman), giving it 420 horsepower. As American factories armed the Truman world, this was the chief export of freedom to coutries in need of battle tanks.
Other modifications to the Sherman V’s included Israeli modifications into SPG, bridgelayers, mortar carriers and the Super Shermans with up to 105mm French guns. The Egyptians also mounted a FL-10 turret on Shermans, a strange sight indeed. However, this article focuses on the modifications made by India.
Of the guns mounted on the Indian Sherman does not currently exist in World of Tanks. It is the D56-T, 76.2mm gun. Here are some of its specifications.
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