FORT SNELLING MILITARY MUSEUM

(Operational)

The Sherman tank was a medium tank used during and after World War II and is probably the most well-known tank today.  It was the mainstay of the Allied fleets and came in many models and configurations.  This tank is the M4A1 model and came to the Museum from Bluffton, Ohio.

A total of 6,281 M4A1 Sherman medium tanks were built with the 75mm guns: 1,655 by Lima Locomotive, 926 by Pacific Car and Foundry, and 3,700 by Pressed Steel, all during 1942-1943.  The M4A1 was eventually built with a 76mm main gun that utilized a wet type storage for the ammunition to help prevent interior fires when hit by an enemy shell.  The liquid was usually water and antifreeze. Pressed Steel Car Company built 3,426 of the M4A1 (76) Wet tanks.

The M4A1 was powered by a Wright/Continental Model R975 C1, 400 hp, 9 cylinder, air-cooled, four-cycle radial engine using 80 octane gasoline coupled with a 5-speed Synchromesh transmission.

Length:  19.1 feet;  Width: 8.58 feet; Height: 9 feet    Gross Weight:  62,700 pounds

Crew: 5 (commander, driver, assistant driver. gunner, loader)

Armament:  (1) 75 mm Main Gun; (1) .50 Caliber MG      (2) .30 Caliber MG

See our special picture section on the A1 Sherman here

(in restoration)

The Sherman tank was a medium tank used during and after World War II and is probably the most well-known tank today.  It was the mainstay of the Allied fleets and came in many models and configurations.  This tank is the M4A2 model and came to the Museum from Calgary, Canada.

The M4A2 was built in two versions:  a 76mm gun version of which 2,915 were built by Fisher (2894) and Pressed Steel (21);  and a 75mm gun version of which a total of 8,053 were built in 1942 and 1943 by American Locomotive (150), Baldwin Locomotive (12) Federal Machine and Welder (540), Fisher Body (4,614), and Pullman Standard (2,737).

The M4A2 Sherman is powered by twin GMC model 6-71 truck engines (6 cyl, 2 cycle, diesel engines) mounted parallel, driving into a common gear and clutch housing, with a 5-speed Buick-built synchronized transmission.

Length:  24 feet, 2 inches; Width: 8 feet, 6 inches        Height: 9 feet; Gross Weight: 73,445 lbs

Armament:  76 mm Main Gun

Crew:  5 (commander, driver, assistant driver, gunner, loader)

Most of the diesel powered M4A2 Shermans went to the British and the Russians under the Lend-Lease program, although a few did see action with U.S. Forces, especially the Marines at Okinawa.

View our restoration of the A2 Sherman here

M5A1 "Stuart" 

(operational)

Used in WWII and Korea

Crew: 4

Combat weight: 17 tons

Top Speed: 36 mph

Maximum Range: 100 miles

Main Gun: 37 mm

Engine: 2x Cadillac Flathead V8, Series 42, 110 horsepower each

View the restoration of the Stuart here

(to be restored)

The M26 Pershing evolved from the T-20 series of tanks.  The T26E3 was the variation which evolved into the M26 Pershing Medium Tank and was re-designated in June 1944 as a heavy tank.  Although production of the T26E only began in November 1944, 2000 had been built by the end of 1945.  A total of 2,222 M26Pershings were eventually built, all designated as heavy tanks, but only the original 20, which went to Europe, saw combat in World War II.  Another 290 reached Europe, but 90 of those never even got into the hands of the troops.  A total of 12 went to the Pacific Theater, but arrived too late to participate in the closing days of the war there.  The tank turned in an excellent combat service record in the closing days of World War II and later Korea.  In May of 1946, the M26 was re-designated as a medium tank.

The M26 was built by the Chrysler-operated Detroit Tank Arsenal and by General Motors' Fisher Body Division at their Grand Blanc Tank Arsenal.  It is powered by a Ford, GAF, V-8, 1,100 cu. in., 500 hp, gasoline tank engine.  A 3-forward speed Torquematic transmission drove a planetary gear transfer, while a controlled differential provided the driving, steering, and braking functions.

Length (Gun Forward): 28'3"; (Turret Reversed): 23'7"  Width: 11'5"; Height: 9'1";                                 Weight (Combat Loaded): 92,500 pounds                      Fuel:183 gallons                                                   Max Speed 26 mph Highway, 18 mph Cross Country      Max Travel Range per tank of fuel: 90 miles Highway, 60 miles Cross-Country

(once used for target practice, now for parts)

(Operational)

The original nickname given to the M41 was "Little Bulldog", but it was subsequently changed to the Walker Bulldog in honor of General W.W. Walker who was killed in Korea in 1951 when his jeep struck a land mine.

The M41 was designed to provide mobile firepower and crew protection in offensive combat. Light weight permits airborne transit of the vehicle.

Built at the Cleveland Tank Arsenal in the early 1950s by Cadillac Division of General Motors

Engine: Continental or Lycoming AOS-895-3, Gasoline 6 cylinder Transmission: General Motors Allison CD-500-3 Cross Drive 2F/1R

The "Duster" as it's called, is a self propelled anti-aircraft defense weapon system. It is a fully armored vehicle with the engine at the rear. Although designed for deployment with armored divisions as a means of providing mobile anti-aircraft defense, their rapid rate of fire has proven to be an invaluable infantry support weapon against ground targets. Two Swedish Bofors 40mm fully automatic cannons are mounted in the turret, and can fire 240 rounds per minute. The chassis is based on an M41 light tank model with a flat opposed 6 cylinder air cooled gasoline engine, providing 500 hp. The gun system was used in World War II on a similar vehicle, and later upgraded to this model. It is manned by a crew of six men, and has a top speed of 45 mph.

The M47 tank was the U.S. armed forces' first all new tank after World War II. Designed for offensive combat operations, it provided mobile firepower and crew protection for the four man crew. It is powered by an air-cooled V-12, 750 hp. gasoline engine. This and the other vehicles you see today use a torsion bar suspension system consisting of transverse torsion bars in the bottom of the hull, wheel arms, and road wheels. The vehicle hull is constructed of armored plate and cast armor sections welded together and reinforced. A transverse bulkhead separates the crew compartment in the front from the engine compartment at the rear. The turret is a one piece cast structure using a 90mm main gun, and the armor is from 2 to 4 inches thick. Designed in the early 1950's, it saw use in foreign wars but not with the U.S. armed forces in any conflict. This particular unit has been converted to a diesel engine by a local defense contractor.

M48 "Patton"

The M48 tank is a medium armored, full-track-laying, low silhouette combat vehicle used to provide mobile firepower and crew protection for offensive combat.

Chrysler built the first one in December 1951.

Engine: Continental Model AV-1790-5B, -7, -7B, or a -7C. 12 Cylinder Gasoline Engine. Transmission: General Motors Corp (Allison Division) Model CD-850-4, -4A, or -4B Cross Drive 2F/1R

  M60 "Patton"     (operational)

The M60 tank is a full-track laying heavily armored combat vehicle designed to provide an improved tank for increased operational range and mobility requiring a minimum of refueling and servicing and incorporating an improved main armament.

The army ordered the Chrysler built M60 into production in 1959. The first M60s entered service with U.S. Army units during the fall of 1960. Most of the initial production vehicles were sent to Europe to offset the Russian T-54.

Engine: Continental AVDS-1790-2, 12 Cylinder Diesel. Transmission: GMC Allison Division CD-850-6 Cross Drive

Other than the new turret design, little was done to the basic M60 chassis excepting minor changes in hull fittings. The new variant, under the designation M60A1, was able to be placed in production relatively quickly, and without serious problems. The first M60A1s were issued to regular army units during the spring of 1962, less than 2 years after the first M60s were placed into service.

The M60 series tank succeeded the M47 and M48 Series. The improved design provided an increased operational range and mobility, required a minimum of refueling and servicing, and incorporated an improved main armament. A Continental V-12 750 hp. air cooled diesel engine powers the vehicle. Power is transmitted to a final drive through a cross drive transmission, which is a combined transmission, differential, steering, and braking unit. The hull of this vehicle is a one piece steel casting and is divided into two compartments, the crew in the front, and the engine at the rear. This M60A3 is the most advanced of it's group. Used in Vietnam and Desert Storm, it proved itself to be a dependable vehicle in all areas of operation. The main armament is a 105rnm gun with a computerized lighting system. Top speed is 35 mph. The crew of four consists of a commander, gunner, loader and driver. Combat weight is 106,000 lbs.

(to be restored)

The M74 Medium Recovery Vehicle was designed for the battlefield recovery of disabled vehicles and for maintenance functions such as power pack removal. It was built from February 1954 through October 1955 by Bowen-McLaughlin-York (BMY) of York, Pennsylvania and was based on an excess M4A3 Medium Sherman tank.  It represented a measurable improvement over the M32 Recovery Vehicle which it resembled.  Four winches were employed: a 90,000 pound tow winch, a 25,000 pound boom winch, a 10,000 pound auxiliary winch, and a 2,000 pound manually operated utility winch.

The M74 was powered by a Ford model GAA, water cooled, 1,100 cu. in., 500 hp gasoline engine.  With the synchromesh 5-speed transmission and controlled differential, this vehicle would do 21 MPH on 23-inch wide tracks. 

(to be restored)

Self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery mounting 2x 40mm Bofors guns

The M551 Sheridan tank was designed in the early 1960's, as a need arose for U.S. forces needing a light tank. Constructed of aluminum armor, it is extremely fast, using a 300 hp Detroit Diesel engine and cross drive transmission. It mounts a steel turret and an aluminum hull. It was air transportable and fully amphibious with the screen around the sides raised. The main gun fired a 152mm standard projectile or a missile. It packed a lot of punch for a small tank. A similar gun was also used on the M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle. It is equipped with nuclear, biological, and chemical protection for the crew of four men. This enables it to fight in almost any climate or situation. The vehicle has seen combat use in Vietnam, Panama and Desert Storm, and it is used today for training in the California desert by the Armored Force Opposing Forces training center. Weight is 34,900 lbs. Top speed is 43 mph. It was built by the Allison Division of General Motors.

The M578 Recovery Vehicle is a light, full-tracked self propelled diesel powered vehicle with a 30,000 lb boom winch and a 60,000 lb tow winch mounted in an armored cab. It is highly mobile and maneuverable and may be air transported.

The vehicle is used to pick up or tow disabled mechanized equipment, as a crane at a repair base, and as a carrying platform for spare parts and maintenance personnel.

Built by Bowen-McLaughlin-York Engine: Detroit Diesel 8V71T Transmission: Allison XTG-411-2A 4F/2R

The M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle (CEV) was a specifically designed variant of the M60 series produced for use by combat engineering units. The vehicle is heavily armed, being a basic M60A1 tank modified to provide a mobile and maneuverable weapon for combat support of ground troops and vehicles. It is equipped with a hydraulically operated dozer blade mounted to the front of the hull. A winch and boom are mounted to the turret for lifting, carrying and winching. The vehicle is used for breaching, obstacle removal, transportation of demolition teams, and pioneering operation. The M728 CEV was built by Chrysler at the Detroit Tank Arsenal, with a total of 243 produced between 1966 and 1972.