History
As the pilot M4 Sherman, originally designated the T6 Medium Tank, was developed to replace the M3 Lee and completed in September 1941, it proved successful and was accepted with recommendations for numerous modifications that would later lead to the standardization of production vehicles. As a result, on December 11, 1941, the welded-hull production version was designated the M4, while the cast-hull version became the M4A1.
The first production run of the M4A1 Sherman began in February 1942 at Lima Locomotive Works under a British contract. As specified in the recommendations, these early-production M4A1 tanks incorporated several changes from the original T6 design, such as the elimination of the side doors. The first production tank, carrying British War Department number T-25189, was taken over by the US Army at Aberdeen Proving Ground for testing purposes, where it spent its service life with the US Army. It could be visually distinguished from later examples by its T6-style upper hull castings, with the openings for the side doors welded shut.
The second tank, T-25190, featured a newly revised hull casting with the side doors completely eliminated. Both vehicles were equipped with the short-barreled 75 mm M2 gun fitted with double counterweights, since the improved M3 75 mm gun was not yet available. T-25190 was shipped to Britain bearing the name “MICHAEL” painted on its sides in honor of Michael Dewar, head of the British Tank Mission, who had led negotiations with American factories for British tank production. It arrived in London on May 8, 1942, where it was displayed at Horse Guards Parade before later serving as a test vehicle throughout the war. Eventually, the tank was retrofitted with the newer M3 75 mm gun.
Like “Michael,” T-25189 was extensively used to identify and resolve technical problems before later production Shermans entered combat service. It contributed to the introduction of several modifications on subsequent production vehicles. One example was the addition of a rotor shield to the front of the M34 gun mount to prevent small-arms fire and bullet splash from damaging the rotor surface and jamming it against the main gun shield, which also served as the turret’s frontal plate. The original direct sighting device for the 75 mm gun was also replaced with a gunner’s periscope sight mounted in the turret roof, accompanied by additional periscopes for both the commander and loader.
Eventually, the remaining production M4A1 Shermans, with these modifications incorporated, entered combat service. Known as the Sherman II in British service, they made their combat debut during the Second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942. The Sherman proved more reliable and comfortable for its crews than the Crusader tank, paving the way for its successful service among Allied armored forces throughout the war.
The ultimate fate of T-25189 remains unknown, though it was likely scrapped after spending the remainder of its career in US Army service. It is also unclear whether the vehicle was constructed with mild steel and later retrofitted with the longer 75 mm M3 gun, as was done with “Michael.”
