[donmeaker]

The shermans could kill tigers, but could only do it from up close. If you were dumb, and went right at the tigers, you got to lose a lot before you got the Tiger. If you went around, attacking to the spongy ground where the 60 ton Tiger couldn't go, you got to live. Shermans had a fast power traverse. Panthers, Tigers, and Pz4Js had manual traverse turrets- slow slow slow.

The Germans only made 1500 or so Tigers during WWII. The US made around 50,000 Shermans, and 1600 Pershings. The Soviets made about 10,000 T-34s, and rather fewer JS-1s.

Doesn't pay to be dumb in combat, no matter what your equipment.

[dvwjr]

Good info on the Sherman, with over 50,000 produced but your numbers are off on the Russian production, which was far greater than 10,000 T-34s...


Russian Tank Production:

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T-34-76mm = 33,805 units
T-34-85mm = 22,609 units

KV-1-76mm = 3,486 units
KV 2-152.4mm = 225 units
KV-85-85mm = 143 units

JS-1-85mm = 214 units
JS-2-122mm = 3,385 units


Russian Self Propelled guns:

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SU-76 = 579 units
SU-76M = 13,932 units
SU-85 = 2,329 units
SU-85M = 315 units
SU-100 = 2,495 units
SU-122 = 638 units
SU-152 = 671 units
ISU-152 = 2,574 units


Lend-Lease:

---

M3A1 Stuart = 1,676 units
M5 Stuart = 5 units
M24 Chaffee = 2 units
M2A3/M3A5 Lee/Grant = 1,386 units
M4A2-75mm Sherman = 2,007 units
M4A2-76mm Sherman = 2,095 units
M10 Wolverine = 52 units
M18 Hellcat = 5 units
M26 Pershing = 1 unit
M31 ARV = 115 units
M15A1 MGMC = 100 units
M17 MGMC = 1,000 units
M2 Halftrack = 342 units
M3 Halftrack = 2 units
M5 Halftrack = 421 units
M9 Halftrack = 413 units


Probably the T-34 and M4 Sherman were produced in roughly equal numbers, but the overall advantage in ths Soviet armored vehicle production over the US was due to the nature of Eastern Front armored combat and the fact that the United States produced the majority of trucks for the Soviet Army, allowing their industry t concentrate its resouces on armored vehicles. Both nations armored vehicle industries greatly outproduced the Germans in WWII...


dvwjr

[Zhangliqun]

There are other disadvantages the Tiger had. It was also pretty slow. Shermans had an advantage in a wooded environment because the long Tiger gun often meant that a trees would block the turret traverse that the much shorter Sherman gun could easily clear. Maneuver quickly into the woods to the slower Tiger's side or rear and hit him in the thin side or even thinner rear armor. Instant flaming Tiger. The Panther was the better tank of the two -- Big gun, great speed and mobility and well-armored. It and the T34 were the best.