M51 “Super Sherman” Tank

M51 "Super Sherman" Tank

The M-51 is arguably the best example of upgrading a piece of equipment far beyond original expectations to meet new requirements. It is also perhaps the greatest proof of Sherman’s excellent and adaptable design.

Nearly 20 years after the first Shermans rolled off the production line, Israel modified around 180 of their own to carry an enormous 105 mm gun. This was nothing like the 105 mm howitzer used on Shermans during WWII, but a long, tank-killing weapon designed by the French.

With gun barrels almost as long as the tanks themselves, this once-obsolete Shermans became a formidable force in Israel’s arsenal, which were able to punch through the very newest tanks.

The iconic M-51 fought in several wars and remained in service for decades.

The M-51 has an absolutely enormous gun.

Development of the M-50 and M-51

As a relatively young country, Israel was under constant threat of war with its Arab neighbours in the years after WWII.

Soon after its 1948 independence, the country formed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to serve as the military component of the nation.

However at this time the IDF fielded few heavy vehicles, mostly using armored cars and jeeps captured or supplied from all over the world.

This was a similar story for their Sherman tanks. Shermans began arriving in Israel in the late 1940s, and despite being obsolete for a major power such as the US, were still extremely useful for the IDF.

In 1953 a group of Israeli representatives visited France and inspected their new AMX-13 light tank. This tank weighed only 15 tons but carried the powerful CN 75-50 75 mm gun.

Side note – it is often said that this weapon was a French version of the Panther’s KwK 42 75 mm gun, however the two guns are actually very different. In reality, the French CN 75-50 was likely only partially "inspired" by the the Panther’s gun.

The AMX-13 carried a potent gun for its size, one similar to the Panther’s 75 mm.

Israel was impressed with this gun and placed an order for 400. Soon they realised that this gun could be adapted for use in their stocks of the Sherman tank, greatly increasing its firepower.

France helped lay the project's groundwork by modifying a Sherman 75 mm gun turret to receive the CN 75-50 gun. The following year Israel started converting their Shermans themselves with this guidance, creating the Sherman M-50.