The United States officially joined the Allies in World War II in December of 1940 and introduced a new level of military might. In 1942, the nation developed the M4 Sherman tank, which was a medium tank, a step above the M3 Lee (and its British variant, the Grant), used earlier in the conflict. According to historian David Fletcher, in an episode of The Tank Museum’s Tank Chats, once the Sherman came along, it completely eclipsed its predecessors, which were pretty much abandoned at that time.

At the time, the U.S. military intended the tanks to focus on infantry support rather than providing the defenses and offenses required for armored combat. However, it wasn’t always an effective match for the Panther and Tiger tanks it faced. Its key advantage was its low-maintenance and easy-to-fix design, which allowed the model to keep a massive fleet in the field, a crucial factor during WWII. Around 50,000 Shermans were built up to 1945, making it America’s most-used tank model.