M10 Sherman
Backstory
In 1956 the Israelis attacked across their shared border with Egypt. Defending, the Egyptians used the SU-100s supplied by their patrons, the Russians, and lost a lot of them by the time the war came to a close. Recognising that they needed greater firepower to counter the IS-3Ms in Egyptian service, the Israelis decided to press the 100mm D-10S guns into service, but found the SU-100 vehicle cramped and mechanically unreliable.
In a stroke of genious they created their own SU based on the M4A2 hull and the SU-100's gun & mounting. The resulting vehicle was seen to be interim from the start, yet was so effective that they soldiered on in reserve until after 1973. Never upgraded with the HVSS suspension, they still received the Cummins engines fitted to the new M51 and after the war recieved the later exhaust arrangement as well.
During the Yom Kippur war, the last 2 companies of M10 Shermans was assigned to cover the southern portion of the valley near the "Booster", Tel el Mekhafi. Nearly wiped out during the next two days' combat, their sacrifice was instrumental in allowing the Israeli 7th Brigade to hold out until reinforcements could arrive on the fourth day and stabilise the situation.
Clumsy and difficult to manoeuvre, enemy tankers still came to dread facing the well trained reservists in their antiquated SPs. To the end, many crews loved the big punch and low silhouette of their reliable "Tante SU".
At the last, firing in the defensive role from prepared positions that provided protection against weapons outside their firing arc, the M10 Shermans were still useful in the period up to about 1976 when they were finally withdrawn from serivce. By the beginning of the Lebanese incursion, all of them were long out of service. Unlike the later M50s and M51s, these vehicles did not enter Lebanese service in the 80s and were not exported overseas. By the time of their withdrawal, were just too clapped out.
That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!
Enjoy!
Paul
