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Following the Chief of Infantry recommendation from 20 May 1940, the US Army Ordnance Corps started to work on a 50-ton heavy tank. By the middle of 1942 prototypes had been developed and trials conducted and production of 6000 M6A1 tanks recommended. The tank itself carried a 76mm gun with a coaxial 37mm, two MGs in the hull (although I have seen a version with three) and a further two MGs. The vehicle weighed 57 1/2 Tonnes with a hull length of 7.5m and armour up to 85mm. The powerplant generated 825hp which allowed a speed of over 20mph. Later developments and experimentation proved this tank could easily take a 90mm gun and be up armoured without affecting performance drastically.

By December 1942 production began but at a reduced amount of just 115 vehicles of which 60 were to be sent to the British as part of the Lend Lease scheme. However the full scale production was cancelled because it was claimed that the tank was unreliable even though in endurance trials the only issue reported was a track linkage failure after 3000 miles. It was also claimed that the gun was inaccurate even though the same targetting and stabalisation systems were used in the Sherman. It was decided that logistically the priority was the Sherman even though for every three Sherman that could be shipped overseas they could have sent two M6s.

So my question ... where would the British have deployed their 60 M6s if they had arrived as planned?

Secondly I guess is would the M6 have proved its worth in combat to such an extent that production of the Sherman would have been switched to the M6?
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