After units received the new tanks, the greatly improved ride over the earlier models earned the nickname “Easy Eight”. Starting in March 1944, Chrysler produced 2,617 M4A3E8s by the end of WWII. The improved Horizontal volute spring suspension (HVSS) and the cast steel, center guide, single pin, double arc, 23 inch wide T-66 tracks reduced the ground pressure and provided better mobility in snow and over soft terrain. This variant also known as M4A3(76)W HVSS featured a welded hull armed with a 76mm gun and had wet ammo storage (“W”) where the ammo racks were surrounded by separate small containers of a mixture of water, ethylene glycol, and a rust inhibitor, known as “Ammudamp” which prevented the ammo from igniting when the tank was hit.
The M4A3E8 was the last modification of the US Sherman tank series during WWII.
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