We also supplied about 6000 Sherman tanks to the Soviet Army. At their request, we built those Shermans with diesel engines instead of gasoline engines. Didn’t catch fire nearly as easily as the gasoline fueled Sherman tanks used by the Americans and British.
I knew we supplied the Russians. Had no idea of the number but assumed it was high.
Never knew about the diesel either.
I learn something every day. Now if I could remember.....
The Shermans were easy to produce, light enough for most bridges and nimble.
However the propensity to burn and the short barreled low velocity main gun made them unequal to the task of taking on a Panther or even a Mark IV.
As a kid I read a book about the convoys to Russia. There were MEN crewing those ships.