|
Kurt Laughlin came up with the prices
of Sherman tanks and related AFVs. He found them in the Army Service
Forces Catalog ORD 5-3-1 dated 9 August 1945. Joe DeMarco puts these
prices in perspective: "Say a Sherman cost $45,000 during WWII. The
same Sherman today would cost $421,875."
Notice the listing of the listing
of the "M4A3(75)dry HVSS", "M4A3(75)wet HVSS" and the differences in price
between T66 and T80 tracks.
| Type of vehicle | Prices are for vehicles "equipped with artillery armament and fire control." |
| M10 | $40,906 |
| M10A1 | $43,677 |
| M36 | $51,290 |
| M7 | $46,365 |
| M7B1 | $40,524 |
| M12 | $68,904 |
| M30 (T14) | $42,707 |
| M3 | $55,244 |
| M3A1 | $55,244 |
| M3A2 | $55,244 |
| M3A3 | $54,533 |
| M3A4 | $55,244 |
| M3A5 | $55,244 |
| M4(75)VVSS | $49,173 |
| M4(105)VVSS | $46,309 |
| M4(105)HVSS/T66 | $49,621 |
| M4(105)HVSS/T80 | $53,391 |
| M4A1(75)VVSS | $47,725 |
| M4A1(76)VVSS | $51,509 |
| M4A1(76)HVSS/T66 | $54,062 |
| M4A1(76)HVSS/T80 | $55,610 |
| M4A2(76)VVSS | $45,814 |
| M4A2(76)HVSS/T66 | $48,029 |
| M4A2(76)HVSS/T80 | $50,928 |
| M4A3(75)dry VVSS | $44,556 |
| M4A3(75)dry HVSS/T66 | $47,003 |
| M4A3(75)dry HVSS/T80 | $49,997 |
| M4A3E2 | $56,812 |
| M4A3(105)VVSS | $45,776 |
| M4A3(105)HVSS/T66 | $49,088 |
| M4A3(105)HVSS/T80 | $52,836 |
| M4A3(75)wet VVSS | $44,556 |
| M4A3(75)wet HVSS/T66 | $47,003 |
| M4A3(75)wet HVSS/T80 | $49,997 |
| M4A3(76)wet VVSS | $47,754 |
| M4A3(76)wet HVSS/T66 | $51,066 |
| M4A3(76)wet HVSS/T80 | $54,836 |
| M4A4 | $46,467 |
| M4A6 | $64,455 |
| M32 series | $56,217 |
Kurt Laughlin added "The prices in this pamphlet should be used to price documents and requisition for shipments of major items and major combinations to INTERNATIONAL AID COUNTRIES, NAVY DEPARTMENT, other ARMS and SERVICES, statements of accountability, Reports of Survey and on all declarations of Surplus Property submitted to disposal agencies. In case of conflict with prices listed in the Ordnance Supply Catalog, the prices herein will govern."
For 1942-1945 the US "spent" $5,692,155,000 on tanks. Prior contracts let included a $100-million order in August 1941, and $191,782,000 in November 1941. Considering that they got 88,000 tanks out of it that amounts to about $68,000 each, however much of the initial outlay went to building the great tank arsenals at Detroit and Grand Blanc.
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