Tank origin

After Israel’s creation in 1948, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) built up its military in part by acquiring tanks from other nations. It was able to obtain a large number of surplus M4 Shermans, but it soon found that the Sherman’s gun was a poor match against other tanks, particularly the T-34-85. Through its talks to purchase AMX 13 light tanks from France, the IDF realized that the CN 75-50 75mm gun from the AMX 13 75 might work well paired with the Sherman’s hull. The resulting tank was named the M50 Sherman. About 300 units were produced by 1959.