Tank Overhaul Episode Rating Graph

The American M4 Sherman is the best known, most widely used tank of the Second World War. It is also the most controversial. Was it the all-American tank that won the war or a completely under-designed death trap? We go to the Isle of Wight Military History Museum, where Dave Arnold and his crew are about to try something no one else has ever done before. They are going to chop two destroyed Shermans in half to piece together one good one. If they can pull it off it will be a testament to the most revolutionary aspect of the Sherman’s design – American-style production engineering allowed for production on a massive scale. It will show just why the Sherman, despite its flaws, remains one of the most important tanks ever made; and one of the many reasons why the Allies won the War.

Jacques Littlefield is a nice guy with a whole lot of tanks. In fact, with over 300 military vehicles, he has the largest private tank collection in the world. Jacques’ team is currently working on the jewel of his collection, the extremely rare and coveted PANTHER. This one has been rescued from the bottom of a river in Poland and it has been – literally- blown to pieces. The damage and the mechanical complexity make this the toughest and most expensive job Jacques’ crew have ever done. But the damage also contains clues that lead us back to the scene to reveal what really happened to tank and crew on their final day of battle.

Featuring restoration of an Panzerjger Tiger - Elefant. One of the largest heaviest tank destroyers ever built, the Elephant was brilliant on paper and terrifying to behold. But in 1943, the Germans sent it into battle without having ever tested it. Under fire, the massive monster turned out to be a sitting duck for courageous Soviet fighters who learned they could disable it with a simple Molotov cocktail. The Elephant is possibly the rarest surviving tank from World War 2. Only 90 were ever built and now only two are thought to exist. At the US Army Ordnance Museum, you will see a crack team restore a rusted beat up machine that has been left on the sidelines since 1944.

Featuring restoration of an M-24 Chaffee Tank. In this episode, you'll meet Joe Garbarino, CEO of Marin Sanitation, a massive garbage and recycling business in San Rafael California. Joe's true passion is his collection of military vehicles. And one of his pride and joys is the M-24 Chaffee. Fast, dependable, armed with an excellent 75 mm gun, some historians say this was the best light tank of World War 2. Every year on July 4th, Joe and his team join a local Independence Day parade. But this year, somewhere inside its massive hull, the M-24 has sprung a leak - and the leak might keep it out of the parade.