The Lee appears to be an M3A4.
Visual indicators are:
- Riveted hull
- No side doors on hull
- The commander's cupola is present and visible if you look carefully, although there is an added MG on top of the turret (a bit of an oddity).
The barrel muzzle counter-weight was used to balance the guns in the trunions on short-barreled 75mm guns (the M2). It is indeed a bit of an oddity to see it on a longer-barreled M3 75mm gun. By the time the M3A4 was in production I don't even think they were still building them with M2 guns, but I could be wrong on this point. My guess is that the they may have added a muzzle weight they found in inventory (they were removable) just for visual effect, either as part of the restoration or just for the parade.
This was an extended hull version (as the Sherman M4A4) with the Chrysler Multi-Bank engine, built for lend-lease contracts.
My understanding is that the Russians called the M3 the Grant in their service, even though almost all of the M3s they received were built with the American version of the turret, which is the common-use determinant that this tank is a Lee. But in either case they usually just called them M3 Mediums, as the Americans did, as "Grant" and "Lee" would probably have been meaningless to a Russian soldier.
And as has been suggested, the M3 was not exactly beloved by their Russian crews. Bad enough that the US crews had to live at the end of a 4-6 month supply line … the Russians were actually at the end of about a 9 month supply line from US factories.
The Sherman appears to be an M4A2 76 (w) HVSS, otherwise known as an M4A2E8. There is only a fleeting view of the rear hull as it goes by. My conclusion is based as much on my knowledge that the Russians preferred (and received) primarily the M4A2 version as much as anything else.
It is great to see them rolling along, though. Isn't it?
-Mark
(aka: Mk 1)
