I am not an “expert” - quick check of the Internet places the Grant and Lee tanks in action in North Africa in May of 1942. These were the same basic chassis as the later Sherman, but had a casemate mounted main gun and a funny little turret on top with a 37mm gun. It’s the one Bogart is driving in SAHARA and Dan Akroyd drives through the paint factory in “1941.” These tanks were not as good as the Shermans would be, but at that time they were the equal of or better than what the Germans had in North Africa. Tigers came later and very few to N. Africa. Eagle Moss was going to make it in 1/43 but afaik never did.
From what I read we pulled 250 new Shermans out of US Army units and got them to the Brits to use at El Alamein in October ‘42. Britain also got a ton of our Stuart light tanks which they renamed the Honey, Tamiya makes a Stuart in 1/48 FYI.
