This Engine Saved The American Tank Program (And It's Weird)

The Chrysler A57 Multibank was a desperate solution to the WW2 tanks engine shortage. See how five car engines worked.

By 1941, American manufacturers faced a critical lack of power plants for medium tanks. Chrysler engineers turned to automotive engineering to fill the gap, combining five separate car engines into a single, massive unit. This unconventional approach allowed the company to keep production lines moving despite the material shortages plaguing the conflict.

The resulting Chrysler A57 Multibank powered the M3A4 Lee and M4A4 Sherman tanks, creating a unique mechanical footprint on the battlefield. We examine the complex design, the logic behind combining these tank engines, and the reality of maintaining such a machine in the field. It remains one of the most unusual examples of industrial improvisation from the era, proving that sometimes the strangest solutions are the ones that save a production run.

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