ORIGINAL: mcovalsk
ORIGINAL: Panther F
Easy 8 was the nick name given to the welded hull Sherman with the HVSS in WWII.
An A1 with HVSS is simply an M4A1E8. The Mato is the M4A1 76W.
I know it can be confusing at times but it IS my favorite tank!
~ Jeff
I could add if you let me do it Jeff. All the Sherman were M4, the A1,....A6 just were names received due to a change of engine.
For example A1 had radial engine, A2 diesel dual6, A3 V8 fuel...etc.
There was so many manufactures and variants that is very difficult to recognize each one. So the best way is the engine deck, to know if is A1....A6 and the suspension, then you could be close.
Jeff are right, as usual, all the A1 were cast, the Tamiya was an exception as it was a M4 105 with radial and HVSS, but the name wasn't A1 just M4 105. It was manufactured close the end of the war.
To understand about Sherman is the Hunnicut book ( a bible of more than US$400 now) but there is a cheap book if you get it, Sherman tank 1941-1945 from Almarks publications, by Chris Ellis and Peter Chamberlain 1969.
We should open a Sherman chapter here LOL. I love those horrible guy