ORIGINAL: pattoncommander

Hi Panther, I already stated that "they have good quality decals"....Ernst at Pedinghouse now sees the difference in the M-26=46 and says they will be making a change in the tiger face decals ID. He was looking at the M-46 on the cover of Armor in korea and didn't know the diff. The M-41 decals he took from Bundeswehr static displays near his home town and from a Tamiya box and has no idea what the unit is, but agrees that US tank units did not use the 3 digit system.

Incidentally one E8 IS an M-4A3. Proper nomenclature in M-4A3E8 HVVS 76mm (W). The M-4A1 E8 still retained the air cleaners at the rear. (Note that the Tamiya M-4 105 has the air cleaners at the rear and it's a HVVS A3, not an A1.) Seems the mfg of "cadillac" of RC tanks also doesn't know the diff. After locating and conversing with a couple vets from my NYNG unit to solve this air cleaner riddle, it is thought that in my early recruit days, I was detailed to service one of the M-4A1E8 Shermans from A Co. and I didn't know back then the differences in Shermans, hence the confusion on location of the oil pans. When one is assigned to a specific tank, it simply becomes "MY tank" and is really immaterial what exact model it is. Supply and maint are responsible for ordering parts. The crucial issues are knowing proper operation, when to change what, when and how much. Maybe if tank crews would spend more time reading books instead of working on them, they'd be more proficient. I believe that today, I can still drive, gun, load and command a Sherman as well as any tank I have served in my 25 years doing it without reading up on it.