Tankhobby

I received this in an email this morning. Guess they want to move remaining stock?

http://www.panacheplace.com/p-56-us-...eme-metal.aspx

I already have two and paid more than that for them, damn!

YHR

These are a real good value at that price. If I didn't have so many tanks, I would get another one of these. However I told myself I would never stockpile projects, and I have a Cromwell to build.

Can someone tell me the difference between an M4A3 and a M4A2, besides the engine.

swathdiver

Hi Dan,

Well for starters the engine deck and rear plate are noticeably different. Then you have A2s that were built with direct vision slots, cast hoods, welded hoods and later the big hatch models that were mostly if not exclusively for the T23 Turret and the 76mm gun. The earliest tanks also had M3 bogies but most the common M4 style.

My personal favorite are the middle production ones with the Welded Hoods. The steel was thicker and these variants typically did not have the applique armor fitted to them. They were real common in British and I think I've seen a few in Canadian service so that should be right up your alley!

I will post some pics after dropping the kids off for Christmas Carolling at Church.

rgallant

A4's and A2's for Canada, the A3's were primarily US.

For most Shermans the primary differences are in the engine deck for the different power plants, as well as that can never be cursed enough transmission housing. The layout on top of turret also varies depending on the single or dual hatch versions Canada had mostly single hatch with the exception of the fireflys.

Just to make life interesting the type of Sherman tended to grouped by regt. So the 1st Hussars were mostly A4's just my luck the Ft Garry's mostly A2's.

YHR

My reference material claims Canada never got any M4A3, but they did have a Lot of M4A2`s which they refer to as Sherman III`s, just to help muddy the water even more.

swathdiver

The Ford built M4A3s stayed in the United States for training until after D-Day. Then they were shipped overseas to the PTO and ETO. These tanks had direct vision slots in the beginning with later ones equipped with D3714 and D3715 hoods. They all had a rolled rear lower hull plate under the exhaust.

The A2s were built by ALCO, Baldwin, Federal Machine and Welder, Fisher Tank Arsenal (GM) and Pullman Standard Car Company. They started out with their own unique direct vision hoods and later shared the same D77160A, B hoods with the M4. I think it was Fisher in the rush to complete tanks and running out of hood castings made A2s with the welded hoods.

Here are some pictures Dan:

Ex_Pat_Tanker

Sherman I was the M4
Sherman II was the M4A1
Sherman III, M4A2
Sherman IV, M4A3 (few, if any, issued to Commonwealth troops)
Sherman V, M4A4

Additionally (tho Swath might correct me here...?) the additional 'A' in the designation corresponded to the US 76mm version (I think? - only issued to the Pole's in the ETO atleast), B was the 105mm version and C was the 17 Pounder version.

HTH,
Mart

swathdiver

The M4A1(76)W in addition to being used by the Polish was also used by the South Africans, French and British and would have been designated as a Sherman IIA with the Commonwealth.

The A, B, C, etc. designators were used by the Commonwealth tanks and that letter was tacked on behind the roman numeral. For example: A Sherman I was a an M4 with the 75mm gun. An M4 Composite Sherman was designated Hybrid I or Hybrid IC if fitted with the 17pdr gun. The Tamiya Sherman in Commonwealth service would be Sherman IBY, the Y for the HVSS suspension.

In US service the "A" has nothing to do with the gun, it just denotes the different engines.

It's a fascinating subject!