Sherman expertise needed....
06-23-2015 | 12:44 PM
#2
I'm not an expert, but I have a book that has that reputation.
I guess this hull could have the VVSS and a 75 mm gun in the turret as well. I will read the text to see if those two things were possible.
rex
I guess this hull could have the VVSS and a 75 mm gun in the turret as well. I will read the text to see if those two things were possible.
rex
06-23-2015 | 12:57 PM
#3
NOT a Sherman expert (but have forgotten more than most will ever know) but I do know of a least one that was a M4A1 DD Sherman https://search.yahoo.com/search?p=M4...UTF-8&fr=moz35
HTH
Jeff
HTH
Jeff
06-23-2015 | 01:18 PM
#5
06-23-2015 | 01:45 PM
#6
Based on http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_m...gehatches.html
there were about 100 made that were large hatch M4A1 75. Speculation is that most became duplex drive as none survived and the only monuments have been fished off the bottom of the channel. Its possible some got issued for DDay. I custom built mine that way because I like that version and its obscurity.
there were about 100 made that were large hatch M4A1 75. Speculation is that most became duplex drive as none survived and the only monuments have been fished off the bottom of the channel. Its possible some got issued for DDay. I custom built mine that way because I like that version and its obscurity.
06-23-2015 | 01:48 PM
#7
Frank, pretty much the entire run were converted to DD's. The combination of big hatches in the hull and the loaders hatch in the turret was considered attractive when facing the possibility that you might have to escape in even more of a hurry than usual...
Your 2 surviving references are the Slapton Sherman and the one pictured above, at the museum just south of Port En Bessin. Unfortunately Honnicutt doesn't really have much in his book, and you'll find more on line.
There is also a grainy picture knocking around of one being used to recover an M10 - this has had the skirts cut off, but you can still see the weld line around the hull the same as the Slapton one. This one has rubber block tracks for some reason (and is busy digging a hole for itself in the mud as a result), but DD's were issued with steel chevron tracks to enable them to manoeuvre on and off the landing craft. There is a picture of one knocked out on Omaha beach as well, but its even worse quality - you can make out the hatches by the way they open forward, but that's about it.
Dave Zollo also posted a lot of good big hatch DD references on the UK site a while back, with details like the cast in hull armour (75mm big hatches were still dry stowage), the taller headlights and guards (to clear the screen) and various other bits and bobs.
I can also drop off a CD of the pictures I took at the museum last year if you are interested (too many and too big to post here or try to force feed into Photobucket).
Still not seen a non DD converted big hatch 75mm Sherman in the wild, best you'd get is maybe a pic of one on test at APG in Maryland?
Your 2 surviving references are the Slapton Sherman and the one pictured above, at the museum just south of Port En Bessin. Unfortunately Honnicutt doesn't really have much in his book, and you'll find more on line.
There is also a grainy picture knocking around of one being used to recover an M10 - this has had the skirts cut off, but you can still see the weld line around the hull the same as the Slapton one. This one has rubber block tracks for some reason (and is busy digging a hole for itself in the mud as a result), but DD's were issued with steel chevron tracks to enable them to manoeuvre on and off the landing craft. There is a picture of one knocked out on Omaha beach as well, but its even worse quality - you can make out the hatches by the way they open forward, but that's about it.
Dave Zollo also posted a lot of good big hatch DD references on the UK site a while back, with details like the cast in hull armour (75mm big hatches were still dry stowage), the taller headlights and guards (to clear the screen) and various other bits and bobs.
I can also drop off a CD of the pictures I took at the museum last year if you are interested (too many and too big to post here or try to force feed into Photobucket).
Still not seen a non DD converted big hatch 75mm Sherman in the wild, best you'd get is maybe a pic of one on test at APG in Maryland?
06-23-2015 | 03:12 PM
#10
Keep in mind guys, most thought that there never was a 75mm HVSS, because none have existed since post war rebuilds as phyiscal evidence, but there have been a few photos and some doccuments found in more recnet years proving they were built.
06-24-2015 | 10:14 AM
#12
Hi Frank why not convert the cast hull to a small hatch ,you like doing the small hatch welded hulls this is almost the same to do . Same angles involved and the front is flat ,just have to put round edges to hatchs and edges. Take a look at some photos you will see what I mean.
See photo this is one I did
regards pete
See photo this is one I did
regards pete
Last edited by wright 971; 06-24-2015 at 10:35 AM.
06-24-2015 | 01:25 PM
#15
I wonder why no one ever puts the hedge cutters on their Shermans. I realize that only about 25 to thirty where actually completed with the make shif tattatchment in time for operation Cobra but i don't recall ever seeing even one model with it here.
06-24-2015 | 01:45 PM
#16
Thread Starter
I did one on the first Sherman I did when the Mato one first came out and found it to be a nightmare..useless over obsticles etc...kept getting snagged up........
