| Author | Message | ||
     Spdrxb |
I need any of you Military knowledge experts to help me out. Couple months ago while on a riding trip in Pennsylvania, my riding buds and I came across this Sherman tank.It think it was in Johnsonburg PA. I would be interested in knowing its history. I have tried a couple searches with no luck.. Its quite sad that it is not cared for, in fact the locals have filled up the cockpit etc. with trash and what not.Its just rotting away sitting there. The serial number in the pic came from right under the turret. Sorry for the crappy picture editing I haven't completely figured that how to do it properly to fit here. By history, I mean where in the war it was etc..   (Message edited by spdrxb on November 04, 2010) | ||
| Brumbear |
I am workin on some stuff for ya but I don't know yet. I can tell you it's a 75mm not a 76mm easy8 but that doesn't mean much side skirts look like they are uparmored as well, Well I just found out its an M4A4 built by the Chrysler co. http://web.inter.nl.net/users/spoelstra/g104/serial.htm (Message edited by brumbear on November 04, 2010) | ||
| Spdrxb |
Thank you! Historic landmarks and pieces like this have always intrigued me. | ||
| Brumbear |
Here is some very cool reading . It appears to be the second of the A57 multibank engines built this variant was a complicated piece of eqt and they were not shipped overseas for that reason until later with the lend lease program if at all. http://london.iwm.org.uk/upload/package/4/dday/veh icles/veh5.htm | ||
| Swordsman |
Will they sell it?  ~SM | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
The German Panzer & Tiger crews, & anti-tank crews used to call the Sherman, the "Tommy Cooker". The reason being that due to the high profile & lack of armament range compared to the 88mm the Germans used, they were very vulnerable & would "Brew up" relatively easily. | ||
| Xben9r |
These people might be able and willing to help you out http://www.milvehtechfound.com/index.html A always hat to see history like that go to waste. Ben  | ||
| Swordsman |
Grumpy, I saw a special on the Shermans, and it agreed. In a nutshell, they were sitting ducks. You did NOT want to get assigned to one. ~SM | ||
| Dwardo |
When I was a child my father often took me with him on his sales trips, which were all over the Maryland/PA/VA/WV area. One time we found a bunch of old halftracks sitting somewhere. I asked my father if he thought we could get one running. He was never one to ask permission so he got some gas from the car and the jumper cables and had at it. None of them would run, and I don't know if he thought he could do it (he was a good mechanic) or if he was humoring me, but it is one of my fondest memories. I wonder where they were? | ||
| Glitch |
There's most of a Sherman back home up in the hills, it was used as a tractor for years until it could no longer be fixed. It's still sitting up there in the woods. | ||
| Spdrxb |
thanks for the info everybody! Ben.. thanks for the link I was curious if anybody knew of database showing where a batch of serial numbers was deployed,stationed,repaired etc. maybe the link will lead me there. | ||
| Brumbear |
You know the funny thing about the sherman is it was built to support infantry and counter the PzKwIV this it did very well actually. The Germans did have 88mm flak and believe it or not only about 100 or so tiger I tanks available on the western front but the Panther was plentiful after 43 and it had a very hard hitting 75mm high velocity gun and outmatched the sherman until they upgraded the Sherman to a 76mm easy 8 high velocity gun and it once again matched well against the German tanks. The thing that hurt the Allied tanks the most was Anti Tank guns 5cm pak and 75mm pak guns but mostly we were attacking while the Germans were in ambush or defending so the allies would suffer more casualties in eqt. for sure. The Sherman got a bad rap it was one of the better tanks of the WW2 error. There were even variants used by the Isreali's in the seventies with believe it or not upgraded Panther tank guns on them thats right Jewish military with German Krupps 75mm guns go figure? And guess who makes the Abrams gun 120 mm smooth bore you guessed it KRUPPS well I'll be if it aint broke don't fix it  | ||
| 46champ |
General Patton said that if he had the German tanks on the march across France the would have never got to the border because they would have all broke down. It may have been an exaggeration but there must have been a reason to make the statement. | ||
| Bartimus |
Stingaroo can tell you all you need to know about pretty much any military vehicle. In addition to being an enthusiast about all things military, his family participates in WW2 reinactments, and he is an active duty reservist... Shoot him a PM. | ||
| Luftkoph |
General Patton said that if he had the German tanks on the march across France the would have never got to the border because they would have all broke down. final drive made by bmw  | ||
| Prior |
Brian (stingaroo) is you go to guy for military vehicles and WWII stuff indeed. We did a lot of WWII reenacting growing up and man what a cool hobby. I've forgotten more than Brian knows, haven't been to an event in a number of years. We did reenactments as the 29th Div PA Guard, 109 Inf, L Co. Attached is a pic of us at the PA military museum in Boalsburg, PA, probably taken in '03. This Sherman is named Abigail, not sure how long she has been there.  Badwebbers include: my skinny arse in front left, Mike Carper front 3rd and Brian 4th from the left in the back row. Brian and Mike both served in Iraq (Mike was in Afghanistan too) with the 28th Division, PA Guard. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Here's all the spec's for the various models. http://afvdb.50megs.com/usa/m4sherman.html | ||
| Brumbear |
I found out more info this model may not be an M4a4 it may be an M4-a3 apperntly thie numbers are not the chasis s/n or may not be and the pic looks like an M-4a3 as it has welded seems and the turret profile of the M-4a3 the S/n are near the lifting shackles on the bow or aft of the tank not the turret if they were on the turret they are casting numbers and turret only is what I was told I truly do not know? http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRj01Xn9gc VYrJpHhb6jgalUTDeq48673sW6_3_FKwvJCF3u_0&t=1&usg=_ _ijq3189-aTQZ-KaLcBUHSV6fOA0= also check this monster outhttp://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTS78YXJVH Kqpth95o-ZH3p1pZEJxTJvCFYBC3DIXW5b_Btxzo&t=1&usg=_ _cfq8MZA7JvHbL-UJ-vLn97epAwY= This is an Israeli tank with a 75mm panther gun (Message edited by brumbear on November 07, 2010) | ||
| Spdrxb |
Thank you guys for uncovering some of that info! | ||
| 46champ |
It's not a German gun on the Israeli Sherman. It is a French gun that is a copy of the German gun. | ||
| 1313 |
1970 Mustang with 1100 ci Sherman tank engine Njoy, 1313 (Message edited by 1313 on November 08, 2010) | ||
| Brumbear |
did some homework thanks 46champ you are 100% correct I was under the impression it was a krupps gun and they just changed the muzzle brake | ||
| Stingaroo |
Great find! haha thanks for the compliments Alex and Bart. Brumbear seems to have the lead on this one, Mr Grumpy found an awesome link I have saved as one of my favorites. I am currently talking to a few fellow members of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association to track down who donated this Sherman, and any related history behind it. Thanks for sharing! Brian | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Glad to have been of service Brian. |
