SHERMAN ODDS AND ENDS:
Again as a side product of my research on the firefly I thought you might find these Sherman DD figures interesting taken from PRO files of reports of monthly production to Churchill in 1944-45:
|
Month |
Number |
Cumulative |
|
Mar 44 |
45 |
45 |
|
Apr 44 |
175 |
221 |
|
May 44 |
111 |
331 |
|
June 44 |
96 |
427 |
|
Jul 44 |
89 |
516 |
|
Aug 44 |
75 |
591 |
|
Sept 44 |
37 |
628 |
|
Oct 44 |
27 |
655 |
|
Nov 44 |
24 |
679 |
|
Dec 44 |
14 |
693 |
|
Jan 45 |
0 |
693 |
|
Feb 45 |
0 |
693 |
Regrettably the types converted are not distinguished, but from photos and evidence in other files there were definitely British converted M4A2 and M4A4 and probably M4A1. While the US conversions seemed to concentrated on M4A1's including the large hatch hulled 75m tanks as provided by Esci in 1/72nd scale. The conversions continued post war as there are shots of M4A2 76mm armed tanks converted to DD configuration.
Unit use after D Day was quite limited baring the Rhine Crossing and the numbers available are generally very low. Reports in the war time files also note that once used in normal combat with the DD gear stripped off the tank would have to be virtually rebuilt to become DD capable again as often as not only the metal base of the equipment was left after the crews had cleared their vehicle for a more permanent terrestrial role.
From various files in the WO 219/3350 series at PRO here are three sample weeks 21st Army Group unit holdings:
1. 13th January 1945/17th February:
|
Unit |
II DD |
III DD |
V DD |
Total |
|
HQ 79th AD |
0/0 |
0/0 |
54/58 |
54/58 |
|
Total units |
0/0 |
0/0 |
54/58 |
54/58 |
|
Unit establishment 61 of all types |
61 |
|||
|
Other holdings |
1/0 |
18/23 |
33/22 |
52/45 |
|
Total all holdings |
1/0 |
18/23 |
87/80 |
106/103 |
|
Unit |
III DD |
V DD |
Total |
|
4th Armd Bde |
8 |
8 |
16 |
|
33rd Armd Bde |
3 |
28 |
31 |
|
Total units |
11 |
36 |
47 |
|
Unit establishment 61 of all types |
61 |
||
|
Other holdings |
9 |
61 |
70 |
|
Total all holdings |
20 |
87 |
97 |
There were no II DD’s listed either with units or in repair or as other holdings at this time and noe appear by the end of the war. On the 16th of June there were 16 III DD’s held (none with units) and 83 V DD’s held (none with units).
Many of you will recall that great comedy war film (if there can be such a thing) "Kelly's Hero's". To recap we have an unofficial mission by a group of disillusioned US soldiers in France in 1944 to 'liberate' a stash of Nazi gold in a small town. Their strike is supported by a troop of deserters in Shermans leads to a full scale attack, but our hero's get away with the gold. A similar plot line set in the Gulf war staring George Cloney ("Three Kings") shows that the caper movie is alive and well. What about the tanks in the film?:
Basically this movie was filmed with Yugoslavian co-operation. Thus the German equipment is quite good with authentic German guns such as 88mm and 105mm guns. The Czech OT810 's are a let down, but far better than many other attempts of the period.
The Shermans represent a type not found in France in 1944 as they are post-war 76mm rebuilds, that seem to have been made in the US and in Japan. It would appear that only US standard types such as the as the M4A3, with some M4A1’s were used for these conversions, but late WW2 conversions and the tests made from 1942 onwards might have been more diverse. The actual conversion was proven in 1942-43, but due to US doctrine, which stood against tanks fighting other tanks it was not officially sanctioned until 1945, by which time it was too late. The same thing for different reasons happened with the belated US conversion to the merits of the 17 Pounder and the Firefly.
Oddball uses one of these M4A3 conversions as his Sherman.
Fortunately it’s a an easy model to make:
In 1/72nd (ish!. I found that it matches phil Dyers 1/76th M4A3 HVS 105mm Bellona Print plans rather well and they ARE 1/76th) the Esci M4A3 75mm W kit is ideal and in 1/76th you can use MMS's excellent metal it of the same vehicle. To convert it all you need is a spare 76mm barrel and Revell's M4A1 76mm W can donate or as can Hasegawa's problematic M4A3 76mm W kit. Then its detail to taste, with Oddballs loud speakers and the extra tube on the gun being the most obvious features to add. One point is that the tanks are painted in a very faded light green and this will need to be carefully replicated for that authentic Hollywood touch!
One last point is that Pakistani Shermans captioned as Fireflies are as far as I can see from photos all examples of these rebuilt 75mm turreted tanks with M1A1C or M1A2 76mm guns, not 17 Pdr's. Thus they have more in common with Oddballs movie tank than they do with the Firefly that they are often captioned as.
The Tigers are also very interesting as they predated the "Saving Private Ryan" versions by a quarter of a century. They too would make an interesting conversion using perhaps Airfix T 34 -85's and Tiger I parts. The colours in the movie are of course way out for 1944, but given that this was the late 60's it was not a bad effort compared to some attempts of the time.
The half-tracks used before the T6/Thunderbolt bombs the convoy, are easy to make as of course are the Jeeps.
If readers want to battle a real life and more serious deep penetration raid by US troops they should get a copy of Charles Whittings book on the Hammelburg raid ("48 Hours to Hammelburg", Arrow Books Ltd 1979 for example), where Patton sent a combat team (Task Force Blum) deep into German lines to spring his son in law from a prison camp. They almost made it, but at great cost with a Custurian last. An alternative source on the battle was an edition of After the Battle magazine, which are all available from AFB and good specialist book shops (Issue N0 91, 1996, article by Karel Margry).
MMS have just released a long awaited Sherman variant the Sherman IC rolled hull version. This is the first time to my knowledge that this type of Firefly has been made available in any scale (oh Mr Tamiya how about it in 1/35th please!). The kit uses MMS's standard Sherman lower hull, with T48 rubber block track. They previously released a Hybrid Firefly and this kit contains the turret and detail parts from that kit plus the new M4 hull top. \The model is well cast and at last in this scale we have a decent M4, which will lend itself to many versions in British and US service. The glacis can be easily modified to any of the variations in structure by adding weld lines to represent the different forms and the differential housing can be converted to the earlier three piece version for some early Shermans as appropriate. Although based on available photographic evidence Firefly conversions had the single piece type (with its variations) only. The turret is the common low bustle turret, without thickening on the right side cheek. This can be left as it is, thickened up or covered with an appliqué patch as all three variations can be seen on Fireflies. The hull has moulded on appliqué patches and all of the Sherman I based fireflies I have seen in photos have this fitted, but that does not mean that it was universal as Firefly did not need this armour as the bins they protected (poorly it must be added) were not used for ammunition stowage in Firefly. The Firefly radio box has three square lids as per the original Bellona plans and the Matchbox VC kit, but other patterns are more likely it would seem with simple plain lids and circular covers to be seen on IC's.
Problems, not really, although the VVS units don't look right due to casting limitations and the single track option in the kits is a bit boring given the variation common on Shermans. That said and done T48 rubber block is ideal for IC's, but is by no means universal. You also have to make your own hull lap gun block, but this is noted in the instructions and is not a problem as the hull fronts were often covered in stowage anyway. One annoying omission is the lack of a gun lock on the engine deck as it is fiddly to make in this scale. The simple way is to cheat and cover the deck in stowage! At £9.95 at the moment, this kit is good value compared to its competitors and Barry is yet again to be congratulated for an excellent product. I made mine as a 7th AD vehicle in the Rhineland in winter 1944/45 in a battered white wash scheme for a change from all my Khaki Green No 15 Shermans.
My second MMS Sherman is their standard Hybrid kit (IR-06), with the late high bustle turret. The Hybrid is available as a Firefly (kit 953), but with the low bustle turret. I have made the basic kit before and found it a delight, but the high bustle IC Hybrids are a good looking Firefly and I wanted to add one to my small scale collection (note in 1/35th Dragon's hard to find Hybrid kit can be made into this version as you get the high bustle turret included).
This conversion is simple and perhaps Barry will issue this as a kit one day. Basically add a Firefly radio box (I used one cut from a discarded Milcast kit) to the back of the turret with the lip of the box, just slightly above the top of the bustle. The oval loaders hatch was left as is and was NOT replaced by the larger hatches used on other Firefly conversions, from tanks that did not have a loaders hatch originally fitted. The gun and mantlet also need to be added and in this case also came from the Milcast kit. Alternatively you can take them from the MMS Firefly kits, converting them to standard 75mm tanks or from a Matchbox VC. As above an engine deck gun travel lock will need to be made, but the original glacis plate lock was also to be seen on some vehicles, but not it would seem for supporting the gun barrel. Other than that comments apply as per the IC review. This is an easy way to make a very common Firefly version and MMS make it easy. It certainly beats a hack of the Airfix kit and that comment applies equally to the IC kit above.
One note on decals. MMS do not supply any with their kits, but Bull Models sell Fingerprint designs brilliant 1/76th scale sheet of British unit markings and these cane be used to decorate your Shermans and they come highly recommended as do their 1/35th scale sheets for 7th, 11th and guards armoured divisions.
Mark Hayward Sept 2001.