Com-Central.net

Hi All,

We’ve added a gallery of photos of the Memorial Park Displays from the Rock Island Arsenal in Rock Island, IL. Lots of very cool AFVs and Artillery (service and prototypes) to be seen. Not listed in the register is the BMP-1 on display near the M55 and ZSU-23-4. Fascinating to see the 4th AD Battle of the Bulge vet M4A3(76) HVSS with the added armor and AT damage as well as an M50 Ontos equipped with the 106mms.

Enjoy!

www.vgbimages.com/AFV-...ar/n-Cq2f5

There's one of the 57mm like I own......

Interesting subjects.
There is also something in the pictures, I guess it was the light, they are even better than your usual standards.

Massimo

Thanks Paul, looks like another one I have to visit.

The placards are surprisingly accurate for most museum items, except for one: The Honest John. By the Army's own nomenclature convention it was a rocket (unguided) not a missile (guided).

KL

I didn't think that there were any surviving Shermans with the field fitted extra armor (or are the others?). That would be quite a rare Sherman indeed (even apart from being a Battle of the Bulge participant). Would be interesting to know more detail about the engagement where it received its battle damage.

Thanks for sharing. Will have to put that location as a site to visit someday.

cn

let's talk about the M4A3(76) HVSS. According to Joe DeMarco, with no prospect of further deliveries of Jumbos, in February 1945, the Third Army embarked on a program to "up-armor" its M4A3(76)s.

The Chrylser M4A3(76)HVSS on display at Rock Island Arsenal certainly appears to be one of these, although the Museum doesn't seem to have any documentation about its history. "4th Armored Divison General Sherman Tank Knocked Out During the Battle of the Bulge Dec. 16 1944 - Jan.23 1945" is painted on the (4 inch?) slabs of (German?) armor welded on the the hull sides. Battle of the Bulge casualty seems doubtful in that the up-armoring process didn't commence until February. The glacis armor was taken directly from another Sherman, complete with hull lifting rings as well as headlamp and gun travel lock fittings.

P-O

Kurt and jcneel,

Head over to Michel's site and download the GPX files. I made GPX files for each US state (Google Map and Earth KML files too) - locations from the register and our own travels. Rock Island Memorial Park is in the Illinois file. You can load all 51 entries (including DC) into your GPS or just the states you want. Very convenient if you're traveling as you can search near your destination and see what is nearby.

Link:

www.afvregister.org/Download.aspx

Kurt - thanks for the info!
P-O - thanks as well - interesting stuff!