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the_shadock · Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 8:18 am Post subject: Sherman Firefly hull question

Hello,

I would like to know what are the things circled in red, that are seen on Sherman Vc (M4A4 Firefly) tanks. Thanks

P-O

Kurt_Laughlin · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 577

Hi P-O:

The central device contained smoke grenades. I believe there was a cable running into the fighting compartment that, when pulled, would open the boxes and drop the grenades. (It might have been electrical with a solenoid.)

The two brackets just outside the engine doors were mounts for a leaf spring that held the towing pintle.

The extreme two items are additional towing lugs added by the British.

KL

the_shadock · Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 4:01 pm Post subject: Re: Sherman Firefly hull question

thanks Kurt.

P-O

tankbarrell · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 56

Just to flesh out Kurts answer a little more, the smoke grenades were actually smoke generators, two to a box. Fired electrically by the driver, they smoked from within the box and you could then reverse into your smoke, leaving a trail behind you.

You had to manually release them from outside to change the generators, Comet being the first vehicle to allow remote opening which meant you could set them off, then drop them and leave them smoking somewhere!

The two extra eyes are for lashing down to landing craft when deep wading trunking is fitted as this obscured the original towing eyes.

the_shadock · Posted: Sun May 15, 2011 3:38 pm Post subject: Re: Sherman Firefly hull question

thanks Adrian, this is very interesting !!

P-O

tankbarrell · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 56

P-O, the other thing I meant to say is the features are not specific to the 17 pdr tanks, standard Sherman V can have these too.

the_shadock · Posted: Sun May 15, 2011 7:46 pm Post subject: Re: Sherman Firefly hull question

- tankbarrell

P-O, the other thing I meant to say is the features are not specific to the 17 pdr tanks, standard Sherman V can have these too.

Do your Sherman have these fittings too?

Pierre-Olivier

tankbarrell · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 56

It had the smoke generator boxes, the extra tow eyes and the vertical towbar, the ones in your picture being for the sprung type.

I have not refitted the generator boxes.

bialy-r

www.racesteve.se/travelling.htm

at the end there is a "Sherman" - but the hull is strange - it's front plate.

Pzkpfw-e · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jul 21, 2010 Posts: 1202

Costas_TT · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Feb 15, 2012 Posts: 387

The entire upper hull looks pretty strange to me, not to mention the lack of a mantlet. It's almost like it has a 47 degree front plate, but without fittings or hull MG mount. Plus, the taper of the rear hull side looks a bit too much. It's a mystery, all right.

Roy_A_Lingle · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2012 6:04 pm Post subject: Re: Sherman Firefly hull question

Hi Folks!

My call is that is a ViMod and not an original Sherman upper hull and the turret maybe a ViMod also.

Any idea where this vehicle is?

My 2 cents.
Sgt, Scouts out!

Costas_TT · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Feb 15, 2012 Posts: 387

According to the source site it's in Lebanon, so the VISMOD thing is rather dubious. I'm going to go with metal sheeting welded around the hull for some reason. As you can see, it covers the bolt strip on the top of the transmission housing, so it's probably an add-on. The upper edge of the front plates resting against the driver's and co-driver's cowls would give an angle close to 47 degrees. As for the turret, it appears that the outer mantlet has been removed and more rectangular plates welded over the inner mantlet covering the coax MG, telescopic sight and 17-pdr elevation slots. You can see the plates covering the coax and sight slots outlined if you enlarge the pic.

Pzkpfw-e · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jul 21, 2010 Posts: 1202

I posted the picture on HMVF, Adrian Barrel reckons that the hull's a mock up, as is the gun mount.

bsmart · Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 1:08 am Post subject: Re: Sherman Firefly hull question

My opinion is that there has been extra plate welded on the hull front. I think the rear angle is an optical illusion caused by the junk piled on the rear deck. The gun looks like a 17pdr but I'm mainly basing that on the muzzle brake

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