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the_shadock · Posted: Mon May 20, 2013 8:03 am Post subject: Duplex Drive Shermans

Joe DeMarco and me have published a page describing the Duplex Drive Shermans there :
http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/duplexdrive/duplexdrive.html

Enjoy !!

P-O

recon4ww2 · Posted: Mon May 20, 2013 11:45 am Post subject: Re: Duplex Drive Shermans

Great job!!

Mike Haines

binder001 · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 25, 2006 Posts: 363

Nice work! I have been fascinated by the DD program for over 30 years. I used to have a letter from Firestone Tire and Rubber about this project. They were the prime contractor for the US production of DD conversion kits.

the_shadock · Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 9:00 pm Post subject: Re: Duplex Drive Shermans

now that I have 1 Teraoctets of storage on Flickr, here are some pics of the M4A1 Duplex Drive preserved in italy :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13963542@N08/sets/72157633640934274/

P-O

binder001 · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 25, 2006 Posts: 363

P-O - thanks for posting those photos! Those are better shots than I have seen previously. I see that the Piana Dell Orme DD tank has the original drivers hatches. If I remember right the M4A1 DD at Slapton Sands has the large drivers' hatches and I think also the M4A1 DD in France.

Todays trivia question - of the three US M4A1 DDs that are preserved; do any or all of them have loader's escape hatches in the turret? What about pistol ports?

Thanks.

Doug_Kibbey · Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 1:07 pm Post subject: Re: Duplex Drive Shermans

Aberdeen DD closeup

the_shadock · Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 5:34 pm Post subject: Re: Duplex Drive Shermans

- binder001

Todays trivia question - of the three US M4A1 DDs that are preserved; do any or all of them have loader's escape hatches in the turret? What about pistol ports?

Thanks.

there are 5 US M4A1 DDs that have survived.
The Piana Dell Orme has small hatches, a high bustle turret with loader's hatch and pistol port.
The one at Saumur is a large hatch hull, the turret is not original.
The one at Slapton Sands is a large hatch hull, a high bustle turret with loader's hatch and pistol port.
There is one large hatch hull at Port en Bessin, it has a high bustle turret with loader's hatch and pistol port.
The last one is at Port en Bessin, it has a small hatch hull with a high bustle turret with loader's hatch and pistol port.
There is one turret that has DD fittings at Port en Bessin, it is a low bustle with loader's hatch and pistol port.

P-O

TrevorLarkum · Posted: Sat May 25, 2013 10:01 am Post subject: Re: Duplex Drive Shermans

Excellent work!

This is what I have on DDs:

Sherman DDs

- I will have to update it based on your new info.

the_shadock · Posted: Sat May 25, 2013 5:30 pm Post subject: Re: Duplex Drive Shermans

- TrevorLarkum

Excellent work!

This is what I have on DDs:

Sherman DDs

- I will have to update it based on your new info.

if you do, please update the page that describes Saumur's Duplex Drive :

The large hatch M4A1 DD at Saumur is not modified from an M4A1 (76)W. It was built as an M4A1(75) with large hatches, and still has the 75mm stowage bins inside (I have seen them). A 76mm T23 turret was retrofitted at some point after tests undertaken by the French Army during post-war years. When the tank was transferred to the French tank museum in the 1970s, it was missing its original "high bustle" 75mm turret. The 76mm turret was the only one available at the moment to make the tank look complete.*

For more information about "transitional" M4A1s with large hatches and 75mm turrets, please see (bottom of the page) :
http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/duplexdrive/duplexdrive2.html

http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/manufacturer/m4a1largehatches/m4a1_largehatches.html

P-O

TrevorLarkum · Posted: Sun May 26, 2013 8:22 am Post subject: Re: Duplex Drive Shermans

Will do!

binder001 · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 25, 2006 Posts: 363

While we are on the subject of Duplex Drive Shermans, I just wanted to remind everyone that a couple US Army instructional videos on the DD tank are (or at least were) available on the Critical Past web site. Very interesting watching even if they are silent.

Gary B.

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