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I got my Hunnicutt Sherman about ten years ago from a guy who was selling off his kit and book collection. I grabbed the book as soon as I saw it, despite the guy warning me that it was "an expensive book" - $25 CDN! I visited his place with two other armour modelers, so that book didn't leave my hands until I got home.

I was also lucky with both Patton and Abrams, which I picked up in a store at about the same time for $65 CDN each. I got the Stuart book at about the same time the Pershing title was reprinted ($55 for the Pershing, $100 for Stuart). I do so wish I had managed to get a copy of Firepower at the same time - the ebay prices on that one are a killer.

Cheers,

Scott Taylor

Seems like a slow day on the board so I'll post a Sherman trivia picture. Only hint I will give is that this picture is from the APG Ordnance Museum inactive files, ie at least at one point it was part of the museum.

So, can anyone identify this Sherman?



Bob probably isnt eligible to answer since I think I have sent the pic to him previously...

Neil

And Jim, since you just plain know too much, you're probably not eligible either!

Unless no one else can figure it out I guess

Neil

- Neil_Baumgardner

Seems like a slow day on the board so I'll post a Sherman trivia picture. Only hint I will give is that this picture is from the APG Ordnance Museum inactive files, ie at least at one point it was part of the museum.

So, can anyone identify this Sherman?



Bob probably isnt eligible to answer since I think I have sent the pic to him previously...

Neil

The T6 prototype with prototype differential cover. The new cover was the first effort at improving the armor protection on the cover.

Well, I figured that was probably too easy, all someone had to do was flip through Hunnicutt's Sherman enough

BTW, its also notable for missing the mantlet... And I believe a new gun was installed?

I'm not sure these are good trivia along the same lines either, but I'll throw them out anyway...

Neil





Neil

The bottom one (and possibly the top one) is a flame tank.

- Neil_Baumgardner

Well, I figured that was probably too easy, all someone had to do was flip through Hunnicutt's Sherman enough

BTW, its also notable for missing the mantlet... And I believe a new gun was installed?

I'm not sure these are good trivia along the same lines either, but I'll throw them out anyway...

Neil





Neil

Yeah, the T6 has a M3 75mm gun installed in that pic. Since I happen to have my Hunnicutt book with me at work today, is it considered cheating? Or should I just i.d. the above Shermans anyway?

Doug, correct on the second tank - although there are many different kinds of Sherman flamethrowers. I believe this was the most advanced one basically.

The top one had two different kinds of weapons, but neither was a flamethrower...

Neil

[quote="toadmanstankpictures"]

- Neil_Baumgardner

Yeah, the T6 has a M3 75mm gun installed in that pic. Since I happen to have my Hunnicutt book with me at work today, is it considered cheating? Or should I just i.d. the above Shermans anyway?

I'd say we should see if anyone knows off the top of their head what they are, and you can answer if they dont?

Neil

- Neil_Baumgardner

- Neil_Baumgardner

Yeah, the T6 has a M3 75mm gun installed in that pic. Since I happen to have my Hunnicutt book with me at work today, is it considered cheating? Or should I just i.d. the above Shermans anyway?

I'd say we should see if anyone knows off the top of their head what they are, and you can answer if they dont?

Neil

That's fine by me. I have some work to do anyways.

- Neil_Baumgardner

Doug, correct on the second tank - although there are many different kinds of Sherman flamethrowers. I believe this was the most advanced one basically.

The top one had two different kinds of weapons, but neither was a flamethrower...

Neil

The top one is a Rocket launcher. Working from memory (It is in Chamberlain & Ellis also) I think it was 7.2" rocket launchers on either side of a gun. gun looks too big to be a 75 could it be a 105? I can't remember the T number ( That is what C&E is for :-))

And the first one should have been easy for almost anyone. How many Shermans had side doors, direct vision slots in the hull and bow machine guns

T31 demolition tank, the center barrel is a 105mm howitzer.

Neil

- Neil_Baumgardner

T31 demolition tank, the center barrel is a 105mm howitzer.

Neil

The original CEV Did I have the rocket size right? I think some of the experiments used other sizes (9" rockets?) I'm working from deep memory.

Oh yeah, the rockets were 7.2 inch, apparently in drum barrels...

Neil

[quote="Scott_Taylor"]

- Al_Bowie

The turret is a later t23 so I doubt it is a prototype.


Actually, I think it's an earlier T23 turret with the split loader's hatch, which would fit with the notion that this turret might be from one of the M4A1(76) that South African forces used in Italy. It appears that there is a bulge on the left top of the turret to accommodate the split hatch, I think the MG mount can be seen on the front of the hatch, and I haven't seen the casting numbers visible on the right side of the turret on any of the later oval hatch turrets. Of course, this is assuming that you are defining "early" vs. "late" 76mm. turrets the same way I am, i.e., split vs. oval loader's hatch.

Cheers,
Scott Taylor

Actually Scott I was defining it by the pototype cast which had a Square double hatch for the loader and no Radio cooling fan housing on turret bustle (pge 204 Hunnicuts shows the pre prod T23 on an M4A1). You are correct that this appears to be a split loaders hatch T23 which the earlier production ones had (also in this format minus the Radio Fan housing) and not the later oval loaders hatch version. Further indication this is one from the M4A1 76 that SAs used is the British sun compass mount on the right side of the turret. This is a small flat plate welded to the turret and only seems to appear on Brit variants. DML included it in their kit of the Cobra period one.

As for Hunnicutts I must have been lucky:
Sherman: $90 Aust (92)
Pershing: $60 Aust (96)
Stuart: $150 Aust (97)

A good mate had the entire collection up to Halftrack and lost the lot whilst in sorage due to flooding. He was devastated. Many thousands of dollars of books a soggy rotten papier mache mess.
Cheers
AL