Com-Central.net

Well I've always thought that it was one of the M7 mediums but you've thrown out a level of detail I've never explored. I'll put it on my list of things to look up in the files next time I'm up there (unless Neil has already researched that). I know the sign posted by it when it was on the 'Mile of Tanks' said M7 Medium. I believe it is the only survivor of that program.

I need to look at Hunnicutt anyway. I seem to remember that it was originally supposed to be light tank M4 but that after the confusion of having medium and light tanks with the same M number it was changed. That would put it before the M5 light series. It may be that I am mis-remembering things and the M5 light was supposed to be the M4. I need to check the development chain and see if teh M7 was in development before the modified M3 became the M5.

But yes you answered 'before the bell' (I was going to post the M7 info when I got back from lunch) so you get full credit

Hi Bob! Hi Folks!

- bsmart

I need to look at Hunnicutt anyway. I seem to remember that it was originally supposed to be light tank M4 but that after the confusion of having medium and light tanks with the same M number it was changed. That would put it before the M5 light series. It may be that I am mis-remembering things and the M5 light was supposed to be the M4. I need to check the development chain and see if teh M7 was in development before the modified M3 became the M5.

Bob check:
page 173, left colume - modified M3 renamed M4 light tank
page 176, right colume, 1st paragraft - M4 light tank renamed M5
page 199, left colume - T7 light tank started about the same time as the M4/M5, maybe a month later.
page 206, left colume, 1st paragraft, T7 light tank standardized as M7 medium tank
check the right colume:
APG had a T7E2 pilot vehicle with a 6 pounder gun, a 75mm gun mount was shipped to APG and replaced the 6 pounder.

Also Hunnicutt reports that the eighth production vehicle was used at APG for test firing.

More questions! Is the vehicle at APG today, one of the production M7s (vehicle nu 8?) or an original T7 which started out with a 6 pounder main gun?

I love reading my books! Thanks for giving me a reason to dig them out!
Time for bed, got to get up early this afternoon
Sgt, Scouts Out!

I've got an RN for the M7 - 3095066 - but not the SN. Can you check against the Hunnicutt pictures to see if that lines up with a particular pilot?

Neil

Thanks for all the responses fellows. I think I've found a photo here:
www.lemaire.happyhost....t/544.html
Scroll down to bottom.
Ponce

- ponce

Thanks for all the responses fellows. I think I've found a photo here:
www.lemaire.happyhost....t/544.html
Scroll down to bottom.
Ponce

There are a fair number of pictures of that tank on the web, most were taken wen it sat on 'the Mile of Tanks'

Just google M7 tank
and take your pick. Of course it willalso get you references to M7 Priests that someone called a tank, and a model of British Railway Locomotive but I think most folks here can tell the difference

Hi Neil! Hi Folks!

- Neil_Baumgardner

I've got an RN for the M7 - 3095066 - but not the SN. Can you check against the Hunnicutt pictures to see if that lines up with a particular pilot?
Neil

Per Hunnicutt, that RN number is the third production vehicle. There are two photos of it taken at the General Mortors Proving Ground (GMPGs) on January 11, 1943. P207 & 208.

In those two photos, that vehicle also has "SIG3" or maybe "S1G3" painted on all four sides.

There are two more photos of a "Pilot medium M7" again taken at the GMPGs. It has two sets of numbers on the sides and at least one of the numbers on the rear. P206.

Right side, rear to front: 8258 some space and a bit lower down is the number 200.

On the left side, rear to front: 8258, space and lower, the 200.

The 8258 can be seen on the rear hull, due to the camera angle I can not tell if the 200 number is there.

There is one photo of a production M7 with the number "12" on the left front fender. There is a second photo of a different M7 with no markings, however the photo has "ORD 20597" written on it. P209.

There are two photos on P205 of a T7E2 that has a RN but I can not make out the numbers.

U.S.A. 3??2?? right side
U.S.A. 367??? left side.

There are a number of photos of the T7s and M7s, but most do not have any markings.

Hope this helps a little bit Neil!
Sgt, Scouts out!

Roy, looking at the same photos (p207 & 208) - the third production M7 is 3095029... At the bottom of p209 there is a picture of 3095062 (identified simply as a production M7)... There seems to be some number skipping here as there were only 13 production M7s built. No picture or reference to 3095066 that I can see... But it appears likely that its the 8th production vehicle as that would seem to fit in the numbering scheme: 13 were built & 3095029 is the third... That leaves 10 others, including 3095062 and 3095066.

Neil

- Neil_Baumgardner

Roy, looking at the same photos (p207 & 208) - the third production M7 is 3095029... At the bottom of p209 there is a picture of 3095062 (identified simply as a production M7)... There seems to be some number skipping here as there were only 13 production M7s built. No picture or reference to 3095066 that I can see... But it appears likely that its the 8th production vehicle as that would seem to fit in the numbering scheme: 13 were built & 3095029 is the third... That leaves 10 others, including 3095062 and 3095066.

Neil

A little further on this point - I knew there was something I wasnt quite hitting on...

3095066 could well be the 8th production vehicle IF 3095062 is the 4th production vehicle - ie there were no RNs higher than 3095029 (the third vehicle) or below 3095062... Indeed, 3095066 cannot be any lower than the 8th vehicle (assuming there are no skipped numbers in the 3095060s), but it could conceivably be the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th or 13th (if there are numbers in between 3095029 and 3095062).

This may help better explain what I am saying:

(3095027 - presumably Number 1)
(3095028 - presumably Number 2)
3095029 - Number 3

[If no RNs inbetween]

3095062 - possible Number 4
(3095063 - possible Number 5)
(3095064 - possible Number 6)
(3095065 - possible Number 7)
3095066 - possible Number 8

Neil