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

I'm working on a short project about the 105mm howitzer Shermans. Did I understand correctly that post-1945 some of the 105mm howitzer M4A3s were rebuilt to M4A3 76s or M4A3E8s? When was this done? Any idea of how many 105s went into the mix? Where was the work done? Did I read correctly that some of the turrets come from excess M4A2 76s?

Does anyone know at what point the 105mm howitzer tanks started getting power turret traverse?

Thanks for any info.

Gary B.

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

Hi Gary:
The info I have is from OCM 32443, 28 October 1948. It recommended:

b. That M4(76) HVSS, [??] M4A1 HVSS [??], M4A3, M4A3E2, M4A2(76) HVSS, and M4(105) HVSS be disassembled and disposed of . . . retaining horizontal volute spring suspensions, Ford engines, 76mm turrets and related components . . . (16, 19, 1413, 101, 529, and 623 available, respectively)

c. That M4, M4A1, and M4(105) be retained for foreign aid . . . (1146, 1078, and 185 available)

d. That M4A3(75)W HVSS and M4A3(76) be converted to M4A3(76) HVSS using 76mm turrets and HVSS components from b. . . (638 and 1338 available)

e. That M4A3(75)W and M4A3(105) be retained for possible conversion through procurement of new turrets and suspensions . . . (1196 and 487 available)

f. That M4A1(76) be converted to M4A1(76) HVSS through procurement of new suspensions . . . (754 available)

M4A1(76) HVSS (1271), M4A3(76) HVSS (2337), and M4A3(105) HVSS (2116) were retained for service use.

I don’t have the corresponding approval/disapproval OCM, so I don’t know what the approved plan became. To my knowledge new components were never procured. In the event it was desired to keep most of the M4A3s intact and convert a number of M4A1 and M4A3(75)W into M4A1E6 and M4A3E4 for foreign aid, so obviously the plan was not fully implemented.

OCM 36051, 5 Jan 56, recommends the obsoletion of the following (quantities available worldwide as Army assets, as of 1 July 54):

M4A3(76) (268)
M4A3(75)W HVSS (143)
M4A3 & M4A3(75)W (2156)
M4A1(76) HVSS (546)
M4A1(76) (48)
M4A3(105) HVSS w/power traverse (504)
M4A3(105) HVSS w/o power traverse (1010)
M4A3(105) (105)
M4A1 (100)
M4(105) (21)

Nothing else on the power traverse.

Hope that helps,
KL

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