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any of these refurbished in the 1950s and served in Korea that have survived until today? The external stowage is particular, with a sprocket on each hull side and a roadwheel on the turret.


P-O

Hi Everyone!

Best I can remember, there was only one done to prove it could be done. It didn't take long for 76 gun M4A3 HVSS tanks to arrive, so there was no need to tie the depot up with work that was not wanted.

Spot Report!
Sgt, Scouts out!

hello,

the Hunnicutt says "In addition to repairs, some of the older M4A3s with the 75 were rearmed with the 76mm gun. Fitted into the smaller turret, it had the appearance of the expedient mount first tried in 1942. Although crowded, it again showed that firepower was the crucial factor".

P-O

There were a few done in Europe very late in WWII, pics of them show up now and then. That's where Tokyo got the idea. Doubt there are any that survived from Europe.

IIRC Hunicutt does not mention that many M4A3E4/M4A1E6 were rebuilt in the US in the early 1950ies and used for military aid. Rock Island Arsenal and Bowen McLaughlin of York seems to have been the main producers.
It would have made sense if the Tokyo Ordnance Depot produced some as well if parts were available there.

The basic concept was the same as the 1942 prototype, so they knew it could be done and how. And it was not just some idea someone got in Tokyo, it was a regular production run with the purpose of producing tanks for MDAP.

I think the crux here is not the rearming of the tank itself, although it is a factor, but the external stowage arrangements unique to the specific depot. IIRC, a number of "regular" 76mm gunned M4A3s received the same stowage arrangements.

Didn't the Japanese Army have 12 of these for training purposes?

Although the JGSDF got M4A3 76mm HVSS tanks (M4A3E8s), they don't appear to have the specific stowage additions made by the Tokyo depot. TOD rebuilt tanks were issued early in the Korean War to the 8072nd - later redesignated 89th - Tk Bn. They were "mainly late production M4A3s with the horizontal volute spring suspension and the 76mm gun (Hunnicutt, Sherman, p. 496-502, including text and pictures).