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Extra tracks as armour
Hodson
Joined: February 11, 2007
KitMaker: 96 posts
Armorama: 54 posts
Posted: Monday, June 04, 2007 - 01:48 PM UTC
How are these extra tracks fastened to the tank?
m4sherman
Joined: January 18, 2006
KitMaker: 1,866 posts
Armorama: 1,808 posts
Posted: Monday, June 04, 2007 - 01:57 PM UTC
The one method that I have seen and read about was simply welding the track on via the guide horns like on the hull sides, and dirrectly on like on the turret. The links on the front were either secured with metal bars and strips, or the upper links were welded on and the lower sections were left loose so they could be removed to get acess to the transmission mounting bolts. Tracks were heavy, and needed very sturdy mounting.
Hodson
Joined: February 11, 2007
KitMaker: 96 posts
Armorama: 54 posts
Posted: Monday, June 04, 2007 - 02:04 PM UTC
Thanks for the info Randall, I'll weld 'em on.
Ted
Ted
shado67
Joined: October 16, 2003
KitMaker: 220 posts
Armorama: 215 posts
Posted: Monday, June 04, 2007 - 03:08 PM UTC
That is a great photo that I have never seen before. Is it in a book?
That has to be the most intense effort of up-armoring with tracks I have seen on a Firefly - or any sherman.
That has to be the most intense effort of up-armoring with tracks I have seen on a Firefly - or any sherman.
Hodson
Joined: February 11, 2007
KitMaker: 96 posts
Armorama: 54 posts
Posted: Monday, June 04, 2007 - 03:15 PM UTC
The photo is at this website. I gather that a lot of Canadian crews covered their tanks with track.
http://www.collectionscanada.ca/faces-of-war/025014-2000-e.html
http://www.collectionscanada.ca/faces-of-war/025014-2000-e.html
Hodson
Joined: February 11, 2007
KitMaker: 96 posts
Armorama: 54 posts
Posted: Monday, June 04, 2007 - 03:18 PM UTC
Damn it, how do I make the website address a link rather than just text?
m4sherman
Joined: January 18, 2006
KitMaker: 1,866 posts
Armorama: 1,808 posts
Posted: Monday, June 04, 2007 - 05:09 PM UTC
Quoted Text
That is a great photo that I have never seen before. Is it in a book?
That has to be the most intense effort of up-armoring with tracks I have seen on a Firefly - or any sherman.
Mike,
See if you can get the Concord books on the British Commonwealth in NWE, there are a number of pictures of track uparmored Shermans. Also, check out the Imperial War Museum.
I was looking at the picture, it is a very good one, and the tracks on the front left edge look like Cromwell tracks. The guide horns are too tall for German. I don't recall seeing those on a Sherman before.
f1matt
Joined: August 13, 2006
KitMaker: 1,021 posts
Armorama: 805 posts
Posted: Monday, June 04, 2007 - 05:21 PM UTC
The book "Royal Canadian Armoured Corps" has lots of great Sherman pics. My favorite picture is of a Sherman covered with Churchill tank tracks. Along with chronicaling the corps complete history.
m4sherman
Joined: January 18, 2006
KitMaker: 1,866 posts
Armorama: 1,808 posts
Posted: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 - 03:27 AM UTC
Quoted Text
The book "Royal Canadian Armoured Corps" has lots of great Sherman pics. My favorite picture is of a Sherman covered with Churchill tank tracks. Along with chronicaling the corps complete history.
Mathew,
Who publishes this one? It sounds like a good reference book.
exer
Joined: November 27, 2004
KitMaker: 6,048 posts
Armorama: 4,619 posts
Posted: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 - 06:59 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Damn it, how do I make the website address a link rather than just text?
When replying-under the text box are a number of buttons {url} {url=} {email} etc
click on the {url} button and this appears
{url} http://put.url.here {/url} then simply paste the web address you want into it and voila
http://www.collectionscanada.ca/faces-of-war/025014-2000-e.html
AJLaFleche
Joined: May 05, 2002
KitMaker: 8,074 posts
Armorama: 3,293 posts
Posted: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 - 07:03 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Damn it, how do I make the website address a link rather than just text?
You have two buttons right below the text box. Pressing the one titled "url" drops in a set of bracketed code and you paste in the link. The link will look exaclty as you pasted it.
[ url]http://put.url.here[/url ]
The other is titled "url=". That will drop in similar code. Replace the simulated url address with the target address.You then replace "linkname" with the title to your link. [ url=http://put.url.here]linkname[/url ]
Removed by original poster on 06/06/07 - 05:08:17 (GMT).
jjumbo
Joined: August 27, 2006
KitMaker: 2,012 posts
Armorama: 1,949 posts
Posted: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 - 10:07 AM UTC
I haven't got access to my resource books right now but I believe that this Sherman Firefly is with the Govenor General's Horse Guards.
The GGHG were permitted, by the unit HG, to add 94 or 95 spare track links to their Shermans.
If you want to see similarily up-armoured Canadian Shermans, pick up a copy of Service Publications "The Sherman in Canadian Service".
Here's their website.
http://www.servicepub.com/
Cheers.
jjumbo
The GGHG were permitted, by the unit HG, to add 94 or 95 spare track links to their Shermans.
If you want to see similarily up-armoured Canadian Shermans, pick up a copy of Service Publications "The Sherman in Canadian Service".
Here's their website.
http://www.servicepub.com/
Cheers.
jjumbo
ericadeane
Joined: October 28, 2002
KitMaker: 4,021 posts
Armorama: 3,947 posts
Posted: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 - 10:15 AM UTC
Gerry Chester, who crewed several Churchill variants in N Africa and Italy said that they valued the quick traverse of their tanks' turrets, especially when engaging enemy tanks. This outweighed any consideration of mounting extra tracks on the turret. Their units' experience with this was conveyed "up the chain of command" but he was surprised to see Churchill units in NW Europe mounting spare tracks on their turrets.
Also, the added links could lethally deflect or catch an enemy AP warhead , acting as a "shot trap" whereas it otherwise may have deflected away. Not 100% a good idea.
Also, the added links could lethally deflect or catch an enemy AP warhead , acting as a "shot trap" whereas it otherwise may have deflected away. Not 100% a good idea.
m4sherman
Joined: January 18, 2006
KitMaker: 1,866 posts
Armorama: 1,808 posts
Posted: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 - 01:42 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Gerry Chester, who crewed several Churchill variants in N Africa and Italy said that they valued the quick traverse of their tanks' turrets, especially when engaging enemy tanks. This outweighed any consideration of mounting extra tracks on the turret. Their units' experience with this was conveyed "up the chain of command" but he was surprised to see Churchill units in NW Europe mounting spare tracks on their turrets.
Also, the added links could lethally deflect or catch an enemy AP warhead , acting as a "shot trap" whereas it otherwise may have deflected away. Not 100% a good idea.
Roy,
As an added note, one Churchill unit historian made the comment that added armor was useless, because nothing would stop an 88! I wish I had the book, but it is, or was, in my college library.
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