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After WW II, the surviving Rams in Europe were handed off to countries like Holland and some had their 6 pdr guns replaced with British 75mm guns like those mounted on the Cromwell or Churchill tanks.
Actually the 75mm gunned Rams were converted just prior to the end of the war and were provided to the Dutch in that condition. Many ended up with their trurets emplaced as defensive "Panzerturms" on the Dutch borders.
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Here's a photo of a early Mk. II with the 6 pdr outside of the British Columbia Regiment's Armoury here in Vancouver:
http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2048818770092933776cyDNQn
I love the hullside hatches and the MG turret.
jjumbo
One of the interesting things about this Ram is that it is an early vehicle that has had a significant upgrade. While it has the side doors that shuold mount protectoscopes, the places for the scopes have been welded up and the doors welded shut. The engine (originally the 100-octane Wright) has been replaced with the 87-octane Continental. The aircleaners were added under the rear overhang and the pervious exhaust ports plated over. And, of course, the most obvious change is that the shorter Mk III 6 pdr has been changed for the longer Mk V version.
Of the remaining Rams in Canada, almost all of the remaining early versions have had this upgrade or at least part of it. I have a number of photos of wartime training at Borden or Meaford showing early Rams with upgraded features and many had the suspension upgraded to the later Sherman type as well. These vehicles gave service right upto the end of the war in training units in Canada. It doesn't seem that any of the upgraded vehicles got to Europe.
For those building the Formations kit, one correction I would recomment is to soften the corners of the main hull casting. The kit has these corners being too sharp (i.e. the radius is too small). Use a file & knife to make the curvature much more generous all down the sides and then continuing around the rear corners to where the raised humps are just aft of the engine deck doors. The new radius should be very similar to that of the rear hull corner where the rear suface & side surface meet.
Take a look at this photo and then at the kit to see what I mean.
http://gallery.kitmaker.net/showphoto.php/photo/263233
There are also things like front corner lights and the small indicator rod assembly missing from the kit that you can add if you want.
HTH
Paul
