Hi All,
Would the Firefly IC have been used in Normandy?
Thanks in advance.
Pete

Hey Peter,
If you mean the Firefly IC built on the hydrid cast/welded composite M4 Sherman hull, it's possible.
Concord's "British Tanks of WWII (1) France & Belgium 1944" has a photo of British M4A1's and hybrid M4's getting their waterproof sealing tested prior to D-Day, page 13.
Next to the M4A4 Sherman V, the hybrid hull M4 Sherman I was the 2nd most converted version.
This site may be of some help, don't be put off by the dinosaur

http://freespace.virgin.net/shermanic.firefly/

Cheers

jjumbo

Sorry I should have said Hybrid. I have read that the IC Hybrid comes along a little later in the production run. I'll take a look in the Concord book.
Where in BC are you located?

Cheers

Pete

Hey Peter,
Yeah, figured as much.
I have found one picture of a hybrid Firefly IC in France in R.P. Hunnicutt's "Sherman - A History of the American Medium Tank" on page 304.
There is a road sign in the background that reads Route No. 175 VILLEDIEU LES POELES, GRANVILLE 73 if you want a location.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villedieu-les-Po%C3%AAles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granville,_Manche

According to Hunnicutt, the British were trying to produce as many Fireflys they could prior to D-Day so that each of their armoured regiments could have 12 of them.
If the British had the hybrid M4's in general use prior to D-Day, it's probable that as many as possible were being converted to Fireflys for use in Normandy.
Unfortunately, most of the other pictures I've seen from Normandy were of Firefly VC's.
The only other pictures I've got of Firefly IC's in my reference books is of Canadian vehicles taken in April & May of 1945.
FYI - I'm in North Van, where are you ??
Cheers

jjumbo

I'll check myself again, but it may be that the IC Hybrid comes a few months after the invasion.
I'm located in North Van as well, below Cap College/University, - Heritage in the Woods
Pete

Hey Pete,
I have PM'd you.
Cheers

jjumbo

Too bad you fellas weren't up around the Skeena River area. But maybe next year when I head back down to the Island....

Hey Lewis,
Where are you located on the Skeena?
It's gotta be a fair distance from here in North Vancouver.
PM me If you're ever down to the Lower Mainland, there's a number of LHS you might find interesting.
The two here on the North Shore are pretty good, Martin at Finescale Hobbies has tons of kits and AM.
Cheers

jjumbo

Yep, couldn't agree more, Martin has a ton of stuff, plus he keeps bringing out more from his own stash. Some real gems.
Great guy.
Cheers
P

You guys ever hear of Terrace?

Finescale Hobbies, eh? I'll have to remember that... and I will let you know when I'm back in the Lower Mainland. Unfortunately, my LHS seems to be moving more and more away from the military models. I guess it's a fairly small market, here.

If you guys are ever up this way, let me know, and I can point you in the direction of some fantastic fishing!

Sounds like a plan. I'm just getting back into fly fishing again as my son is now old enough to be interested in it. Love to fish up that way someday..you never know.
Finescale Models is located on First street in North Van. Martin also has an encyclopedic (sp?) memory regarding kits, if it was produced he'll remember it and who re-popped it...
Don't hesitate to write if there is anything your looking for.
Cheers
P

The M4 composite hull was manufactured by Chrysler from August 1943, until January, 1944, and replaced the M4A4 on the production line (M4A4 delivery to the UK continued for another year, though, as redundant training tanks in the US were remanufactured and turned over to the British forces as Lend Lease). The conversions of both versions to Firefly were concurrent. Standard welded hull M4 tanks were also used, though these were the least common variant.

Hey Lewis,
You should also check out Burnaby Hobbies if and when you next get down this way.
David and John can get you just about any kit you need or want.
Yeah, the Terrace area is great !!
Went on a camping/fishing trip up there about 35 years ago when I was just out of high school.
IIRC, the creeks and rivers were packed with rainbow trout, whitefish and Dolly Vardens.
Not to mention spawning salmon and hungry bears !!
Cheers

jjumbo

Peter, my good sir, just to give you some idea, John recalls correctly:
This is fishing heaven... be it flyfishing or casting. And in the summer, who needs waders?

John, you do indeed recall correctly. But it's even better... cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden, rainbow trout, and five, count 'em, five different kinds of salmon from April to the end of October! Oh, yeah... and bears. We grow 'em big up here....

So... Finescale and Burnaby hobbies, eh? Gonna write these down and put 'em near my stash!

Gerald, if you're still reading this thread, I would love to have access to your references! How big is your library?

Hey Lewis,
One thing for sure, you knew it was a good fishing spot when you found bear sh*t all over the place !!!
Cheers

jjumbo

Yeah martin is.... great. um.... just don't mention the wife lol