Hi Guys,

Another I'm hoping to get done during the campaiogn is the British M32BI ARV.

I have a DML M4A1 small hatch hull and wll finish it with indi tracks with duckbills. Been in the build pile for more than 3 years so hopefully I can get on wiht it this year.



Al

It will come out great.

Alan,

I've got much the same kitbash on the books (but in a long queue). I was thinking of a pic in George Forty's book of Tanks in Two World Wars that shows one with the early three-piece tranny, but it doesn't show any AoS markings etc - just a T number. You know of any marking info out there?

I'll be watching this with interest!

Tom

Hi Tom,

The few pics I have are of Polish ones, I will get back to you with any marking I can find.

Hi Carl,

Nice looking build.

Al

Hey Al,
I've had a similar plan percolating in the back of my mind for awhile.
This may be of use !
Cheers

jjumbo

Looks good!

Before you get too into it, I might suggest the Tasca Sherman as the best base for the M32.

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/news/2994


Either way should be a good build to follow!

Hi Tom,

I have posed a question on ML to see if I can get any feedback on unit establishmentds. My thinking would be that they were either Divisional RE vehicles or even held a Corps Level. being speciliased units they are unlikely to have been on establishment of either Armoured or Infantry Units, but I will wait and see if any info come back.

Hi John,

Thanks for the link.

Hi James,

I see you thinking on the Tasca kit but I already have what I should need and don't want to sacrafice yet another kit. Hopefuly the DML hull will be all that I need to replace, well that plus the tracks and some scratchbuilding.

Cheers guys.

Al

Cannot wait to see what you get out of this.

I know it will be good have to add one to the collection.
Is not Dragon coming out with one?

Strange on the Box art they show loose tracks and what looks like the rear idler falling off.

Strange indeed.

Cheers

Hi Jeff,

This one can be built as is for an American version, as there were large hatch versions in the PTO despite what has been written in the past. The more common version had the small hatches and I believe the floor levels are not right in the Italeri kit.

Who knows with all the new Allied kits it will be Murphy's law that an all singing and dancing 3 in 1 version comes along once I have finished lol, lol. I believe from Saul the TDM when it launches in its new guise will have either a complete full kit or update version.

Cheers

Al

Steven Zaloga, in his books on US Armored Divisions and US Tank and Tank Destroyer battalions, shows these as being integral to tank and tank destroyer units. In the case of Armored divisions there is one in the maintenance section of each tank company, and two in the battalion maintenance platoon of the divisions service company. In the self propelled tank destroyer battalions they have one in the HQ platoon of each T.D. company.

I would assume that they would have markings similar to the rest of the unit.

Photos online aren't much help. They show either pictures of models, or museum displays. There is one picture of a M32 in Zaloga's book. It shows a white star with a broad circle around it on the turret, another white star, no circle, on the hull side, the serial number on the front right hull at the corner, and a C23 and the left front transmission cover.

I also have this type of conversion, a small hatch hull mated to the Italeri kit, in the queue. One thing I've been thinking about doing it putting the M32 into action, either towing another vehicle out of the mud, or maybe righting an overturned vehicle, like a duce N a half.

Hi Roger,

Thanks, useful info. The establishment in the British Army would have been different which is what I'm trying to find out. Specialised units tended to be on establishment of Corps HQ and attached to divisions as needed. This one came late to the British Army so I'm not clear as to who had them.

Thanks again.

Al

Alan,

Thanks for chasing it on ML - I haven't really got into that website. (I suppose I ought to look there more...) I have seen some grainy pics of a vehicle with I believe the Poles, but cannot see the T number clear enough to read it. I doubt it is the same one as in Forty's book, so I wonder where that one went?

I too am planning to use the Dragon kit simply because I have one! Domestic politics always favours reducing the pile...

Tom

Al, this will be a nice project. I built mine several years ago, although I converted mine to an M32 (sans B) with the Tamiya M4. Not that it's very accurate but it was the only M4 available at the time...

Have fun with it and keep us posted!

Cheers
Stefan

Hi Tom,

No response yet, here are the 2 pics I have of the Polish one: For discussion only

linkname



On the designations is any one clear on those: I don't think there were more than 4 Mks

M32 - Based on Sherman M4 - Qty x 9
M32B1 - Based on The Sherman M4AI - Qty x 35
M32B2 -Based on the Sherman M4A2
M32B3- Based on the Sherman M4A3

Stefan, your M4 should be fine.

Al

Edit

Hi Tom,

Some info from Sam over on ML:

The Sherman II ARV III was found in the headquarters troop of each squadron aswell in the RE units of the Armoured Division/Brigade.
Untill now I've only found evidence of these vehicles being used by the 11th Armoured Division (after they had switched to the A34 Comet)
and the 4rd Armoured Brigade in 1945.

Grz,

Sam.

So 1945 is the setting for these in deployment terms and some marking possibilities from the above info,

Al

Hi Tom,

A bit more info from Sam and Al Bowie over on ML

http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/thread/1268522212/Sherman+M32BI+Question

This should broaden things out a bit.

Al

Very tempting Al !

I'll be watching your build on this one closely.

The kit seems a little difficult to find, nothing on 'Evilbay' Atm either

Cheers

Paul

Al,

Many thanks for pursuing the British question! I followed the link across, and the pics are very useful. It'll be quite a while before I get stuck into my build, but I'll definitely post it as I go.

Tom

Hi Al,

I see Sam has corrected his post to say that they were issued to REME not RE units with the Armd Divs.

In which case the AoS would have been 99 on blue over yellow over red patches. But then you already knew that I expect.

Hi Al. Interesting project you've got in front of you, i'm going to be following this as I'm going to build this kit when I can find one .

Hi Tom,

Your welcome.

Hi Ken,

Thanks, yes picked that one up.

Hi Paul,

One for the Sherman Campaign if I can hold off getting started



Hi Martyn,

Have to see how it goes togetrher.

Thanks for all the help folks.

Al

A book that deals with the recovery and reair in the ETo is "Death Traps" By Belton Y. Cooper ( Balantine books/ Presidio Press -isbn# 0-89141-814-8). He was an ordnance officer in the 3rd Amoured Divsion. Though there are few photos of any type I do seem to remember him detailing Unit organisation. It Might be a help for getting some Ideas for your build.

Joshua

Thanks Joshua,

Al

The desinations were:
M32 on the M4
M32B1 on the M4A1
M32B2 on the M4A2
M32B3 on the M4A3
M32B4 on the M4A4 (none built)

When they got HVSS suspenssion they became:

M32A1 on theM4
M32A1B1 on the M4A1
M32A1B2 on the M4A2
M32A1B3 on the M4A3

No Roman numerals.

Thanks Tony,

Al