Hi all, I'm working on a "Bulge" dio and was wondering if there are any pics of Creighton Abrams "Thunderbold VI" tank around? If not, which loaders hatch would it have had...late or early version? Did the 76mm barrel have the thread cover or muzzle brake? I'm also curious as to what other sherman variants would have been around at the time of the Bulge in this battalion.
Thanks for the help.
Hosted by Darren Baker
37th tank battalion ??s
snowgoon81
Joined: January 30, 2009
KitMaker: 67 posts
Armorama: 67 posts
Posted: Friday, March 19, 2010 - 10:30 AM UTC
jgaudon
Joined: May 08, 2008
KitMaker: 18 posts
Armorama: 12 posts
Posted: Friday, March 19, 2010 - 12:26 PM UTC
If Dragons M4A3 kit is to be believed, and I have no other evidence either way, it was the A3 model with Split ring loaders hatch with the 76mm gun with thread cover on the end of the barrel.
As for versions used during the Bulge, Steve Zalogas "Thunderbolt" book references 21 M4A3E8s delivered to the 3rd Army in Dec 44 , and thats all.
The book also says that the first batch of E8 went "to the badly depleted 4th AD"
A further 114 were delivered in Jan 45 with 28 going to 3rd Army.
I have several pictures of E8s in white camo from 14th AD.
Of course any number of older versions would still be in use, M4, early and laste M4A1, early M4A3, and even some composite hull M4.
As for versions used during the Bulge, Steve Zalogas "Thunderbolt" book references 21 M4A3E8s delivered to the 3rd Army in Dec 44 , and thats all.
The book also says that the first batch of E8 went "to the badly depleted 4th AD"
A further 114 were delivered in Jan 45 with 28 going to 3rd Army.
I have several pictures of E8s in white camo from 14th AD.
Of course any number of older versions would still be in use, M4, early and laste M4A1, early M4A3, and even some composite hull M4.
HONEYCUT
Joined: May 07, 2003
KitMaker: 4,002 posts
Armorama: 2,947 posts
Posted: Friday, March 19, 2010 - 01:20 PM UTC
Hey Chris
I think Joe has got you sorted here.
The split loaders hatch, not oval, and the thread protector on the guntube.
Definitely plenty of 'older' mark tanks, such as 75mm armed M4 and M4a1. We know that the first tank to meet with elements of the defenders of Bastogne was an M4A3E2.
I have seen a photo of a 4AD M4A1(76)W during the Ardennes Offensive also.
This great pic surfaced sometime last year, and clearly shows how wrong the kit supplied DML decals are in their M4A3(76)W premium kit. I think they based Abram's markings on his Thunderbolt V version, which was an M4. That is Abrams on the right, pointing.
This shows the reverse side markings faintly, and shows the image was not painted in reverse, but was identical to the right side.
Brad
I think Joe has got you sorted here.
The split loaders hatch, not oval, and the thread protector on the guntube.
Definitely plenty of 'older' mark tanks, such as 75mm armed M4 and M4a1. We know that the first tank to meet with elements of the defenders of Bastogne was an M4A3E2.
I have seen a photo of a 4AD M4A1(76)W during the Ardennes Offensive also.
This great pic surfaced sometime last year, and clearly shows how wrong the kit supplied DML decals are in their M4A3(76)W premium kit. I think they based Abram's markings on his Thunderbolt V version, which was an M4. That is Abrams on the right, pointing.
This shows the reverse side markings faintly, and shows the image was not painted in reverse, but was identical to the right side.
Brad
snowgoon81
Joined: January 30, 2009
KitMaker: 67 posts
Armorama: 67 posts
Posted: Saturday, March 20, 2010 - 04:27 PM UTC
Hey thanks for info guys. That helps a lot. I may have to try my hand at freehanding the "thunderbolt" logo...we'll see how that goes.
I knew that "cobra king" was first to Bastogne and that Patton liked the jumbos, but I had no idea about Abrams' tank. Thanks again.
I knew that "cobra king" was first to Bastogne and that Patton liked the jumbos, but I had no idea about Abrams' tank. Thanks again.
tano1958
Joined: June 04, 2010
KitMaker: 8 posts
Armorama: 7 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 04, 2011 - 01:13 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Hey Chris
I think Joe has got you sorted here.
The split loaders hatch, not oval, and the thread protector on the guntube.
Definitely plenty of 'older' mark tanks, such as 75mm armed M4 and M4a1. We know that the first tank to meet with elements of the defenders of Bastogne was an M4A3E2.
I have seen a photo of a 4AD M4A1(76)W during the Ardennes Offensive also.
This great pic surfaced sometime last year, and clearly shows how wrong the kit supplied DML decals are in their M4A3(76)W premium kit. I think they based Abram's markings on his Thunderbolt V version, which was an M4. That is Abrams on the right, pointing.
This shows the reverse side markings faintly, and shows the image was not painted in reverse, but was identical to the right side.
Brad
tano1958
Joined: June 04, 2010
KitMaker: 8 posts
Armorama: 7 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 04, 2011 - 01:20 PM UTC
Hi, please excuse my poor English, but I'm Spanish native speaker. After seeing pictures posted by Brad, I'm more dissappointed than before! On the left picture, where Abrams is signaling the name of the tank, I see "Thunderbolt VI" painted in the same style of M4A3E8 Thunderbolt VII, but on the right picture, "Thunderbolt VI" appears exactly as decals included on Dragon's kit #6255 (a white cloud with 3 red lightnings). Which is the correct to apply on the model I plan to build? I wish to build my model as exact as possible, but I can't go on before solving this question. Any help would be highly appreciated! Thanks in advance and best regards from Montevideo, Uruguay!
Oscar
Oscar
dsaulino
Joined: July 01, 2009
KitMaker: 71 posts
Armorama: 61 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 04, 2011 - 01:25 PM UTC
If you can wait a little longer, Bison Decals is set to release an entire set for Abrams' Shermans. Based on the 1/72 decals, it appears they will be including the correct Thunderbolt VI markings. I have been waiting a while for it but it appears as though it will be coming out soon as they have finally assigned it a stock # on their website.
 |
WEB HOSTING BY
Copyright ©2021 Armorama and Kitmaker Network, a subsidiary of Silver Star Enterprises
All Rights Reserved. Please read our Conditions of Use and Privacy Policy.
All Rights Reserved. Please read our Conditions of Use and Privacy Policy.