Found a picture of an early M4 D V(M3 style bogies ) with twin bow mgs mounted in the centre of the glasis plate . ( the regular ball mount has no mg ) How many of these tanks were built and does anyone make this hull type ?

I'm pretty certain that Rob of Formations had something similar at the show this weekend. Maybe shoot him an email.

Number produced was quite small. They turn up in a few parade photos and training stills, but I don't recall ever seeing a photo of one in a combat zone.

The idea was a hold-over from the M3, and I think it was dropped after only a handful of M4A1s were built. There's a good one preserved at Bovington that was among the first lend-lease "Grizzlies" the UK received.

With the gearbox, two MGs, two ammo boxes, and the ball-mounted MG it would have made the drivers compartment very cramped! Not to mention all the spent brass rolling around...

Tom

The Bovington M4A1 is by no means a "Grizzly" and was the second production Sherman and the oldest surviving Sherman. The Grizzlies were kept for Canadian service exclusively and are of a later hull casting design. Some pictures show up of a couple of very early M4A1 in UK service in NA but they have these welded shut and are very difficult to spot in photos. I believe some of the US M4 in Tunisia had welded shut fixed MG ports also.
AL