Shermaholics,
I have seen M-4 Shermans up-armoured with cut up panther hulls and sandbags etc. I was wondering if anyone has seen pictures or read accounts of german schurtzen or burnt bed springs (such as on the T-34)being used on M-4s for protection against panzerfausts?

Thanks,
Major Stueben

It's doubtful any American fitter would have thought to use German schurzen (5mm plate) for stand off protection. The knowledge of hollow charge weapons defense (i.e. bazooka or panzerfaust) was not well-devloped. Even the Germans didn't use schurzen or the later mesh skirts as stand off protection vs. hollow charge weapons. They used it to defend against Russian AT rifle rounds. The theory that they were used to protect vs. bazookas is a myth, promulgated shortly after the end of the war.

The Americans/Brits used sandbags, extra tracks, concrete, cut up armor, etc. to add protection vs. German hollow charge weapons.

You bring up a good point about the Soviet use of the "bed spring" armor. They DID stumble upon something that could protect them against Panzerfaust warheads. But no other nation (that I'm aware of) used mesh armor in the same way during WW2.

(Some US tanks in the pacific used stand off armor/mesh but that was to protect vs. Japanese hand-tossed explosive satchels)

But you can always try something like that

great picture evidence...
what bool was that from, I woul;d like to read more