Hi all, I think I would like to do something different than just modelling Wehrmacht armors for a change and a break. I plan to build a couple allied tanks of the tank aces. Since I am like totally ignorant about allied armor aces. So is there any information in regarding to who was the most famous ones of US army, the British, the Soviets, and Canada, what tank they were using while acclaim their fames, and what marking, these sort of information will be of great help.

Thanks Guys!

He may not have been an ace, but a Lt. Gorman, of the Irish Guards, successfully took on a Tiger II and three Tiger I's. He rammed the King Tiger before it could shoot him. The event is portrayed in a painting by David Pentland and can be seen, with many others, at www.military-art.com/new_page_3.htm. This would make quite the diorama.

Nic

Oh yeah. On that website, the picture is under the heading "King Tigers" and is entitled "Prepare to Ram."

Sgt. Lafayette Pool, American

Hi Nic,

Thanks for the information, since the drawing is small, so cannot really tell which model of the Sherman was that, and do you have any information on the markings? This will be the first one I build then. :-)

One more thing, the fellow in the Konigtiger looked extremely calm consider he was looking at a ramming tank. :-) Talking about undaunted courage. :-) :-)

Amen, BC!
You can find a good build article on Pool's M4A1 (76) in the book "Modeler's Guide to the Sherman". I highly recommend this for anyone interested in building US Shermans.

Also, LtCol. Creighton Abrams of the 37th Armored Regiment, 4th Armored Division. He commanded an M4A3 (76)(w) called "Thunderbolt", which has colorful (for an American tank) markings. His battalion was insturmental in leading Gen. George Patton's Third Army through France and Germany.

BTW, great info on Gorman and the Irish Guards. Something to research...

My quick search only came up with one Soviet...Dmitriy Loza was a lieutenant in World War II, and commanded first a company and then a battalion of Sherman M4A2 tanks manufactured in the USA and given to the USSR under the Lend-Lease Program. His unit fought in several major operations from the Ukraine through Romania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Austria. At the conclusion of hostilities in Europe, his unit was sent to the Mongolian steppe, where they drew brand new Shermans for the coming offensive against the Japanese Kwantung Army in Manchuria.

Okay, I found some sketchy info on Soviet Tank Aces here:
[urlhttp://pkka.narod.ru/aces.htm]Red Army Tank Aces[/url]

How could I forget the namesake of our current M.B.T.? Thanks for the reminder.

Okay, see if I get them correct:

Lt. Gorman from the Irish Guard - using an M4, but need to find out the markings and which M4
Sgt Pool - 3rd Armor, M4A1, need marking info
Lt. Col Abrams - 37th Armor Rgt, 4th Armor, M4A3, need marking info.
Dmitriy Loza - M4A2, need to find out markings too

I think at this stage I will probably go for Lt. Col Abrams' tank, since M4A3 is readily available. Would love to do the Pool's M4A1 though, now need to go to the hobby shops see if I can find one....

Thanks guys, if there is any more information about markings will be greatly appreciated.

I did some searching on the internet and was lucky enough to find an article on markings for British Shermans with an example of a tank in the 2nd Battalion Irish Guards (Gorman's unit). It is the second illustration under the heading "The Sherman Tank in British Service, Part 3" at the following website: www.clandavidsonusa.com/wac/panzergruppe/apr94/apr94.htm#Sherman_part_3 Gorman's tank, according to the text under Pentland's picture was named "Ballyragget." The site listed above states that Gorman's brigade landed in France with Sherman Mark V and Vc tanks. I'm sure someone here can tell us what the American equivalent is. Though the sketch shows a tank with a long-barrelled gun, Pentland's painting clearly shows the Sherman with a short-barrelled 75mm. I have a clearer picture in a magazine that I'm looking off of and there are no markings visible on Gorman's tank in it. The King Tiger, by the way, is one of the variants with the Porsche turret.

Hope this helps,

Nic

US - - - - - - - - - - - UK
M4 - - - - - - - - - - - Mk I
M4A1 - - - - - - - - - Mk. II
M4A2 - - - - - - - - - Mk. III
M4A4 - - - - - - - - - Mk. V
M4 Composite - - Mk. I Hybrid

that for tanks armed with 75 mm guns.

UK designations take an 'a' for those armed with 76 mm guns, 'b' for those with 105 mm howitzer and 'c' for those with 17 pdr guns (the long barreled gun of the drawings).

Is a Mk Vc a Firefly then?

Nic

Yes, Ic and Vc are those known as Firefly.

Well, for Axis, you have to remember Michael Wittmann...

Hi Nick, Thanks for the detailed information. I definitely going to a Sherman then with either Irish Guard marking, or one with 3rd Armor. Now if my luck holds, I might be able to find the right Sherman.

Hello Weezul, Of course, Michael Wittmann, how can I forget about him. Actually my main interest in this hobby is German Armor, or should I say sole interest. I had been building German armor exclusively since I came back to this hobby. So far, I hadn't built any Tiger yet, because I LOVE the tank so much, I want to get my skill level to a certain point that I will do the Tiger justice, but I did got one Stug III Ausf A built which was also crewed by Herr Wittmann, so I can kinda claim that I got one of his. :-) The thing is I just like to take a break now and build an allied one, kinda of personal tribute to those brave fine soldiers pit themselves against an enemy whom were not just equally fine but also in many case possess better equipment. And besides, no matter how I love German armor, man, those road wheels on a III or IV just simply killing me. :-)

Don't worry, I will get back to German after this. #:-)

All the way!