Hi everyone, I have a few questions about the smoke dischargers on the sides of some Commonwealth Sherman turrets. If the turret had the 2" mortar in the turret roof, did they have the smoke dischargers on the sides?
What were the "rules" about the dischargers? Which types of Shermans had them, and which units used them?
I ask, because I'm building a Sherman V and ran into this question.
Sherman V

John

Here's a nice view of the smoke dischargers fitted to a Sherman of the 2nd Polish Armored Division in Italy.



Full size

H.P.

Nice shot! Wire activated from outside the turret, interesting. It seems the others were activated from inside the turret.

John

They fitted them because the original Sherman Turrets did not have the 2" internal smoke mortar which was added as a result of British combat experience like a lot of the Sherman development. It is rare to see both the 2" internal and the side mounted British smoke mortars but I have seen a photo of at least one South African tank with both.

As to which units had them you would have to check photos. For the Sherman V use:
British: Guards Armoured Division, 11 Armoured Div (Both North West Europe 44-45).
Polish: 1st Armd Div North West Europe 43-45
Canadian 5CAb Italy & NWE
South African: 6 Armoured Div Italy
French: Unkown Unit NWE (No references handy at present)
First combat use was in Italy 43 by the Canadians

Thanks Al!

John

In reference to Frenchy's pic above; I've seen the mortars fired by a modified rifle trigger, but these look like they have bicycle handgrips and brakes. I presume both types are fired by the mechanical pull-back action of the rifle trigger, or the cable on the hand brake.