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M4 Sheman fire extinguishers?
Vierville
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Gauteng, South Africa
Joined: April 05, 2014
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Posted: Saturday, January 09, 2016 - 06:55 PM UTC
Hi all.

I was just wondering if American and British M4 Shermans in Normandy carried external fire extinguishers? I've seen what looks like a fire extinguisher strapped to the outside of a British Sherman Firefly Vc (rear right side if i recall correctly)but never to any American Shermans. Im ordering all the aftermarket stuff for a British Firefly Vc,and an American M4A1 and standard welded hull M4 all from the D-Day petiod and wanted to find out if external fire extinguishers were standard? Thanks in advance!
ericadeane
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Michigan, United States
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Posted: Saturday, January 09, 2016 - 08:55 PM UTC
none were standardized on the outside of US Shermans during WW2 that I'm aware of. British NWE Shermans usually carried two. Two are contained in every the Asuka/Tasca kit -- and is a left over for those building American Shermans. If you have friends who build Tasca American Shermans, you can ask them for theirs.
Biggles2
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Quebec, Canada
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Posted: Saturday, January 09, 2016 - 09:07 PM UTC
I'm not a Sherman expert, but if you look at a US (British Shermans also have them) Sherman's engine deck, just behind and to the left of the turret, there is a small rectangular box shape with one open side facing rearwards. Inside is supposed to be a red-painted handle. This activates the fire extinguisher when pulled. Presumably only for interior engine fires.
Vierville
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Gauteng, South Africa
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Posted: Saturday, January 09, 2016 - 09:13 PM UTC
Thanks! I guessed that the US versions didn't have an externally stowed extinguisher as I've never seen one. Even in 1944 Britain was big on health and safety!
165thspc
#521
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Kentucky, United States
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Posted: Saturday, January 09, 2016 - 09:43 PM UTC
Not much that burns is on the outside of a Sherman! As to engine fires, the engine fire suppression system could be activated from either the inside or outside of the vehicle.

As to the external actuator; rather than a box it was an armored inverted U shaped enclosure that protected a red painted T shaped pull handle. At least in peace time this handle was wired down with a thin metal wire to reduce the chance of accidentally pulling the handle.

Someone else will have to confirm this but I believe the Shermans had two engine fire bottles so there were actually two handles under this cover. If pulling the first one did not put out the fire then the second was pulled. Only the first handle was painted red.
Frenchy
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Rhone, France
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Posted: Saturday, January 09, 2016 - 10:32 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Someone else will have to confirm this but I believe the Shermans had two engine fire bottles so there were actually two handles under this cover.




from http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/manufacturer/m4a4/m4a4_variants.html

H.P.
ALBOWIE
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New South Wales, Australia
Joined: February 28, 2006
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Posted: Sunday, January 10, 2016 - 02:55 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Not much that burns is on the outside of a Sherman! As to engine fires, the engine fire suppression system could be activated from either the inside or outside of the vehicle.

As to the external actuator; rather than a box it was an armored inverted U shaped enclosure that protected a red painted T shaped pull handle. At least in peace time this handle was wired down with a thin metal wire to reduce the chance of accidentally pulling the handle.

Someone else will have to confirm this but I believe the Shermans had two engine fire bottles so there were actually two handles under this cover. If pulling the first one did not put out the fire then the second was pulled. Only the first handle was painted red.


Actually many a vehicle caught fire from the ignition of external stowage which tended to be Cam Nets, Tarps , crew gear in packs etc and was quite flammable. and I have read a few accounts of British crews using the external extinguishers to put these out.

I have personally witnessed an M548 TLC burnt to the ground through the ignition of its cam net due to the build up of leaf litter around a hot exhaust (2 CAV Regt Cobar 1982)

Al
165thspc
#521
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Kentucky, United States
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Posted: Sunday, January 10, 2016 - 09:33 PM UTC
I sit corrected!

Cheers all
tankmodeler
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Ontario, Canada
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Posted: Sunday, January 10, 2016 - 11:34 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Thanks! I guessed that the US versions didn't have an externally stowed extinguisher as I've never seen one. Even in 1944 Britain was big on health and safety!

US Shermans (and tanks in general) did not field external fire extinguishers.

Commonwealth tanks that had Brit stowage (as opposed to those used straight from US stocks) all had external extinguishers. At the beginning of the war these were the Pyrene type with a handle and were located on either side of the turret on Shermans and Rams:



Later in the war these shifted to methyl bromide extinguishers:



This photo shows a Grizzly (an M4A1) during an interim period when both types were fitted.



Paul
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