Hi all
I just got my hands on an old Verlinden M1 Dozer for Sherman tanks, and I'd really like to use it on either a Firefly or a M35 Gun tractor.
But I've searched the internet for hours, but can't find any pictures of these kind of vehicles with the dozer. Does this mean, that it wouldn't be plausable at all to mount either of the two vehicles with this dozer, or have I just been looking all the wrong places?
TIA
Jacob

The Firefly used a VVCS set-up, which was the same as the VVSS. Thus the M1 dozer could be mounted to it. I've never seen one mounted to a Firefly, but never say "never". I'm not sure what you mean "M35 gun", but the same rule applies.

Matt: Thanks for your reply, I'm kind of a Sherman noop, so please bare with me
By M35 gun tractor, I mean the turret less M10's (?), which were used to haul the big howitzers and such.
Jacob

I missed the word "tractor". I imagine that the tractor could, but have my doubts as to why?. You should check out "Hobart's Funnies".

I don't recall ever seeing a picture of a Firefly mounting a dozer -- I would think that a unit would have its 75mm gun tanks used for this rather than the valuable (and rare) Firefly.

However, I also have in my possession pics of an arty unit that mounted M1 dozer to an M35 Prime Mover. I'll dig them out for you.

(However, know that the AFV Club M35, from the box, is incorrect. For some reason, AFV Club gives you the wrong engine deck. They simply reboxed the engine deck from the M10 Tank Destroyer (with Diesel engines). In reality, the M35s were created from leftover M10A1s (which were Ford gasoline engined). Here's a corrective article for you http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/afvclub/afv35s08.htm

I have some pics of an M35 with the dozer blade. I'll try and find them. Actually the same pics as Roy mentioned above. If you use Academy's M36 as a base, then you don't need to change the rear deck, just the insides, and add the pintle etc.
Now... how do you put up pics without photobucket??

John

Here's an album on Flikr:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/96378890@N06/5pT477
I used the M36 as my base, and scratched the rest. (Not too hard)

John

Matt: I'll certainly try looking, thanks.
Roy: Looks like something, which I might be able to do, thank you so much.
John: I'd love to see those pictures, please.
Jacob

Thank you very much, John, they are excellent
Your model looks spot on, and I'll probably use your interior as a reference.
Thanks
Jacob

According to my sources, there was a compressor in the right rear of the interior, and seats for 4.

Jacob: the pics that John Berwick posted were the ones I was referring to. Download this to assist you in detailing the VP Dozer: https://archive.org/details/TM9-719

One thing about the M1 and M1A1 dozers is that while the controls were mounted between the driver and assistant driver, the emergency release cord was in front of the assistant driver. This would argue against its installation in a normal Firefly where that position was eliminated for more ammo storage.

Thanks a million Roy.
This is exactly what this site should be all about; sharing knowledge and information.
Thank you all for helping me out, I owe you one
Jacob

Another thought, maybe already listed by someone is that the Firefly was a valuable resource which was to be used for other purposes. Adding a lot of unwanted load (the dozer & attacthment) would make the Firefly less useful for the original mission (punching holes in German tanks).
Any of the other, standard, Shermans in the unit could/should do the dozing instead.
/ Robin

Ditto to what Robin said, and I believe the only reason they put the blade on the M35 was that their unit transitioned to the M6 HST as prime movers and they kept the M35 for other purposes, dozing etc.