I am a Sherman novice, and I can't get the Hunnicutt book thru the local library yet.

Can some one direct me to a web site that I can find out the differences between cast, plate and composite armor, wet and dry storage, high and low bustles, large hatch small hatch, 75, 76, 105mm and quarter pounders with fries, 9 pounders and don't forget Fireflys.

I want to use some Sherman models for some engineeing conversions, like mine rollers, bull dozers, ARV's and as a base for a M32.

The minerollers came ashore just after D-Day and used until the end of the war. If the M4A1 that used it was destroyed they would put the equipment on another M4A1, right? What hapopened later on when they ran out of M4A1s and only had M4A3, would they have put it no them?

What about the dozer Sharmans were they also M4A1s? The M32s were built on all the Sherman chassis for a M32A1, A2, A3 etc. What was the base vehicle for each? Were there any based on the M4A2? Did anyone use the Diesel Shermans beside the US Marines in the Pacific and the non-US Allies, like the Britsch, Poles and Russians?

I am so confused!

Wow quite the question you got there...Welcome to the world of the Sherman ...Dozers were used on most sherman types ...The rollers I have even seen on an M32..so I guess they could be on an M4A3 as well..
Here's a good starting place for a few of your questions ...
http://web.inter.nl.net/users/spoelstra/g104/index.htm

hth
Rick

Here is a link to the Sherman Register. This site has some comprehensive information regarding the Sherman tank and variants.

Hi Jim:

Here's a brief write up on the major variants:
http://www.usarmymodels.com/ARTICLES/Sherman%20Corner/shermanvariants.html

General modelling tips for Shermans can be found here too:
http://www.usarmymodels.com/ARTICLES/articles.html

As for Minerollers, the T1E1 was used on the M32 and the T1E3 was used on M4s and M4A1s. I don't think these came right away although they do appear before the end of the France battles. The Brits with their Crab flails were the most successful anti-mine Shermans. These were loaned to the Yanks, too.

The T1E3 roller assemblies were removeable. Yes, could place it on other tanks. The T1E3s were only used by two units (I don't recall which). Photographic evidence shows they used remanufactured M4s and later production, small hatch M4A1s. Photographic evidence of these units using M4A3s isn't known. I'd say unlikely though. I don't think their usage was that successful -- probably didn't last til war's end.

Dozer tanks were used from the start, with some even in the assault waves on the DDay beaches. They were an asset in the bocage and were always in demand. The M1 Dozer set could be used for any VVS suspensioned Sherman variant. I've seen M4A2s, M4A3s, etc. with the dozer gear.

M32 was M4 chassis
M32B1 was on an M4A1 chassis
M32B2 was on an M4A2 chassis
M32B3 was on M4A3 chassis

The M4A2 was one of the most numerous lend lease Shermans to American Allies. British and Commonwealth troops first used them in Africa and Italy. Some appear with them and Free French troops in Normandy but they were being eclipsed by the M4A4. The Soviets rec'd mostly the M4A2, all sorts of production types (early hulls, late hulls, 75 and 76mm turrets, VVS and HVSS).

US ARVs were either the T2/M31 (based on the M3 Lee) or the M32 types. The T2 had been used successfully since Italy and seem to be in photos more frequently in Normandy. My guess is that the M32 came later in quantity.

I have a number of soft cover books if you are interested in using them, show all sorts of Shermans in all conditions. Enough to keep a Sherman modeler busy foir years.
Send me mail and I can send them to you, no charge or scam....better than buying them.

Hi,

I've collected a lot of online references about Sherman tanks, you can found them here - Sherman references on AA


HTH

Is it possible to have anything brief about Shermans...Just listing the individual types fills a screen... .

Cheers
Henk