I was at the local library looking through refs recently when I came across several different pictures of U.S. Marine shermans in the pacific with large nails welded all over the turret and hull making them look like porcupines. They still had the wooden planks attached to the vertical surfaces of the hull. I skimmed trough the book but couldn't find any explanation as to why they did this. Does anyone know? All I can think of is to keep enemy personnel off the vehicle so that they couldn't place explosives.

Hey hellbent
Think you're right on the $ there. In the confines of the jungle it would have been hard to see an approach by the enemy, who would burst out of the foliage to place grenades/explosives etc. Very impressive to model as I have seen in the Osprey M4 modelling book. They have pics of 3 kits during construction covered with metal pins...
Cheers
Brad

That was my next question! How would you duplicate that in scale? Maybe some model RR track nails?

You can't beat the inginuity of Jarheads! We are some sick, mean, and wonderful bas....!

Maybe you could use fuse wire as a cheap source... Simply use a pin vise with the appropriate scale drill bit, and carefully drill small holes where required. You can leave the protruding wire longer than needed once superglued in place, and once set they can be trimmed with nail scissors (for example) to suit.
The example in the book shows these pins all over the turret top and front hatches, whilst on the hull sides there is jagged-cut corrugated iron edging protruding above wooden plank sides to prevent grabbing the edge... Seems they also threw themsleves between the wheel housings with explosives, and as such USMC fitted wooden planks bridging one to the other...
HTH
Cheers
Brad

Somewhere on TrackLink.net there was one in the gallery section. It turned out pretty good to, all the little nails were glued on. I think he used sprue though, but it did look cool!

~Chip

Track Link Link:

http://www.track-link.net/gallery/1937

Shaun

As stated, it was to keep the enemy off the vehicle. Japanese soldiers were prone to suicide attacks by strapping sachel charges to their bodies and throwing themselves between the suspension bogies or on top of the tank.

Ospery's Modelling Manual # 14 "M4 Sherman" also covers that version and happens to be the 1st time I had even seen such a Sherman.

How about paper clips free from your boss!!!!

Well that would make it tricky to get in and out of the tank.... :-)

not to mention thet sachel charges that were thrown would "stick" to the protruding nails

Exactly what i was thinking or of course the Japanese soldier that threw him self from above like from a tree
:-)

redleg

Interesting camo. How authentic is it?


Jeff

I wondered that myself! I have never seen any Marine sherman in any type of camo in any refs that I've ever seen! It's definately interesting that's for sure!

Whaaaaat !!!??

That's incredible !!

I'd never heard of such things, as I'm not into the pacific at the moment (each theatre gets its turn :-) ), but I think that is absolutely great, for both modelling and that they really did it !!

thanks for that little fact

The 4th battalion tank foreground in the middle picture here is definitely camouflaged and the overturned tank at the top may be too.

http://www.hardcorpsmodels.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=8&Itemid=28

The nails also act as a 'standoff' allowing the charge to explode out of contact with the armour.

More browsing on the same site turned up some colour shots

http://www.hardcorpsmodels.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=28

Drader, excellent site! I had no idea that it existed. Lots of pics and looks like some very cool products. It gave me some good ideas for dio's. Have you ever got anything from them and how was it? Thanx hellbent11:-H

Haven't bought anything from them, found the site by accident. They have featured in the News section of Armorama, so I should have been paying more attention.

Excellent site. I've purchased alot of his products and have been satisified with everything. Great LVT info books on how to model them. And a great conversion kit on a Sherman I'm taking alot of time on, nice and slow. He has also helped on some modeling questions I've had. Look through the site, he has alot of info on the PTO.

Bob