Hi,
Have seen photos of and read about phones that were attached (usually inside old ammo boxes) on the rear of US tanks towards the end of the war to allow supporting infantry to easily communicate with the tank commander without exposing themselves to fire.
However, I can't get hold of the book I saw them in and was wondering if you resourceful chaps have any reference photos of one? If possible on the back of a sherman?
As always all help and suggestions are greatly appreciated!

James

in the Concord series of books, I've seen them in the GI in the European Theater book, as well as either US Tank Battles in Germany or possibly the SHerman at War Vol 2. Maybe both of those last two. Books aren't with me right now, sorry.

Rob

Thanks Rob,
At least glad someone knows what i'm talking about!
I want to add one to the back of my sherman and wanted to make sure I had it in the correct place. Anyone got any pics/ideas?

James

Hola James
You can attach a .30cal box to the right rear engine access door. An example I've seen shows the box top as being level with the centre of the door handle, and 2 wires coming out of the right side of the ammo box forming a small 'U', before attaching to a small square box (situated just off the edge of the right door) which is aligned with the top of the .30cal box.
I'll scan you a pic if I can find it...
Cheers
Brad

What would I do without you Brad!
Thanks again mate and check your PM.

James

If you do Tamiya's M26 Pershing (I recommend using the Eduard PE kit), the kit has a regular phone box, but it was only used very late in WW2, as well as in the Korean War.

Here's a pic of one on an M4 you can see the Ammo can attached to the engine access door between the two GIs' helmets

Here is another one. This is from the Osprey book by Steven Zaloga "Operation Cobra."

Thanks so much Rodger and Pat!
Thats exactly what I was after thankyou.
Judging from the two different positions of the phone in the pics, this was clearly a field modification with the phone attached wherever deemed appropriate.
On the sherman i'm building the exhaust deflector is going to largely cover the engine access panel as seen in this pic:



Making it's position on the engine access door (as in Pat's pic) a bit unpractical for the soldier, and almost pointless for me to add as it won't be seen.
Therefore I'm thinking I might put the phone where it is in Rodger's pic or perhaps above the exhaust deflector on the back of the tank, below the storage rack.
Any thoughts?

Cheers for the help guys,

James