The title says it all really!
but i'm only interested in track added to the front glacis as armour. In pics I have it shown tread side out, despite having the 'de-reailment spikes' on the rear which surely make it difficult to attatch? If the 'spikes' faced outwards it would sit flush with the front glacis plate (as sometimes seen) or where the spikes removed to enable an easier fit?
I can't see any way the tracks were attached in the pics except for underneath so any help much appreciated!

James

Here are a couple of examples:

Tracks used for additional protection were usually welded on.

Gives me the chance to post this Churchill photo I found with eyebrow armour



David

If used as armour the tracks were tack welded in place. Either as individual "shoes" or in assembled sections of track with the end contectors. With the track sections the end contectors were facing into the tank hull giving additional protection due to spaced armour effect. Canadian armour in NWE were covered in track armour on the front & sides as authourized by Corps HQ.
Example of A M4A1 (76) of the Polish Armoured Div (NWE)

And a Canadian M4 (105) in Holland. Used both above mentioned attachment methods.



HTH Doug

James: I'd say that in the first picture, the tracks were indeed tack welded. However, it looks very possible that in the 2nd pic, the link (with end connectors) may have been attached by hooks.

There are pics of US armor in the MTO (Italy invasion) where very long lengths of track were attached to the glacis. I'd say those were attahced to hooks. IIRC

Doh!
It seems so obvious now, I was thinking that the tracks could also have doubled as spares and so would have been removable (ie. the hooks Roy mentioned) and so was wondering if I needed to hold them on with wire or something on my kit.
Thankyou very much for your prompt replies, I can now add some welded (or hooked!) armour without any worries!

Cheers,

James

I'm no expert on this aspect of Sherman modeling, but I've also heard of end connectors from the top of a run being welded on, and then the rest just hung from that.

Rob

Hello James,
In answer to your post and some of your other replies i`ve also heard that some Sherman crews welded long bolts on to the hulls of their tanks.This was then used not only as ad-hoc armour but also as spares when other tracks wore out,
As a footnote beware what unit you intend to model as this practice was frowned upon by General Patton and it has been known that he openly chewed out crews for doing this as too much put additional strain on the Shermans suspension.
Good Moddeling mate,Danny.

The track lind above the driver's view port on the Churchill is hinged. Most tracks were just welded on, but it was common for a hinged link to be put over the view port, according to "Mr Churchill's Tank".


Sean

Hi Guys.
Service Publications has a great little booklet on The Sherman in Canadian Service.
It has numberous photos of Shermans festooned with spare track links.
There's one great shot of a South Alberta Regiment Sherman V that shows where spare links were welded on the hull side but have been removed.
You can clearly see where the track links had been tacked on.
The same tank has some scavanged tracks from a Tiger I welded onto the turret.
There's another good photo of a Firefly Ic of the 8th Princess Louise's Hussars decked out in a pile of Churchill tracks and some other tracks I can't identify.
According tp the booklet's text, the Govenor General's Horse Guards Shermans were allowed to weld on 120 links per tank, 34 for the turret, 24 on the hull front and31 on each side of the hull.
All this field mod "applique" armour appears to be welded on by their end conectors or guide teeth.
You can order their booklets at:
www.servicepub.com

Cheers

jjumbo

Scroll down towards end of thread, has a closeup pic of turret, welded bolts with links hanging from them... makes sense to me.

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/94400&page=1