You can see where the censors have blotted out the unit shoulder patches of the crewmen.
You can see where the censors have blotted out the unit shoulder patches of the crewmen.
Really? Would that have been effective? Worth the weight?
Z
Zinzan
Guest
For troops in the field neither of those questions would have mattered 
A rumour/idea floating around that "might" increase your chance of survival, sure beats a concern that it "might" slow you down or decrease reliability. (Both of which "disadvantages" would increase your survivability by keeping you out of the front).
Another thought here is that by this point in the war the Sherman was underarmoured and very vulnerable to infantry weapons as well as guns - experienced crews would be both war weary and aware that they were driving around in vulnerable vehicles.
A rumour/idea floating around that "might" increase your chance of survival, sure beats a concern that it "might" slow you down or decrease reliability. (Both of which "disadvantages" would increase your survivability by keeping you out of the front).
Another thought here is that by this point in the war the Sherman was underarmoured and very vulnerable to infantry weapons as well as guns - experienced crews would be both war weary and aware that they were driving around in vulnerable vehicles.
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From the web: "....there is much debate as to the real protection gained by doing this & Gen.Patton was against it. He thought the added weight slowed the tank & therefore lost it's tactical advantage- speed/maneuverability. It certainly did provide a psychological comfort to the tank crews inside who used such improvised additions. Other crews added timbers & extra tank tracks outside the hull".....
Here, a Sherman crew member of the US 14th Armored Div adds a final flourish to cement filled sand bags on his tank.
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A Sherman of the 31st Tank Battalion, US 7th Armored Div. in Germany, Feb 1945.
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Cleaning lost photos.
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M10 Wolverine near Moselle, France, 1944.
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M4A1 Sherman Wreck, Littoria, Italy - 1944.
Sherman cunningly disguised as a rubbish tip.
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M3 Lee production in Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant, Michigan.
B
Blady
Guest
As a production process improvement consultant (my professional life) my heart bleeds when seeing this picture. So many improvement opportunities. As it concerns the M3, it is early war. US (and other countries) made drastic improvements on production efficiency during the war, a lot of modern management philosophy can be traced back to thinkers that were shaped by their experiences in the world war(s).M3 Lee production in Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant, Michigan.
On this date in 1944 the order for the M36 tank destroyer jumped from 600 to 1400 units due to encounters with large numbers of new German tanks in Normandy. The M36 had a powerful 90 mm gun that was capable of defeating any of them. - from TankArchives on Twitter
aka Jackson
You know, when the Chieftain always goes on about "track tension"...
Apparently hit a big ass German mine somewhere in Italy.
Apparently hit a big ass German mine somewhere in Italy.
The tank crew of an M4A1 Sherman from 756th Tank Battalion, attached to US 3rd Infantry Division, taking a break during 'Operation Dragoon' at Brignoles, 19 August 1944. Life Magazine image by Carl Mydans.
They look dirty, exhausted and in shock.
Good size comparison between M-36, Panther, and M-18.
This M18 Hellcat tank destroyer of the U.S. 603rd Tank Destroyer Battalion has taken up a defensive position in the streets of Luneville on September 18, 1944. An infantryman has also positioned his .50-caliber machine gun toward the expected approach of the attacking Germans, while another soldier stands ready with his M-3 ‘Grease Gun,’ a .45-caliber submachine gun.
