Question about Sherman III Mid Production Exhaust Deflectors

[Brad-M]

Guys,

I am building the nice Asuka kit and I am at the point where I need to decide which deflector to install. There is a large one and a smaller one. I am not building either of the two kit markings, I am building a Canadian one from the Sherbrooke Fusiliers. 

Any help would be appreciated.

TIA
Brad

[JackG]

BOMB is one, if not the most well known Sherman from the Sherbrooke Fusiliers - would rear photo's be of any help?  Not familiar with the Asuka kit, but wonder if the attachment of wading gear during Normandy landings would have any influence on the type of exhaust deflectors, or if any at all would have been present at that time?

 

regards,

Jack

Edited February 11, 2020 by JackG

[Kingsman]

"Mid" production is a bit general.  Small hatch M4A2 were built between Feb 42 and Jan 44, so "mid" would be sometime mid-43.

 

The glacis configuration of the Asuka kit suggests a Federal built tank.  They certainly fitted the wide exhaust deflector, as seen on an Ordnance photo of a factory-fresh Sept 43 A2 on p89 of Son of Sherman.

 

However, exhaust deflectors were removed to accommodate the wading trunk.  Were they re-fitted later?  I guess that photo-surfing is the only answer here.

 

[Brad-M]

Thanks Guys. I'll go with the smaller option.

 

Brad

[Kingsman]

The deflector didn't serve much purpose in temperate regions.  It was introduced as a result of desert experience where the exhaust and (especially) expelled cooling air caused dust clouds.  This was of course less of an issue in temperate climes.  Re-fitting the deflectors once any wading stacks were removed would probably not be a priority.  Of course tanks landed later would not necessarily have been wadeproofed.  When did the Sherbrookes land?

 

The kit could also be a Pressed Steel Car tank but either way it has some issues for "mid" production.  Tasca/Asuka are not especially good at factory and date variations.  It has a turret pistol port, which had mostly been eliminated at that "mid" period.  The sledge hammer was generally relocated to the upper rear hull plate by then, to the left of the track tensioning spanner.  The blade vane sight had generally been supplemented or replaced by the later type.  There should be a siren on the left front fender for both FMW and PSCC.

 

[Brad-M]

Sherbrookes landed on 6th of June as the reserve force tank regiment.

 

Brad

[JackG]

Best I can find of BOMB, circa August 1944.   It would go on to become one of few Shermans to survive the landing and still be in service at war's end.   The vehicle though, is Fisher built.

 

 

regards,

Jack

[Brad-M]

Yup, see that one. Thanks though.

[Kingsman]

FTA also fitted the wide deflector.  I'm wondering if the narrow type is perhaps the result of cutting it down to fit inside the wading trunk?  I haven't found any evidence of a narrow production type.