M4A4 Sherman V Production Variations

[Kingsman]

As part of researching model subjects, most notably the RMASG Sherman, I ended up tracking the production configuration variations over time of the M4A4 at Chrysler Defence Arsenal.   The information comes from Sherman Minutia and Son Of Sherman.

 

This came out again just now looking at the de-frocked DD posted in Ready For Inspection, where the Resicast kit has a number of configuration flaws.  At least the old version of it did: it may have been improved.

 

Below is a jpeg snapshot of the Excel spreadsheet I used.  I can't make it any larger here.  You can copy the image and open it in a jpeg viewer or into a PowerPoint slide. 

 

Here is a link to my OneDrive to download the Excel file.  This will expire on 30 April. https://1drv.ms/x/s!AmwXpuODmRxrg79Mg1Fal5d25jwEVA?e=AB1NMj

 

[PDH]

Thank you very much, extremely useful and helpful.

 

P

[diablo rsv]

That's very helpful, thank you Peter.

[Seahawk]

A very thorough and useful piece of research.  Thank you for sharing with us.

[Kingsman]

One thing I didn't cover in the table is the M3 gun barrel type.  Some, sometimes considered early, had a flare at the muzzle while others considered to be late were straight tapered.  Information on this is surprisingly scarce: it is difficult to track down even who made the M3 gun.  The Minutia site shows that both types of barrel were used throughout production, presumably from different suppliers. The T6 pilot for the M4A4 had a straight taper barrel in May 42, proving that type was not "late" while production tanks are seen with both types.

[zigster]

Being just a spring chicken re Shermans, I do appreciate your knowledge and willingness to share it around.

Thank you!

Zig 

[Kingsman]

12 hours ago, zigster said:

Being just a spring chicken re Shermans, I do appreciate your knowledge and willingness to share it around.

This is just M4A4 (Sherman V).  It's the easy version as it was only built by one company!  The others get a lot more complicated because of multiple builders doing different things, or the same things at different times.  There are probably thousands of permutations.

[Rumblestripe]

Until I built a Sherman model I didn't realise just how much variation there was!

 

This is very useful.

[Threadbear]

Thank you for an impressive collection of work and sharing with us. I was surprised to see on your spreadsheet the use of raised arm return rollers albeit not than common! 

 Downloaded and thank you. 

 

Grahame 

[Kingsman]

3 hours ago, Threadbear said:

I was surprised to see on your spreadsheet the use of raised arm return rollers albeit not than common! 

It seems possible that the final month of production may have used them.  The operative words are "seems", "may" and "possible".  There are a couple of photos which claim to show it but are probably remanufactured tanks, some of which did receive new bogies or new roller arms.  Only 21 tanks were built in that final month: 0.27% of total A4 production.  So seeing it would be extremely unlikely. 

 

Chrysler was building the M4 Composite alongside the last of the A4s in Aug-Oct 43.  Early Composites still had the flat arms but most production versions all seem to have had the raised arms.  The changeover seems to have been late Nov - early Dec as we see Nov acceptances with the flat arms and Dec with the raised.

 

So it is plausible that some of the later roller arms may have made it onto final production A4s, possibly simply because of a growing shortage of the spacers used on the flat arms as the raised arm became the norm.

Edited April 19, 2022 by Das Abteilung
Saved too soon

[Kingsman]

I find myself wondering whether it is feasible to try to do the same thing for the other species of Sherman.  But then we also get into factory variations, which complicates the issue very much.  Every other version was made by at least 4 factories.  And then we have the "large hatch" changes, but only 3 factories after that: but 2 new guns and another supension..........  I went for the A4 because it was the most homogenous, single-factory built and was the most common Commonwealth version.  In numeric precedence order for Commonwealth M4s the priority would be small hatch A2, A1 and M4 followed by large hatch A1 and M4.