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M4 Shermans....death-traps?


Sabrejet
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I think your missing the point. The Panther may well have been knocked out after the first shot, however, after a few more shots the crew all got out ALIVE. After one shot most of the Sherman crew were killed.

Big Differece !!!!!!

 

No, sir. You miss the point. The object of knocking out a tank is to knock out the tank. If the crew of the enemy tank is killed, that is a bonus. Tankers without a tank are essentially rendered infantry. They can be taken care of by machine gun and rifle fire from friendly infantry and/or supporting tanks.

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M4A2s and M4A6s were actually diesel powered. I believe the Soviets received numbers of those.

 

Yes, only the gasoline engine powered Shermans.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

M4A2s and M4A6s were actually diesel powered. I believe the Soviets received numbers of those.

 

Only 75 M4A6's were ever built and they were retained in the US and used only for training and testing.

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The Sherman tank will always be a point of controversy.

And a lot of misconceptions exist, even downright one-sided opinions.

 

Erwin

 

Very true. And there's quite a number of misconceptions floating around in this thread, as an example.

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I think your missing the point. The Panther may well have been knocked out after the first shot, however, after a few more shots the crew all got out ALIVE. After one shot most of the Sherman crew were killed.

Big Differece !!!!!!

 

If you are referring to the Panther at Cologne, they did not all survive.

 

You have to remember that even a through and through shot in any tank creates shrapnel. And, as was stated earlier, the point is to destroy the tank.

 

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Regarding the Polish cavalry, that is a myth created by the Nazi propaganda machine. There was a photo of a cavalry unit that was ambushed by German light tanks in hiding and it was intentionally miscaptioned for propaganda purposes.

 

Thank you very much for your post. It is very funny how much this stupid myth and absurdity is powerful in the USA. Completely incompetent "history channels" uphold it very strongly in their tv programs based on nazi propaganda film "Kampfgeschwader Lützow". For the US media "Kampfgeschwader Lützow" is valuable historical material. Very funny.

 

Nobody listens to Steven Zaloga who so many times explained this aggressive and primitive anti-Polish myth. Even here, on this forum, I could observe this absurdity directed against me by not so friendly forumers. I have never behaved here in the same manner and never "informed" that the last US Cavalry charge took place against Japanese tanks although such an "information" can be found. Neither the Polish nor the US cavalrymen were idiots as quasi-historical "publicists" would like to see it.

 

Regards

 

Gregory

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My Father told some hair raising stories before he passed in 2012. He fought with Patton all across Germany. He had first hand look at these Sherman's that were out of Service having to repair them in the field if possible or bring them back to the rear and use them for parts. He said it was sickening inside. Bodies an body parts had to be removed! Then they would wash it out the best the could, and yes they did paint the insides when there was time to do so. Check out the link below and scroll down to the story of Joe.

 

http://www.dse.nl/~vrzaob/wc52/pacific.html

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My father always said he preferred his M24 Chaffee light tank over the Sherman. He said it had the same 75mm gun but it was faster and they could get out of trouble quicker. Belton Cooper's book "Death Trap" is a great read! I've seen the end footage of this video many times before but I've never seen it with the captions! Thanks for that!

 

Frank

Of course the M-24 was a Light tank for reconnaissance and replacement for the M3/M5 Series and its 37mm. It was never intended to replace the M4 series as it had less Armor

 

M24 1 inch maximum on hull and 1-1/2" on turret 40,500lbs

http://afvdb.50megs.com/usa/m24chaffee.html

 

M4 2 inch Hull, 3 inch turret maximums 66,900lbs

http://afvdb.50megs.com/usa/m4sherman.html#M4

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To keep the Sherman theme alive, the Soviets did, of course deploy numbers of lend-lease tanks too.

 

Sherman-Soviet.jpg'

Dmitry Loza commanded 1st Bn, 46th Guards tank Brigade of Lend Lease Sherman's. Loza was a ''Hero of the Soviet Union'', ''Order of the red banner'' , "Order of Lenin" awardee. He thought highly of them (Esp. the M4A2 Diesel variant).

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Only 75 M4A6's were ever built and they were retained in the US and used only for training and testing.

Also the M4A6 was a Multi fuel engine

 

Capable of Diesel, Gasoline and even crude oil use for fuel- Ordnance designed catepillar RD-1820 9 cylinder radial

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