a few more for your Canadian M4 project, Bruce. I especially like the second one. Proof that Canadian M4s had the less common EECs.

You've done it again.... Actually, I think I already have all three of these. Yes, the second tank has T48 tracks with the European pattern rolled EECs. Wouldn't you know these would be on T48 track. GasoLine makes these narrower EECs in resin, but they use the T54E1 track instead, and I am still waiting for Tim, lad (TM) to release the T54E1 tracks with the US pattern paddle EECs. Well, it should be possible (for ONE model) to cut off the end connectors from the Tamiya styrene kit tracks and glue on the narrow EECs from a set of Olivier's GasoLine T54E1 tracks. Heckuva job, to be done ONCE, but it would work..... These are great sgots and will go into the pile.....sigh. I did mention I'm cutting off the Sherman project at 60 models, didn't I?

Now I have reached a moment of indecision. Since there is now photographic evidence that Canadian armour did have these kind of EEcs I'm wondering if I should use the GasoLine T54E1 tracks with EECs to replace the "rubber band" Hobby Boss ones I am using for my Ram Badger. Every photo I've seen of the Ram kangaroos have the "paddle" style, but since there are few photos of Badgers, maybe--who knows. Late production Rams had T54E1 tracks and usually had three bar cleat tracks as replacements.

All are really interesting. The first one is an early M4 with a DV hull, fairly rare so late in the war. The soft armor and track add-ons all point to mid-late 1944 or even 1945, and some older tanks did survive all the way to the end. The Firefly VC with the corrugated steel add-on armor is priceless. A lot of this added protection actually enhanced the effect of the Panzerfaust and Panzerschreck (bazooka), by providing an additional stand-off distance from the tank's armor. The last tank is a Hybrid Firefly IC with thin steel plates welded together and then welded to the hull sides. Note the lack of the pistol port on the turret. More and more ideas, but I HAVE to model some NORMAL Shermans sometime..... Don't know how many of these odd-ball tanks that you keep finding I can include.....

The use of logs as stand-off armour is indicative of late 1944-1945. The place is probably Holland. There are other pics of tanks using logs in the South Albertas book.

since I will probably do an early war version. I would want to show that the old warhorses that lasted went all the way to the end. All of the tracks festooning that tank are available now. I would have to make up the driver's bad weather glass window assembly, but the rest should be easy. Note that this is one of the early Shermans that won't need any PE except perhaps the headlight/taillight guards. No periscope guards were fitted and the rest of the vehicle is pretty well covered up. No, this one is a keeper. Good thing I'm buying a book on Canadian C&M from George Bradford.....

If it is Canadian, it is probably a M4A2-better check your sources carefully before proceeding. Are those sandbags on the turret of the Firefly?

an M4A2, but it has a 3-piece transmission cover and M4 bogies and for an M4A2, that is not common. It could have happened, so I haven't made up my mind on this one yet. It doesn't matter really; I have loads of Bandai Sherman kits and all their lower hulls are for the M4A2; they have the distinctive hatches for the twin GMC diesels underneath. And all the Hobby Boss Shermans have M4/M4A1 lower hulls. You want an M4A3, you're going to have to work for it..... I'll probably do this one as a Sherman III (M4A2), but it's a really unusual tank: DV hull and 3-piece front on an M4A2. Gotta do this one.

That book you purchased is only part 1, Bruce! Part 2 will be ready to purchase any day now!

Ken

Oh boy, there goes my weekend.....

Tim

www.fighting48th.com

Bruce, here are some more pics of Canadian Fireflies from the Beutepanzer website. The top pic shows all three M4s with the narrower EECs. The bottom pic shows these type of EEcs to good effect.

http://beute.narod.ru/Beutepanzer/us/M4_sherman/uk/firefly-1.htm

Bruce, I have another question. Do you have the GasoLine T54E1 with EECs? Is it link and length? Are there curved pieces to fit the drive sprocket or do the pieces have to be bent manually? I asked Meeta but she cannot see in the package well enough to tell.

it's seeing several Sherman VC Fireflies with T48 rubber chevron tracks, including the number with the corrugated steel sheet side armor. T48 tracks were used on some British tanks, but it was not common practice. I have several photos of Fireflies and other British or Commonwealth tanks with T48 tracks. It isn't surprising the narrower EECs are prevalent here, since the Fireflies were converted in England and the Sherman Vs in articular were built earlier in the war before EECs were common. The narrow type EECs were manufactured in Europe, so I would expect them to be used on tanks modified in the UK.

Well.......

The reason I did the paddle type EECs on the T48 tracks, was that originally I wanted to do a Guards Tulip Sherman, and all of the pics I could find of these had the paddle type EECs, mostly with the T48 track. A quick flick through the latter pages of Dennis Olivers Concorde book 'British Sherman Tanks' shows 15 various M4s with EECs, at least 5 of which are the T48/paddle combo. The others include several 3-bars, and possibly 8 with T54E1 tracks, maybe a couple with T54E2 or T62 (lots of mud....) So I readily conceed the issue over which track links I perhaps should have done, but as far as the Brit/Commonwealth type of EECs, it is interesting to note that ALL of the pics show the paddle type; there are no, or perhaps one, with the narrower EECs.

A wholely unscientific analysis of course!!!  Sounds like a wonderful excuse to spend a few hours studying pictures of tanks.

Tim

www.fighting48th.com

Every pic I could find of the Ram kangaroos and Badgers show them with T54E1 tracks or three bar cleats with paddle type EEcs. I have seen only one pic of a kangaroo with T48 tracks.

no doubt there were gazillions of the paddle EECs installed on tracks for everybody, and your choice was excellent. There were several manufacturers in Europe making the "European" pattern EECs, but the US-built versions were no doubt far more numerous. Now, if I could get some T54E1 tracks with paddle EECs, joy would reign supreme.....

Hi:

What I find very interesting is that the top photo (I would lean towards that vehicle being a Sherman III, just because they were more common than Sherman Is in Canadian service in NWE) seems to have a length of T49 tracks with EECs across the top of the final drive housing (I also like the driver's bad weather hood stowed on top of the spare roadwheel on the glacis). I don't remember seeing spare track with EECs being used as supplemental armour on Sherman before, although that stretch appears to be possibly put on in such a way that it can be used as replacement track. However, the vehicle itself does not seem to have EECs fitted, nor does it have T49 track.

Cheers,

Scott

Scott Taylor
Thachweave Products
http://thachweave.tripod.com

taken from a wrecked or scrapped vehicle, as was much of the extra track attached to Shermans to augment their armor protection. The tank itself is using T54E1 steel track, and has a bunch of that as spare track armor as well. Looking at ALL the hatches covered with tarps makes it obvious this Sherman is parked; the crew very likely was not inside when this shot was taken. Note the muzzle cover for the main gun. Modeling this tank with a crew would require only removing the tarps over the hatches and adding the crew figures. It's a keeper.....