A valid e-mail address must be provided. (This
is not optional)
3.
Images must be posted at low resolution (72
dpi) and no larger than 760 pixels wide, and
copyright/trade mark owners must be credited
whenever reasonably possible.
Posts that violate the guidelines or Terms and conditions
of Use of the Missing-lynx.com discussion groups will be erased,
and repeated violation of this policy may result in termination
of the violator's account.
(Login cesafsky) Missing-Lynx members from IP address 12.188.235.150
I like to think of my self as a true Sherman geek... but until today I had never heard of the M4A4T. Was it a post war French conversion? Did this version ever see combat? Were early M50's based on this? Did Michael Jackson every invite one to his mansion?
(Login bminnick) Missing-Lynx members 70.130.185.54
Yes they did
June 24 2007, 1:11 PM
The M4A4T was and M4A4 with the radial in place of the original engine pack. Less trouble to take care of. The Israelis were the main user as far as I know. They had plain 75mm gun tanks in this configuration as well as M50s. They also saw combat in the Sinai in 56 both types. The Israelis also rengined M4A3s and M4A2s with the radials they just wanted a common power pack for there Sherman fleet. Hope this helps
(Login gannon52) Missing-Lynx members 68.55.98.238
Actually...
June 25 2007, 9:06 PM
it was the French that originally re-engined the M4A3's and M4A2's, to go along along with the M4A4T. As Steve says below, this change was to standardize engines and to take advantage of an abundance of spares lying around. The Israelis acquired a number of M4A4Ts with 75mm guns and a few M4A3's with 76mm guns. I haven't been able to identify a radial M4A2 in IDF use, but that doesn't mean that the Israelis didn't get one. The original batch of M50's shipped from France directly, were converted on M4A4T, M4 composites and M4A1s, large and small hatches.
(Login Steve.Zaloga) MODERATORS ONLY - Allied WWII 69.136.233.243
French post-war conversion
June 24 2007, 1:33 PM
It was a French post-war conversion (T=transforme). They wanted to standardize engines in their Sherman fleet and chose the Continental R-975 radial from the M4/M4A1. These are fairly commmon as monuments around France these days. The picture here is the one at the Omaha Beach museum in the St. Laurent draw. They sold some of these off to the Israelis in the 1950s.
(Login cesafsky) Missing-Lynx members 12.188.235.150
Its all Rob's fault, actually...
June 24 2007, 5:43 PM
I saw his list of latest releases earlier today and was crushed to find there was a Shermy designation with which I was not familiar. Although I now take solace in the knowledge this 'version' was of France, and I am, for better or worse, unfamiliar with many things French.
Thank you all for the great information... and my apologies to Mr. Jackson and his family. I should have known the truth when I saw Margaret Trudeau leaving Saumur wearing a faint smile and a satisfied look.
