Hi folks!

I'm bulding Tamiyas old (but still good) M4A3 Sherman, and the same question rises to my mind again after building several Tamiya Shermans in the past -
What is this "thing" on the rear of the Sherman?




What does it do? Did all M4A3s have it? And Should I replace it?
If anybody out there have a good refference photo of this grill/intake or whatever it is, that would help me a great deal.


Thanks for your time guys!


Stein.

Two helpful articles for you.

http://www.usarmymodels.com/ARTICLES/Sherman%20Corner/Correcting%20Tamiya%20Deflector/correctingdeflector.htm

http://www.usarmymodels.com/MANUFACTURERS/Tamiya/tamiya35122.html

Roy Chow
AMPS President
http://www.amps-armor.org

I wrote the article before I had the drawing. Gary's right, it's not an exhaust deflector, it's just a deflector on the early version for the M4A3. Although the later parts are called exhaust deflectors, but the exhaust is not just the engine combustion exhaust, but also the cooling air exhaust.

None of the initial M4 series tank designs had any provision for any deflectors for exhaust air, which caused a serious tactical and technical problems caused with all of the dust that got kicked up. All of the M4 series then had deflectors added to them. The M4A3 was one of the first ones to have the feature added.



Notice the missing parts on the tank I took pictures of for the article. The locking pin is a prominent part that needs to be added. Incidentally, the part in the article went on to Rob Ervin at Formations.

As for warming up. I am positive that that is what these two doughs are doing.



Mike Canaday

All of us call these "exhaust deflectors", but they also deflected not only the engine exhaust but the flow of engine cooling air. Wheter the engine be air-cooled or liquid cooled a Sherman drew its engine cooling air in therough vents on the upper rear deck, then exhausted the cooling air out from under the rear over hang. Add this flow od air to the engine exhaust and you have quite a stream of air blowing road dust, etc and you get the problem Roy described - dust clouds that alerted enemy observers to the location of our tanks.

There was an old Bill Mauldin cartoon that showed Willie and Joe marching behind a tank in the winter and warming their hands in the flow of warm air coming out of the tank

I know this a modern thing, but oh well.

When we first got our M-1's, we had a cross attached infantry platoon paling around with us in the high Colorado winter. At 'stand to' every morning we would find a stack of grunts huddling behind the M-1's, when they fired up, to get warm. The puke smell didn't deter them when compared to having the exhaust heat shake the frozen cold from their bones.

One morning, my company commander jumped on the rear deck and told them that when we go the National Training Center (Mojave desert) we can change the polarity and these M-1's will blow cold air.

The looks were priceless, it didn't last long. We had them for a solid half minute...

Kent

I can imagine the look on those soldiers' faces. Must indeed have been a priceless moment!

Thanks for sharing that.

Hervé "Charby" Charbonneau
Chicoutimi QC
Canada

You should never underestimate the predictability of stupidity. (Bullet Tooth Tony)

Cue theme music:

Its was a cold and wet day at Ft Polk. The lads were shaking and shivering in a heavy down pour "waiting" for the attack to begin. When I suggested that we take turns standing behind our "supporting" M1s to warm up and dry out.

I was successful in getting half of my platoon mates partially dry and warmed up, when another Company member walked up in his wet weather gear. Imagine the look on that kids face when he was instantly shrink wrapped because he got alittle too close.



A US veteran is someone who, at one point, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America ' for an amount of 'up to and including their life.'

gotta love those plastic rain suits!

Mike

This is more than I hoped for:)

Again, Thanks a lot for your help + the great stories:)


Stein.

Hi,
joining "Tanks in Town" with two shermans in 2005 we had the problem of getting "Spit Oil" started because of Vapor-Lock problems.

So i jumped from the tank and hooked the towchain to Combat Camel standig in front of us.

And exatly in that moment Combat Camel had a backfire ... the smell of burnt hair disappeared quickly but the meeeeeeeep in my ear lastet for days ...

You may have a look on www.comabtcamel.be to see the tanks im talking about...

You should have look in the "Video-section" to see the starting of one of the tanks!

I joined the team before the kid and the house came and i didn´t have the time anymore ... glory days!

CU

Christian