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Forums - Research / WW2 |
This WW2 forum is intended for asking and discussing reference or historical related issues pertaining to WW2 (1939-1945) subjects. |
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| Messages | 15152 |
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| Subject: | Re: Sherman id please |  |
| Date: | Apr 18, 2001 |
| From: | Kurt Laughlin | |
"Nick Morgan" wrote in message
> So what was the point of modifying a VVSS M4A1 post war? Were there not
> enough HVSS Shermans to go around? Seems like a lot of work to get a 1 or
2
> lb psi improvement over standard duckbills...
Actually, with double end connectors the track width was 23-11/16 inches,
wider than HVSS by a fraction. This reduced the ground pressure to ~10 psi.
HVSS vehicles were ~11 psi, but the HVSS suspension itself was heavier, as
was the 76mm turret.
A guess as to why: There were 1000 "E9" modification kits made near the end
of the war, and 1000 remanufactured tanks with spaced suspensions were
authorized but not necessarily built. So, there might have been nearly 2000
E9 kits laying around on V-J day. Ideally, the Army would've liked to have
all their M4-type vehicles modified with HVSS, but they couldn't. The "E9"
modification could be performed at the 3rd, 4th, or 5th maintenance echelons
at 240 man-hours per tank, so they decided to use up the existing materials
and "idle" troop labor to get nearly the same benefit as a full HVSS
conversion.
KL |
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