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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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| Subject: | no m4 bogies except..... |  |
| Date: | May 17, 2008 |
| From: | Alex Borsboom | |
Hi Peter,
I recently did an exhaustive (re)search for Lee/Grants on M4 bogies and going by all pictorial material, comparing references and by the answers of fellow modellers (including Steve Zaloga), my conclusion would be that the answer to your question is no.
Though Steve's great article in Military Modelling on the new Academy kit shows an official ordnance drawing with a late M3 Lee on M4 bogies, with the M3 bogies only as an insert, there is no evidence of the M3 ever build in this configuration. The same goes for the M3A1, M3A2 and also for the M3A3 and M3A5 with the latter two being the final M3 series vehicles that were build (november/december 1942).
The only M3 build with heavy duty bogies was the long hulled 'heavy weight' M3A4. And I think the secret is in the word 'heavyweight'.
The M3 bogies were in production after the M3 tank itself was no longer build (M7 Priest). It was also used on early M4 series vehicles, but with these tanks it had a high failure rate, being overloaded due to the higher weight of the Sherman. As a consequence the 'heavy duty' (M4) VVSS units were developed.
The M4 bogies were retrofitted to M3 series vehicles that grew in weight, such as the Australian M3 with their additional transmission armour, T2/M31TRV's and the US 'CDL/Leaflet' tanks (allmost all cast hull M3A1's were rebuild to the latter configuration). They were also used later in the war when M3 bogies were no longer available. But all evidence points that bar the M3A4 no M3 series tanks left the factory on heavy duty M4 type VVSS units.
Living in the Netherlands I did not (couldn't) do an archive research on this topic, but my conclusion is based on pictorial evidence including pictures of late/final production M3's on the assembly line still on early bogies. Factory shots of M3A4's alongside M3's with only the former on heavy duty units. And no correlation between early/late features (hull side doors, fans, gun type, etc.) on the M3 series tanks on M4 bogies, indicating retrofitted bogie units.
Archive research is of course needed to give the definitive answer, but up to now my conclusion would be; no, except were heavier vehicle weight (M3A4) made it mandatory, or when early bogies were no longer available.
Of course I'm ready to be corrected on above opinions if someone can produce evidence on the contrarary!
Cheers,
Alex
PS.
Australian lee/Grant tanks were as far as I know not used in actual combat, all Birma lee/Grant tanks I've seen were British vehicles.
And do not forget when swapping early and heavy duty style VVSS units on a model that the early style needs a 'higher' hull mounting plate then the later style! |
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