Sherman question

[761st]

I saw a documentary on the now closed The International Museum of WWII featuring a VVSS M4A1 with duckbill on each side of the treads. Additionally it had the track cover/fender. Did such a variation exist?

[Rob1970]

I bet it does...

We've got some great authorities on all things Sherman on the forum, but it's a pretty good bet. I've been told that duckbills were often fitted by any crew who could get their hands on them, especially those operating in the Low Countries.

[761st]

Thanks Bob. I will be searching.

[Sappo]

They actually did do some variation that had a 6 inch spacer welded to the bogey stations on the hull just for that purpose apparently. Check out the chieftains channel on YouTube for his presentation on the m4

[761st]

Thanks Sappo. Will do.

[RichJohnson]

To answer your first post yes that is called the E9 adaptation and was done to many export post war Sherman’s and a few stateside. But all postwar.

[761st]

Thank you Rich. Another amazing part of this hobby is the amount of new material one finds daily. I for one would like to see a 1/16 E9.

[Sappo]

Actually Rich the two sources I have seen, Inside the Hatch and a search on Google both agreed the time of this modification was late 43, early 44 as a way to give the vvss tanks a wider track footprint approximating that of the hvss vehicles

[Sappo]

Just found the website, The Sherman Site. #70 the after action report on the Italian campaign

[Sappo]

Oops sorry Rich I didn't notice it was designated as the E9, still the information I have seen stated the time line was as I stated