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Identifying Shermans


Adrian Barrell

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People have been wondering about the "Jumbo" so here is a brief update...I have to thank Don Moriarty for his help, turns out while preparing the tank for export to Canada from the USA, the serial number was is in fact #50398, making this Jumbo # 73, built June 1944. It would have carried US Reg # 3082995. So now she is nicknamed "old # 73". In January of this year we loaded her on an appropriate camo painted low loader and brought her north to Canada where she now resides. I am confident in saying that it is the only M4A3E2 Assault Tank in Canada...go figure. She now sits at the our shop awaiting her turn behind the M4A2, M4A3, M50 and the Stuart...Parts gathering continues and the Littlefield auction was a huge help in the right direction...not only did we get a ton of great Sherman parts, there were plenty of Jumbo parts that were either duplicates or cast off from Jacques Jumbo...We now have enough NOS parts to build 3 or 4 GAA's including NOS cylinder heads, carbs, magneto's etc. As well enough NOS wiring for M4A3's to sink a battleship...So as she sits and waits we collect parts and search for photos bearing the US 3082995 reg. number, how fantastic it would be to find a picture of her in the ETO. Any help from the keen eyes in the crowd would be most appreciated...IMG-20150112-01359.jpg

IMG-20150111-01348.jpg

IMG-20150111-01355.jpg

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Richard, as far as is known, no. There was one on duty as a gate guard somewhere but is long gone I believe.

 

I now stand by to be proved wrong.... :D

 

Adrian, that's a shame. Would have been ace to see the full set running one day.

 

People have been wondering about the "Jumbo" so here is a brief update...I have to thank Don Moriarty for his help, turns out while preparing the tank for export to Canada from the USA, the serial number was is in fact #50398, making this Jumbo # 73, built June 1944. It would have carried US Reg # 3082995. So now she is nicknamed "old # 73". In January of this year we loaded her on an appropriate camo painted low loader and brought her north to Canada where she now resides. I am confident in saying that it is the only M4A3E2 Assault Tank in Canada...go figure. She now sits at the our shop awaiting her turn behind the M4A2, M4A3, M50 and the Stuart...Parts gathering continues and the Littlefield auction was a huge help in the right direction...not only did we get a ton of great Sherman parts, there were plenty of Jumbo parts that were either duplicates or cast off from Jacques Jumbo...We now have enough NOS parts to build 3 or 4 GAA's including NOS cylinder heads, carbs, magneto's etc. As well enough NOS wiring for M4A3's to sink a battleship...So as she sits and waits we collect parts and search for photos bearing the US 3082995 reg. number, how fantastic it would be to find a picture of her in the ETO. Any help from the keen eyes in the crowd would be most appreciated...

 

Talking of the full set, sounds like you're well on your way jdmcm. Have you started on your other shermans? I'm sure we'd all like to see a blog. :)

 

Richard

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It does seem whenever you are out hunting for tank parts you invariably come across tanks! Which you should, no, must take home with you. We have been making some progress, the M4A2 is in the re-assembly stage, engines have finally gone off to the shop for complete rebuild, rads are back and all four fuel tanks acid dipped and lined...so maybe this summer she might fire up...this is the one I have been after for years so I am in no rush. The M4A3 on the other hand was a complete disaster, thrown in for parts on the jumbo deal, I could not in good conscience scrap her, but had to take a crack at fixing her up of course! We have replaced a few sections of hull that were completely destroyed in her time on the range as well as all of her suspension. Being in the Pacific Northwest, VVSS is readily available in the form of former forestry machines built on Sherman chassis post-war. I have been very fortunate as well to come up with a pair of 75mm guns, both uncut, one for the A3 and one for the Jumbo. Currently have been working hard on the Stuart as well, want to have the tracks on by months end. The M50 turret is all set, came from a chap who decided to go back to WW2 turnout, the hull is a mismatch that was cut down and used as a crane by a local company who bought tons of Sherman stuff from Israel. Not a M4A4 hull, I suspect possibly M4A3 105mm. As for the jumbo, she is going to be a full on nut and bolt restoration that would make any rivet counter proud. My hope is that once we begin that tank it will be the only ongoing project, with my attention deficit disorder, that is the only chance we have got to getting it done in this century. Pictures of all to follow soon.

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  • 6 months later...

When you have time could I ask for a picture of the rearmost part of both sponson plates? Looking for the presence or absence of a weld seam running perpendicular to the vertical hull plate and a small round cover.

 

I am fortunate to have one of the surviving Jumbo Shermans, it is need of total restoration but has been identified as #77 of the 254 built and carries serial # 50402 and according to Don Moriarty would have had USA registration # 3082999. It is featured on page 139 of Pat Ware's M4 Sherman workshop manual. She is in tough shape but after seeing what Roger Condron has been able to do with #254, I have hope that one day she will roll again. I have simply been aquiring parts for her for about 3 years including a low mile and running GAA,[ATTACH=CONFIG]82953[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]82954[/ATTACH] all NOS suspension as well as lots of internal and external parts. If anyone has info on the whereabouts of any "Jumbo" specific parts I would really appreciate the assistance.
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  • 3 months later...

En route to visit friends, I always stop off at the town of Phalsbourg in the Ardennes

This tank sits just off the roundabout

can you tell me a little about the model ?

I did notice the hatches underneath were open and it looks like local kids have climbed inside, not me I consider that bad manners

082-spare sd 082-001.JPG

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En route to visit friends, I always stop off at the town of Phalsbourg in the Ardennes

This tank sits just off the roundabout

can you tell me a little about the model ?

I did notice the hatches underneath were open and it looks like local kids have climbed inside, not me I consider that bad manners

[ATTACH=CONFIG]111966[/ATTACH]

 

Well, if kids got it, that means anything not firmly attached is long gone. Probably wasn't much left inside anyway, so hope they had current tetanus shots.

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Adrian

This is a picture of ten Sherman's at ROF Nottingham lined up outside the Admin building. We assume they were there having been converted with the 17 Pdr. ordnance. The number of the first vehicle here appears to be T255024. Another one of the vehicles seems to be T212519 from a picture taken inside the workshop itself. Unfortunately neither image we have is really sharp so the other numbers can't be read. These were scanned from various sources, including glass plate negatives, when the factory was closed down in 2000. You may be able to identify which variant they are.

 

Sherman_17Pdr_ROFN.jpg

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OK here is the only other image we have of the vehicles, this time inside the main factory workshop.

 

Sherman 17Pdr ROF(N) Tranverse Bay.jpg

 

These were scans from old glass plate negs from what I remember so not of the best quality. Obviously long exposure time due to the light (lack of) from the blurred figures of the craftsmen.

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  • 4 months later...
Jumbo #73 update...mocked together with standard differential and T23 mantlet to stand guard until restoration begins [ATTACH=CONFIG]115910[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]115911[/ATTACH]

 

 

If you dont mind me going off topic for a moment, what sort of low loader is that? The trailer looks very handy indeed.

Edited by Lauren Child
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