Romantic Technofreak Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 Hi all, this is my first request here. In this particular case, a written permission to show this picture exists. It is from inilossum.com, a site in Italian language, politically not correct, but you find such things when you are interested in the WW2 theme complex. The site owner states he claims NO copyright about the pictures he shows in his site, but he wants to be mentioned as source. Object of interest is the artillery prime mover shown in the picture. It is towing a 240 mm cannon. The site owner designated it as "M-7", but a "M-7 Priest" looks very different to that one, at least in my eyes. Well, the Amercans used the letter "M" to a lot of different military equipment, so the designation may be, surprisingly for me, correct. I also experienced the phenomenon of type variability, meaning one particular vehicle type can appear in very differing versions. So, what would you say? Thank you for your answers! Regards, RT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 definately not an m7 priest, looks like an m3 lee with the turret and sponson gun removed. eddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 (edited) Hi all, this is my first request here. In this particular case, a written permission to show this picture exists. It is from inilossum.com, a site in Italian language, politically not correct, but you find such things when you are interested in the WW2 theme complex. The site owner states he claims NO copyright about the pictures he shows in his site, but he wants to be mentioned as source. Object of interest is the artillery prime mover shown in the picture. It is towing a 240 mm cannon. The site owner designated it as "M-7", but a "M-7 Priest" looks very different to that one, at least in my eyes. Well, the Amercans used the letter "M" to a lot of different military equipment, so the designation may be, surprisingly for me, correct. I also experienced the phenomenon of type variability, meaning one particular vehicle type can appear in very differing versions. So, what would you say? Thank you for your answers! Regards, RT M33 Full track Prime mover. The M33 Prime mover was based on the M33 Recovery vehicle, that was itself based on the M3 Medium tank. The recovery gear was removed and an air compressor added to provide braking for towed loads. Similar vehicles were built from other base vehicles. The M34 was converted from the M34B1 tank recovery vehicle, itself based on the cast hull M4. The M35 was a similar modification of the M10 tank destroyer. All vehicles provided extra seating for the gun crew. Used extensivley in Italy, but less so in N.W. Europe where they served only briefly until the M6 High Speed tractor became available. M33 weight 60,000Lbs, Speed 25 MPH. In service 1944-1945 Edited March 21, 2010 by antarmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 should know to keep my mouth shut ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 Eddy that would take all the fun out of the forum:D. The use of obslete tank chassis for other purposes started in the Great War, when Mk 3's and 4's became command, supply and radio vehicls, Mk1's that survived being relegated to training Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 antarmike M33 Full track Prime mover. The M33 Prime mover was based on the M33 Recovery vehicle, that was itself based on the M3 Medium tank. M31 recovery vehicle -got a sticky key problem perhaps:-) Fairly sure M33 was only used in Italy and I don't know of any photographic evidence of M34 being used on active duty- M32 TRV were fairly late into service too. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 M31 recovery vehicle -got a sticky key problem perhaps:-) Fairly sure M33 was only used in Italy and I don't know of any photographic evidence of M34 being used on active duty- M32 TRV were fairly late into service too. Steve I don't know that much, I am just quoting Illustrated Encyclopediia oF M. V.'s Ian Hogg/ John Weeks. They use identical photograhs and caption it M33, based on M33. Rest of my post is their info. I am not much into Yank Tank , so I rely on what others say!!!! Born after the war, so I have to rely on what I read (and take it as fact until proved otherwise!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 There is a stripped down M32B1 (cast hull M4A1 variant) exhibited in a park in Bombay India which could be a prime mover M34 supplied as Military Aid, the Indians having a need for full track prime movers for large gun such as M1s and 7.2inch Howitzers for use in the Cargill area of Kashmir. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 antarmike I don't know that much, I am just quoting Illustrated Encyclopediia oF M. V.'s Ian Hogg/ John Weeks. No worries, I have the book you mention -it's a useful book but has numerous editorial errors especially with stuff outside the authors comfort zone, the reference for the M31 TRV is a case in point reasonable text about the type but the related photo is of a British conversion of a Sherman V into a Mk1 ARV. As an aside there may still be a M31TRV in Poland as one was handed over in the late 1950s by the Polish Army to the National Film school for use as a rather impractical mobile crane, it would be interesting if any of the Polish members could research what happened to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romantic Technofreak Posted March 22, 2010 Author Share Posted March 22, 2010 Thank you for your answers! When you google for "M33 prime mover", you can see it. So it is found! Thanks again, and regards, RT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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