Ivor Ramsden Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 I collected a large crate full of treasure for the museum today. It used to belong to a Staff Sgt in REME, based at London Passenger Transport Board's works at Acton. It included very motheaten uniforms, but a set of decent webbing and workshop manuals for Centaur, Cruiser Tank Mk V and M4A2, plus three completed Tracked Vehicle Inspection Reports like this one. I haven't seen one before. The three relate to M4A4s T150193, T228580 and T150405. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Grundy Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 That is real history, not some ones interpretation of the facts. Also a 34 mile road test, as in on the roads of Merry England...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Herbert Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 (edited) Very interesting. This Sherman is not much more than a year old with 1216 miles on it but it has needed a new set of tracks and the steering brakes relining. I find it hard to believe that this would be done unless it was pressing, given the shortages of everything but it could have been because the tank was about to be shipped to be used in action. The engine change may well be because it is relatively easy to swap engines in a M4A4 rather than trying to do serious maintainence in the tank. Interesting too that a 34 mile road test was done. Depending on where they went that is at least 60 gallons (275 Litres for young people) of petrol at a time of serious shortage. It would be fascinating to know more of the history of these three tanks, I wonder if any show up in photos or even still exist. Thank you Ivor for sharing. David Edited October 11, 2013 by David Herbert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griff66 Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 effective cooling system seeing as water temp only 70 c! still least in hot climates temp would be still be manageable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajmac Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 (edited) That's about 4000 machines later than Adrian's M4A4, when would it have been manufactured relative to the date it was overhauled? These sorts of documents are true gold. I understood that the steel chevron track was introduced to reduce the rubber usage, yet they were fitting rubber chevron during the work that's documented. Are they perhaps replacing some damaged links rather than doing a complete track change. The numbers mentioned look small, unless those refer to some number of links making up a service length. I also like the idea that they painted it too :-) Shortages, what shortages? Edited October 11, 2013 by ajmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Ramsden Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 I also like the idea that they painted it too :-) Shortages, what shortages? In the M4A2 workshop manual it recommends that tanks are repainted every 12 months with enamel paint. I seem to recall somebody once asking on this forum what the original paint type was, and there's the answer. Ref the tracks, these were replaced on each of the three records. 83 links on each. Looking at pictures of M4s, that appears to be a full set of links, 83 each side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Ramsden Posted November 1, 2013 Author Share Posted November 1, 2013 This isn't MV related but I need to tell the story. One of the real emotional highs for me is meeting veterans. Today we were visited by an elderly but very spritely lady, Mrs Dorothy Runnicles who, as Wren D. Grover, served at RNAS Ronaldsway in 1944-45 as a radio mechanic. This visit to her wartime base was funded by Help For Heroes and allowed her to visit the grave of her close friend Sub Lt Jim Finlayson who was killed here in a Fairey Barracuda crash on 21st December 1944. She has loathed the concept of war ever since that day. Good lass. It was a privilege to meet her and I'm proud to say I share her principles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.303fan Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 in my kleeneze catalog travels i meet wonderful people, i met a man who served just after the war at RAF Manby, he had the diagrams of a lancaster bomber in his possession, and wonderful classified stories to tell if i kept it secret. i also met a old man who was a child age 14 during the London blitz, i pulled up in a ex raf Land Rover and started to talk, after half an hour he dipped in the sensitive parts of friends he lost , he cried on my shoulder for half an hour like a lost child. i left after an hour that was needed to calm him, and left a card with a phone number so he can reach me. he calls he his dutch friend, i am proud to help out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Ramsden Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share Posted May 20, 2015 I thought I'd resurrect this thread because as well as the good bits, running a museum has it's not-so-good bits. Our museum is only open at weekends at this time of year; we open daily from the end of May and through the summer. Some time ago I was contacted by a prospective visitor and I agreed to open up specially this morning for him. He accepted my offer to collect him from the steam railway station, to save him having a 3/4 mile walk. Today I duly picked him up. During his 90 minute visit he had a good look round, taking lots of photos and making notes, and he seemed to enjoy himself. As he departed ( I even took him to his next port of call) he left £1.50 as a donation which just about covers the cost of the electricity. Man, I'm so peeved! I guess you win some and lose some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 I have about 10 years worth of these forms for my Saracen (82-92), and other maintenance records. In just about all of them, the mud wings (fenders) needed straightening Cheers, Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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