Sherman pigeon lofts

[Rick W]

Im sure they arent homes for racing pigeons, but they look similar. I assume they are MLR layunchers. Ive never seen them before, certainly not WW2 european theatre, but sure Ive seen something for the pacific. Can anyone educate me on these?

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o72/rik242_2006/Shermans-1.jpg[/img]

[Mark]

By the look of the sky I would say Pacific :-D

[AlienFTM]

I remember reading about a Sherman conversion in a modelling magazine 30-odd years ago to create a T34 Calliope and couldn't get my head around a Sherman becoming a T34.

 

Yes it's an MLRS. Don't know much more about it.

 

Wikipedia has information. Google search for sherman t34 calliope led me to:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T34_Calliope

 

which doesn't tell us much more but may set you on the way to enlightenment, Grasshopper.

[Great War truck]

Rick

 

You have this amazing ability to send me running to my bookshelf with great enthusiasm to look things up. keep it up, i need the exercise.

 

This photo is actually taken in Italy and features the 752 Tank batallion with M17 Rocket launchers which fires 7.2 inch rockets. I dont think that they were used that much as the commanders inability to get out and see must have been a draw back. I notice that the guy on the right has his tank patch sown over his heart as opposed to his sleeve.

 

Tim (too)

[Rick W]

Rick

 

You have this amazing ability to send me running to my bookshelf with great enthusiasm to look things up. keep it up, i need the exercise.

 

This photo is actually taken in Italy and features the 752 Tank batallion with M17 Rocket launchers which fires 7.2 inch rockets. I dont think that they were used that much as the commanders inability to get out and see must have been a draw back. I notice that the guy on the right has his tank patch sown over his heart as opposed to his sleeve.

 

Tim (too)

 

 

I have heard you need the excercise Tim!

 

Was it just the 752 Battalion that worked with these or were they issued to the other units?

[Great War truck]

I cant find out anything else about them. It seems that the launcher came as a kit that could be fitted to the Shermans already in the field and jettisoned without too much difficulty. I would'nt think that they were used by just this one batallion, but the photos of them are very rare. I would expect that the crews would be very wary of using them and avoid using them wherever possible. 20 7.2 inch rockets packs some punch though, assuming that you can get them to hit the target that is.

 

Tim (too)

[Degsy]

They were used in NW Europe, I've got a pic in a book somewhere but , as usual, I can't remember which book. :oops: If I find it I will post the title.

[Bazz]

see The Sherman Tank by ROGER FORD page 85 shows the T-34, 60 tubes each with a 4.5 inch rocket. The 7.5inch rocket, the T37 was used in the 20 tube T40 launcher, this was standardised as the M17 and used in Operation Dragoon(invasion of southern France) and in Italy during and after the taking of the Gothic Line.

 

Baz.

[Joris]

I've seen pictures or even movies of the Sherman with the Calliope shooting the cr@p out of a german town. Don't know where though...

 

They also feature in the fantastic game Sudden Strike

[Rick W]

Calliope seems to be a generic name given to anything that uses this sort of multiple launch system. The name comes from music organ pipes, as you would find in a church!

 

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o72/rik242_2006/m4_shermand.jpg[/img]

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o72/rik242_2006/calliope_02.jpg[/img]

[Bazz]

 

 

Rick W's pics are of the T-34 type with the 60 4.5 inch rockets.

 

Baz.

[Mark]

Do they light them one by one then :dunno:

[Rick W]

Yes, some bloke holding his zippo lighter at arms length, eyes shut..... :whistle:

[Mark]

WOW!! brave man, one time only

[Tony B]

These things were used in Northern Europe, they were in respons to German Neiblfurer, I think thats how its spelt, launchers, which were copied from the Russian devices known as Stalin's organs.

[Degsy]

Nebelwerfer Tony (and I'm not being critical) which came in several different sizes, very often trailer mounted.

[AlienFTM]

Nebelwerfer Tony (and I'm not being critical) which came in several different sizes, very often trailer mounted.

 

 

Nebelwerfer translates literally and popularly as Fog Thrower. Sadly in reality it also translates rather more prosaically as Smoke Launcher (so called to get around a last vestige of the Versailles Treaty in the same way PzKpfw3 was called Zugfuehrerwagen (Platoon commander's vehicle) and PzKpfw4 was ... erm something else, next one up, which escapes me atm).

[Tony B]

Nebelwerfer Tony (and I'm not being critical) which came in several different sizes, very often trailer mounted.

 

Not being critical? Are you feeling OK. not got the winter nasty have you ? :-D

[Degsy]

Not being critical? Are you feeling OK. not got the winter nasty have you ? :-D

 

 

Critical.......moi :dunno: and yes I've bl...y well had it for the last fortnight :banghead:

[Tony B]

All sympathy, I had it over Christmas :sweat:

[ArtistsRifles]

I've got it now... :cry:

And until I can get to either the M.O.'s or a pharmacy I can't take anything for it cos of the rat poison!!! :-(

[Tony B]

I was considering a lead injection at one stage. Trouble was I daren't move from the littlest room and bucket :shake: Back on track, were these things similar to the ones mounted in Landing Craft (Rocket) for the D day landings?

[Bazz]

 

 

i believe the LCR had the same rails and rockets fitted as the tank buster aircraft, ie Typhoon.

 

Baz.

[Tony B]

Now THAT must have been fun, open rails pitching about on a flat bottomed square box with the sea keeping qualities of brick. Signal from RN Destroyer to an LST haveing problems off Normandy, Query: 'Are yo OK' Reply : 'Yes, my next performance will include the Indian rope trick'. (Compliments of book 'Send Another signa'l- By Jack Broom)

[AlienFTM]

Now THAT must have been fun, open rails pitching about on a flat bottomed square box with the sea keeping qualities of brick. Signal from RN Destroyer to an LST haveing problems off Normandy, Query: 'Are yo OK' Reply : 'Yes, my next performance will include the Indian rope trick'. (Compliments of book 'Send Another signa'l- By Jack Broom)

 

 

Reminds me of being in SCS* for the tail end of the furniture sale yesterday. As we stood, we caught sight of a young lad stress testing an oscillating, focking chair. First off I pointed out how, on his first day, every Trooper gets warned that turning the turret on a [insert name of vehicle here] clockwise 13 times will cause the turret to fall off.

 

After we'd laughed at that, I explained to Wor Lass how Fw Condor airliners were converted to recce aircraft to track the Murmansk convoys with impunity, so far out that launching a Hurricane to intercept would only result in the certain loss of a Hurricane in the sea and the almost certain loss of the pilot. One Convoy commander is purported to have turned to his ASDIC signaller and instructed him to make "Your constant clockwise circuits are making us dizzy. Please commence circling anti-clockwise" to the Condor circling the convoy.

 

The condor pilot duly obliged.

 

* Other purveyors of suites are available