Colombian Shermans

[ajmac]

According to various reading materials a number of M4s were sent to Colombia in the 1940s in a similar fashion to other Central and South American countries. The locals I have spoken to down here in Colombia all say that Colombia has never had ANY tanks what so ever! News is a bit sketchy here so they probably did....any further info?

 

A thought, where do people think the next Sherman to be restored is going to come from? If I were to make a bet I reckon India or Pakistan would be the best place to find one that hasnt been changed beyond all recognition! That is if they have not all been gas axed:cry:

[mvdepot]

im sure i found some pics of some shermans down there they were from the 1980s i think they had been moded a bit but not to far from original i think they have been demobed now though !! i have tried looking into shermans in india and pakistan!! plenty of info on how they where used etc but not much on where they are now! but i may have a good in road into the Indian army that can shed some light on to where they have all gone and all the spare parts!!!

[Great War truck]

Did you not see the MMI from a couple of Months ago? There is a Pakistani army base with a great number of WW2 MV's, including some Shermans of which most were ARV configuration.

[ajmac]

Any photos?

Drove past the Army base here in Cali today, no armour in use or as gate guardians though... I did watch a C47 fly over in Colombian Airforce colours though.....an 80's mod with turbo props replacing the original Radials.

[N.O.S.]

I did watch a C47 fly over in Colombian Airforce colours though.....an 80's mod with turbo props replacing the original Radials.

 

How truly awful is that?

[Adrian Barrell]

Absolutely, it's tearing the soul out of a great lady.

[AlienFTM]

Absolutely, it's tearing the soul out of a great lady.

 

You don't suppose it's because the original engines don't give the aeroplane enough grunt at altitude and is in fact a necessary mod to keep it fit for purpose?

 

I remember a few decades ago, the Peruvian national railway replaced its ageing fleet of steam engines with brand spanking new diesels only to discover that they had no grunt at high altitude and were simply not fit for purpose, so they put the steam engines back on the line. I suspect the terminus in question was Antofagasta.

 

Our only realistic mode of travel between our village in the Andes and Medellin and Bogata was either a DH Beaver Aerotaxi or the twin-engined luxury company Aero-Commander, which was about as big as could land at Otu. They never flew particularly high over the mountains. I always felt we were just a few feet above them and the turbulence did nothing for my sensitive youthful stomach.

 

Even in the DC4s and Constellations that flew between Medellin and Bogata, I never really felt we were that high above the mountains.

[Adrian Barrell]

I'm sure you're right but also the turbines would be cheaper, more reliable, lighter, thereby giving a greater payload and as the airframe has no fatigue index, anything to extend the operational life must be worthwhile.

 

Your time down there sounds very interesting, what were you doing?

[AlienFTM]

My father (being from Co Durham) was obliged to spend the Second World War down the coal mines, despite his every trick to try and sign up. He nearly lost an arm in a conveyor belt accident underground in 1942. come the end of the war he was fed up with the coal mines and applied to be an engineer for Frontino Gold Mines Limited near Segovia in 1946. My mother and eldest brother joined him in 1947. My middle brother was born out there in 1949 and it was not a pleasant experience, so when I came along, she and her two sons travelled home.

 

It was meant to be a short stop, but ultimately I was in my eleventh year when we moved out there. Was it interesting? It was different, but I had to watch us win the World Cup on somebody else's TV with the commentary dubbed in Spanish.

 

Dad died a year after we moved out there and we returned home. When I was RAPC, I considered applying for a posting to the British Embassy in Bogata so that I could see my father's grave, but realistically it wasn't the place to take a young wife and two children.

[antar]

You don't suppose it's because the original engines don't give the aeroplane enough grunt at altitude and is in fact a necessary mod to keep it fit for purpose?

 

I remember a few decades ago, the Peruvian national railway replaced its ageing fleet of steam engines with brand spanking new diesels only to discover that they had no grunt at high altitude and were simply not fit for purpose, so they put the steam engines back on the line. I suspect the terminus in question was Antofagasta.

 

Our only realistic mode of travel between our village in the Andes and Medellin and Bogata was either a DH Beaver Aerotaxi or the twin-engined luxury company Aero-Commander, which was about as big as could land at Otu. They never flew particularly high over the mountains. I always felt we were just a few feet above them and the turbulence did nothing for my sensitive youthful stomach.

 

Even in the DC4s and Constellations that flew between Medellin and Bogata, I never really felt we were that high above the mountains.

 

I think the important fact that you forgot to point out is that when you are in Bogota you are already at 8000 feet above sea level !

[AlienFTM]

I think the important fact that you forgot to point out is that when you are in Bogota you are already at 8000 feet above sea level !

 

That was what I was implying. We were high in the Andes, so the aircraft did not fly that much higher above them.