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sherman dd and sexton


blazerman

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Depends on year of manufacturing , some sextons were even deliverred in September 45 , So the later Sextons had what they called the Mary Ann one piece final driving house . Canadian dry pins are also something from the final stage of production , the Sextons also have a plate inside Showing you wich way round to mount the tracks . Early ones don`t have that plate and had the rubber bushing tracks.

There are also 3 types of suspension used on them , first return wheel on top , then return wheel behind with special hevy side ribs for Sexton only , then with return wheel behind and normal ribs(standard Sherman version)

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That's a mid production Sexton, the later vehicles had headlights mounted at the outer edges of the front plate near the sidelights. Some very late Sextons had the three piece nose fitted when built so all permutations are possible. I've also seen tyres with 'Sexton use only-not for use on gun tanks' embossed in the rubber.

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I agree on mid production , because of the beefed up suspension units .

But I have seen also a Sexton with Shop number 984 wich has the Headlights mounted high up (sherman type ) , crude cut out to install headlamp brackets , but on the other hand have seen one with shop number 2000 + wich had the crudely cut outs for the brackets (rest of tank has neatly cut edges and cut outs ) so Not factory fitment ?

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  • 7 months later...

Just thought I would add these photos of the Slapton M4A1 DD taken nearly 20years ago now (so further deterioration is to be expected) it would require a huge commitment to slavage one of the ex sea wrecks, probably requiring replacement of anything less than 25mm thick, so in effect a refit of everything save the hull and turret even the Volute springs are probably rusted solid.

 

At least it could not be classed as a WMD.

 

Steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

m4a1 dd 1.jpg

m4a1 dd 2.jpg

M4A1 dd view through drivers periscope hole.jpg

M4A1 dd bogie.jpg

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We have been there a couple of times now and if I remember rightly the guy who originally set up the museum ( now deceased I think ) was originally contracted by the local mayor ( or the like ) to clear the beach and surrounding seabed of obstructions after the war, he decided to keep some of the recovered equipment and set up a museum to display them.

The DD's and tanks were recovered upto about 2 miles out and after being washed and de-mudded but with barnacles ect still on them were coated with a preserver which turned the metalwork black. This is how you see them at the museum now.

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