Hey, I’m building Italeri’s M32, and I was wondering if anybody had any info on it, also, what were the crew’s uniforms like-
GI stuff, or armor crewman’s gear?[?]
Hey Steve, what is it you would like to know about the M32?
Reference photos are ARV’s in combat are unfortunately few and far between. There are a few photos on the net of the M32 variants … just do a Google search and you’ll find them quite easily.
As for the kit itself, there is some major debate as to whether or not the large hatch (late M4A1) was ever used as a recovery vehicle during W.W.II. There were some used post W.W.II, but they all seem to have had HVSS suspension.
But if you can get past that issue, it is a fairly straight forward build with no serious problems. The reacks, as with all Italeri kits, are a little stiff so be very careful when attaching them to the vehicle as they will break the idlers off very easily.
Other than that, a most enjoyable build. Something a little different.
there are some photos in the Concord book US Tank Battles in Germany 1944-45 by Steven J Zaloga, in them the crews are wearing what looks like infantry gear
Hey, thanks for the info! I think that I have to go check that book out soon, otherwise, I should go to the nearby armor museum about 90 miles away-they have a M32(really beat up) that I can have a peek at. Thanks all!
Welcome to the forum beav.
Post some pictures of your progress 
good luck,
Thank you—I am actually a new modeler-started my first in april.—picked a bad one-it had a full interior(an M8) well, now I am a bit better
I got an entire collection of M32 crew / vehicle photos from a WWII vet (around 200 of them). I’ll take a look tonight and get back to you about uniforms and such. I believe weather had a lot to do with what they wore. I’ll also see if any late hull M32B1’s were in use… I don’t think there were any in this lot of pictures.
M32: M4 hull based
M32B1 M4A1 hull
M32B3 M4A3 hull
M32B3E8 easy 8 hull…
I think that’s right, isn’t it Robert?
Bis spater! … is that how it’s spelled??
Ron.
Real close Ron
M32 - M4 hull based
M32 B1 - M4A1 hull
M32 B3 - M4A3 hull
M32 A1 B1 - M4A1 hull, E8 suspension (this is the one you have at the museum IIRC)
M32 A1 B3 - M4A3 hull, E8 suspension
OOH.
Well, gets confusing sometimes for us older folk… Too many tanks on the brain!
Ron.
Here are some online pics of a postwar M-32 based on a early M4A3 but refurbished with HVSS suspension
http://www.clandavidsonusa.com/wac/afvphotos/us/m32b1/m32arv.htm
Hey, Thanks all for your input on my funny looking sherman lol. It is well, that the modeling community is so nice to newcomers!
Took a look at my reference album (31st Tank Bn) and didn’t see any late hull M32’s[:(]… The ARV’s used by the 31st were based on the M4 and M4A1, all early.
On the “cool things discovered” side:[:D] Unit markings were all over the place on the nose casting of the tanks, crooked, one higher than the other, etc. Lots of mud on the vehicles below the sponsons!
Uniforms: Wools pretty much all around on these guys. (in the summer, they liked to work with their shirts off) Of course, there is ONE rebel in HBT pants and blouse, so those were used too. Didn’t see any coveralls. I’ve had other WWII mechanics tell me coveralls weren’t worn by them either so I guess that’s pretty much a tanker thing.
Sometimes leggings were worn, other times, just boots (buckle type and combat shoe) you’d see some guys in leggings, others without in the same photo(I’d bet it’s the drivers wearing leggings to keep from snagging their pant legs on those darned latterals).
Rank insignia and unit (armor triangle with 31) patches were worn on the sleeves of the wool shirts and tanker jackets on some, others didn’t wear any.
By the looks of it, stars were present on vehicles fresh from the depot, while those that had been around a bit had them painted over.
Name on the vehicle: SNOOPER (even a photo of the guy painting the name on… that would be a fun dio!).
Other cool photos: Some knocked out King Tigers, Mk IV’s etc. An M3 half track (what’s left of it) tossed up the side of a building and an M5A1 that broke through the ice… a sequence starts with just its antenna sticking out, then slowly extracting it from the water. (Hope the crew got out! BRRRR[:0]). Refugees living in caves, German POW’s, sunken Shermans (and M32’s!) etc.
Anyhooo, hope this helps, it was fun looking through the album again!
Well, Italeri’s M32, is actually an early sherman hull-M4A1 I think, so that really helped!
Italeri’s M32 … is actually and M4A1 Late version hull. That’s it’s acurracy problem.
thanks for the correction Shermanfreak 
is it easy to put the M32 bits on a Tamiya M4 hull?