The Tasca Firefly kit has two types of bogie wheels, the closed style and the open spoke style. the instructions list the open spoke style as optional. Would these be accurate to use on a Vc?
Thanks in advance,
Steve
The open spoke wheels are an earlier type than the stamped style. Either are normally acceptable on Shermans. It’s also possible to have them mixed on the same vehicle, but my personal preference is to go with one type or the other.
In general, Sherman wheels are somewhat mix-and-match as far as style goes, what with combat replacements and the like. I did a quick Google image search and didn’t find anything conclusive on spoked bogey wheels although I did see one photo of one with a spoked idler. You could probably do whatever strikes your fancy and not be too far wrong.
I spent at least an hour googling through the Sherman Firefly sites and never found a pic of a Firefly with the open spokes. All the pictorial paint and decal drawings in the instructions (for specific tanks and units) don’t give an example either. I would prefer to use the open spokes, just because I like them. If any body ahs a pic I would appreciate it.
By the way, I read some discussion about American fireflys? …?
Steve
Hi Steve: I replied to your post over on Armorama but I might as well share the info here too.
While the open spoke roadwheels are associated with early Shermans, it was not the case with the Chrysler made M4A4s (the chassis for the Firefly VC).
Even the earliest production M4A4s had the stamped wheels. I highly doubt that you’ll see open spokes on any M4A4 or Firefly VC (unless it’s a replacement wheel). I have a photo of one area of the Detroit Tank Arsenal (Chrysler) where they are manufacturing the stamped wheels. Given that they’re making them on site with the M4A4s, it’s no wonder that the open spoke ones aren’t coming in and being installed.
Re: American Fireflies, SZaloga mentions some upgraded M4A3s late in the war but did not enter service. This is in Hayward’s book too.
Hi Steve
Now why would us Brits give you over there something you lent us & we gave it a better gun.!!! SorryOnly joking. I`ve had a look through my books & sites but no joy. The only ones i did find had solid wheels. Cant wait to see this one finished, a friend of mine has got one it looks a great OBB.
Yoda…“a spot o’ tea, and a tank gun for me”…
Thank God that “you Brits” have helped us colonials with tank guns until recently. We sure took advantage of the Vickers 105mm (after we ignored the 17pdr and the IDF “super Sherman”), “mate”. For some reason, we just can’t develop a tank bullet launcher over 90mm that is worth beans. From the Sherman, to the MBT 70 (152mm gun / launcher[#oops]), we produce ineffective/undergunned MBT’s. Now we are sponging off the Bundeswehr for our 120mm. We fielded the M1 with an obsolete 105mm, I mean, for a nation that invented smart munitions for aircraft, cruise missiles, the M2 .50 cal, the TOW etc…you would think we could design and build our own main gun design that would be a “world class” tank killer. I mean now we have a Main Battle tank with a German Main Gun, a Belgian Coax, and 100 year old commanders weapon…whatever works!
Steve
Steve, Last night, I took a look a look through Hunnicutt, but found little to help your cause. The three-view drawing shows open spokes, but I found no other photographic evidence to support it. I did see a couple of M4A4’s with spoked idlers, but their road wheels were stamped. The closest thing I saw was an M4A4 with an early experimental HVSS using standard tracks which did have a couple of spoked wheels on it, but that’s not quite the same as production models using them.
My thought is that for accuracy, you could use the spoked idlers, and probably defend having a two or three spoked wheels that were replacements, but to have all spoked wheels seems unlikely.
Andy
I mean now we have a Main Battle tank with a German Main Gun, a Belgian Coax, and 100 year old commanders weapon…whatever works!
Hi Steve i know mate but if you over there did not lend us the armour, we may have been doing the goose step & have dark fuzz under our noise. But again cant wait to see it finished Alan.
P.s you can add the chobham armour to your list.[bow]
Thanks Andy, that really helps, I only have one bogie assembled right now, and I don’t think it will be much of a problem to pry the spokies out of it and replace with stamped wheels. I appreciate your digging since I don’t have the Hunnicutt book.
Thanks again,
Steve