US Army Fireflies
Since hypothetical encounters and weapons systems that never actually saw action can be created in WinSPWW2, I am surprised that no Sherman Fireflies are included in the American OB list, which is not exactly overlong. Obviously a player can buy British Fireflies by adding allied units to a game's OB, but there should really be US Fireflies for hypothetical scenarios. Had the war lasted even a little longer, it is likely that US Army Fireflies would have seen action. The UK was asked to supply, initially, 160 Fireflies by converting 75mm M4s and (especially) M4A3s with wet stowage, although at least one M4A3 with dry stowage was converted. Britain also supplied 12 M4 Fireflies from its own stocks to the US 755th Tank Battalion in Italy. Although the initial order for 160 Fireflies was halved when it became obvious that the war in Europe was ending, a document dated 26th May 1945 stated that 86 Fireflies (M4 and M4A3) were in theatre in N.W. Europe. The First and Ninth US armies were allocated 40 each, all being completed by 7th April 1945; the last three being shipped from the UK on 10th May. Perhaps we will see these added to the American OB in the future.
Sources:
Mark Hayward, Sherman Firefly, Barbarossa Books, Tiptree, 2001
David Fletcher, Sherman Firefly: New Vanguard # 141, Osprey Publishing, Botley, 2008
John Sanders, The Sherman Tank in British Service 1942-45, Vanguard # 15, Osprey Publishing, London, 1982
Steven J. Zaloga, The Sherman Tank in US and Allied Service, Vanguard # 26, Osprey Publishing, London, 1982
Steven J. Zaloga, M4 (76mm) Sherman Medium Tank 1943-65, Osprey Publishing, Botley, 2003
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