US OOB 12 corrections/suggestions (v.6)

[Pibwl]

Part 2

As for 02 Light Tank M2A4 - I had no source by hand, so I used Wikipedia article (which refers to Hunnicut in general). Anyway, "Stuart In Action" also says May 1940.

As for 240 Light Tank M3A1 - still in use at Kasserine Pass (2/43), I guess until the end of Tunesian campaign at least (now ends at 9/42). I don't know, if US Army M3 Stuarts were used in Pacific theatre after this date (Marines' M3 were).

As for 243 LT M3A3 Recon - I've never seen a photo of turretless M3/M3A1 used as a recce vehicle. M3A3 were quite common in this role - but in other allied armies, while US Army never deployed M3A3 to combat units (according to "In Action").

300, 301 M4A3 (Early) - picture is M4A1. More correct are 385, 16506 (Chinese?), 27717 (although this is probably pure M4), 27720, 27721 (both French markings?)

302, 303 M4 (Early) - picture is M4A1. More correct are 385, 16506 (Chinese?), 27717.
I would suggest to call it just "M4", as it was basic model, same for "M4A3" without "early.

304, 305 M4 (Late) - picture is M4A1. I guess it should be M4 with composite hull, but it should have the same cast front armour, as M4A1(76), while it has one more (10).

308 M4A3 (76) - same notes as 09 M4A3 (76)

310 M4A2 (Early) - AFAIK US Army never used M4A2. Anyway, picture is M4A1, and more correct are 385, 16506 (Chinese?), 27720, 27721 (both French markings?)

344, 199, 201 T30 75mm HMC - picture is 105mm T19.

350 P-39 Airacobra - picture is P-63 (same problem, as unit 88)

(368 Bantam - precisely, Bantam BRC)

412 4.5 In Gun Bty - picture is British 4.5in (different gun)

415 8 Inch How Bty - M1 howitzer was standardised only in 1940 (now 1/30). Earlier there was used old British 8in howitzer, with much shorter range.

424 75mm M1917 FG - according to Hogg's Fact Files, used until Philippine campaign (now 12/38) (picture is some M1897-looking gun, while M1917 had small pneumatic tyres in last variants) Same for 409 unit.

That's probably all.

Michal

[Pibwl]

Few suggestions of additions:

- M5 High Speed Tractor (from 5/43) - existing M4 HST (#381) was a tractor for heavy artillery, while M5 was most common.

There were also used by the Army:
- Amphibs:
- LVT 1 (combat debute in 11/42),
- LVT 2 (unarmoured, produced from early 1943)
- LVT(A)2 (armoured, produced from unspecified time in 1943, rather later that year)
- LVT(A)2 modified in 1944 with 37 mm automatic aircraft gun on a pintle
- Amtanks:
- LVT(A)1
- LVT(A)4

More comments on LVTs will be in USMC OOB notes.

I'm attaching mentioned pictures of 75mm M1 howitzer on M3 carriage

[Imp]

Originally Posted by Pibwl

Few suggestions of additions:

- M5 High Speed Tractor (from 5/43) - existing M4 HST (#381) was a tractor for heavy artillery, while M5 was most common.

There were also used by the Army:
- Amphibs:
- LVT 1 (combat debute in 11/42),
- LVT 2 (unarmoured, produced from early 1943)
- LVT(A)2 (armoured, produced from unspecified time in 1943, rather later that year)
- LVT(A)2 modified in 1944 with 37 mm automatic aircraft gun on a pintle
- Amtanks:
- LVT(A)1
- LVT(A)4

More comments on LVTs will be in USMC OOB notes.

I'm attaching mentioned pictures of 75mm M1 howitzer on M3 carriage

From memory the LVT series will be hard to model, esp the A versions if I remember.
Bristling with MGs but most need passengers on board to fire & or do not cover the front arc. You could perhaps include them with a short range as additional close defence.

[Pibwl]

Originally Posted by Imp

From memory the LVT series will be hard to model, esp the A versions if I remember.
Bristling with MGs but most need passengers on board to fire & or do not cover the front arc. You could perhaps include them with a short range as additional close defence.

They are already in USMC OOB, so it's nothing new.
By the way, a visual difference was, that Army LVT had large stars, while the Marines usually have none (by "Amtracs in action" or similar Concord book).

[Pibwl]

There could be also added late-war M4A3(75) and M4A3(76) with sandbags on hull's front and sides, which were quite common sight (from around August 1944?). There is already a drawing pm27729.lbm of such M4A3E8.

Michal

[Pibwl]

I've found in "Sherman in action", that there were applique kits of 1in plate for Shermans fronts (with new hulls) introduced late in the war (early 1945 or even earlier).

[cbo]

Originally Posted by Pibwl

There could be also added late-war M4A3(75) and M4A3(76) with sandbags on hull's front and sides, which were quite common sight (from around August 1944?). There is already a drawing pm27729.lbm of such M4A3E8.

Michal

Problem with sandbags is that it works something like ERA - i.e. it protects against the first hit, but is blown apart and away, leaving the tank with only the main armour to deal with the next rounds. Dont know if the game engine can handle that type of protection?

[Pibwl]

Originally Posted by cbo

Problem with sandbags is that it works something like ERA - i.e. it protects against the first hit, but is blown apart and away, leaving the tank with only the main armour to deal with the next rounds.

Maybe not exactly. First, the next hit would have to be in the same area. Secondly, I believe, that a thin HEAT stream makes a hole in a sandbag, and then loses its energy on sand inside. Some sand spills through the hole, but sandbags from above should drop a bit lower then, filling a gap.

Michal

[cbo]

Originally Posted by Pibwl

310 M4A2 (Early) - AFAIK US Army never used M4A2. Anyway, picture is M4A1, and more correct are 385, 16506 (Chinese?), 27720, 27721 (both French markings?)

IIRC the US tank formations in Tunesia were temporarily issued vehicles from Lend-Lease stocks in North Africa after the Sidi-bou-Zid/Kasserine debacle in February 1943. If memory serves me right, they were M4A2s destined for the French forces undergoing re-armament. Can't find a source right now, but might be worth checking up on before deleting the vehicle. Even though it wouldn't matter much in game terms