US OOB 12 very minor comments

Pibwl · #1 December 27th, 2015, 08:56 PM

11, 314 M4 3-4-3 Flame - for most of its service it was known as M4 E4-5 Flame - only from 4/45 a derivate of an auxiliary flamethrower E4-5 was standardized as M3-4-4 (Zaloga: "..many unit records refer to the various types of auxiliary flamethrowers under the generic E4-5 designation...")

Both units differ in number of FT shots 1 or 3, but this is hopelessly low, while USMC #205 M4 E4-5 Flame has 10 shots.
In fact it had 50 gallons and a burst time 50 sec (a comparison is here http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=50474 ). Early ones might have been an early variant with 25 gals and 40 sec.

A Crocodile (#315) had 400 gals and 80 sec.

Also, same machines as USMC OOB #100 M3A1 Flame, with improvised infantry flamethrowers, were used in action by the US Army on Pacific theatre from 1/44.

Pibwl · #2 January 8th, 2016, 06:29 PM

028 M8 Greyhound could never carry that much ammo (32 HE, 80 AP). According to Osprey NV 053 M8 Greyhound, a factory stowage was 80 rounds. In fact, cavalry cars had two radios in a hull, what caused a reduction of ammo to sole 16 rounds in a turret. Such cars were manufactured from 3/44 (or maybe even modified from 11/43, when two radios were authorized?). After applying different field modifications (eg. 16+36 rounds), a field modification with 79 rounds was accepted in July 44 (43+20+16). Cars from tank destroyer units had original 80 rounds.
BTW, the gun was M6.

Pibwl · #3 January 8th, 2016, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pibwl

11, 314 M4 3-4-3 Flame - for most of its service it was known as M4 E4-5 Flame - only from 4/45 a derivate of an auxiliary flamethrower E4-5 was standardized as M3-4-4 (Zaloga: "..many unit records refer to the various types of auxiliary flamethrowers under the generic E4-5 designation...")

A better picture is 30243, since it was bow-mounted flamethrower, while current one shows a FT mounted in a turret (POA-CWS-H1)

M4 POA-CWS-H1 with turret-mounted FT could be also added to the Army (copied from USMC unit 203, with changed name to M4) - they were used by the Army on Pacific theatre (54 tanks available from 1/45, used from 4/45 on Okinawa).

#312 M42B3 - personally I couldn't find such designation... apparently it's M4 POA-CWS-H5 with HVSS suspension?

BTW: #720 LVT(A) 4 - maybe it's worth to replace picture 09386 with beautiful 2470, with prominent Army star (avoided by the Marines)

MarkSheppard · #4 January 8th, 2016, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pibwl

#312 M42B3 - personally I couldn't find such designation... apparently it's M4 POA-CWS-H5 with HVSS suspension

I went through my files and found a document I photographed in US National Archives II in College Park, MD titled SPECIAL FULL TRACK ARMORED VEHICLES.

The M42 was an official designation used for standardized main armament flamethrower tanks; and there were two variants produced:

M42B1: Rebuilt tanks using M4A1 tanks as a basis.
M42B3: Rebuilt tanks using M4A3 tanks as a basis.

Both variants used the M5-4 / (E12-7R1) flamethrower with 315 gallons of fuel; replacing the main armament.

Several HUNDRED of these were remanufacturered by August 1945; with HUNDREDS more cancelled by the end of WW2 in August 1945.

MarkSheppard · #5 January 8th, 2016, 08:32 PM

Photographs of interest. It doesn't say which version is shown; but true Sherman aficionados can figure out which is which by looking at the hull.

MarkSheppard · #6 January 8th, 2016, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pibwl

Also, same machines as USMC OOB #100 M3A1 Flame, with improvised infantry flamethrowers, were used in action by the US Army on Pacific theatre from 1/44.

I think this is what you are talking about. These are from NARA II and the dates on the back of the cards were mid-1943.

Pibwl · #7 January 9th, 2016, 05:55 AM

Nice photo of M3. Tested in October 1943, first saw combat in 1/44 with the Army (Bougainville) and 2/44 by the Marines (New Britain)

I've found an info on M42 in photo's caption of Zaloga's book only:

Quote:

"The only main armament mechanized flamethrower to reach series production in 1945 was the M5-4, with 151 completed. None reached combat, but they remained in service through the early 1950s (...) The flamethrower tank was designated as M42B1 when based on the M4A1, and M42B3 when based on the M4A3".

(a bit of explanation: POA-CWS H1 main armament flamethrowers were not produced in series, but were apparently treated as an authorized field modification).