M3 Grant and M4 Sherman Family of Vehicles

[scooter]

I haven't thought of a good, plausable scenario for such a vehicle that would be better suited than the real-world M36 Jackson. Any ideas??

Proof of concept for the T-28/T-95 Doom Turtle?

[jcf]

I haven't thought of a good, plausable scenario for such a vehicle that would be better suited than the real-world M36 Jackson. Any ideas??

Proof of concept for the T-28/T-95 Doom Turtle?

That's the only likely situation.

A casemate type assault or anti-tank version of the M3/M4 was unlikely in
light of US Army tactics, infantry and anti-tank. Being able to turn a turret
when a situation changes, rather than the entire vehicle, is worth it.

[RAFF-35]

I haven't thought of a good, plausable scenario for such a vehicle that would be better suited than the real-world M36 Jackson. Any ideas??

Proof of concept for the T-28/T-95 Doom Turtle?

That's the most plausible scenario so far. Would it actually see combat though? Would a small evaluation unit be set up and sent to the front lines?


Or! What if the Germans captured a bunch of Shermans, but wanted to replace the peashooter with 8.8cm guns so they could be more effective at hit and run attacks. The 8.8cm couldn't fit in the Sherman turret so it was fitted to the hull, Jagdpanzer style. A true JagdSherman.

[Weaver]

I haven't thought of a good, plausable scenario for such a vehicle that would be better suited than the real-world M36 Jackson. Any ideas??

Proof of concept for the T-28/T-95 Doom Turtle?

That's the most plausible scenario so far. Would it actually see combat though? Would a small evaluation unit be set up and sent to the front lines?


Or! What if the Germans captured a bunch of Shermans, but wanted to replace the peashooter with 8.8cm guns so they could be more effective at hit and run attacks. The 8.8cm couldn't fit in the Sherman turret so it was fitted to the hull, Jagdpanzer style. A true JagdSherman.

It wouldn't need an 88 - a 75mm /L71 (Panther, Jagdpanzer IV, etc...) would be easier to fit and quite sufficient.

[Weaver]

I haven't thought of a good, plausable scenario for such a vehicle that would be better suited than the real-world M36 Jackson. Any ideas??

Proof of concept for the T-28/T-95 Doom Turtle?

That's the only likely situation.

A casemate type assault or anti-tank version of the M3/M4 was unlikely in
light of US Army tactics, infantry and anti-tank. Being able to turn a turret
when a situation changes, rather than the entire vehicle, is worth it.

Agreed. Casemate types are better for an army on the defensive where low profile and concealment are critical to successful ambushes, but when you're on the advance the chance of being flanked is so much higher that a turret comes into it's own.

Of course you then get into the debate about how like a tank a tank destroyer can get without becoming an actual tank, but that's a different issue.

[Weaver]

Something that's on my to-do list and I've actually got the kits for is a quick'n'dirty TD made by fitting a 17-pounder AT gun to a Priest chassis in place of the 105mm howitzer. The backstory is that it's an expedient way to get more 17pdrs into Normandy as fast as possible, not an ideal solution. At least one of the models pictured looks like it's made from a Priest, but in that case it's been fitted with a roof.

[scooter]

I haven't thought of a good, plausable scenario for such a vehicle that would be better suited than the real-world M36 Jackson. Any ideas??

Proof of concept for the T-28/T-95 Doom Turtle?

That's the only likely situation.

A casemate type assault or anti-tank version of the M3/M4 was unlikely in
light of US Army tactics, infantry and anti-tank. Being able to turn a turret
when a situation changes, rather than the entire vehicle, is worth it.

Agreed. Casemate types are better for an army on the defensive where low profile and concealment are critical to successful ambushes, but when you're on the advance the chance of being flanked is so much higher that a turret comes into it's own.

Of course you then get into the debate about how like a tank a tank destroyer can get without becoming an actual tank, but that's a different issue.

I had a thought this morning about this.  Two more possible circumstances - the early days of the Korean War, when the 8th Army and ROK forces were retreating constantly, contracting their lines, and something was kludged together to stop or slow the NK T-34s; t'other as an assault gun for Operation Downfall, supporting the infantry.

[Rick Lowe]

I had a thought this morning about this.  Two more possible circumstances - the early days of the Korean War, when the 8th Army and ROK forces were retreating constantly, contracting their lines, and something was kludged together to stop or slow the NK T-34s; t'other as an assault gun for Operation Downfall, supporting the infantry.

In the Korea scenario, would they even bother to get a coat of paint on the additions?
I can see them being cobbled in a field workshop, where getting them into service was more important than making them look pretty - like the T-34s made in Stalingrad during the siege
And then you could have fun with painting old OD, plain steel, bright welds and rust.