Project M4A3

[Warhawk]

As previously stated over on the restoration thread I am involved with a restoration of an M4A3 Sherman tank. The goal is to return the vehicle to operating "parade" condition. Currently the vehicle is on display outside but a building has been given over to house the project and the Vermont Nation Guard has donated the use of a Heavy Equipment Transporter to move the tank from it's current location to said building. (about a 1/4 mile as the crow flies and about 1/2 a mile of actual driving) I found the following pictures of Sabine Sally (the tanks name) on a scale modeling website and were taken by a Steve Tyliszczak. I take no credit for them, but I downloaded the lot as they provide an excellent overview of the external condition of the vehicle. I will update this thread as more information is available.

Here is a sampling of those photos and a diagram of the M4 Sherman.

[Scott Rose]

Thanks Al. My interest in armor is surpased only by aircraft. If it wasn't for a slight quirk of fate this forum would be part of the Armor Resource Group

I still want to create an armor registry similar to the Warbird Registry, but thats a long way off since so far sanity has prevailed.

[Warhawk]

Well, but for a slight quirk of fate I would have more to with aircraft than ground transport. Guess that just means that you and I are just about two degrees either side of center.

There is a club meeting next Sunday at the N.U. mess hall (executive dining room) and I should have some more info then. I'll keep you informed.

[TimAPNY]

Al
That is really cool. Please keep us updated. I always love the M4's.
Tim

[Steven M. Dennis]

That is really cool. Please keep us updated. I always love the M4's.

Ditto Al, and good luck with the restoration. Keep the updates coming.

Steve

[Warhawk]

Like I stated earlier, if things keep going at this pace it may very well be spring before we can do anything. N.U. operated a ski area quite literally across the road from the school (it's been closed for many years now) and the building where we are going to be moving to is the trail groomer shed. I looked in there about three or four years ago with the thought that it could be used for this project. The building was not locked, there was a grooming machine still housed there and there was a bunch of gymnasium gear being stored there as well. At this point in time I want to know if there is electricity, heat and whether or not it has been cleaned out. Also there is the question of lifting equipment (gantry, chain falls, etc...). Knowing that the outside of the vehicle looks worse than the pictures show I'm planning on a worst case scenario of completely disassembling and rebuilding everything. These are just a few of the things that I'm going to be bringing up next week at the club meeting. There are those in the club who can't see past the "thrill" of cracking open the hatches. After that you don't have to worry about seeing them since the real work will be begining. As a case in point, it was suggested by a few of these individuals that we have a club outing and cut open the hatches right where it sits today. I was at that meeting and by the time I got done explaining (in very simple and straight forward terms ) why this might be a bad idea, I found myself drafted onto the restoration commitee.

Before this project is all said and done you guy's are gonna be calling me Lt. Col. because I feel that strongly about this. If we are going to be taking this on then I insist that it be done right. I'm a pretty laid back kinda guy and I think some folks are about to get a surprise when they find out what kind of an a-hole I can be.


End of rant

[Jeffrey]

one of the best arguments I ever heard in a restoration of anything was " if you want to cut corners, that's fine by me but remember, if it breaks, if it fails, if it needs more work inside the next 5 years, I am calling you to fix it if it is something you cut the corners on and I will laugh as I do so."

[Warhawk]

I just got back from our club meeting and there is not much more to report. I will have some technical stuff later, but for now nothing has really changed except for the clubs overall participation. We have caused a spark that has lit a fire under that school. The school museum is about to construct a new building to the tune of around seven million dollars and they are now taking a leading role in the project. Volunteer labor is being provided by the schools Honor Tank Platoon and the club is providing tech support. I have wormed my way in as the club liason to the project so I'll be taking a hands on role in the project. No schedule for the move has been set and no one knows if we can get into the building that has been set aside for the project. Maybe a month from now is what I was told. I' don't really belive it. VTNG is really hot to do the move and are looking forward to it. An outline for the project has been put together and a copy is going to be mailed to me. When it arrives I'll update this again as there was some great info in there. I don't want to try to repeat any of it now and risk getting something wrong.

[Warhawk]

I got my outline today so here goes.

Background: M4A3.

Hull number: 11467

Date of Manufacture: November 1942

Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company

Seventh M4A3 built under Ford's second contract P.O. T-3334 to W-374-ORD-1213. 358th M4A3 built overall.

Registration: USA 3053622 (tentative)

This tank was likely rebuilt at the depot level in Tokyo, post WWII and the turret is most likely not original to the hull.

A set of technical manuals have been donated to the project by the Army Historical Center, Museum Division. They are:

TM9-1731B Ford Tank Engines (Models GAA, GAF and GAN) 4 June 1945 (with changes 1-3)

TM9-1731C Accessories for Tank Engines, Model GAA V-8 (Ford) 23 August 1943

TM(-1750K Tracks and Suspension, Turret and Hull for M4 and Modifications, 17 November 1943

TM9-1718 Medium Tank M4A3, September 1954 (which supercedes TM9-759, dated 15 September 1944)

As things happen I will continue to update this thread.

[wls3]

Al

I don't know why I remember this junk but here is a little fact I thought of
while reading your post.

The song with the longest title is 'I’m a Cranky Old Yank in a Clanky Old
Tank on the Streets of Yokohama with my Honolulu Mama Doin’ Those
Beat-o, Beat-o Flat-On-My-Seat-o, Hirohito Blues.
Written by Hoagy Carmichael in 1943.
You can look it up.
Sorry,
Bill

[Warhawk]

You mention that and I know that at some point in the past I have heard it. I had just forgotten about it.

Thanks ( n or is it tanks?).

[Warhawk]

I have been informed today that Sally has been moved inside and the hatches opened. Nobody bothered to inform any of us that it was going to happen so I've missed it.

Our club president is in Florida for the next two months and the whole chain of contact fell apart. I'll update when I know more.

[Jeffrey]

so I guess now the order of business is to determine who was there, who authorised it, who did it and to start commenting on how it should have been done in an open and organised manner with the knowledge of everyone concerned so that everything could be duly recorded and nothing could have possibly gone missing and add to the task of fitting out.

[Warhawk]

It's the schools tank and the volunteers are mainly from the corps of cadets. They had an open window to get the guard to move it and did so. I am assured that they are documenting everything. It's just that the ball got dropped and the word did not pass down the chain.

I'm sure this is the first time anything like this has happened in the history of the human race.

[Jeffrey]

The move I can completely agree with and everything. the opening though.. that is something different. that thing was a time capsule and if not fully documented for all you know some-one might have taken a complete radio set from it. or similar. Not likely but now you'll never know.

only reason I say that is I have seen similar happen here.

Funny how the person I went and visited suddenly "donated" a rather rare part which he hadn't even realised he had.