Flamethrowing Shermans
Moderators: dnichols, GHQ, Mk 1
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BlackDragon
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Flamethrowing Shermans
What models of shermans had there main guns swapped for flamethrowers. I have seen a few vid clips on history channel on them but couldnt tell what mark they where. Where these flamethrowers reliable.
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Mk 1
- E5
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I believe the US Army never really operated flamethrowing Shermans. When they played around with flamethrowers, they replaced the hull MG, not the main gun. For the army, the main gun was always critical.
Only the USMC replaced the main gun, because in their island-hopping campaigns so much of the combat was at close ranges anyways that giving up the main gun (longer ranged) for the flamethrower (more effective against many typed of infantry emplacements, but only out to about 75-100yds range) was a reasonable trade-off.
Their standard Sherman for the majority of the war was the M4A2. I believe that is the one more often modified with the flame kit. Probably some M4A3s as well, as it had become their standard Sherman by late war (Iwo Jima and Okinawa).
I'm not entirely sure on all that, though. I'll check my references and report back.
Only the USMC replaced the main gun, because in their island-hopping campaigns so much of the combat was at close ranges anyways that giving up the main gun (longer ranged) for the flamethrower (more effective against many typed of infantry emplacements, but only out to about 75-100yds range) was a reasonable trade-off.
Their standard Sherman for the majority of the war was the M4A2. I believe that is the one more often modified with the flame kit. Probably some M4A3s as well, as it had become their standard Sherman by late war (Iwo Jima and Okinawa).
I'm not entirely sure on all that, though. I'll check my references and report back.
-Mark 1
Difficile est, saturam non scribere.
"It is hard NOT to write satire." - Decimus Iunius Juvenalis, 1st Century AD
Difficile est, saturam non scribere.
"It is hard NOT to write satire." - Decimus Iunius Juvenalis, 1st Century AD
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Gort
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In the ETO the US army tried numerous types of flamethrowers mounted in place of the hull MG or mounted on the hull gunners escape hatch. The problem was that these flamethrowers were short ranged and low capacity and were judged not worth the effort to fit them. There were also a total of 4 Sherman Crocodiles (flame projector mounted on a platform next to the hull gunners escape hatch) issued to the 739th Tank Battalion (Special) (Mine Exploder) and were the only large capacity flamethrowers used by the Americans in the ETO.
In the PTO the flamethrower was the POA. This was a Navy type F/T fitted to fire down the main gun tube of the Sherman (POA-CWS 75H-1 flamethrower tank). However there were some poor combat experiences with this arrangement, resulting in subsequent installations being made in a tube mounted parallel to the 75mm gun. This made the tanks easy to identify as F/T, but also allowed the continued use of the main gun.
regards
Steve
In the PTO the flamethrower was the POA. This was a Navy type F/T fitted to fire down the main gun tube of the Sherman (POA-CWS 75H-1 flamethrower tank). However there were some poor combat experiences with this arrangement, resulting in subsequent installations being made in a tube mounted parallel to the 75mm gun. This made the tanks easy to identify as F/T, but also allowed the continued use of the main gun.
regards
Steve
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Gort
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- Location: SW Ontario
A follow up to my previous post.
The parallel tube mount POA was a post WW2 modification and was the type used in Korea.
A total of 8 POA using the M4A3(75)W chassis were used on Iwo Jima: 4 each with the 4th and 5th Marine Tank Battalions.
54 composite hull M4 Shermans were converted to POA flame tanks and were deployed on Okinawa as the 713th Tank Battalion (Armored Flamethrower).
regards
Steve
The parallel tube mount POA was a post WW2 modification and was the type used in Korea.
A total of 8 POA using the M4A3(75)W chassis were used on Iwo Jima: 4 each with the 4th and 5th Marine Tank Battalions.
54 composite hull M4 Shermans were converted to POA flame tanks and were deployed on Okinawa as the 713th Tank Battalion (Armored Flamethrower).
regards
Steve