.50cals for sherman tank cuppolas..?

Now that is chock full of Sherman data, enough to keep one busy for sometime.

Many thanks,

Gaines.

 

Just found this one. It has a lot of pictures that I haven't seen before.


http://www.theshermantank.com/

 

Nice site, just spent a couple hours checking it out.

 

This has turned into a really informative thread, thanks to the OP. Great links. have come up. I certainly learned from it. My references to cupolas are from architecture but when applied to tanks it's meaning expands. I am glad to know that. Told me how narrow minded I was. Even caused me to go read up on on M4's . Something I needed to do.

Gaines

 

I agree. My thanks to the OP as well.

 

This may be a generalization, but the British seem not to have been a fan of cupola mounted machine guns on Sherman tanks. Check these https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=sherman+tanks+normandy+1944&rlz=1C1GGGE_en-gbGB421GB430&espv=2&biw=1164&bih=536&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiystftv_XLAhVBbhQKHeMXBx0Q_AUIBigB#imgrc=31VVE8QNl9bYnM%3A

Some were fitted, and many may have landed on D Day with cupola mounted weapons. Wally Harris, an artificer staff sergeant in 90th Field Regiment claims that he cannibalized a .3 browning from a KO flail tank on Gold Beach.

The Royal Armoured Corps isn't in favour of the pintle mount for three reasons;

#1 Neither the 0.3 nor the 0.5 browning have self destruct ammunition. As AA weapons they pose a greater danger to friends on the ground than foe.

#2 It increases the height of the vehicle betraying the presence of a vehicle which might other wise be turret down

#3 Avoiding unnecessary casualties to tank commanders.

The M10 is usually seen with the pintle machine gun because it did not have any other machine gun. The feedback from the anti-tank units was that they would much prefer to have a machine gun under armour (oh and, could we have some overhead protection, a Firefly would do nicely.)
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Sheldrake, thanks for the added information. The Firefly in the same photo collection did not seem to have one either. I really like that particular shot. It really emphasises that long 17 pounder sticking out. One mean looking Sherman. The narrow treaded 75MM Sherman lacks that fear striking look of the Firefly and the 76 ''. Probably a silly comment but if you were in an Axis tank seeing the above might make a small difference in your attitude.. I am not knocking the goodness inherit in the Sherman, I Just emphasising the upgrades..

Gaines