Field modifications and conversions to Allied vehicles.

Was that not the case for many other 3d Army ADs too? Patton contracted a Belgium factory to build those kits, steel armor plates were welded to M4's front hull then pasted over with cement to defeat the Panzerfaust and the KwK/Pak 40. I think 3d AD also augmented their M4A1(76)W's frontal armor with 1 in. plates, there is no reason to believe that they did not do the same for the more easily modifed M4A3. The extra armor was useful for absorbing the first hits before it was dislodged from the tank armor. What I don't know is how much did that degraded mechanical performance? Shouldn't be as bad as sandbag, but how much?

 

In regards to the concrete armor IMO the advantages of it would be somewhat short term. After the first few hits it would crack or shatter. And would have to be reapplied.

 

Anyone have any info on how effective the concrete armor was ? If at all?

Sherman Gun Tower - British field conversion in Italy by removing turrets from old M4A2 Sherman tanks to tow 17 pdr AT gun and carry crew with ammunition
Wolverine Gun Tower - British M10 (M4A2 chassis) or M10A1 (M4A3 chassis) converted by removing turret, 1944-45
Crusader II, Gun Tractor Mk I- from the Crusader tank

 

Stuart V Recce . It sports a pintle mounted Browning

 

Just like the german mesh wire - application this sufficed for the purpose of posing an obstacle for prematurely detonating a shaped charge warhead. Both kinds of shields were mass-produced factory items. The rumor that the russians also installed improvised spaced armor with common bedsprings is wrong and might stem from a misinterpretation of the pictures showing the mesh-wire type of shields.
The picture at left shows a russian T-34/85 with the mesh-wire type shields in front of the Reichstag in Berlin, date April 1945. The same vehicle is shown below in a drawing





http://www.geocities.com/Augusta/8172/panzerfaust1.htm

 

This might be a Stuart Recce used by the Dutch. I like the PSP onthe sides .

 

A great shot of the T-34 mesh modifications.

 

Another example of the modified jeep

 

This Willys MB Jeep was field modified in 1944 with additional armor and is fitted with a Browning M1919A4 .30 cal. machine gun.

 

Going with a theme here LOL.

Signal Corps Jeep


SAS Jeep

 

I wonder if cavalry and recon units were the ones using the uparmored jeeps? The one picture shows two similarly modified jeeps so I wonder at what level these mods were done.

 

Can't see any unit markings on the bumpers. The one in the museum is marked for the 82nd Airborne.

 

Carrying on with the Jeep theme .

 

Something you dont see alot. T-34s with appliqué armour welded to the hull,