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Posted on 04/04/2005 9:29:46 PM PDT by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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 Entering the war without a tank industry, 16 Vickers Mk VI, 12 Carden-Loyd carriers, little hope of future help from England, and 219 WW1 era junked U.S. tanks, Canada started her own tank production. The British Tank Mission, in collaboration with the Canadian General Staff, designed a modified U.S. M3 which would become the Ram. The Ram used standard M3 mechanical components, with a Canadian designed hull and cast turret. The first 50 would mount the 40mm 2 pounder cannon and were designated Mark 1. The remainder were called Mark 2 and had the 57mm 6 pounder cannon. Several AA conversions were proposed for RAM tanks. Many of these conversions were found wanting. The famous AA adaption called Skink, often thought to be a RAM conversion was actually a Grizzly. The Canadian Ram Cruiser Tank was a unique Canadian evolution of the American M3 Medium (Grant/Lee). It had been acknowledged as early as August 1940 that the British would be unable to meet our requirements for cruiser tanks, and Montreal Locomotive Works (a subsidiary of American Locomotive Co., which was already building tanks) was designated as the Canadian Tank Arsenal. It was judged that the excessive height and inferior armament configuration of the M3 series could be improved upon locally, and a new tank was designed around the excellent M3 engine and drivetrain.  Ram I Unfortunately, during the process of design, the British specification for cruiser tanks mounting a 2 pdr gun was adhered to, and the 60-inch turret ring of the Grant was retained, thus restricting the Ram from ever being upgunned beyond 6 pdr. [then] Colonel Worthington himself had argued for the minimum of a 75mm main gun, but was overrulled by the Interdepartmental Tank Committee under the influence of the British Tank Mission. While this was happening, however, British experience on the battlefield was already dictating the necessity for a heavier main gun, and the early 2 pdr Ram did at least get a turret with a readily detachable frontpiece, which could be removed with gun in place and replaced by a 6pdr assembly.  Ram II The prototype Ram rolled off the assembly line in June 1941, and general production of the Ram I began that November. Within three months the line had been changed to Ram II production, which continued until July 1943, at which point the decision had been taken to re-equip British and Canadian units with the abundant and better-armed U.S. Sherman. A total of 1948 Rams of all marques were produced, the last 84 of which were the O.P. variant carrying a dummy gun and two No. 19 Wireless sets for use by the FOOs (Forward Observation Officers) of the Sexton-mounted artillery regiments then being formed.  A Ram OP tank somewhere in Normandy, summer 1944. Note the profusion of camouflage nets and other gear strung all over the vehicle. 84 of these were manufactured at the very end of Ram production. It was a Ram II which had a dummy gun in place on the exterior, and two No. 19 Wireless sets inside. These tanks accompanied the Sexton S.P. gun regiments as mobile observation posts for their FOOs, who up until this time had a fairly high attrition rate when travelling on foot or by carrier with the infantry. In its cruiser configuration, and limited by its small turret ring and 6 pdr gun, the Ram never saw combat, but was used instead for the training of armour crews in Great Britain. By late-summer 1944, with the war raging in Northern Europe, even that function had all but ceased, but the Ram found new life, and went on to do yeoman service, in a number of variants including the Kangaroo armoured personnel carrier, Badger flame tank, Wallaby ammunition tank, armoured gun tower (for the 17 pdr towed AT gun) and ARV. Sadly, most of the Rams which survived the European war ended their time as hard targets on a variety of tank ranges, and few examples remain.  Remember the Canadian Ram? Well this is a much lighter version. This was ordered by the Canadian Army H.Q. in the U.K. in March 1943. It was a dummy Ram tank on a Canadian Ford 15 cwt truck chassis. It could also be erected in a static role without the vehicle. The project never went beyond the development stage.  Canadian Grizzly Canadian licence built American M4A1 "Sherman" tanks were named "Grizzly". The main difference between the "Sherman" and "Grizzly" tanks were the use of CDP tracks and an idler with 13 teeth instead of 17 teeth. From September to December of 1943, Montreal Locomotive Works produced 188 "Grizzly" tanks. Part of them equipped Canadian Forces in Europe, while the rest was used for training purposes. Several AA conversions were proposed for the Grizzly tank. One such test vehicle was the Skink and one unit was converted. Judging the unit to be a real battle winner, it was shipped over to Europe in 1945 for live testing. The Skink proved that it was valuable in knocking down German aircraft, HOWEVER, by 1945 there was little for it to actually shoot at. The Skink then found another purpose... it was turned on German infantry with devastating results. Though successful, little purpose could be found for production and the project was cancelled.  The only change made in the basic M3A1 design was to fit a British-pattern 2 in (51 mm) smoke discharger on the turret and a British radio set No 19 inside the turret. However, it soon became apparent that American production capacity was ample and that there was no need to make the M3A1 in Canada.  In 1954 Portugal received at least fifty Grizzly tanks. They were declared obsolete in 1973. Many were bought by collectors in the 1980s and today the Grizzly (of which orginally only 188 were built by Montreal Locomotive Works) is among the most numerous running Shermans. Production of the Grizzly was therefore ended in December 1943. A few of the tanks were shipped to England for use by Canadian units, while the remainder were retained in Canada for training. The M4 Sherman and variants were in US Service from 1942 until 1956. A total of 49 234 Shermans were built in the US during the Second World War, a quantity equaled by only one other wartime tank, the Soviet T-34.  Around December of 1943 and January of 1944, it was thought that there was a need for a specialized antiaircraft tank for use during the forthcoming invasion of Europe, and the Canadian Department of Defence undertook to produce a design using the Grizzly as the basis. A new cast turret was designed to mount four Hispano-Suiza 20 mm (0.79 in) cannon, with electro-hydraulic control operated by a simple gun-layer's joystick. The Hispano guns were then changed for Polstens, the modified version of the Oerlikon cannon. The pilot model was ready for test in early 1944 and production plans were drawn up for building new Skink tanks and also for the production of conversion units which could be installed into existing Grizzly and Sherman tanks. But after the invasion of Europe, it was soon appreciated that the air threat of the Luftwaffe was much less than had been expected and there was no requirement for AA tanks; existing AA tanks were withdrawn, and the Skink project cancelled after the production of only three Skinks and eight conversion kits.  It was recorded that the Skink was put to another purpose, it was turned on German infantry with devastating results. Only one vehicle was deployed to see combat.
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Hi Feather.
Morning alfa6.
Back when Canada was a Country that would fight for what it believed in.
Morning Aeronaut.
Morning E.G.C.
Strange day yesterday, sun to rain to hail back to sun then to rain again.
Morning Mayor.
My mom always taught me not to trust people like me. ;-)
Morning Sleepyhead. :-)
Morning tomball.
Nice pic!
Morning Mud.
How's it going, Snippy?((HUGS))
Morning PE.
WTC pic, right?
:-)
On This Day In History
Birthdates which occurred on April 05:
1588 Thomas Hobbes England, philosopher (Leviathan)
1752 Sébastien Erard piano/harp manufacturer
1818 Lewis Baldwin Parsons Brevet Major General (Union volunteers)
1822 James Nagle Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1866
1825 David Rumph "Neighbor" Jones Major General (Confederate Army)
1827 Joseph Lister England, physician (founded aseptic surgery)
1838 Alpheus Hyatt US, invertebrate paleontologist
1839 Robert Smalls Beaufort SC, black congressman 1875-87 (Representative-SC)
1900 Spencer Tracy Milwaukee WI, actor (Father's Little Dividend, Adam's Rib)
1901 Chester Bowles Massachusetts, ambassador/writer (Conscience of a Liberal)
1901 Melvyn Douglas [Hesselberg] Macon GA, actor (Hud, Ghost Story)
1905 Bill Raisch one armed actor (Fred Johnson-Fugitive)
1908 Bette Davis Lowell MA, famous eyes (Of Human Bondage, Jezebel)
1916 Gregory Peck La Jolla CA, actor (To Kill a Mockingbird, MacArthur)
1917 Robert [Albert] Bloch US, sci-fi author (Hugo, Psycho)
1922 Gale Storm Bloomington TX, actress (My Little Margie, Gale Storm Show)
1926 Roger Corman Detroit MI, producer/director (Little Shop of Horrors)
1926 Milton O Thompson astronaut (Dynasoar, X-15)
1934 Frank Gorshin Pittsburgh PA, impressionist/actor (Riddler-Batman)
1934 Stanley Turrentine jazz saxophonist (Wonderland)
1937 Colin Powell Bronx NY, General/advisor to President George Bush (Nat Security Affairs)/Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989-93)/Secretary of State (2001-2005)
1941 David LaFlamme New Britain CT, electric violinist (It's a Beautiful Day)
1941 Michael Moriarty Detroit MI, actor (Ben Stone-Law & Order, Bang the Drum Slowly, Q, Stuff)
1941 Eric Burdon England, rocker (Animals-House of the Rising Sun)
1949 Dr Judith Arlene Resnik Akron OH, astronaut (STS 41D, 51L-Chal disaster)
1950 Franklin R Chang-Diaz Costa Rica, PhD/astronaut (STS 61C, 34,46,60,75)
1951 Roosevelt Ferguson Arkansas, murderer (FBI Most Wanted List)
1955 Renate Bruemmer astronaut/cosmonaut
1957 Vince Gill Norman OK, country singer (When I Call Your Name)
1958 Cammie Lusko Los Angeles CA, Guinness' World Strongest Woman
1977 Sevilay Ozturk Miss Turkey-Universe (1996)
2173 Harcourt Fenton "Harry" Mudd New Amsterdam, Arcturus
There's a city council seat up for grabs. I went out and voted.
Remember, conservatives are only allowed to vote once.
Treadhead Tuesdays are the coolest. I built both the Kangaroo and Priest models years ago. It was interesting to see that they used all types of tank chassis to transport troops. Pretty cool!
Hope all is well in your part of this great country of ours!
Thanks for the ping and ..........................
Cheers!
Hi Sam.
Mornin', snippy.
It's going alright. Starting to get hot. 102 at the ROWPU day before yesterday. Guess I can pack up my long johns and jackets.
He He He
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
Guess I can pack up my long johns and jackets.
Don't pack them too well, you know you'll need them as soon as they're not handy.
Heck, the Skink would have made a pretty good security vehicle for artillery units, have four or so of them prowling the perimeter...
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