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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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Engineers. We build stuff, then blow it up!
Hiya Sam. I think it is.
AstronautenSpankenTruppen!
I loved artillery, the thump of the blast through your feet chest and head, the smell of the propellant smoke, it's addictive.
But everyone knows that 13Bravos "just aren't right" at all.
;-)
I always liked the Quad 50's on the M-16
:-) Definately.
Artillery - The Nine Mile Snipers. :-)
Oh yeah.
Almost got my hands on one of the Avenger HUmvee mounted systems.
Twin 30mm for brush clearing would have been sweet.
The unit that owned it came back for it though and found that they didn't have to tow it, that I'd gotten it started.
;-)
Someone called us "Thunder Chuckers" once.
Wasn't sure whether we should have been honored or vaguely insulted but twistedly prideful of it.
AstronautenSpankenTruppen!
Lord, guard and guide the men who fly
Through the great spaces in the sky,
Be with them always in the air,
In dark'ning storms or sunlight fair.
O, Hear us when we lift our prayer,<
For those in peril in the air.
Amen!
I thought this might be the right place to post a link for the 1966-68 US-Ethiopian mapping mission. The son of one of the mission members (a close personal friend) put together an unbelievably detailed account and amazing website of these activities as a tribute to his father. His father was a fighter pilot in WW2 and Korea.
http://www.ethi-usmappingmission.com/4436.html
It's sure fun to get to play with other guys equipment.
Not really an "action flick" but like you said a "darn good study"
I grew up learning about Canada in WWI and WWII. Had a lot of respect for them, today though it's really hard to hold them in any kind of esteem.
Thanks for sharing the pictures from Poland ms_68
Thanks for the link.
This is something I had never heard of before.
Yeah.
However, it is embarrassing when they come back for their equipment, and you're in the Avenger turret spinning around and laughing insanely.
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