Q. What do you do when it turns IFR?.

[needle]

A. Go and get something else out of the hanger to play with!
(Note to crew.......Please check hernia stiches off camera.)



(Photo credit: Nick Viggiano - Feb 2010)

[The Inspector]

Better caption;
'Howz about next time we go to Toxic Smell (Taco Bell) after we run this around, and I'm REEEALLLY SORRY!'

[mlenoch]

Sidebar:
Are those rubber track pads? How fast do they wear? Are replacements available.........(Same kind of questions I get asked about warbirds!!).
Thx,
VL

[Taylor Stevenson]

Lookin' good Julian! Can't wait to swing by when im on break. Fire a round for me!

[PinecastleAAF]

Are those rubber track pads? How fast do they wear? Are replacements available?

Yes. It is late style Sherman track.

It depends on how much and on what type of surface you drive it over.

Yes. Don't forget the checkbook.

[needle]

Sidebar:
Are those rubber track pads? How fast do they wear? Are replacements available.........(Same kind of questions I get asked about warbirds!!).
Thx,
VL

Vlado........Yes (vulcanised rubber inserts on metal sections)........Full track lasts about about 750 to 1000 miles on concrete, depending on how much turning you do........Yes, they are still available....I believe there is a supplier in Belgium. (about $200 per section, 83 sections per side...$33,200 for a tire change).

Lookin' good Julian! Can't wait to swing by when im on break. Fire a round for me!

Taylor. Fired a round for you, after sorting out an electrical issue that was causing communication and main gun firing mechanism issues. I also took her for a long drive (1/2 mile, and got into 4th gear, 22 mph!).
We were going to fly the T-28 and Mohawk. T-28 went OK...Fuel issues with the Mohawk, so Doug asked me to "fly" the Sherman instead.

Julian

[mustangdriver]

Man this is beautiful. I love the SHerman Tank. Oh man!!

[needle]

Better caption;
'Howz about next time we go to Toxic Smell (Taco Bell) after we run this around, and I'm REEEALLLY SORRY!'

Inspector,

Sounds like a good idea, which we could actually do!

It is registered for road use in Texas. Throw the warning triangle and license plate out the back, and we are good to go! I can take it anywhere a fully loaded cement mixer can go (It only ways 77,000 lbs).

Problem is I don’t know where to stick the inspection and tax stickers, since putting them on the periscope causes me a visibility issue when driving

There is also the fuel/track situation.
$100 hamburgers in a spam can are no problem. However, the tank only gets about 0.9 miles to the gallon. Nearest Toxic Smell, round trip would probably cost about $50.00 in fuel, and $320 into the track replacement fund!

Then we would have to live with the Toxic Smell takeaway aroma for ages.
What smells in the tank, stays in the tank
(For those of you who have ever picked up bags of fresh crawfish in a Grumman Tracker on the way from Texas to Florida, you know what I mean. Seemed like a good idea at the time!)

Julian

[mlenoch]

(For those of you who have ever picked up bags of fresh crawfish in a Grumman Tracker on the way from Texas to Florida, you know what I mean. Seemed like a good idea at the time!)

Good one!
Sprayed soda all over the keyboard!!........Dang!!
VL

[txwarbirds]

That was a fun ride, Julian. For those of you who haven't been in a vintage tracked vehicle, they are not OSHA approved or designed for folks who are 6' tall and weigh north of 250. Lots of things to bang yourself on, and squeezing through the hatches with winter gear on is a challenge. Looking forward to more adventures later in the year!

Ed

[CAPFlyer]

Hey, I fit okay.........

Then again, when they let me in, we didn't move, so I don't know about the "banging head" part.

The M60 isn't a whole lot better for room and the M109 is much worse as big as it looks.

I like Tanks.

[txwarbirds]

The original Chrysler engine was 5 six cylinder truck engines siamesed to drive a single crankshaft, and reportedly had good serviceability. The Sherman now has a Cummins diesel in it. Must have been interesting changing the bottom plugs!

This article has some interesting info on the engine, including a picture.

Last edited by txwarbirds on Tue Feb 09, 2010 3:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Second Air Force]

The original Chrysler engine was 5 six cylinder truck engines siamesed to drive a single crankshaft, and reportedly had good serviceability. The Sherman now has a Cummins diesel in it. Must have been interesting changing the bottom plugs!

http://autospeed.com/cms/title_The-Chry ... ticle.html

Interesting article on the multibank engine as used in the M4A4.

[txwarbirds]

Sorry, allpar didn't like the cross reference to their picture.

Ed

[needle]

Are those rubber track pads? How fast do they wear? Are replacements available?

Yes. It is late style Sherman track.

It depends on how much and on what type of surface you drive it over.

Yes. Don't forget the checkbook.

Pinecastle....didn't mean to be rude, but I missed your response first time around.

You are so correct!
(Don't happen to own a Sherman do you?, or is it a case of been there, done that?)

Julian.