The crab was a sherman tank with a flail roller and weighted chain attachment used to clear mines. It had a better gun and more armor, along with good or. He has written a number of books and articles on military sub. The title is sherman crab flail tank but over half the book is about its predecessors and post war trials. Mar 20, 2017 a disabled sherman crab flail tank of 22nd dragoons, 79th armoured division, lies abandoned on queen white area of sword beach, 7 june. The sherman crab saw limited use by the american army, the crab mark 1 was designated the mine exploder t3 flail and the crab mark ii the mine exploder t4. About photo captioned nazis surrendering and running to the rear.
Zalerts allow you to be notified by email about the availability of new books according to your search query. The flail tank was designed to clear mines and flails were operated in the 79th armoured division after dday. Sherman crab special purpose mine flail tank tracked support. The flail idea was also copied by the japanese, who produced a prototype known as the type 97 chiyu that was based on a type 97 chiha tank. Sherman is one of the few really iconic fighting vehicles of the allies during world war two, and one of the most famous tanks in history. First developed during the north african campaign using the matilda tank, the idea was developed further by the 79th armoured division in the form of the sherman crab. The axle needed bits of lprofile added to it, because this particular crab had them. It involves a conventional sherman tank with an extra gearbox, driving off the main engine, which turns the drum at the front, thrashing the ground with chains. British m4 sherman crab tank with mine flail site statistics. Sherman crab mk ii flail tank, one of general hobart. A modified sherman tank equipped with a mine flail, a rotating cylinder of weighted chains that exploded mines in the path of the tank. British m4 sherman crab tank with mine flail world war. David fletcher examines the controversy that dogged the firefly and the psychological boost the tank provided to allied forces.
The sherman crab saw limited use by the american army. Manoeuvre element 103 flail tank squadron nwe abcd command x1 sherman v 75mm tank br02 x8 sherman v crab flail tank bc brp26 a there were three regiments of flail tanks in nw europe, each with three squadrons. Home world war ii operational documents history of 739th medium tank battalion, special mine exploder. The sherman crab flail tank was developed by the british in 1944. A number of experimental flail tank were produced, including the valentine scorpion, based on the valentine tank and several designs based the m4 sherman the sherman mark iv and mark v scorpions and the sherman lobster. Sherman crab mark ii minesweeping flail tank, one of hobarts funnies, used to clear already identified minefields.
Sherman crab british sherman with mine flail, one of a long line of flail devices. Sherman crab flail tank david fletcher, tony bryan download. Click download or read online button to get the universal tank book now. Oct 27, 2019 on the derelict tank, i also added the flail axle and the blast shields below the arms. Language watch edit this article has multiple issues. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. The shermanbased crab became the most widelyused mine flail tank of the entire war. This crab has lost its mine flail, but still have weld scars on the hull sides. The m4 sherman named after the famous american civil war general william t. These are attached to a horizontal drum mounted on two arms ahead of the vehicle. Roger sherman and the creation of the american republic. Following the development of the tank and its use in the war.
Below are images of the sherman crab special purpose mine flail tank tracked support vehicle. This crab has infortunately lost its mine flail, but still have the distinctive fittings on the hull sides. Osprey new online pdf viewer and printer vanguard 140 armored trains. Department of defense dod, russian ministry of defense, chinese ministry of defense or british ministry of defence visual information does not imply or constitute endorsement. The crab, one of hobarts funnies, is a variation of the sherman tank that is fitted with a flail to beat the ground in front and clear it of mines.
This tank has lost the flail system rotor and nearly half of the supporting structure. Was regelmatig je handen en blijf op voldoende afstand van anderen. Tm 9754 medium tank m4a4, 19430121 technical manual no. Sherman cird fitted with canadian indestructible roller device landmine exploder. From the flail chains attached to the rotating drum attached to the tank noun. Sherman crab flail tank david fletcher was born in 1942. It landed from lct 650 6 cherry during operation infatuate ii in november, 1944. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. To link to this object, paste this link in email, im or document. The medium tank m4a3 is an armored, full tracklaying vehicle, powered by a 500 hp ford tank engine which is an eight cylinder, liquid cooled, v type engine designed specifically for tanks.
He has written a number of books and articles on military subjects and is currently the historian at the tank museum, bovington, uk. On the derelict tank, i also added the flail axle and the blast shields below the arms. Specialized vehicles of the 79th included the dd sherman amphibious tank, the crocodile flame thrower, the mineclearing crab flail tank, the avre, the small box girder and many others, collectively referred to as hobarts funnies also hobos funnies. The sherman crab flail tank was designed to detonate enemy land mines by pounding the ground with chains. A disabled sherman crab flail tank of 22nd dragoons, 79th. Eventually one of these, the sherman crab, went into full production at the request of general hobart and. Bovington tank museum has an example of this buildstandard, the very first sherman tank supplied to the uk under lendlease and christened michael. Surviving sherman specialized vehicles the shadocks website. The british became the primary users of the m4a4 sherman. From field modifications to major upgrades, the uk often adapted american armor to evolving events. May 31, 2019 this addon pack is designed to accompany the m4 sherman 2018 kit. Sherman crab flail tank new vanguard david fletcher, tony bryan on. It took me quite a bit of studying photos to work out they were probably 120 degrees apart, and those on the right are offset from the ones on the left by 60 degrees.
A search query can be a title of the book, a name of the author, isbn or anything else. These were sherman tanks carrying a rotating flail to beat the sand and detonate mines at a safe distance, the crab or flail tank used 50 chains arranged. Sherman flail the sherman crab flail tank was developed by the british in 1944. A mine flail is a vehiclemounted device that makes a safe path through a mine field by. Amazing rc tank sherman crab antimine flail tank with running chain and bombs duration. The sherman crab flail tank was the powerful culmination of a series of mineclearing flail tanks developed during world war ii. This addon pack is designed to accompany the m4 sherman 2018 kit. Sherman crab mk ii flail tank, one of general hobarts funnies of 79th armoured division, during minesweeping tests in the uk, 27 april 1944. His tank was later recovered by the dutch authorities and is now on display in the war museum at overloon, complete with flails. The sherman crab flail tank was the powerful culmination of a series of mine clearing flail tanks developed during world war ii. When sherman went into combat in british hands in the north african desert in october of 1942, it was bar none, the best tank in the world. This was a sherman tank with a flail at the front a giant drum containing chains that spun at more than 140 rpm, beating the ground. While the metal frame on which the flotation screen was fixed disappeared due to rust, some traces of it can still be seen around the hull. British m4 sherman crab tank with mine flail world war photos.
History of 739th medium tank battalion, special mine. Forged in battle sherman crab flail tanks b57 now, as i am currently forming a british rifle company, it is only natural that i should dive into their offensive weapons, namely the sherman crab flail for the breaching group that can be taken in most books as part as most rifle companies. Usa 1941 medium tank 49,234 built quantity and quality. This crab displays damage, presumably from one or more mine blasts, to the flail roller. An amphibious m4a1 or m4a4 sherman or valentine tank fitted with a large watertight canvas housing able to float and reach the shore after being launched from a landing. M4a475 sherman crab westkapelle, walcheren netherlands sherman v crab t148656. About the m4 sherman crab mine flail commonly referred to as a mine flail, the sherman crab special purpose mine flail tank tracked support vehicle had the ability to clear a path for troops while destroying antipersonnel mines. This sherman is an m4a1 dd tank, this can be seen because of the specific gears to which the propellers were connected, under the rear deck. Tank has flail implement attached to its front and, as it threshes, rises clouds of. The universal tank download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi.
The crab system was applied to the sherman series to produce the sherman crab mine flail tank. The idea of attaching flails was originated by captain abraham du toit, a. Sherman arv i and sherman arv ii british armoured recovery vehicle conversions of sherman i, iii and v. See the complete osprey new vanguard series book list in order, box sets or. The most powerfully gunned tank fielded by the allies during world war ii was the sherman firefly. Click on the thumbnails to enlarge the images or return to the article. M4a4 sherman crab mk ii walkaround oorlogsmuseum, overloon.
This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Here, david fletcher recounts how the sherman crabs were among the first. Victory in the ground war of world war 2 could be decided through various means but it was the tank that ultimately took center stage. The sherman crab saw firstservice with british forces 79th armored division before the u.
The osprey new vanguard book series by multiple authors includes books the kingtiger, m1 abrams main battle tank 198292 new vanguard, sherman medium tank 194245, and several more. The flail idea was also copied by the japanese, who produced a vehicle called the mine clearing tank g that was based on a. This kit comprises our own 28mm scale resin flail conversion kit, designed to fit a 1. The flail idea was also copied by the japanese, who produced a vehicle called the mine clearing tank g that was based on a type 97 chiha tank.
Curiosities just like the sherman dd and the crab mine flail tank additionally make an visual appeal. Flail tank squadron nwe abcd command x1 sherman v 75mm tank br02 x8 sherman v crab flail tank bc brp26 a there were three regiments of flail tanks in nw europe, each with three squadrons. Mar 31, 2017 a tank commander talks to infantry on his sherman crab flail tank at the start of operation goodwood, 18 july 1944. Sherman crab mk ii flail tank, one of general hobarts. The flail conversion kit has resin and metal parts, which require assembly, and. The combat system evolved much from its infancy witnessed during world war 1 1914. The mine flail consists of around 40 heavy chains with fistsized steel balls flails at the end. The idea of attaching flails was originated by captain abraham du toit, a south african engineer, as a means of pulverizing the ground to detonate mines or remove them by force. The sherman based crab became the most widelyused mine flail tank of the entire war. M4a275 sherman duplex drive bovington tank museum uk.
Shown images are of much lower quality, due to resizing. Get british sherman tanks pdf openemis book archive. Here, david fletcher recounts how the sherman crabs were among the first tanks ashore on dday and as the war progressed they were in constant demand both for formal attacks and more incidental operations. Flails with small bob weights on the ends of chains were mounted on the sherman tank. Various shots of a tank moving across field covered in smoke, it is hardly visible. An ordinary americanbuilt sherman modified by the british, the firefly had the firepower that could finally match the awesome german tanks that had dominated europe. When the mines exploded in front of the tank only minimal damage was done to the chains an the tank normally escaped any damage. World war 2 went on to set the new standard in combat tank design, resulting in the main battle tank seen at wars end in 1945. Sherman crab flail tank david fletcher, tony bryan. Individual troops of crabs were often attached to battlegroups or breaching team see me. A preserved, world war 2, sherman crab an m4 sherman tank fitted with a flail. M4a475 sherman crab bovington tank museum uk serial number 19925, built by chrysler in april, 1943.