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Stephen, I believe the heavy German tanks were diesel powered whereas the Shermans used gasoline. This was the case with motor torpedo boats too. The Packard marine engines used 100 octane gas and the German boats were powered by diesel engines. Gasoline burns easier than diesel.

(o{}o)

Quote:

JW

I agree on gasoline v diesel fuel flammability. I remember my uncle saying that early production Shermans had dry ammunition storage compared to German wet storage. Panzer guy said same thing. Most early interior hull fires were ammunition ignition. Also very little room in back of turret for gun recoil. My uncle remembered a loader getting his head crushed when he didn't get his head out of the way when the gun was fired.

Sherman tank = death trap

Simple fact of the matter is they were produced in huge numbers, were mechanically simple and reliable. We produced so many that most US infantry units had more tanks than German Panzer units. We simply overwhelmed them-something we could never do today as we have become a third world industrial power. Today it would be the industrial powers of Germany and Japan.

Not that I'm much of a war buff. Nobody writes about vehicle maintenance on the battlefield, but imagine towing those things and repairing them in the middle of a tank war with shells landing all around while the muscle heads stand around smoking.

I guess the reports on the Sherman were both positive and negative. However, most tank knock outs were not tank to tank but tank to anti-tank. The Nazis had some pretty good anti-tank weapons and the poor Sherman crews were dead meat.
I'd much rather be infantry then waiting for death in one of those Shermans.


I totally agree that the USA is becoming a second rate country, unfortunately because it has become so corrupt. The old War Department said "that's what happens when a nation (Germany) hands its government over to criminals and lunatics." Perhaps that's what we are going to end up with someday.

"criminals and lunatics".Yes.That appears to define the U.S. Congress.

Now, Now, didn't they come together recently to resolve the air traffic controller strike?....



Right before they adjorned for vacation.