First Pershing tank

[ColemanCollector]

Good eyes! I've seen a picture of a Lee with the M4 suspension. Interesting to see them on a Grant!
So I go looking for the Lee photo and stumble across this one:

1200px-m3-grant-latrun-1.jpg (95.39 KiB) Viewed 364 times

Mike.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Do you know at what museum that photo was taken? I do like the camouflage on the Grant. And the Grant turret is a hoot: it looks as if someone took a lump of PlayDo and threw it down atop the upper hull.

[ColemanCollector]

It's at the Fort Latrun Museum in Israel. And here's the Lee (actually an M31 recovery vehicle)

images (2).jpeg (7.72 KiB) Viewed 358 times

Mike..

[Roboticus_Prime]

One thing I've learned about the Sherman tank family, is that parts were so interchangeable, that you can find examples of dang near any configuration.

[Ecam]

On the M31 (Lee ARV) it would have received the HD M4 bogies when converted to the recovery vehicle. Many of the M32s got the HD bogies when they were equipped with lighter duty ones in their earlier career.

The Grant? Likely at some point in its life received a replacement set, and I'd wager it was after 1945!

[Herr Dr. Professor]

ColemanCollector: thank you for the response on the Fort Latrun Museum: it's Yad La-Shiryon (יד לשריון מוזיאון) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yad_La-Shiryon
I agree, Ecam, that the most likely explanation is that a Grant would get a set of HD M4 bogies as replacements. As to the Lees, in some book some years ago, I read that the Australians got some Lees with the later bogies, actually Lees manufactured toward the end of the production run, even as M4 production was ramping up. I am sorry that I cannot begin to recall where I read that.
Of course, as much as I find the M3 to be of a largely-ineffective, already-outdated, stop-gap design, you just gotta love that big dumb tank.

[Ecam]

The Lee/Grant is one of those things that are hard to not love. It made sense at the time (sort of), kinda like the Chrysler A57 multi bank 30 cylinder engine pack that went into those and the M4A4. The US didn't keep 'em and were the first out the door for lend lease (Sorry Brits). You guys do have a good sense of humor!

[scottlarkins]

Boy, I didn't think my showoff post would garnish so much conversation, particularly around rusted tracks. Guess I'll ask my tanker nephew about what he sees on the Abrams he works on.

[michaelwhittmann]

No worries. Scott. People have opinions, sometimes contrary opinions.

It's all good so KEEP POSTING!