[D-Day] M26 Pershing

[PainlessWolf]

Herr Doc
Looking more closely at your tank, (blowing the pics up real big!), it looks like you have the metal suspension and road wheels already. Nevermind me. ;o)
regards,
Painless

[Ecam]

Still a great tip! Sort of why this group build thing got set up, education and tips for all.

[MonsieurTox]

Yeah the M26 is not the first tank to come in mind when you think about WWII tanks, but it was there !
That's nice you've picked up this tank. It'll be interesting to follow.

Too bad about your second tank... I hope you'll be able to salvage some parts and get some good use for it !

[MrChef]

Yayyyyyyyy Herrr Dr. is at it!!!

Sorry bout the news of one of the M26's but I'm sure it'll be proud to donate to the good cause. And I'm very glad you're here.

Are ya gunna cut the fenders off?
Are ya gunna cut the fenders off?

are ya, are ya? huh, huh?

[Herr Dr. Professor]

As to metal idlers and road wheels: hmm... The drive sprockets and tracks are metal, but the idlers and road wheels are not. I don't drive my tanks too much, and very rarely outdoors, so the stress is low. Nonetheless, I do like sturdy tracks, etc. There are metal sets available from Germany, but is there a North American source? Shipping costs are prohibitive. Would HengLong ones fit? hmm...
As to the fenders: I though about the same thing. However, the T26E3 photos that I have seen all have the fenders installed. In the Korean War, the M26s sometime had the fenders off.

[Ecam]

The fender thing makes sense. The M26 was very late to the war (unfortunately) so I would think they were pretty unmolested before the end of the war. Korea? They were old machines by then (a whopping 5 years later) and would have been used for training in that time.

[Tiger6]

In the Korean War, the M26s sometime had the fenders off.

Per an old US Army tanker I used to know, the USMC started the practice of folding up the skirts to provide a means of getting more stowage on the vehicle. US Army units saw this and copied it.

Korea? They were old machines by then (a whopping 5 years later) and would have been used for training in that time.

The Army and Marines scraped up what M26's (and M45's) they could get hold of and took part in the initial fighting around Pusan, before being rebuilt as M46's.

[HERMAN BIX]

https://tankarmy.com/store/m26-pershing ... rews-p-298

https://tankarmy.com/store/minor-proble ... lers-p-263



Like these things ?

[HERMAN BIX]

Happy to gather & send them if you like Herr Dr ?

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Thank you Herman Bix the Tank Destroyer! You are kind to offer, but I will hold off. I would only want to replace the idlers (i.e. at the front), for the weight does not justify the expense of a whole set of road wheels (ca. $135US).