Firefly

[frankie]

Cheers Pete but it's Daves tank...Ill leave it up to him regarding stowage

[HERMAN BIX]

Thanks for clearing that up ! Never seen the inside of a Chirchill track I can say .
Another quiz , the disrupted barrel outline.
Was it done to disguise the fact it was a Fly so it was not a priority target, or to allow it to somehow surprise the enemy armour ?

[frankie]

It was to try and disguise the fact she was a Firefly. It actually worked quite well, from a distance the barrel looked like the shorter 75mm.

[HERMAN BIX]

Gotcha, I assume by at a distance, that being the normal target acquisition range of German optics so the 'Fly would hopefully be overlooked as a "normal" Sherman and not singled out as a high priority target for all & sundry.
With the deserved reputation as an effective tank buster, the 17pdr would have attracted every high velocity shell for up to 2500 yards away if not otherwise downplayed.
Odd how the Matchbox 1/76th Firefly VC was THE first tank I ever bought, $1.65 it was and I saved for two weeks all my school lunch money to get it.................still the only Allied tank I've ever bought !
I was 7, so that's um, 42 years ago..................

[43rdRecceReg]

It was to try and disguise the fact she was a Firefly. It actually worked quite well, from a distance the barrel looked like the shorter 75mm.

Some had a second 'false' barrel fitted, as in the thread I started entitled 'two barrelled Sherman'. I think it could make an interesting, and novel feature on a model Firefly: a real rarity. Here's the link to the site I used:
http://web.inter.nl.net/users/spoelstra ... ly-cam.htm

[frankie]

...first coat of paint on..

[frankie]

...and she has her name....

[frankie]

...and done...

[forgebear]

Mmmmmmm nice like it
dave

[frankie]

...hoping to bring her down tomorrow bud..