Скачать с ютуб British 30th Corps vehicles pass a burning Sherman Firefly in Ruurlo, Holland on April 1st 1945 в хорошем качестве

British 30th Corps vehicles pass a burning Sherman Firefly in Ruurlo, Holland on April 1st 1945

Note that the Sherman is a "Hybrid" model with a cast front section and welded rear section. The British Commonwealth received over 2000 M4(75)s as Lend Lease. While the US made no distinction between welded hull and composite hull M4s, the British did, and labeled them “Sherman I” and “Sherman I Hybrid” respectively. Some “Sherman I Hybrid” 75mm gun tanks are seen in Commonwealth service in both the ETO and MTO, but far more common are photos of "Sherman Ic Hybrids," the British designation for Firefly conversions based on the M4 Composite. The January to June 1945 “Half Yearly Report on the Progress of the Royal Armoured Corps” states that “3,260 [Fireflies were] ordered and 2,139 produced by 31st May 1945.” Thus, it would appear that total Firefly production amounted to 2139, since “No further conversions will be carried out as there is no requirement for this vehicle in the Far East.” The production documents refer to the conversions generically as “Sherman 17 pdr.” Unfortunately, there is no break down of the model types, such a Sherman I (M4), Sherman I Hybrid (M4 Composite) or Sherman V (M4A4). In period photos, M4 Composite and M4A4 based Fireflies seem to be represented in about roughly equal numbers, while all welded hull M4 based Fireflies appear less frequently. The M4A1 was not acceptable for Firefly conversion because the rounded contours of the cast hull could not accommodate the arrangement of the Firefly's interior stowage.