[Jimmy Valentine]

Any large weapon like a tank has a potential fault which is field service. For all of their faults n armor and gun size the Sherman was dependable and very easy to service/repair in the field. The Tiger was the opposite and break downs took a long time to repair

[archy]

Any large weapon like a tank has a potential fault which is field service. For all of their faults n armor and gun size the Sherman was dependable and very easy to service/repair in the field. The Tiger was the opposite and break downs took a long time to repair

Well, I'm just glad I wasn't a track mechanic on the M4A4 Sherman, which had the 30-cylinder A57 mogas engine built by Chrysler, essentially 5 radially mounted six-cylinder auto engines radially mounted around a common crankshaft. Born in the early days of the war, it was one answer to the shortage of circa-500hp engines, mostly [then] aircraft radials, but a mechanic's and manufacturing nightmare.

Most of the things went to the Brits and Russians, though I believe the Marines used some as well.

Remember the treadhead's motto: four hours of maintenance for every hour of operation....