Heedless Horseman  | 18 Jul 2020 11:12 p.m. PST |
As far as I know, in the Med theatre, Stowage boxes from redundant Crusaders were re-used on Sherman Turrets.
Can anyone tell me just what the larger, more rectangular stowage boxes more prevalent in NWE were…on British Shermans and Cromwells?
The Cromwell seems to have different sized boxes on turret sides?
Were they special fabrications…or re-used ammo boxes, (they seem TOO large for this!).
Later models of the Cromwell with side opening hull hatches had turret boxes added to compensate for the loss of hull box stowage…but from pics, some of these appear to look similar to Late Brit Sherman Turret boxes! Unclear…can anyone advise? |
| deephorse | 19 Jul 2020 8:21 a.m. PST |
Someone here
TMP link
says the Sherman ones were empty 25pdr ammo boxes welded to the turret rear. |
 deadhead | 19 Jul 2020 8:54 a.m. PST |
That link above is quite fascinating, after nearly a decade. Some real pearls, a couple of errors, plus links no longer valid, but overall it is great. |
| emckinney | 19 Jul 2020 9:39 a.m. PST |
Use archive.org to retrieve old versions of the dead links. |
| Heedless Horseman | 19 Jul 2020 7:21 p.m. PST |
Thanks, deephorse.
Well, then…who makes 25 pounder AMMO BOXES in either 1/144 or 1/76-72?
I have found in 20mm, various Brit Ammo Boxes…but up to 17 pounder!
Also 20mm conversion sets…but pricey as they include etched brass items which do not really interest me as I am not after diorama quality stuff.
Butlers Printed Models do a 'Crusader' type stowage bin for Med Shermans in various scales. |
| Martin Rapier | 19 Jul 2020 11:46 p.m. PST |
17pdr shells are quite big. Very big in fact. I'm sure a 17pdr ammo box would do fine as a 25pdr stand in. |
| Andy ONeill | 20 Jul 2020 4:51 a.m. PST |
Depends on how picky you are.
The 25pdr ammo box was a fairly complex shape metal container. link link I think 17pdr ammo boxes were wood. link |
| Martin Rapier | 20 Jul 2020 6:12 a.m. PST |
Ah, yes, Forgot 25pdr rounds are two part ammo. The actual shells were stored in a different kind of steel box (holding 2 or 4 rounds) apparently, rather than the 8 round cartridge boxes. |
| Andy ONeill | 20 Jul 2020 6:42 a.m. PST |
Good point Martin. I gave up searching before i found one of those.
It seems there was yet another type of box for the fuzes. |
| King Monkey | 20 Jul 2020 7:09 a.m. PST |
Stowage box on rear of Sherman turret made of thin sheet steel. Approx. dimensions:
35" Long
15" Wide
20" High. |
| forrester | 20 Jul 2020 2:10 p.m. PST |
NWE Sherman turret boxes are available from S&S for 1/72
It's a feature oddly omitted from many kits [even the PSC M4A4 has only the Mediterranean version] link |
| Heedless Horseman | 20 Jul 2020 6:43 p.m. PST |
forrester…Great! S&S have Sherman boxes (M4 apparently!) which are exactly what I was looking for! Also 25 pdr boxes which do not quite look like the items that I have seen attached to turrets. Have ordered some of both.
They are 1/72 rather than 1/76, but, we will see! Many Thanks! As for 1/144, hmm…I think I bought some rectangular plastic strip in very thick dimensions…(though, Lord Knows where it is!).
With regard to Cromwells, I have just realised that the new Victrix 1/144 Cromwell has the offside hull stowage box moulded on…so turret boxes are 'a bit iffy' as they were a replacement. However, I am becoming much less of an 'accuracy' fiend as time goes on! ;)
My 'rough & ready' Sherman Vs were Takara Fireflies…with the radio box cut off and rotated! O.K by me! lol. Thanks for the other info on 25 pdr boxes guys… maybe they were used in some form at some time…why not? Not wanting to get into a history of ammo boxes, but, given the service of the 25 pdr, (I used to see T.A 25 pdrs on the road, when I was rather younger!!), I wonder if the boxes 'evolved'? The shaped box is not what I have seen in photos …as above. |
| Martin Rapier | 20 Jul 2020 11:52 p.m. PST |
I suspect someone had far too much time on their hands when they designed the special metal 25pdr ammo crates. Either that, or they had a relative who owned the factory… |
| Heedless Horseman | 23 Jul 2020 6:57 p.m. PST |
The S&S Sherman Turret Bins are just the Kitty. Long hull boxes and Sherman Track pretty good also. Scale difference not too noticeable for myself…they will be going onto Butlers Shermans, along with MUCH stowage and 'Hessian' cammo from Redog Models. Dry fitting looks fine by me!
Quick service, too!
(The way my life is, I might have some 'Normandy' Shermans by the 80th anniversary, LOL!). |
