I'm moving along with the HB Super, building it before the 3rd AD got done with adding all the Beverly Hillbillies stuff on it, and have a question, maybe two:
I have only a few pics of the actual tank, and none of them show a gun cradle (travel lock) mounted. HB supplies one for the standard M-26, and an extended part that would have to "rest" folded forward as it doesn't clear the exhaust if folded down as "normal". Also, in order to fold forward, it would need to be mounted on top of the rear plate, not on or next to the exhaust, and I can't see the necessary mounts on the few pics of the Super that I have. Anyone able to direct me to a pic of the Super with a gun cradle, or should I leave it off? It seems unlikely that the gunsight calibration would survive more than a few minutes travel with that humongous gun tube unsupported.
And secondly: I've been unable to find info on where the extra bow armor came from, or if it was even armor plate at all, maybe mild steel? I'm asking this because my pics show a fairly smooth finish on the outer plate, inner not really important.... I need to dig up Belton Cooper's book, but I'm packed for a postponed move and I have no idea where it might be.
Thanks in advance!

Edit: Maybe the added equilibrator served double duty as a travel lock?

Boiler plate ?



Travel lock thread on ML

Steven Zaloga's build

H.P.

Frenchy, you "da man!"
I'll go peek at ML during lunch, thanks! By the way, the main pic in the group you put up is the one I'm working from, building the tank in that configuration.

Hi Russel
One thing I've noticed missing from most super Pershing builds is the groove cut in the mantlet end of the upper barrel. David Doyle has some photo's of it in his M26 Pershing - Armor Walk Around Color Series No. 6.
Though it might be tricky to replicate?

Mal

The actual 3AD Super Pershing, T26E4 had the extended field modified gun tube travel lock. Steve Zaloga's is here.

http://www.militarymodelling.com/news/article/super-pershing/3690

When not in use, it hung down.

The armor on the turret mantlet was a retangular slab cut from a Panther (approx 3' x 5'). The bow armor and the "batwing" additions to the turret slab were from 2" (I think) boiler plate that the 3AD maintenance team acquired. Although in the series of picture above, you see the T26E4 with only the nose armor and the mantlet slab, it never left the maintenance yard in this configuration. The mantlet slab left the turret imbalanced. It could not elevate well nor could the turret traverse easily if the T26E4 were on any incline. Thus, they developed the "batwings" to serve as counter balances to the mantlet slab to move the center of gravity aft. Onto the original two batwing pieces, the maintenance crew added two additional rectangular slabs on the outside of the batwings. They were clamped on and then moved back and forth, trial and error, until an optimal balance point was reached. Then they were welded in place. Only with the batwings on, did the T26E4 leave the maintenance pen and begin its brief combat career. Along with Cooper's "Death Traps", John Irwin's "Another River, Another Town" chronicles Irwin's time as the gunner of the 2nd crew who fought with the T26E4 -- until war's end.

Those photos in the MilMod article -- of the T26E4 in the vehicle park -- were added AFTER hostilities ended. I corresponded with Irwin and he stated so categorically. If modelling the T26E4, omit the "2" and the "A" markings.

My own photos can be found here: http://s45.photobucket.com/user/ericadeane/library/T26E4%20Super%20Pershing?sort=4&page=1

Some tweaks for the HB Super Pershing:
1. The frontmost fender support should be triangular (look at my build's pictures)
2. the fender lockers should NOT have the disc air vents on their lids
3. the backsides of the batwing armor need to be filled in
4. detail the inside of the commander's hatch
5. Definitely paint the WHOLE THING olive drab with black bands. I've seen other modellers who leave the add-on armor unpainted and rust it up. This just was not the case and photos bear to this fact.
6. I don't recall if the HB Super PErshing had adjustable suspension (you could do it with Tamiya's kit) but the added armor give it a definite nose-heavy look.
7. The T26E4 had hand holds welded to the turret. The crews attached various musette bags to them.
8. HB has you mounting the headlights to posts attached to the nose armor. I disagree with that interpretation and mounted mine to the side of the armor, onto the fenders (you should thin the HB ones -- I replaced mine with brass sheet).
9. The HB drive sprocket housings have reinforcements that should be removed. The T26E4 pilot was originally a T26E1 so had many early features.


Keep us updated w/your build! If you need more T26E4 notes from me, drop me a PM.

Wow guys, this rocks!
I have the RB Models barrel ordered, it has the groove, and I hope it gets here before this one has to be finished, especially as the HB part in my kit is badly warped.
Roy, I'm building the tank as it sits in the 3rd AD's maintenance yard, before the batwings were added but WITH the huge chunk of mantlet armor. I have the nose-down attitude set, HB's suspension is adjustable. Everything will be OD, I'm figuring the black was applied after the rest of the modes were done?
I have the headlights on the fenders, that's how I thought they were mounted in the pics I have.
I'll get a couple of pics of my progress up soon, and thanks for all the info. I'll also take a look at your build ASAP, get clarification on the front fender braces. I've also got some footmans' loops to shave off.
THANKS!

I wonder what became of that tank and the armor? Is it buried somewhere in Germany, was it scrapped or disposed of in some other way? Does the tank or armor still exist somewhere, waiting to be found in some farmers field or barn?

On the off chance that anyone tries to read 'Death Traps' take everything Cooper claims to have heard with an oceans worth of salt, as most of it is complete crap. Zaloga's 'Armored Thunderbolt' is much better in reguards to anything that isn't Cooper talking about his actual work on the Pershing.

I heartily agree with the above, not to take anything away from Mr. Cooper at all. I heard much the same thing from my recently passed neighbor, who crewed a Sherman towards the end of the war in Europe. He was quite vocal about what a tin can the Sherman was, but in the same conversation, he'd talk about it's speed, reliability and the fact that he and his crew went through several tanks in six months. In the 20-some odd years I knew Charlie, that was all I ever got out of him.
I also wonder what happened to the original "Super", chances are it ended up as a Volkswagon or something.....
While I'm at it, I guess I'll start another thread for the WIP, as I'd like to get this one as accurate as I'm able.

Russell: I was mistaken about the footman's loops (I edited my reply too). Leave them on. However, do remove the dome air vents from the fender lockers and attend to the triangular front fender brace. Nice work for sure!

Thanks, and... thanks!