Need some advice on casting numbers on the M4A1,just started build the Eduard kit and I think there should be casting numbers on the transmission cover?



Is there anywhere else on the kit that should have casting numbers?

Thanks
Karl

Karl

All the information you need can be found on this site - http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/

Gary

Karl: Gary gives you great advice. If you truly want to go for maximum detail and accuracy, you'll see that the Sherman Minutia webpages can help you identify the actual factory that your subject M4A1 was manufactured.

Then you can see what other common features that the factory's M4A1s shared. For instance, I'm building an M32B1 (the recovery vehicle based on an M4A1 hull). Through photos, it was clear that the donor to the M32 conversion proces was an M4A1 was from Pacific Car and Foundry (PCF). This company's M4A1s mostly went to the Pacific theater. However, because it was diverted to a stateside M32 conversion factory, it ended up being sent to Europe.

With the Sherman Minutia website, I've been able to review a whole list of PCF features that I wasn't aware of. Now I can really detail my subject M32B1 fully.

(This is how crazy we Sherman modelers can get!)

Thanks for the link Gary I shall have a good look at the website,looks really good.

I might order some Archer foundry numbers and at the cost of £14+ I hope to place them in the right locations.

Roy
The vehicle that I want to do is this:


But not sure what casting numbers where on this vehicle,should I just make some up.

Not easy doing these Shermans

Thanks guys
Karl

Excellent resource! I'm not a huge Sherman guy, but, man that site has some cool stuff on it.

I've used Archer's resin ones in the past. They're so easy to work with, and they include a bunch of common casting combinations. I learned for the above website that many castings are simply part/drawing numbers, so they'll be the same on a bunch of different tanks.

Apologies if you know that already...

Chris

Does anyone know where any photos of Karl's proposed tank, the M4A1 named "Hellcat," can be found? If we can dig up a pic or two, we can ID quite a bit. It was at Omaha beach.

I'm not near my books but if anyone can cite a book, I can look it up for Karl.

No Chris I honestly thought there were different numbers to each vehicle.
Just goes to show what lack of knowledge I have with these shermans

The kit was £28,replacement barrel £3.50, stowage £10.99,
Mr Surfacer £5.50,Archer casting numbers £16.40 that's £64 and that's not including paints.

It's all good fun

Karl

Hey Karl!
I warned you that down this way Sherman madness lies!! I suppose its a test as to how committed to the Sherman cause you really are if you decide that more of these M4s are in your future!!Just look on the purchases you've already made as an investment for the future

Casting numbers would be the same for each part,eg the running gear,the different turret versions,hatch covers,in fact everything that was added to the basic hull had its own individual casting number.Even the different foundries that manufactured the tanks can be identified from their own unique casting symbol(but if you have the Archer set you'll see this)The universality of parts meant broken items could be replaced quickly and tanks put back into service instead of waiting in service areas.
Good advice from everyone so far,keep on asking.....

Roy-According to the helpful insert that came with my copy of Son of Sherman 3016307 was manufactured by Pressed Steel Car between 1942 and 43 (if I'm reading it correctly)

If I may add; the casting numbers were also the ordering numbers. When parts were needed the casting/ordering number was referred to instead of a vague description of the part. Casting the numbers on the parts made identification of the part a lot easier for ordering.

I was only able to google this picture of Hellcat when I was trying to get references for all the schemes included in Eduards kit (Its probably from training in UK?).



Cheers
Greg

How the hell did you Google that picture?
Everytime I Googled Sherman Hellcat alls I got back was an M18

Guys thanks for taking your time posting and giving me some great advice.
You never know if I make a half decent job on this baby it might make me a shermaholic

Well there you go, Karl. Hellcat's registration number shows it to be a Pressed Steel Car M4A1. Go to the Sherman minutia site and look up the specific features of the PSC M4A1 75mm gun tanks. From memory, I think the Eduard/Tasca kit portrays the PSC features, right out of the box! That means less work for you.

From the picture, you see the damage to the left side sand shields. The turret's left star is applied rather high as well -- some units did this because they didn't want to paint the star on the sealant that was applied between the turret shell and the hull. The eduard kit decals show depict those awkward stars painted out (decal 23) and the "H-13" turret numbers added.

Karl,
It seems this time my google-fu served me right, don't remember what exactly was it I typed, but I tend to sometimes succeed with pretty crazy word combinations

EDIT:
It seems the right words for this picture were actually "M4A1, sherman, normandy"

Still looking for any photo of that Frantic Shreman ...

Cheers,
Greg

That's part of the answer, to be sure.

You are right in that the casting drawing number, as shown on the site Gary referenced, is what is used to order the part, but it is not just an "order number" is is a "part number" it identifies the item, the part. You then use it to identify what you are ordering or anything else that has to do with the part. It is the stock number, the number that shows up on manufacturing reports, the number used to calculate how much steel to buy, etc.

And it is the same for every example of that part that has the same form, fit or function.

But it's not just the "order number". :-)

Now if you want to discuss a particular example of that part you tack on the serial number. So if you want to talk about a particular left side portion of a 3-piece differential cover that ahs a flaw, you would write "E4151 SN A749" and that identifies that exact casting right in front of you, while a simple "E4151" is all of the left side differential covers.

If you understand the system, it conveys a LOT of information needed in manufacturing and distributing components in a complicated supply chain and, if something goes wrong, allows you to trace the item back to not only where and when it was made, but what batch of steel it was made from and, if the records are complete, to who mixed the alloy and who machined the interfaces, etc, etc. Specific item identification is a key component in modern manufacturing because it allows a host of problem solving investigations if things go awry.

Paul