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Armor/AFV: Allied - WWII
Armor and ground forces of the Allied forces during World War II.
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Late VVSS suspension on M4s
Petition2God
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Colorado, United States
Joined: February 06, 2002
KitMaker: 1,526 posts
Armorama: 1,294 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 21, 2017 - 10:30 AM UTC
Was the late VVSS suspension with an upswept bracket like the one shown below ever used on M4 75mm Shermans?



I have read the late war versions of M4A1s, M4A2s, and M4A3s all got them somehow but not M4s. Is this accurate? I have a lot of those spare late VVSS suspension parts floating around, and was hoping to use them on a M4 Tamiya kit.

Thanks.
Das_Abteilung
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United Kingdom
Joined: August 31, 2010
KitMaker: 365 posts
Armorama: 351 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 21, 2017 - 08:01 PM UTC
Sherman Minutia suggests that the upswept roller bracket was only used on large hatch M4 105's. However the same site has photos of M4 (composite) 75's fitted with the upswept rollers - and also with straight ones. Looking at production dates, I believe that welded M4 75mm production had probably ceased before the upswept roller made it onto production lines.
Bravo1102
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: December 08, 2003
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Posted: Tuesday, March 21, 2017 - 08:31 PM UTC
It's safe to say no 60 degree dry hull had upswept bogies unless the hull received a new suspension for some reason. There are photos floating around of M3 and M4 with mixes of M3 style bogies and heavy duty VVSS so can't say never. But not in the factory or during the re-build program before D-day that updated all those M4s as depicted in the Tamiya kit.

In fact some M4A2 and M4A3 with the late style hull did not have the upswept bogies. Go figure. So the Dragon M4A2 76mm (and a couple of the M4A2 75mm kits) have a spare suspension in it.

In the new Academy M4A3's and M3 Lee you end up with extra bogies of the proper type too. The M3 Lee and Grant gives you a whole spare suspension perfect for the Tamiya M4. I was actually thinking of getting one just to use up one of my spare suspensions.

Or you can source any number of after market Sherman suspensions.
Petition2God
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Colorado, United States
Joined: February 06, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, March 22, 2017 - 02:07 AM UTC
Thanks gents for the info.
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