Bomb (tank)

The essential stepping off identification is that British War Department registration number T152656 was an M4A2, according to the American naming conventions, and according to British naming conventions a Sherman III. History now knows the tank as Bomb and it was made by Fisher Tank Division of General Motors, at the Grand Blanc Plant on South Saginaw Street, Flint, Michigan. It was assigned hull Serial Number 8007, and a registration number believed to be 3063256. It was one of 432 tanks produced in November 1942, with serial numbers between 7769 and 8200. The United States had thrown its production might into the war effort, and in late spring 1942 issued US Ordnance production order T-3195 for another 2000 tanks. This was the second of four orders to Fisher between April 1942 and February 1944, and spanned August 1942 to March 1943. Bomb is one of over 4600 M4A2s made by Fisher in 25 months. Whether the order was intended for US service or Lend-Lease delivery to the British is unknown. However, in June 1942 President Roosevelt offered anything British Prime Minister Churchill needed for the North African campaign. Over the late summer there was an emergency dispatch of over 400 tanks and self-propelled artillery to Africa. The Sherman’s combat debut came with the British at the Second Battle of El Alamein in late October 1942. Bomb was constructed the month after; no doubt by workers who recognized the importance of their jobs.

From the factory, serial number 8007 was equipped with a General Motors (GM) 6046 twin inline-six diesel engine. That engine was removed when Bomb returned to Canada. This was one of four standardized powerplants, which included the original Continental 9-cylinder R975 radial aircraft engine, the Ford GAA gasoline V8, and a 30-cylinder Chrysler multibank of five engine blocks on one crankcase. Each was an interesting engineering answer to the constantly increasing demand for tank engines. The GM 6046 consisted of two off-the-shelf GM 6-71 diesel truck engines connected with a transfer case to a single drive shaft. Unlike other models of Sherman which have doors on the rear hull, this engine was serviced from the top through large doors on the engine deck. With the exception of 490 M4A2 diesels issued to the US Marines, all diesel Shermans were shipped to Britain, Free French forces or the Soviet Union as Lend-Lease. The explanation was simple: the US military had standardized on gasoline as a fuel, and did not want vehicles with non-standard fuel. The main tank fuel capacity of the M4A2 148 US gallons (560 l; 123 imp gal). Those tanks are located on the left and right rear hull sponsons, above the tracks. As Bomb sits on display, the latest restoration removed all fuel, grease and oil in its tanks and components.

On the continuum of M4A2 tanks, Bomb is considered late production, and has small grille engine deck plates. It has the Fisher-fabricated-style bullet splash guard at front of the engine deck doors under rear lip of the turret. The exhaust stacks are across the rear of the hull below the line of the upper armour. The rear upper hull is sloped, and has the Fisher simplified six-bolt rear engine deck plates configuration. There are welding scars where various fittings like the tail lights and fuel can holders were removed over time. In the extreme left and right upper corners of the rear sponsons are two small storage compartments intended for extra track grousers. Their cover doors have been welded shut.

Moving forward, the Quick-Fix appliqué armour plates on the sidewalls indicate dry-stowage ammunition racks inside. The front glacis plate is the early 57° angle. The driver and co-driver have small hatches, and the characteristic cast "narrow" drivers' hood with direct vision slots but no additional Quick-Fix driver’s hood additional front armour. Review of photos indicates the equilibrator springs on front hatches are missing. However, there are remnants of the fixtures for the "driver's hatch hood and windshield." The bow M1919A4 machine gun canvas dustcover’s slot-style fitting is still present, although the ball mount itself has been removed and the opening plated over for display. The base for the high control radio antenna is present, and likewise blanked over. It has a one-piece rounded nose drawing E 4186 differential housing with the characteristic mid-production shot-defection lip for the bolt heads. Missing from the front glacis are the headlights and guards, and siren. However, there are welding scars and remnant bars on the front glacis, which correspond to where extra track sections were attached in Normandy to defeat German tank and anti-tank guns projectiles. The lifting eyes are the padded style, and the tow hooks themselves are missing.

The running gear is US-made Sherman not Canadian-made Vertical Volute Spring System (VVSS), with rear offset return rollers. It appears to have its original M4 bogies, and are the early configuration of swing arms without adjustment wrench holes. These are the early return roller assembly with horizontal return roller brackets, and mid production or asymmetric return skids. A keen eye will spot that the return rollers were never retrofitted with the 1" spacer risers. There is a mix of welded spoke and pressed spoke roadwheels, which suggest field repairs where the originals were damaged. However, for a wartime survivor, the rubber is in very good condition, which suggests postwar replacement versus wartime repairs. The rear idler wheels are welded six-spoke style. The right-side sprocket is a cast style with dimples. The left-side sprocket is a plate steel WW2 simplified pattern. There is no way to tell if either or none are original, but the sprocket notches wear out as the track mileage increases. There is a mixture of track types, including ‘T62 Steel, rolled sections chevron grouser riveted’ with the characteristic rounded rivet heads, and ‘T54E1 Steel, fabricated, chevron grouser’ with the characteristic central tab on the long edge. The end connectors are various types, many showing signs of broken grousers.

The turret is drawing number D 50878, serial number 303, cast by Continental-Wheeling, the heat treatment lot not visible, and several original tie-down loops are present. The 75 mm gun was likely produced by GM Oldsmobile Division. It is mounted on an early-pattern rotator M34 gun mount. Several features are notable including the gun shield lifting rings are positioned close to rotor shield. Bomb does not have the later M34A1 with characteristic ears on the sides of the barrel. The gun-mount bolts are exposed, not protected behind the outer edges of mount. It is the so-called low turret bustle. There is a pistol port and door on the left side of turret. The crew commander’s hatch has the low-profile split hatch cupola. The external fittings on the hatch are missing, including any hatch lock mechanisms. The .50-calibre Browning anti-aircraft mount is damaged. Since two crew members were wounded and evacuated in June 1944 when an enemy shell impacted the anti-aircraft machine gun, it is an unanswered question whether the mount was ever returned to original condition. This model turret did not have a loader’s hatch. The single roof vent is located central and forward. The gunner’s vane sight is present, but no spot light base or periscope sight remain. The typical high-mounted turret lifting eyes are located around the sides.