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Joe,
This is what they call a Sherman "DD" tank (DD=Duplex drive). This was a British
innovation, also used with their Valentine tank, which permitted armour to "swim"
by virtue of canvas skirts supported by compressed air, and DUKW-like propellors
out back for propulsion.
It's quite true that the U.S. experiment with DD tanks was somewhat less than
successful. The problem, however, was not in the concept, but in the execution. At
Normandy, for instance, where we all acknowledge that the weather was marginal at
best, the DDs were launched much too far offshore, resulting in most being swamped
before they got anywhere close to the beach. There just wasn't a lot of
freeboard... :-)
In contrast, on the British beaches, the DDs were only launched close inshore,
where they were able to gain the beaches very quickly, and performed yeoman
service in support of the assaulting infantry.
In recent years, several original DD tanks have been raised from the floor of the
English Channel off OMAHA Beach, and are now on display at a local French museum.
In addition, there is quite a nice, complete example on display at the Bovington
Tank Museum. BTW, last year, Mike Kendall had a little section on his web site AFV
INTERIORS covering the Sherman DD. Unfortunately, he has now consolidated the site
to exclude past features, including the DD one. Fascinating MV, though!
Certainly, the men who volunteered to crew these tanks - in EITHER service - must
have had Great Big Brass Ones! I can think of loads of other things I'd rather be
doing than "swimming" 30+ tons of tank into a hot beach through intense enemy fire
and in lousy weather conditions...
I hope this answers some of your questions.
-- Regards,Geoff Winnington-Ball MAPLE LEAF UP! ==> Zephyr, Ontario, Canada ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Maple Leaf Up - The Canadian Army Overseas in WW2 http://www.mapleleafup.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1st Canadian Armoured Carrier Regiment http://www.1cacr.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Joe Foley wrote:
> *This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate(tm) Pro* > My father told me about these, said they didn't work > too well, he pulled a bunch out of the drink after > Normandy. > > http://search.gallery.yahoo.com/search/corbis_id?p=cid%3A10005817
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