[Jakko Westerbeke]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

Well, I would have preferred if you had asked me first, than at the very least I could have added a watermark.

Sorry about that Watermarks are not something I normally bother with, so I didn’t stop to think other people might want to.

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

Also at least one of the pics is the same....

You’re right, I failed to spot that it was already in your post.

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

If the brace on the right side is bent, and relates to the flail drive

Are you referring to the same brace I was? Because if so, that isn’t related to the flail drive but is a normal structural brace in Shermans, and I meant the bend in it in line with a penetration, which looks like it was made by the round coming through the side.

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

Be interesting to know if there is enough energy in an anti personnel mine to break a tank track link and cause little other damage.

Some can, but it depends on the type of mine, the type of vehicle and probably exactly where it blows up under the track and wheels. Impossible to tell, I’d say, without knowing all of these variables.

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

I think the brace was either damaged by rounds coming through the sides, or from an internal explosion of ammunition.

You mean a penetrating projectile whose HE charge detonated, right? Because the interior of this Sherman looks too good for one whose 75 mm ammo had detonated. (Also: there was no 75 mm ammo storage in this area of a Crab, because the rounds went through the opening in the brace, meaning the flail drive chain case was in the way.)

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

Would you know if the Crab was intended to operate with a reduced ammunition load for the 75mm compared to the standard Sherman

See above: the right front ammo rack had to be removed to make room for the flail drive. Here is the right hull front interior on a restored M4A4:


(source)

The big white box just in front of the brace, with the silver-grey box stuck to its side, is an ammo rack for 75 mm rounds. You can just see the round retention clips through the opening in the brace. This whole rack had to be removed to make room for the flail drive, which goes through a rectangular hole cut in the hull side just in front of that brace.

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

I am just not sure how much extra weight the Flail System added to a Sherman

About two tons, I think.

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

nor how much internal space was lost for the modifications, nor what, if anything was given up to make the modification work.

Quite a bit, though of course the interior isn’t exactly spacious to begin with anyway. I built a model of a Crab with a partial interior (which I’d never have been able to do without Alex’s help, BTW), and was surprised at how much room that chain case takes up.