Honouring an old tanker, need pictures.

[Frank L.]

Well it's been quite a while since I last posted on this site, but I figured this would be the best place to go for the answers.

Recently my wife's grandfather passed away. He served with A Sqn in the 8th New Brunswick Hussars(PL) during WW2.

He made it through Italy and then through Holland. He drove in Sherman M3's, Stuarts (they nicknamed them Honey Tanks for their speed) and the last tank he crewed was a Sherman Firefly VC.

Involved in many battles and seen the nasty end of a few Panthers and Tigers made him appreciate his Firefly. I sat with him many times and he'd tell me of his antics throughout the war and the things he saw and the things that still bothered him. Unfortunately, with age came his slow decay and his ability to speak, move was on the decline....so getting any further information was not a priority, just making him comfortable.

That being said, I have an old photo of him and the rest of the crew he was with in the latter days of the war somewhere in Holland. He said he thought it was somewhere near the northwest corner just before they crossed into Germany.

What I'm trying to do is make an exact replica of his tank, however I only have the rear left portion to go off of that clearly shows the nickname of his tank, "Abegweit". His widow, my wife's grandmother, got rather choked up to say the least when she saw what I was making when she dropped by for a visit.

But I digress.

I'm looking for details on the radio box, the applique armour (if there was any) on the turret and hull sides, the style of sprockets and if they had .30cals on top for the commanders. Markings and indicators would definitely be top on the list.

It'd be awesome to find out what CT number was on the side of his tank, but I think It'd be a very long shot.

I was wondering if someone can point me in the right direction.

I've done numerous Google searches and only coming up with the same pictures that are of no use to this endevour.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards

[Stew Robertson]

I have some pictures of a stuart in diffrent stages of a restoration if that would help

Stew

[Steve Greenberg]

Hello,
I have lots of photos of my M3A1 Stuart tank. If there is anything in particular you want let me know. here are a few photos.
Steve

[Frank L.]

Thanks guys for the offers on a Stewart. If I get around to making one I'll definatly be asking! Love to have the cash to have one in my driveway.

I'm only looking for a Canadian Sherman Firefly VC at this time. I've done numerous searches and even found a few in the Canadian Archives last night, but nothing from the 8CH. There was even one mislabled as a Firefly and it was a M3.

Regards

[Phil Waterman]

Here is the link to the pictures I took up at the 1984 CMP Conference picture of Stewarts, Shermans and Grizzlies of the Camp Borden collection are include.

http://www.canadianmilitarypattern.com/CMP84.htm click on any of the images and it will take you to a high-resolution version of the picture.

Cheers Phil

[Frank L.]

Nice photos with very good detail. I see a fine example of a Firefly IC...not a VC. Still, a good reference point for the rear of the turret and the radio box.

Interestingly enough, the Leopard CFR 154 was in Afghanistan on my tour.

Thanks again for the help! Much appreciated!

Regards

[Frank L.]

Next question and I'm sure someone here will know.

Where was teh exhaust located for the homelite aux generator located?

I know the APU was located in the sponson near the bow gunner, but where was the exhaust.

Any ideas?