Operation Infatuate II: Sherman tanks at Westkapelle

[David Dunlop]

Hanno and Jakko.

I would suggest using a Dremel tool with lots of brass and steel wire discs to slowly cut through the paint and rust on the rear towing lugs.

Over time, the paint and rust will have infilled the letter stamping. The trick is to clean back the paint and rust carefully from the surrounding metal to let the infill highlight what is left of the stamping.

To do that you must work the wire wheels slowing on a diagonal across the face of the lugs. The lines of most letters and numbers will be parallel to the length and width of the lugs. If you work the wire wheel in either of those directions, you risk sweeping the paint and rust out of the stamping and losing the benefit of them to highlight what might be left of the marks.

A bit like cleaning an elephant with a toothbrush, but this might be the only opportunity left to carefully examine these areas for valuable production markings. Something that should not be rushed or done too aggressively at this point in time.

David