Tankers, I would like to raise a question about "prototype" tanks being allowed compete in RCTankCombat.
1) Is the M8A1 with a 75mm gun considered "legal"? 2) Does it matter? Because it has been several days since someone threw gasoline on the fire, and I lack witty banter about specific Science-Fiction tanks, I'd like a ruling on a specific prototype that never saw combat but was built and tested, and could/should/would have done well in combat. ...so much so that it shows up as a standard option in World Of Tanks. "The *M8 Howitzer Motor Carriage (M8 HMC)* was developed on a request for a light close support vehicle to operate within tank battalions. The light tank *M5* fitted with a *75 mm Pack Howitzer* in a larger, open topped fully traversable turret with the *75 mm howitzer*in mantlet that allowed a barrel elevation of up to + 40 degrees. 1,778 were produced between September 1942 and January 1944. Only the US Army in NW Europe, Italy and the Pacific used them from June 1944." Driver and assistant driver hatches were moved forward to accommodate the large turret overhang of the *75mm* gun. The chassis was also modified to tow an armored ammunition trailer because of the limited storage space inside the open-topped carriage. A *cal.50 M2 machine gun* was mounted on the right rear corner of the turret. * M4 Shermans* with *105mm howitzers* were available from late 1944 and gradually replaced the *M8HMC*." BUT, the M8 (and MBA1) had a 75mm HOWITZER... I'm asking about the 75mm GUN. On at least one M8A1 the 75mm howitzer was replaced with a 75 mm M3 L/40 gun, to produce an M8A1 tank destroyer prototype: http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=133119 Even odder than that, a picture of it appears in the M8HMC's service manual: (second picture on page http://afvdb.50megs.com/usa/pics/75mmhmcm8.html ... the barrel extends past the front of the hull) So... it was built (and probably test fired) but never deployed. Part two of the questions.... Does it matter? Are there rules that say how closely an M5A1 has to look like an M5A1? Could someone field an M5A1 with a stupidly-big barrel, to allow it to shoot paintballs? What is the difference? Thanks for loaning me your braincells. Stu -- -- You are currently subscribed to the "R/C Tank Combat" group. To post a message, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe, send email to [email protected] Visit the group at http://groups.google.com/group/rctankcombat --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "R/C Tank Combat" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
