Grizzly I cruiser
The Grizzly I was a Canadian-built M4A1 Sherman tank with some modifications and was later retrofitted with Canadian Dry Pin tracks and a 17 tooth sprocket, which weren't developed until after Grizzly production ceased.[4]
| Grizzly I | |
|---|---|
 Grizzly | |
| Type | Medium tank |
| Place of origin | Canada |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1943–1945 (Canada) 1954–1980s (Portugal) |
| Used by | Canada Portugal |
| Wars | Second World War |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1941 |
| Manufacturer | Montreal Locomotive Works |
| Produced | 1943–1944 |
| No. built | 188 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 29.91 t (30 tonnes) |
| Length | 19 ft (5.816 m) |
| Width | 2.626 m |
| Height | 2.997 m |
| Crew | 5 (Commander, gunner, loader, driver, co-driver/hull gunner) |
| Armour | 75 mm |
Main armament | High Velocity 75 mm M3 L/40 gun |
Secondary armament | 2 × .30-06 machine gun |
| Engine | Continental R-975 9-cyl radial gas 400/340 hp (298/254 kW) |
| Suspension | Vertical volute spring |
Operational range | 193 km |
| Maximum speed | 24 mph (38.6 km/h) |
History
After the fall of France, it was decided the nascent Canadian armoured divisions would be equipped by tanks produced in Canada. The result was the Ram cruiser tank, based on the chassis and running gear of the US M3 Lee; Rams were produced by the Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) from 1941 to 1943. The M3 was succeeded by the superior M4 Sherman. The Allies agreed to standardise on the M4, and MLW began producing the Grizzly in August 1943.[1]
Grizzly production halted when it became apparent US production would be sufficient. Instead, MLW produced the Sexton self-propelled gun Mk II. The Sexton Mk II used the Grizzly chassis, with the upper hull modified to carry the Commonwealth standard QF 25 pounder gun. The Sexton was the Commonwealth counterpart to the US M7 Priest. A small batch of Grizzly medium tanks were fitted with an Ordnance QF 17-pounder for training but none saw action.[2]
After the war, a number of Grizzly tanks and Sexton self-propelled guns were sold to Portugal as part of the NATO military assistance program. They were retired in the 1980s.[3]
Design
Contrary to popular belief, the Grizzly left the factory with the standard US 13 tooth sprocket.[4]
The CDP tracks and 17 tooth sprocket, generally associated with the Grizzly were not developed until after Grizzly production ceased. Those, along with the heavier duty bogie units were developed for the Sexton, 25 ponder SP gun. At some later point, Grizzlies were retrofitted with the new sprocket and tracks. The CDP track, which was lighter and simpler than the standard US tracks and did not require rubber, which was scarce since the Japanese advance into Southeast Asia and the conquest of Malaya.
Some were converted into the Skink anti-aircraft tank with a turret mounting four 20 mm Polsten guns.
See also
- Bob Semple tank – New Zealand indigenous tank design
- Ram tank – Canadian indigenous tank design
- Schofield tank – New Zealand indigenous tank design
- Sentinel tank – Australian indigenous tank design
References
- http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/can/Canada.htm
- Skaarup, Harold (2011). "Ironsides": Canadian Armoured Fighting Vehicle Museums and Monuments. iUniverse.com. p. 78. ISBN 978-1462034642.
- Roy Thomas. "A forgotten armoured arsenal: The Montreal Locomotive Works". Vanguard Canada. Archived from the original on 2010-12-23. Retrieved 2010-04-06.
- "M4A1 Grizzly production variants". the.shadock.free.fr. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to M4A1 Grizzly. |