Grizzly I cruiser tank (Canadian M4A1 Sherman) - case report

      Hello, Tankers!! 

      Let's know a girl who was not very famous, but it was very important in the formation and training of the Canadian Armoured Divisions: The Grizzly I cruiser tank:

Grizzly I cruiser tank

History:

      The Grizzly I was a Canadian-built M4A1 Sherman tank with some modifications, it had thicker,armour (applique armour welded or extra-casting in the sides of upper hull and casting armour in the right cheek of the turret), had a longer range, and, most notably was fitted with Canadian Dry Pin (CDP) tracks, which did not require rubber, a scarce wartime material.

Grizzly I - drills in Camp Meaford, Ontario - Canada, 1944.
Notice the extra-armour welded in the sides
and  thicker armour in the right cheek of the turret

Grizzly I cruiser tank - notice the
extra-armour casting in the hull side and
in the turret's right cheek.

    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.

Ram Mk II tank

    In September 1942, specifications were issued in Canada for the production of the Sherman modified to meet Canadian requirements. It was intended to replace the Ram Mk II on the assembly lines at the Montreal Locomotive Works. The change over was delayed until August 1943 to minimize any disruption of the production effort. The model of the Sherman selected was the M4A1 designated by the Canadians as the Grizzly 1.

M4A1 Sherman medium tank

      It was essentially identical to the U.S. version except for British stowage and the installation of a Number 19 radio set and a 2 inch bomb thrower (smoke mortar) in the turret.

Grizzly I in parade. Notice the sandshields...

      The latter item was subsequently adopted as standard on U.S. tanks. Some of the Grizzlies were fitted with the short pitch Canadian Dry Pin (CDP) track requiring special 17 tooth sprockets. In comparison, the M4 used 13 tooth drive sprockets. The CDP track was lighter and simpler than the standard US tracks and did not require rubber, which was scarce since the Japanese advance into Southeast Asia.

Canadian dry pin tracks and drive sprocket

    By December 1943, 188 Grizzlies had been built. Production stopped with the end of the year since adequate supplies of tanks were available from U.S. sources. The Grizzly I Cruiser tank program was officially completed in January of 1944.

Grizzlies and Sextons under construction
Montreal Locomotive Works plant

Grizzly WD numbers:

CT160194 - CT160279	86 Vehicles with plain hulls later fitted with welded applique armour.
CT163911 - CT163930 CT163949 - CT163955 CT164073	28 vehicles all with cast extra armour. All from a batch which was originally to be 102 vehicles but was reduced.

    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 tank was fitted with an Ordnance QF 17-pounder for training but none saw action.

Grizzly I cruiser Firefly with 17 pdr. gun

    Some of the Grizzlies were shipped to the United Kingdom and the remainder were assigned to training units in Canada.

Grizzly training in Canada, 1944.

     Some were converted into the Skink Anti-Aircraft 20mm Quad tank with a turret mounting four 20 mm Polsten guns . The Skinks had hulls without extra armor.

Skink AA tank - right side

Skink AA tank - left side

     In the post-war years, some 55 Grizzlies were shipped off to Portugal as part of the NATO military assistance program and many thereafter became collector's items. The Grizzly was also spawned into a makeshift armored personnel carrier noted with the Grizzly APC designation. Portugal also received approximately 40 of these systems and used a handful in driver training exercises. The fate of the armored personnel carriers found them sold for scrap at the end of their useful run. They were retired in the 1980s.

Grizzly in Portuguese Army

      Amazingly, the Grizzly class of Sherman tanks represent some of the more numerous types of Shermans still running today.

Specs:

Grizzly I
Type	Medium tank
Place of origin	Canada
Service history
In service	1943-45 (Canada) 1954-1980s (Portugal)
Used by	Canada  Portugal
Wars	Second World War
Production history
Manufacturer	Montreal Locomotive Works
Produced	1943-44
Number built	188
Specifications
Weight	29.91 t (30 tonnes)
Length	5.816 mm
Width	2.626 mm
Height	2.997 mm
Crew	5 (Commander, gunner, loader, driver, co-driver/hull gunner)
Armour	75 mm
Main armament	High Velocity 75 mm M3 L/40 gun
Sec. armament	2 x .30-Browning machine gun
Engine	Continental R-975 9-cyl radial gas 400/340 hp (298/254 kW)
Suspension	Vertical volute spring
Operational range	193 km
Speed	40 km/h

Kits:

      To build the Grizzly, I'll use the old Sherman M4A1 75mm early version (#6048) Dragon (the kit was crippled, without suspensions, which bought for pennies in the good times of eBay). To replace the missing bogies, I'll use Academy's ones...again, from my scrap-box.

Sherman M4A1 Dragon #6048

      Strarting the project by the Academy's bogies...As Canadians bogies were more prominent strengthening ribs vertically in the suspensions of the Grizzlies,..

Notice the canadian bogie...

       ...I decided to make this detail with plasticard: Plastruct!!

Academy's bogies with Plastruct...

Done...

Academy's bogies in Dragon chassi...OK !!

         While the suspensions dry, we will take care of extra armour on the cheek turret. The real thing:

Note the increased thickness in the area...

Marking the bottom edge...

Using spare part...

Putty...

Done...The hull is almost ready...

      I'll use the CDP tracks from Friulmodels. Awesome tracks kit:

Putty plus cetone to do the casting surface of turret

And already preparing the painting and markings: The markings were based on these drawings of the (unfortunately) defunct Armored Acorn:

The original drawings from Armoured Acorn

I clean the drawing, focusing on my future project

      And finally, I got this result:

Notice the absence of tools in the rear deck.
The Grizzlies at this time and place not carried tools on the hull.
Weird, huh ???

Next step: decals and weathering...

      And the girl was ready ( sorry about pics; my camera is in agony...): Grizzly I cruiser tank - Camp Borden - Meaford Ranges, Canada, 1944.

Grizzly I cruiser tank - "X" tank - Camp Borden - Meaford Ranges
Canada, 1944.

Grizzly I cruiser tank - left side

Grizzly I cruiser tank - right side

Grizzly I cruiser tank with Kojak and Rover, the dog.

      Thanks for follow, Gents !!!