British M24 Chaffee

Capt Sensible


A photo I found of a R35 being worked on (note the separated transmission cover -glacis) using the same type of gantry,probably a standard piece of equipment made from mostly of 50mm "I Bar" note the use of R35 road wheels, possibly in later times M24 wheels would be used. I would think it was a standard item, when unbolted it would fit easily into a light truck, even walked into position if necessary.

 

I was looking at the Guards Armoured Division HQ Diary for May 1945 yesterday at TNA, and noticed in one of their daily vehicle strength statements that they had 14 Chaffee tanks on the strength of the division. It didn't state what unit they were part of.

Didn't know the British used them?

In what role; HQ tank? OP tank? 14 seems a small number for one vehicle in an armoured division.

 

I was looking at the Guards Armoured Division HQ Diary for May 1945 yesterday at TNA, and noticed in one of their daily vehicle strength statements that they had 14 Chaffee tanks on the strength of the division. It didn't state what unit they were part of.

Didn't know the British used them?

In what role; HQ tank? OP tank? 14 seems a small number for one vehicle in an armoured division.

Best bet would be in the Recce troop Paul. As a replacement for the M5 Stuart.

 

paul
moved your post to the relevent thread

Doh - thanks Owen, should have done a search. Didn't recall a thread on it, so good to find this one!

Thanks for that Bod.

 

Sorry Razin, only just noticed your post re the gantry, thanks!

CS

 

Here´s another pic of a British Chaffee (so the caption says, at least):



Here´s a link to the page where I found it, caption included:

M24 Chaffee Light Tank in Action

 

Judging by the WD number T330411, then all three of these pictures are of the same tank.




Edit: I found a fourth picture of the same tank

 

I knew that something looked familiar...

Is it the same location for the three of them? The first two look like it, but the third´s hard to guess.

 

Paul Reed
In what role; HQ tank? OP tank? 14 seems a small number for one vehicle in an armoured division.


They would be for Recce - and possibly would go to one regiment 14 would give enough to equip a recce squadron (normally 10-12 stuarts) and still have spares.

Capt.Sensible
Sorry Razin, only just noticed your post re the gantry, thanks!


No prob. I've found another photo in U.S. Service lifting engines from M2A3 light tanks in U.S.A. but I'm thinking it may be a bit off topic.

Steve

 

In that Pathe news video that Adam posted in the Trinity Sherman thread there is some footage of Monty taking over the RTR at a parade in Berlin. Here are a couple of stills.





M24 Chaffees done up to the nines and in the HQ troop.

 

Hi all

Can any list the differences between the US and British versions. The most obvious one I can see is the aerial bases so i'm presuming a No19 radio? Would this have resulted in alterations/storage?

Martyn

 

The British ones had bins fitted on the track guards either side of the turret, the one on the left side being longer than the one on the right.
A small stowage basket was usually mounted on the rear hull instead of the US style `shelf`.
British style fire extinguishers would have been fitted, i`ve seen pictures of these fitted on the track guards below the front crew hatches.
Remember though that no two vehicles would be exactly the same.
I`ve not seen British Chaffees fitted with track guards but that doesn`t mean they weren`t.

Hope this helps, i`m not the worlds expert on these things but i research this sort of thing for my model making

Malcolm

 

That photo of the one with the .50 reminded me of a question I've wanted to post for a while.

Did the American tanks in British service retain their .30 machine guns or did they use .303s? I assume they kept the .30s but it must have made logistics a bit of a pain.

I've never seen a British tank of any kind with a .50 on the turret top. Nice one,

Dave

 

T330553 TRIGGER HAPPY 1st RTR (?)

T330415 KELLY'S AYE
T330512 CHIEFTAIN
T330584 CHAMPION All 13 /18 Hussars

HALCYON
HEMLOCK III
HURRAY ON All 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars

To name but a few.

Cheers
Kevin

 

I read once that more than a few 50`s were thrown over board as they were getting in the way of the tank crews daily business.
Wonder what happened to these discarded 50`s

Malcolm

 

I read once that more than a few 50`s were thrown over board as they were getting in the way of the tank crews daily business.
Wonder what happened to these discarded 50`s

Malcolm

I hope their daily business didn't include shooting at airplanes.

 

I wonder what excuses they came up with for not having them for inspections or was it an embellished squaddie tale

Malcolm

 

One of my favourite quotes from my interviews with Veterans - (former Sgt. Sherman tank commander on being asked if they retained the Browning .50").. "Had one of those, Got in the way of a quick bale-out. Sold it to some Canadians."

Keith Matthews