Guest machineman Posted February 14, 2001 Share Posted February 14, 2001 A bit of info on the Hellcat: http://www.shadowsfolly.com/WWII/USA/M18TD.htm http://www.kithobbyist.com/AFVInteriors/m18/m18.html http://www.onwar.com/tanks/usa/ftdm18.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guachi Posted February 14, 2001 Share Posted February 14, 2001 Off the top of my head, I think about 2500 were built between mid-43 and mid-44. Those of us who played the beta demo got a nice surprise and got to play with the Hellcat in Last Defense over and over and over and over again It was a nice change of pace from a usual wargame filled with the typical big tanks. And we got an appreciation for the Hellcats strengths and weaknesses. Oh, a little bit about the M10 production. If I am remembering correctly, about 5000 M10s were built at the end of 1942. Another edit... I cracked open my Chamberlain and Doyle "Encyclopedia of German Tanks" and flipped to the production numbers at the back. 8500 StuG III, 2500 Hetzers, and every other TD or assault gun far less than that. Jason [This message has been edited by guachi (edited 02-14-2001).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted February 14, 2001 Share Posted February 14, 2001 Originally posted by Maximus: However, it was really the SDB Dauntleses that won the day during Coral Sea and Midway. Without those the Japs wouldn't have lost four carriers at Midway. Thank the TBDs for that. If all the Japanese fighters wouldn't have been down on the deck shooting them into the ocean, they would have been flying high cover and the SBDs would never have got their chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GriffinCheng+ Posted February 14, 2001 Share Posted February 14, 2001 Yep, tropedo bombers were considered more deadliest threads to ships at that time. Trops could drill a big hole in the hul, even for big battleships. However, flat tops were (and are) still to vulnerable to bombers. IIRC, during turning point of the Battle of Midway, few Japanese flew CAP at that time so they had to pick the most dangerous bombers first. (Didn't they realise American trops had high dud rate in 1942?) Also Zeke was not strong enough to go diving with Dauntless so either they intercepted the dive bombers in high attitude or they catch the bombers going out of the dive. Sorry for all the OT. Griffin. Originally posted by Michael Dorosh: Thank the TBDs for that. If all the Japanese fighters wouldn't have been down on the deck shooting them into the ocean, they would have been flying high cover and the SBDs would never have got their chance. ------------------ "When you find your PBEM opportents too hard to beat, there is always the AI." "Can't get enough Tank?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slapdragon Posted February 14, 2001 Share Posted February 14, 2001 Sorry gang about the terms, got into some hospital trouble and then needed to make up work. Here is the two sites on the Hellcat: Evans, Thomas J. and others. (1995). Reluctant Valor : The Oral History of Captain Thomas J. Evans, United States Third Army, 4th Armored Division, 704th Tank Destroyer Battalion). Latrobe: Saint Vincent College Press. GPO Document: "Tank Destroyers in the ETO", 1953 Staff and Command College Press. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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