Captain Wacky Posted August 6, 2001 Share Posted August 6, 2001 Praise your Panthers and Tigers all you want you closet goose-steppers, but the dutiful old Sherman is still my favorite tank. Partly becuase the first thing I noticed when playing CM was how fast the Sherman turret moved. It's a real lifesaver in city or close fighting. I've also notice how agonizingly slow the German turrets turn (the worst feeling is when some Allied tank in the open acutally outruns my turret). What accounts for this? Why was the Sherman turret SO much faster than the late German counterparts? They are both mechanically turned aren't they? If the Germans were so competant at developing tanks why didn't they address this issue? Answers anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pvt. Ryan Posted August 6, 2001 Share Posted August 6, 2001 I believe it is because the Sherman turret was electrically driven while the Panzer turrets were hydraulically driven and got their power from the tank's engine. The engine's RPM would have an impact on how fast the turret could turn. Someone please correct me if I am wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT_Gold Posted August 6, 2001 Share Posted August 6, 2001 It's the other way around. The sherman had a hydrolic system, which dosen't depend on engine RPM for speed. It was one of the reasons that the ronson, I mean sherman was so flamable. Hydrolic fluid goes boom under fire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Wacky Posted August 7, 2001 Author Share Posted August 7, 2001 Many thx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Username Posted August 7, 2001 Share Posted August 7, 2001 They had both electric and hydraulic. (h) RELATIVE MERITS OF POWER TRAVERSE GEAR. WESTINGHOUSE - Generally considered the best. OIL GEAR - Satisfactory and not very little inferior to WESTINGHOUSE. LOGANSPORT - Universally considered the least popular. No suggestions for it's improvement have been received. Ordnance maintenance: Electric traversing mechanism for medium tank M4 and modifications TM 9-1731E Ordnance maintenance: Hydraulic traversing mechanism (Logansport) for medium tank M4 and modifications TM 9-1731F Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJungnitsch Posted August 7, 2001 Share Posted August 7, 2001 The electric Sherman traverse was very similar to that in the PanzerIV, with a seperate small motor running a generator dedicated to powering an electric traverse motor. As long as that small engine was running turret speed was fast. Heavier guns and turrets demand more power to turn so the first model of Panther as well as all models of Tiger I had a more powerful hydraulic driven traverse with one speed, which was slow. All other Panthers as well as all Tiger II's had an improved hydraulic traverse with speed dependent on engine rpm. At the recommended 'working speed' for the engine Panther and Tiger II turret speed should be similar to a Sherman, while at engine idle they would be much slower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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