The first welded hull Shermans were the M4A2s produced by Fisher Body and Pullman Standard starting in April 1942. The antenna brackets on these early units appear to have been similar if not the same castings flush mounted into the glacis. The blow up on the left shows an overhead view of the casting on the first Fisher M4A2, Serial Number 2305 accepted in April 1942. The photo on the right shows the casting on the second Pullman M4A2, SN 906, which would have been accepted in May 1942.

Here we see two examples of this type of casting on a pair of surviving early M4A2s. We can confirm that the one on the left, on display at El Alamein, is a Pullman M4A2 because it still has its original Pullman "1942" dataplate inside. Unfortunately, the serial number is obscured, so we can't determine exactly when it was produced. The tank has been cobbled together, but we believe that the hull may have been from one of the first 105 Lend Lease M4A2s that arrived in Egypt in September 1942. If so, it would have to have been made before mid-July 1942. We think the one shown on the right and on display at Camp Borden in Canada has to be a Pullman, but to be honest, we can't say for certain, since the tank's Serial Number is unknown. (We suspect the dataplate might still be inside.) It has "185" stamped in the center of the glacis, which leads us to think it may have been around the 185th M4A2 built by Pullman, making it August 1942 production. At any rate, the antenna brackets appear to be the same on both units. We can observe that the antenna bracket of the Borden M4A2 has the caster's logo of Sivyer Steel and the Part Number can be read as "D50986-5." For identification purposes, we would label this the "first type" of antenna bracket. We don't know of any surviving Fisher M4A2s with the "first type." It is thought that Fisher transitioned to the "fabricated" bracket in June or July 1942.

   

Fisher appears to have transitioned to the "fabricated" antenna bracket in June or July 1942. The company redesigned these and some other cast components as fabrications at the request of the Government in an effort to relieve the country's overtaxed foundry casting capacity. The earliest surviving Fisher built M4A2 that we know of is Serial Number 2495, which would have been accepted in August 1942. The extensive modifications made to this hull, along with traces of French markings, lead us to suspect that it may have been one of the twenty remanufactured M4A2s supplied to the French as Lend Lease in late 1944. Note the sharpness and the distinctive "D" shape of the formed piece. This is described in a Fisher document as "Bracket Radio, Part Number C-99433." In the view from the top on the right, it can be seen that the bracket was about 14 inches wide, and that the formed armor was a little less than 2 inches thick. We would assume that the blank off, or "Plate Radio Bracket, Part Number B-206494" was the same as used on the various types of cast antenna brackets. Pierre-Olivier measured some surviving Fishers and found that the height of the bracket in the front varied about an inch, between 5 3/4 to 6 3/4 inches, "depending on the width and thickness of the weld attaching it to the glacis." As we shall see, the fabricated bracket was not exclusive to Fisher M4A2s. It has been noted on some Pullman M4A2s, as well as nearly the entire production of Baldwin M4s.




Baldwin Locomotive came late to the Sherman program and did not produce its first unit until October 1942. The company manufactured 12 M4A2s in October and November, before production was switched over to M4s in January 1943. The photo shows USA 3010770, their last M4A2. The antenna bracket appears to be the "first type" of casting, while the bow machine gun socket is fabricated. (This was another non-cast component designed by Fisher Body.) In the absence of any other photos, we can only guess that some or all of their 12 M4A2s and perhaps a few of their first M4s might have used the first type of cast antenna bracket.








Here we see one of the "outliers." This tank is on display at the Centro de Instrução de Blindados in Santa Maria City, Brazil. The Serial Number found on the original Baldwin dataplate, as well as on the rear tow lugs is 16261, which indicates that it was one of the final 43 M4s accepted in January 1944. The cast antenna bracket (inset) appears to be welded on in a manner that is very similar to what can be seen on ALCO or PSC built M4s. Note that this tank still has the fabricated bow machine gun socket. Another example with cast antenna bracket, Serial Number 16276, was examined and photographed by Michel Van Loon on a target range in Belgium. These two exceptions leave us to wonder if other Baldwin M4s had the cast bracket? If so, was it limited to a few of the last ones? Or was it random throughout production? Photo courtesy of Colonel Renato Rocha.


   

Shermans built by Pullman Standard are particularly hard to study, since as best we can tell, they do not have their serial numbers stamped anywhere on the exteriors of their hulls. Here we have an M4A2 which has been documented as Serial Number 9882, identifying it as a Pullman Standard accepted in December 1942. This M4A2 is on display at the Australian Army Tank Museum in Puckapunyal and can be seen with a fabricated antenna bracket and bow machine gun socket.


   

The M4A2 preserved at the Tank Museum at Bovington is the only surviving DD with its original floatation screen intact. In 2021, a correspondent reported that a member of the staff looked inside at the dataplate, and found that the tank was produced by the Pullman Standard Car Co, and that the Serial Number is 9992. Like Serial Number 9882 in Australia, it was accepted in December 1942, and has fabricated antenna bracket and bow machine gun socket. From this and a few period photos, we would theorize that some Pullman M4A2s produced in late 1942 and possibly early 1943 had these features.




One of the most interesting M4A2s that Pierre-Olivier has examined is the range recovery shown above. This unit can be seen with the fabricated antenna bracket and bow machine gun socket, and the glacis pattern is easy to trace from the exposed weld seams. It is similar to that of direct vision Fisher M4A2s produced from July 1942 until the introduction of the elongated, fabricated drivers' hoods in November or perhaps December 1942. However, unlike the Fishers, the turret splash sections and the head light sockets are castings on this example. Also, unlike the Fishers, the serial number is not stamped on the rear towing lugs or inside the dataplate frame. In any case, this is the only surviving M4A2 with these features we have encountered, and we can only make an educated guess that it was produced by Pullman in October or November 1942.




The photo above shows the Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle or BARV on display at the REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) Museum in Lyneham, UK. In 2023, the Museum staff sent us a photo of the tank's dataplate confirming that it was produced by Pullman and is Serial Number 13895. This falls within our working theory range of Pullman Production Order T-3322, that is 400 M4A2s with SNs 13860 through 14259. We believe SN 13895 would have been produced in March 1943, and would posit that this was about the point where Pullman dispensed with the use of fabricated components, and "returned" to using a cast antenna bracket, along with a cast bow machine gun "plate." This particular antenna bracket and a few others have been noted with "SKD 586" (inset). We would guess that "SKD 586" might have been the Part Number used by the manufacturer of the casting as opposed to the Part Number used by the Ordnance Department. This one can be seen with the stylized "PL" casting logo of Pratt and Letchworth on the flat section of the piece.




The above shows "Corse," a WW II combat veteran M4A2 of the French 2nd Armored Division. "Corse" survived WW II and continued to serve in the post-war French Army. The examination of surviving French Shermans suggests that, in the years after the war, many had the vehicle's Serial Number stamped "inside a box" on the glacis. "Corse" can be seen to have 30850 (shown in the inset), indicating August 1943 acceptance at Pullman Standard. As mentioned earlier, Sherman production at Pullman was terminated in September 1943, and this tank represents the latest Pullman M4A2 we can document at present. "Corse" is now on display at the Musée des Blindés at Saumur.


   

Here we have two close-up views of the antenna bracket on "Corse." From observation, we consider this to be the "standard" antenna bracket casting used by Pullman on most or all of the M4A2s and M4s the company produced in 1943. The casting has a sort of flange or flat area around the base and is mounted on top of the glacis plate, as opposed to the flush mounting noted on some other makers' Shermans. While a few raised numbers/letters (circled) can be seen on this particular casting, no caster's logo or part number is visible. Pierre-Olivier has been able to look inside a few Pullmans and has observed that he saw casting markings on the inner side of the piece, but they were "overwritten" by welding. 




Pullman Standard built 689 M4s from May 1943 through September 1943. There are two M4s in Florida that we think are Pullmans, but we can't confirm it by means of a Serial or Registration Number. However, there are some period photos of the combat veteran M4 on display as a monument in Wiltz, Luxembourg that show the Registration Number as USA 3038800, indicating Pullman May 1943 acceptance. This tank served with the 707th Tank Battalion and was reportedly abandoned on or about 19 December 1944 when the Battalion was overrun during the Battle of the Bulge. The antenna bracket is identical to that of "Corse" with no caster's logo or part number visible. We would note that the Florida M4s have the same "unmarked" brackets.




There is nothing like being permitted to get inside a surviving Sherman to look for details and clues. Pierre-Olivier was able to photograph the overwritten by welding casting marks on Pullman M4A2 SN 30813, "Arcis sur Aube" owned by Balmoral Green. What is just barely discernable is "SKD-586" with the very uncommon "X in a shield" casting logo listed by author Kurt Laughlin as "probably Wehr Steel." We suspect that some or all of the unmarked on the outside antenna brackets on Pullman M4s and M4A2s were cast by this company.


   

The typical cast antenna bracket observed on the few surviving Federal Machine and Welder built M4A2s is similar and in some cases, identical in shape to what is seen on Pullman Shermans produced starting in early 1943. Indeed, components such as the antenna brackets and bow machine gun castings make FMW M4A2s practically indistinguishable from Pullman M4A2s of the same vintage. However, there are some differences between the two. It would appear that FMW mounted the grouser compartment blank offs on top of the armor while Pullman installed them inset. Also, a few surviving FMWs have been observed with "FEDERAL MACH & WELDER CO" along with a build sequence number stamped inside their dataplate frames whereas nothing has been seen stamped inside the frames of the few surviving Pullmans in the cases where we have been able to get inside and look. The antenna bracket on the historic survivor "Mort-Homme" carries Part Number D52416 and has the "PL" casting logo of Pratt and Letchworth. This casting appears to be slightly different when compared to the Pullman brackets in that there is a softer transition to the flat area at the base. On the other hand, the photo on the right shows the Pratt and Letchworth D52416 bracket on "Montmirail" another historic French M4A2. In this case, the transition to the flat area is abrupt such as noted on the Pullmans. So, we seem to have a subtle variation in the Pratt and Letchworth D52416 castings. Pierre-Olivier was able to enter these tanks and saw "FEDERAL MACH & WELDER CO" stamped inside the dataplate frames, along with the build sequence numbers 239 for "Montmirail" and 247 for "Mort-Homme," indicating both would have been accepted at FMW in July 1943. The sample is much too small to be "scientific," but we can observe that 5 of the 6 surviving M4A2s known to be FMW, have Pratt and Letchworth D52416 castings. In contrast, the Pratt and Letchworth brackets seen on the few Pullmans have "SKD 586" marks.




Here we have the hull of the earliest known surviving Federal Machine and Welder M4A2, Serial Number 14815, currently stored at the Saumur Tank Museum in France. This would have been accepted in February 1943, and we were somewhat surprised to see that it "still" has Direct Vision drivers' hoods. Some original wartime shipping markings can still be read on the sides, suggesting that SN 14815 was one of 372 remanufactured Lend Lease M4A2(75)s allocated to the United Kingdom in August 1944. Further evidence of this tank's Commonwealth history can be seen in the British type fittings for spare track holders on the front. In any case, the antenna bracket on SN 14815 does not have any casting marks visible on the exterior. It can be seen to be visually different from the other surviving FMW M4A2s, with not much of a flat area at all at the base.


   

The M4A4 featured a distinctive "radio antenna bracket" casting. Two views are shown above. A pair of tiny drainage holes are indicated by the arrows. Chrysler produced most of its own parts, including gun mounts, power trains and suspension components. Some of these items were supplied to other builders, but as best we can tell, their antenna casting was used exclusively on the M4A4. Most surviving examples are noted to have the "C-H" (Continental-Hubbard) caster's logo in the position seen above. Pierre-Olivier examined the inside of one of these brackets and found the cast in Part Number D52416. The casting was wider than most others at 16.5 inches at the base. While the brackets on some other Shermans were flush mounted, the Chrysler casting was mounted on top of the armor. It was positioned about 2 inches in from the edge of the glacis, and nearly touched the weldment of the bow gunner's hood. Small hatch, welded hull Shermans used an assortment of antenna brackets. In a front photo, the characteristic appearance of the Chrysler bracket can help identify an unknown type as an M4A4




The photo above shows the Ford M4A3 pilot, SN 2655/USA 3055615 as rolled out on May 13, 1942. It is thought that the antenna bracket seen here may have been used on the first 50 or so Ford M4A3s. Again we see the additional non-standard round section (arrow) atop the bracket.


   

The earliest known surviving Ford is on display at a VFW Post in South Boardman, Michigan. It is SN 2662 indicating that it was accepted in August 1942, overall, the eighth M4A3 produced. In the two views, it can be seen that there is no "flat area" at the base of the bracket. We haven't had the opportunity to measure one of these, but it is fairly wide at the base, and mounted very close, like an inch in from the edge of the glacis. We couldn't discern any casting marks or stampings on this piece. Note the little rectangular protrusion at the front. Perhaps a casting sprue cut?

   
   

   



   

Here we see the antenna bracket on SN 11550 (December 1942) at the VFW Post in Winooski, Vermont. We suspect that this may have been the last use of the early bracket. Or at least we can observe that the 77 known surving M4A3s with Serial Numbers higher than 11550 all have the common type bracket. We were able to record the Part Number from the Winooski's bracket as "D50112" stamped on the front face (circled). For what it is worth, this is the same part number that has been observed on the "common" Ford bracket.




When they are not too heavily covered with paint, some of the "common" Ford antenna brackets have been seen to have the caster's logo "GAD" and the Part Number "D50112" "printed" in raised letters/numbers on the rear lip. (For some reason Ford used "GAD" for their caster's mark rather than "Ford" or "FMC." "D50112" has also been observed stamped into the front face of the bracket.


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