Evan's Notes on Assembling Shermans When it comes to gun mantlets, the narrow mantlet came first and was prevalent in Mid War, transitioning to wide mantlets for Late War (there were narrow mantlets on tanks in LW but the minority). The wide mantlet didn't exist in Mid War.
All Shermans armed with a 76mm or 105mm guns have the single piece transmission housing only. Three-piece transmission covers are both Mid War & Late war and have more to do with who made which model - details below by type.
M4 Sherman - Mid War: Three-piece transmission housing and narrow mantlet. - Late War: Three-piece or single-piece transmission housing and narrow or wide mantlet—there is no wrong answer here! M4A1 Sherman - Mid War: Three-piece or single-piece transmission housing for US (your choice), three-piece transmission for British M4A1 Shermans. Narrow mantlet for both. - Late War: Three-piece or single-piece transmission housing, wide mantlet for all (there are narrow mantlets on tanks in Late War but they are in the minority). M4A2 Sherman - Mid War: Single-piece transmission housing, narrow mantlet. - Late War: Single-piece transmission housing, wide mantlet. M4A3 Sherman - Late War: Single-piece transmission housing with a wide mantlet. M4A4 Sherman - Late War: Three-piece transmission, wide mantlet.
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