Скачать или смотреть GERMAN FORCES UNAWARE OF SHERMAN TANKS' WET AMMO FIRE-SUPPRESSION UPGRADE

German forces overlooked a pivotal 1944 upgrade to M4 Sherman tanks that encased main gun ammunition in double-walled bins filled with 37-38 gallons of Ammudamp—a water-glycol-phosphate solution designed to prevent catastrophic fires. Early Shermans earned the "Ronson lighter" nickname for their 60-80% fire rate after penetrations, as dry-stowed rounds in sponsons ignited from shell fragments, but wet stowage relocated ammo to hull-floor racks surrounded by suppressant fluid. When hit, the liquid flooded out, drenching propellant to halt ignition and chain reactions, dropping fire incidents to just 10-15%.

Development accelerated after 1943 tests revealed water's freezing issues and glycol's corrosion, with DuPont engineers perfecting Ammudamp to remain liquid at -40°F without damaging brass cases. By April 1944, over 130 M4A1(76)W models shipped to England, and all subsequent Shermans—including Jumbos—incorporated the 900-pound addition despite added weight. German intelligence, basing assessments on pre-upgrade captures from Tunisia, launched futile counterattacks expecting weakened U.S. armor, only to face resilient tanks returnable after hits.

Ordnance records verified the system's triumph: battalions losing 18-24 tanks to fire pre-upgrade saw only 3-5 losses post-implementation, preserving crews and vehicles for sustained offensives. This invisible fix, with 1.5-inch gaps holding 0.5 gallons per 10-round cell, required routine checks via ports but transformed Sherman survivability. German crews at places like Cuxdorf proving grounds marveled at post-battle wrecks without explosions, unaware of the engineering edge hastening their defeat. Wet stowage exemplified American wartime innovation, saving thousands of lives through overlooked ingenuity.


#MilitaryHistory
#WWII
#ShermanTank
#WetStowage
#WW2Tanks
#TankUpgrade
#armoredwarfare
#HistoryBuff
#FireSuppression
#GermanUnaware