I have a 1959 Ford 801 "Power Master" tractor that has a Sherman transmission in it. It has a low, medium, and high range with it's own shifter on the left side of the tractor in addition to the 4 forward / 1 reverse shifter. I rarely ever shift out of medium range except to show someone how fast it will run it 4th gear high range or how slow it runs in 1st gear low range. I am told that this was the same trans used in the Sherman tanks. Maybe NumberDummy can enlighten as to the history on the trans. Just an interesting side note.

 

Henry Ford purchased the Stout Aircraft Company in the 1920's. The Ford Tri-Motor (aka the Tin Goose) was originally a Stout design. When Ford's chief test pilot was killed testing a new version of the Ford Tri-Motor, Ford was so upset, he closed the aircraft division.

 

First OHV V8 engine: 1949 Cadillac 331.

This engine was up and running in 1936, and GM planned on introducing it along with the all new 1942 Cadillacs, but WWII killed that plan. GM decided to wait till late 1948 to introduce the engine, because they knew it would be a sellers market...at least thru 1948.

Sellers market: No new cars were built from 2/11/1942 thru the end of WWII. V-J Day was 8/15/1945, the peace treaty was signed 9/2/1945. Ford resumed passenger car production in October 1945.

 

Right after the war ended, The Deuce hired 50 bean counters that had worked for the War Production Board to get FoMoCo back on track. The 50 were known as the "Whiz Kids." He also hired super salesman Ernie Breech and made him prez of the company. Between the Whiz Kids and Breech, Ford was back on track by 1949.

3 of the Whiz Kids only worked at Ford for a few months. The three: Thomson, Ramo and Woolridge left Ford and started their own company: TRW.

Today is December 7th.

"A date which will live in Infamy!" -from FDR's address to Congress on Monday, December 8, 1941. The speech was a Declaration of War, and began.."Yesterday, December 7th, 1941..."

BTW: FDR tricked Hitler (who knew nothing about the Japanese plan to attack PH) into declaring war on us (on December 10th). The Italians declared war two hours after Hitler did.

 

Here is a video I found on Youtube comparing Sherman vs a tiger
http://youtube.com/watch?v=iBp4eWqXfno&feature=related

 

it is crazy how the much times have changed. When I read that henry ford was openly anti-semetic (i have never claimed to have won a spelling bee) I wondered how such an intelligent man could be so ignorent and still be accepted as by a majority of the public as a hero for the working class.

 

Lots of good info, but most of you are incorrect on the Sherman Tank info. 1943 M4A3 Sherman Tank, or Sherman IV. Manufacturer Ford, Grand Blanc. Production: 12,596 (Ford produced) Engine: GAA-III V-WC (most common Ford V-8 version) 400 HP @ 2,600 RPM 1100 CID. Crew: 5 Weight: 32.3 Tons, top speed (flat good roads) 47 KPH Range, 130 KM Syncromesh 5 speed forwards, and 1 reverse. The only Ford built Sherman. This is my other favorite subject, as I have come close to buying one. The most common version, and most popular is the Ford M4A3 Mid-Production 75mm Wet Stowage. They blew up, not because of gasoline, but because of the howitzer rounds. This is why they started using wet stowage, which house the rounds in a canister of water to prevent ignition (didn't work well).

 

I'll also add that the motor is an aluminum 4 cam OHC design that was modeled after an airplane engine reduced in size by 4 cylinders. It is rear mounted, the clutch housing is attached to the engine, and the driveline is open along the floor of the hull, and mates to the transmission which is attached to the front drive axle, which closely resembles the center section of an early Eaton Banjo style truck differential. It has a 360* rotating turret, a .50 cal turret mounted automatic rifle, two .30 cal machine guns. The fuel tank is in the rear between the motor and crew compartment. The tracks are equipped with rubber bolt on pads (later version). It has provisions for headlights, brakelights, turn signals, and even a horn. If youwere to get one, it is the only tank version that can get through most states laws and get registered as an antique motor vehicle.

 

You know it amaze's me that with all the political animosity that is evident today between Democrats and Republicans (that frankly makes everybody sick...) that back in the day there was the same crap going on. Imagine, some two-bit, stuffed shirt US beaurocrat deciding that the Brit's 17 pounder gun would not be allowed to be installed in the Sherman because it was a "foreign" gun???? It's better to lose US soldiers with the little pea shooter they had on the Sherman??? I don't know.....it just seems stupid. After all, the P-51 Mustang fighter didn't become the killer it was until the Rolls Royce Merlin engine was installed in it. And the M-1 Abrams 120 mm gun is actually a German gun. I'm glad that more realistic minds are in charge now, but unfortunatly there is still too much beauracracy involved when US soldiers lives are involved. Damn, if it happens that the best weapon to protect the troops is Russian, or Israeli, or French or South African....Use it!!!! I don't care !!

 

Sounds like a good description for a production SUV......

 

Ach!!

P-51: PACKARD-Merlin not Rolls-Royce Merlin.

Packard built thousands of Merlins in the US from 1941 thru 1945. Some were shipped to England.

See post #13 for a thumbnail history of the Packard-Merlin.

Because Packard simplified the design, the name Rolls-Royce wasn't used.

Valve covers on P-51's state: Packard

 

Yea, but the Merlin will forever be remembered as a British Classic in their Spitfire's and Lancaster bombers. Maybe Packard simplified the design, but if it wasn't for Rolls Royce it never would have been around. The engine technology at the time was amazing, and unfortunately the US did not compare. Some British technicians working on a Messerschmit (sp?) Me-109 were astounded and terrified at the tolerences that the BMW (?) engine in the 109 exhibited. We were really lucky that our overwhelming wealth and industrial might was able to produce the war material in the volume that was needed that we did.

 

LOL...dueling neighbors with varied opinions.

We were really lucky that Hitler halted development of the ME-262 program, the rocket technology and other wonder weapons. After the fall of France in the spring of 1940, Hitler put all these weapons on the back burner, only resuming the programs after the debacle at Stalingrad in early 1943.

Just think what would have happened to our bombing missions over Festung Europa if 1000's of ME 262's had been produced, instead of the few dozen that were. Plus, these "hurry up" developed ME-262's could only spend 1/2 hour aloft.

The Atomic Bombs would then have been dropped on Berlin, their original intended target, not on Japan. If the ME-262's had flown in great numbers, and the rockets had been used against the US and Russia, this would have prolonged the war...for years.

Despite Truman's warning to the Japanese after the Nagasaki A-Bomb was dropped that a rain of A-Bomb's would follow unless the Japanese quit...we had no more.

 

And if I remember correctly, RR had a jet turbine design prior to WWII that the Germans got their hands on, Fortunately it went nowhere also.