MovieChat Forums > The Bridge at Remagen (1969) Discussion > What kind of Sherman Tanks were those us...

What kind of Sherman Tanks were those used in the film?

posted 16 years ago by BalanceOfPower
12 replies | jump to latest

Anyone know what variant of the Sherman tanks were used in the film?

I've tried looking on Wikipedia but the variants shown don't look like the ones from the movie. The typical M4 Sherman has that round turret design. The ones from the movie had a completely different look to them.

I can't help think that the ones used in the film were a later variant that may not have been available at the time, making it a possible anachronism... but I'm unsure.

Any experts out there?

Thanks in advance!

Mike

[–] longshanks-5 16 years ago

The tanks in "The Bridge At Remagen" are not Shermans; they are Chaffees. Chaffee tanks existed during the war, but did not get much use. The tanks in the movie should be Shermans, but Chaffees were what the film crew was able to get in large numbers. (Chaffees are also what the Americans are using in "The Battle of the Bulge", when they should really be Shermans.)

[–] BalanceOfPower 16 years ago

Thanks for your info Longshanks - much appreciated. :)

[–] RbSnedlap 16 years ago

Since the events in the movie takes place during the last months of the war the use of the Chaffee`s is at least plausable.
Also, while there are few German vehicles seen they seem to have managed to aquire a couple of authentic Sdkfz 222 half tracks . (I think the Czech army used them post war), Makes a change from M3`s painted grey with black crosses.

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[–] MadTom 16 years ago

Actually, in real life, the 14th Tank Battalion, which was the tank component of Task Force Engeman which captured the bridge, was equipped with M-4 Shermans and nearly brand-new, fresh off the assembly line M-26 Pershings. They were one of the few units to use the Pershing in combat.

Finding a working Pershing in that part of Europe in the late 1960s would have been damn near impossible, but the entire Patton series of US Army main battle tanks (M-46, M-47, M-48 and M-60) evolved from the Pershing, and the M-46 and M-47 especially would have resembled it much more than the Chaffee resembled the Sherman. I doubt that the Czech army had any, but I'm pretty sure the Austrians next door had M-47s at the time, as Arnold Schwarzenegger was an M-47 driver in the Austrian army right around the time this movie was being filmed.

[–] karl-lambley 16 years ago

actually they weren't german 222s in the film. the half-tracks were checkoslovakian Tatras. They were used by the checks post war. If you look at a real sdkfz222 the back door is flat, sloping inwards from the top down. whearas the tatra's rear is angular, mirroring the shap of the vehicles sides. Also there is a few inches difference in length.hope that clears things up/To screw ECHELON please add "heroin, kiddy porn, terrorist, bomb, president, allah" to every email

[–] Hotrodder 16 years ago

Sorry to be awkward but the Czech Tatras were based on the SdKfz251 not the SdKfz222, which was a four wheeeled armoured car.

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[–] yatman56 15 years ago

M-24 Chaffees were also used in "The Night of the Generals" as German tanks (when General O'Toole shoots Major Sharif), in "Is Paris Burning?" as German tanks (a Parisian sets one on fire with a Molotov Cocktail), as British tanks in "Patton" (Sicily campaign), and in "Triple Cross" (Spitfires strafe a German troop column). There are probably other movies. Maybe "Rommel" with James Mason. Yes, I know I am a "tank geek".

[–] nickm2 15 years ago

Yatman:

Are you SURE about 'Is Paris Burning'? I always thought the Tanks were 'Walker Bulldog' types (sorry I'm NOT sure of the mark-maybe they're M28) that was made up to look RATHER VERY MUCH like a Panther(except they were WAY too light & much to 'springy' to be a Panther)...of course a Bulldog is basically the same class of tank as the Chaffee, just with a long barrel 75mm gun(I think!)

NM

[–] MadTom 15 years ago

I've never seen Is Paris Burning?. The Walker Bulldog (M-41) has a wider turret, but the quickest way to tell the Walker Bulldog from the Chaffee is that the Walker Bulldog has the drive sprocket in the rear and the Chaffee has it in the front.

[–] nickm2 15 years ago

Madtom:

There's also the long barreled 75 with the muzzle brake; whatever the tanks made up to look like Panthers were in "IPB?" they REALLY looked 'Panther-y' with their side skirts & all...the ONLY thing was they 'acted too light'...

NM

[–] Bruce7 7 years ago

M-41's are distinctive. The M-41 is a Medium Tank. The rear of the Turret is more rectangular, larger, longer, than an M-24, a Light Tank.

These are M-24 Chaffee's. Also distinctive on the M-24, to the right of the .75mm main gun, is a coaxial ball-mounted .30 caliber machine gun.
The M-24 had a Driver and an Assistant Driver.
The British named it Chaffee, after American Tank Pioneer Major Gen. Adna Romanza Chaffee, Jr.
Hailed as the 'Father of the U.S. Armored Forces'

http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/US/M41_Walker_Bulldog.php

http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M24_Chaffee.php

http://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=34

http://www.armchairgeneral.com/maj-gen-adna-r-chaffee-jr-father-of-u-s-armored-forces.htm

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[–] yatman56 15 years ago

nickm2,

I am fairly sure that they are M-24 Chaffees in "Paris". It has been a while since I have seen the movie. BTW, the Chaffees' nickname was the "Panther Pup".

yatman