Ram Mark II manual

[Matthew Noonan]

Anyone with the manual could you tell us if they list any general specifications?

even if it's just weight, but if they included some armour measurements or dimensions that would be great.

Spec sheet lists the following for example on armour.

Turret front 76.2 (I suspect they mean the cover plate, and not the internal mantlet)
Turret sides 76.2 - 69.85
Turret rear 63.5
Turret top 38.1
Turret floor 50.8 - 38.1
(radio bulge)

Hull front upper 88.9
Hull front lower 50.8
Hull sides upper 76.2 - 50.8
Hull sides lower 38.1
Hull rear upper 31.75 or 38.1 (hard to tell if it's a 1" 1/4 or 1" 1/2)
Hull rear lower 38.1
Hull top 25.4
Hull top engine 12.7
Hull floor 25.4 - 12.7

Cupola 63.5

[Lauren Child]

I doubt it will list armour values - the service instruction books are more focussed on maintenance and repair.

[Lauren Child]

The data book does though - this may help.

and dimensions

[Matthew Noonan]

Thanks Lauren


Interesting... Values are all over the place depending on source. The top armour values from some sources are confusing, 76.2mm is extremely thick for a hull roof, unless they are counting the curving hull top in front of the turret, areas around the cupola etc and they are the higher values.

Examples

Hunnicutt

Hull
Upper front 76.2 - 50.8
Lower front 50.8
Sides 63.5 - 31.75
Rear 38.1
Top 25.4
Floor 25.4 - 12.7
cupola ?

Turret
Front 76.2
Sides 76.2 - 63.5
Rear 63.5
Top 25.4
Radio floor ?


AFV weapon profile #13

Hull
Front 44.45
Nose 38.1
Sides 63.5 - 31.75
Rear 38.1
Top 76.2 - 38.1
Floor 25.4
cupola ?

Turret
Front 88.9
Sides 63.5
Rear 38.1
Top 38.1
Radio floor ?


Bellona Military vehicle print no. 14

Hull
Glacis plate 50.8
Drivers plate 50.8
Nose upper 76.2 - 50.8
Nose lower 50.8
Sides upper 63.5
Sides lower 38.1
Rear 38.1
Top 38.1 - 25.4
Floor 25.4
cupola ?

Turret
Front 76.2
Sides 76.2 - 63.5
Rear ?
Top ?
Radio floor ?


Canada's pride

Turret
Front 76.2
Sides 76.2 - 63.5
Rear 63.5
Top 25.4
Radio floor?

Hull
Front upper 76.2
Front lower 50.8
Sides 63.5 - 31.75
Rear 38.1
Top 38.1 - 25.4
Floor 25.4 - 12.7
Cupola (no value given one paragraph mentions "thicker then M3, the M3 cupola was roughly 2 inches as far as I know")

Ram MK I for example from the archives and some weights (MK II has the same values other then weight)

http://i.imgur.com/WmO1AFp.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/8jXfvEo.jpg

[Grant Bowker]

Images from the original listing of the book for sale as they will likely eventually disappear with the book sold...

Tank Cruiser Ram II Instruction Book April 1943.
4to., Stiff cloth with folding flaps and snaps, 143pp. Also included inside the front flap is the Canadian Army Training Pamphlet No. 12 Canadian Armoured Corps Crew Drill And Inspection Duties Ram I-II, 1942 and A folding "Gunnery And Ammunition Stowage Diagrams for Ram II Tank" plus a booklet "Ram II Crew Maintenance" and a "Lubrication Chart." Fine.

A scarce collection of original manuals, and diagrams for the Ram Tank, which was designed and built in Canada during the Second World War. The tank was used exclusively for training purposes and never used in combat due to standardization on the Sherman tank.

SOLD

[Grant Bowker]

... I hope the seller doesn't mind.

[45jim]

You are creating a problem by converting from Imperial to Metric. If you are trying to determine the correct thickness of armour plate you need to remember the different methods of production and the inherent tolerance related to each. Only then can you convert. RHA (rolled homogeneous armour) has a much tighter tolerance than cast sections or face hardened plate. I believe you must select the correct source (original manuals) and then examine the relevant specification on manufacture. A common modern material MIL-A-46100 has a nice standard and is widely available and will demonstrate the methodology used in armour production and grading. It shows the variability in dimension and composition that was acceptable. Is this for wargaming?