WS19 - Sherman Installation

[Tim Bell]

Not sure if this should have gone into the Armoured section or not... so am working on the assumption the Wireless enthusiasts amongst us are more likely to look here.

I've started looking how the WS19 in the Firefly is wired and have concluded as follows:

Voice Connectivity:


1) Control box No1Mk2, located adjacent to the Commander/Gunner has a cable running into the Turret Terminal box

2) Turret Terminal Box has a cable running into the slip-ring connector on the floor of the turret basket

3) Slip Ring Connector has a cable to the Hull Terminal Box

4) Hull Terminal Box has a cable to Junction Box, Distribution No 3 which is located adjacent to the Driver

5) Control Box No1Mk2 has a 12/12 armoured cable running to Control Box No2mk2 which is located by the Loader (who is also the Wireless Operator)

6) Control Box No2Mk2 has a 12/12 armoured cable running to the 12 pin socket on the WS19.

7) Somehow a cable connects to an external telephone for 3rd party calls... this telephone is in a box at the rear of the tank.

Power:

WS19 PSU has cable running to "Battery Selector Switch" mounted on turret wall next to Operator's seat... this switch allows the Operator to select which of the vehicle's 12v batteries to run the radio from (there are 2 x 12v batteries for the tank). There is a voltmeter and light on this Selector box. The Battery Selector box is then connected to the vehicle batteries through the Terminal box and slip-ring route.

Antenna:

A set is connected on Aerial Coax to Variometer which is attached through hull mounting to underside of either No 8 or No 10 (Manuals say No 8 is AFV, but some photos suggest No 10) Aerial base, with F rod aerial.

B Set is connected on Aerial Coax through hull to B set Aerial base which is on metal post mount.

So...

1) Are my above observations correct - or have I missed anything please?

2) Anyone know how this external telephone is connected. My guess is that it may be to the "spare" drop lead on the Driver's Junction box... this because the Driver is on "Intercom" only and any 3rd party using the external phone would be too... so it would make logical sense to run the phone cable from the Driver's junction box along the floor of the tank to the rear Telephone box. Though perhaps instead of connecting to the spare drop lead, this connection was made in lieu of the onwards connection to the co-driver's junction box (no 4?).


Many thanks

Tim

[tankbarrell]

Tim,

I'm not sure how widespread the introduction of the infantry telephone was on older tanks such as Sherman. You do see the odd picture but not many.

Essentially, you are there with your list. Bear in mind the cables in no 2 and 3 of your list are a bunch of wires running in existing steel conduit rather than flex cables as with the others.

[Tim Bell]

Originally Posted by tankbarrell

Tim,

I'm not sure how widespread the introduction of the infantry telephone was on older tanks such as Sherman. You do see the odd picture but not many.

Essentially, you are there with your list. Bear in mind the cables in no 2 and 3 of your list are a bunch of wires running in existing steel conduit rather than flex cables as with the others.

Adrian

I may well scrub the phone idea - no need to be more complicated than necessary!

Only really considered it because I have what I think may be one of the phones (this being a microphone with headset earpiece added at the other end).

Noted for the conduit - thanks - I was aware of some running over the turret basket floor by the gunner's feet - I have that on the remains of the turret basket, but not from the slip rings to the Hull terminal box.

Cheers

Tim

[tankbarrell]

Of course, Firefly turret wiring layout is different to standard as the lower well of the basket is deleted which moves the base junction up several inches. This results in the conduits beings above the floor rather than below it but if you have the remains, you're good to go!