The Flying Heritage Collection’s Sherman was assembled into a single fighting machine at Pressed Steel Car Company, a former locomotive and rail car building factory outside of Chicago. But, looking at the multitude of foundry symbols cast into various parts of the tank, you can tell, quickly, that making these machines was a job that was taken on by the whole nation.
The tank’s drive assembly carries the symbol for American Steel Foundries, Granite City (Illinois)—about 257 miles away. The mantlet came from Continental Foundry &Machine Company (Pennsylvania). Parts of the bogies came from Ford Motor Car Company (Michigan), Ordnance Steel (Iowa), American Steel Foundries Alliance (Ohio), National Malleable and Steel Castings (Pennsylvania), and possibly Carnegie Illinois Steel. One suspension arm, a hometown hero, most likely came from Pacific Car &Foundry here in Washington state. Other parts originated at Symington-Gould Corp. (New York) and Sivyer Steel Casting Company (Wisconsin).
Some of the parts are still a mystery, like the suspension unit carrying a Co and J inside a circle (seen in the photo). The foundry that used this symbol has been lost in the mists of time.
Want to see them all for yourself? Come to Monster Bash at the FHC on Oct. 4. There you can examine the Sherman, as well as many other trucks and vehicles, up close!
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