Anyone know of some decent 1/35th decal Sheets covering Sherman IIIs Post D-Day? I'm finishing off the DML Sherman III and don't fancy a Desertized versión...

You could go with 27th Armored brigade.
Star decals makes a usefull set
http://star-decals.net/star35968.html

Hi Jim,

Bison decals WW2 British Shermans Part 4 has 4 options for the Mk III in NWE.

Al

Thanks for the VERY useful material. I'll have to dig out my reference material which I have somewhere as well...

Hi all

Maybe it is just my screen but have any of you used the Star decals are they good. they don't look to good on my screen. I bought some pedinghaus decals and they are horrible. that is why I am asking.

Euge

Jim, in NWE the M4A2 was used in British, French and Canadian service in 44. In 1945 when the tank shortage bit a significant number were transferred to the US and photos exist of them.
In British Service they were mainly located in 8 and 27 Armoured Brigades. One of the Canadian Bdes was also equipped with M4A2.
Star Decals also offer 8 AB markings:
http://star-decals.net/star35967.html
CHeers
Al

What do you define as 'good'? How are you making a value judgement based off internet artwork?

I've used Bison Decals a number of times, which is predecessor of Star Decals, so I would have no problem using these.

When the Canadian 1st CAB arrived in Sicily, they were expecting new Sherman V's, but the British and Austrailians had claimed those, and left the older Sherman III's for the Canadians. thus the push through Sicily and beginning of Italy, the Canadians had Sherman III's.

Once again, thanks for the replies.

Yes, I know of both sets (Star and Bison) but I can't find the latter set as it's probably OOP. So, I guess i'll go for the former and check my references for vehicle codes/names etc. So, now, a search is underway....

Archer also has some.

http://www.archertransfers.com/CAT_BritCompleteSets.html

Jesse, exactly what I needed I found on the Archer Website - THANKS!!!

The Star-Decals are all screen printed (not Alps), and with individual carrier film. If they are good or not - I leave that to the ones who actually have tried them, as I'm part in this case, being the producer of the Star brand. The preview you see on the web site are not the real decals but the original computer artwork. I guess I could have made the picture a little bit larger, but sadly you always are at the risk of being copied.

Johan Lexell, Star-Decals

That's not correct. The 1 CAB brought their own Sherman Vs (M4A4) with them from the UK. When the 5 CAD landed in Italy, they were given the option of using the older Sherman IIIs left from the departing 7th AD, or wait for new Sherman Vs. They waited, but used the soft skins left over from the 7th AD. Eventually, the 5 CAD also had Sherman IIs and Sherman IBs. The 1 CAB only had Sherman Vs in Sicily and Italy.

Hey chuck,

I have been watching this thread as I am a new sherman enthusiast and have a big intrest in canadian armor of wwII.

My question to you is do you know what units and when did they have sherman II's and IB's and pictures?? Or point me so where I can look or research. I have 3 Sherman IB's and 2 ShII's and one SHIII. But cannot source any pics. Thanks in advance.

Eugene

Bumping my old post as I still have had no luck finding any Shern IB's or Sherman II's in brit service in NWE, I thought I read that 3CLY and Royal Scots had them but haven't seen anything at all can anyone help. =) thanks in advance.

Euge

You will not see any British 1B's in NWE where the RSG and 3 CLY served when the 1B was avail (They had left italy before they were issued (late 44 early 45). The Canadian Bde transferred from Italy supposedly brought 1B's with them although I have never seen a photo of one (can) in NWE. No Commonwelath incl Pilish and Czech used them in NWE.
The Sherman II served in the british 4 AB in NWE (RSG, 3 CLY [later 3/4 CLY] & 44 RTR). Tons of Pictures exist in the Concord titles covering the British Sherman, British Tanks in NWE by David Fletcher Vol 1 and 2 and the Similar title by Dennis Oliver.
Al

Thanks AL once again stellar help. I must need a research class. I tried IWM battlefield historian and the like. looking for units and always come up short in what I am looking for. but did get some really cool audio interviews though.

Eugene,

The problem with searching on teh net is that the units or tank types are very seldom indexed properly or completely enough to get good hits. You really, really need to get actual books on the subject matter and then go through them (as they are not indexed at all) carefully enough reading the captions (which are usually done well in specialist publications) to pick out the examples you are looking for.

Most of these books are organised by either army, or theatre and ocassionally by tank type, so you end up with a significant number of books and pulling a few refereance photos out of several of them to do your research.

There are a couple of books that list what units had what kinds of tanks, but they are niche works and hard to find. And usually only complete for one army's inventory.

There is a web site with the tank returns for 21st army group which covers the commonwealth forces in NW Europe, but not units in Italy nor is it complete.

The main problem is that record keeping was secondary priority(or worse) at the time plus the keepers of the records had little in the way of standard reporting processes to guide them in what info to retain. A lot depended upon the enthusiasm of the person assigned to make the records and you can imagine how that went sometimes!

Paul

Some suggested References:

British Tanks in Normandy - Ludovic Fortin Histoire & Collections (Now available as a softcover
The British Shermn - Dennis Oliver Concord
ANy of the British Tanks of World War 2 by Concord (3 titles by David Fletcher (2) and Dennis Oliver (1).
British Tank markings and Names by BT White A&AP

Of course Regimental histories, diaries, memoirs and war diaries help to fill in the gaps but it is a huge jigsaw puzzle. For 7 AD there is a great online resource avail by Ian Patterson. For British Unit information the Bellis titles on organisation are still acquirable but they rarely help with vehicle types just formations and who was where when.
Cheers
Al

m

How about a III in the Italian theatre? Plenty of options there with nice paint schemes from Light Mud with Blue Black through to OD. Here's my version of a Kiwi III which was lost at Monte Cassino. Decals from Bison...



Gary