Hi Guys,

I plan to do the Sherman M4 DV Mk I and Sherman M4A4 DV Mk V some time in the future.

I was going to use the Tamiya kit for the turrets and as a doner kit. Are the boggies correct? I might be able to make a set of Mk V Boggies from the Firefly builds I thnk there were 2 spare in each kit if I can track them down.

Both vehicles will be NWE, Normandy time. I also have lots of boggies that came with the fireflies and a set from the Marines M4 are they useable?

Cheers

Al

Alan,
You'll need a set of the straight arm bogies - not the upswept ones from the tamiya kit. I think they used the unblocked version for early A4s.

The Academy sets have the "raised pillow block" straight arms -- I think. you might need to go the Formations route.....

Chris

Thanks Chris,

Al

As these are DV hulls they indicate earlier variants although i have been told some DV hulls were produced very late in the family life of the Sherman. Being early variants you will probably want the early heavy bogie with the horizontal trailing arm and no raiser under the return roller (generally reffered to by Sherman modellers as a "Pillow block"). The Skids may also be the symetrical type. The Academy ones could be modified by carefully "cutting" out the Riser (not 100% accurte but would almost look OK).
I have never seen any WW2 DV hulls with upsept arms but I could not rule it out. SOme of the DV M4A4 had the early M34 mantlets.
Good luck
AL

Hi Al,

Many thanks, will probably go the Formations Route then.

Cheers

Al

Hi Al,
the bogies in the tamiya kit are wrong, you need the straight support arms type, not the upswept arms supports, Ive never tried them myself, but I think Tasca do a very nice set from thier firefly, but if this is not for you, Academy do various sets of sherman running gear

hope this helps,

malc.

The early Sherman suspension from Tasca is a much better option than the Formation offering !?
In my personal opinion Tasca would be perfect for your build.
Dragon Sherman kits allso do have good boogie suspension as an alternative.

Happy modelling,
Frank.

P.S. Academy Sherman suspension is to chuncky in my honnest opinion.

Thanks Guys,

I hadn't thought about the Tasca set.

I'll see if I can make one set up from the remains of my Dragon Mk V/Firefly builds.

Thanks again.

AL

Hi Al

The Academy suspension is indeed chunky and probably too deep, but I had one left over after giving my M10 17pdr a Tamiya suspension, so it was shame to waste and it went on my Sherman IC

BTW if you go Academy, cut off the locating pins - Tamiya's bogies have theirs at different heights to stop you getting them on the wrong side of the hull and Academy's don't. Disaster almost guaranteed for the unwary

David

Hi David,

Thanks, don't have any Academy kits, so they are out.

Cheers

Al