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Shermaholics..question on M32 ARV
jvazquez
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Posted: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 - 03:54 AM UTC
I know Italeri released their M32 a long time ago as well as re releasing it a few years back, but other than that, does any aftermarket company out there make a conversion set for it, or am I forced to kitbash the old Italeri with a different hull to make it an accurate wartime M32?

Thanks!

Jim
AlanL
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England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
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Posted: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 - 04:16 AM UTC
Hi James,

Not an expert on this one, but despite what is generally accepted the large hatched version was used in the PTO, so you can build the Italeri kit OOB.

Don't know of any conversions sets but if you want a more common version then you could use the hull form an small hatched M4A1 which is the most common route. Check you references for tracks and Panda Plastics should have anything you need.

I think the other issues are to do with the floor levels inside so this may or may not be something you want to investiagte further, depending on your end game.

Hope this helps a bit.

Al

ericadeane
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Posted: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 - 04:37 AM UTC
Al is mostly correct. Large hatch versions were seen on M4A2 and M4A3 hulls but until only recently, no large hatch M4A1 based M32s were known. (Italeri recycled the hull from their M4A1 76W kit). About a year ago, a single photo showing an M32 based on the lg hatch M4A1 hull surfaced.

But to your original question, the route that most M32 builders have taken is to use the Italeri kit as donor parts for another SHerman hull.
thebear
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Posted: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 - 07:13 AM UTC
Never say never Roy ...Got these pictures off the internet but I can't remember where ...They are for discussion purposes only ...




Rick
thebear
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Posted: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 - 07:46 AM UTC
So true I didn't see that line in his post ..sorry for doubting you Roy...
jvazquez
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Posted: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 - 09:55 AM UTC
Interesting tracks on those as well...
jvazquez
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Posted: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 - 09:56 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi James,

Not an expert on this one, but despite what is generally accepted the large hatched version was used in the PTO, so you can build the Italeri kit OOB.

Don't know of any conversions sets but if you want a more common version then you could use the hull form an small hatched M4A1 which is the most common route. Check you references for tracks and Panda Plastics should have anything you need.

I think the other issues are to do with the floor levels inside so this may or may not be something you want to investiagte further, depending on your end game.

Hope this helps a bit.

Al



Thanks Al!!
AlanL
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Posted: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 - 10:11 AM UTC
Hi James,

Your Welcome, those pics breathed a new lease of life into the Italeri kit.

Al
GeraldOwens
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Posted: Thursday, March 05, 2009 - 01:06 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I know Italeri released their M32 a long time ago as well as re releasing it a few years back, but other than that, does any aftermarket company out there make a conversion set for it, or am I forced to kitbash the old Italeri with a different hull to make it an accurate wartime M32?

Thanks!

Jim

Bearing in mind how much has been improved on recent Sherman kits, Italeri's M32B1 might be worth kitbashing with a newer kit anyway. Certainly no one loves the stiff black vinyl tracks, and it has open spoke road wheels and idlers, rare in the late war period. You could combine it with the Tasca mid production M4A1 kit for an M32B1 or with Dragon's spanking new M4 Normandy kit for a plain vanilla M32, or with the Dragon Mid production Sherman III Sicily kit for a USMC M32B2 (though you'll need to swap out the British pattern tracks). The Dragon kits also throw in photoetch and very flexible soft plastic track which have slide molded edge detail instead of the nasty seam of old school tracks (they are starting to offer those tracks separately through Cyber Hobby in case your tank needs a different type).
ericadeane
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Posted: Thursday, March 05, 2009 - 02:26 AM UTC
Richard: that's the one I was thinking of -- however I've only seen one of those pics. Your other views are great. I noticed that the hull is actaully the type with the cast in side hull patch armor -- used on the latest 75mm M4A1 hulls (which were mostly diverted to the Duplex Drive program)

James: by the way, the M32B1 there sports T-49 tracks. Available from a variety of sources.
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