Hi everybody,

I just purchased Dragon's M4A2 "Tarawa" Sherman No. 6062, as seen below. I'd like to build this tank as a Lend-Lease vehicle in Russian service, but since I'm absolutely no Sherman expert I'd like to get confirmation first, if this version was used by the Soviet Union at all. Thanks in advance for any help!

Best regards,
Philipp

Im pretty sure they Russians didnt receive these. I think they all went to the British, USMC, and Free French units. I do have pictures of the earlier M4A2s with cast hoods and applique armor. THey also used the later dry hull large hatch M4A2s (like the PTO DML) but these Shermans utilized the later low bustle turrets with oval loaders hatch and split commanders hatch.

HTH
Chris

Thank you Chris, you confirmed my initial suspicion as I too have only seen M4A2 with cast hoods as well as the later types. I guess I'll go for a PTO version then, there are some interesting markings in this kit...

Thanks again,
Philipp

Of course they did. The Soviets received the bulk of the M4A2 production run, and they did receive the Fisher-built welded hulls with welded drivers' hoods, which were in production from mid 1943. The Tarawa kit can be improved by swapping the corrected engine deck doors which are included as redundant parts in the more recent Dragon M4A3, M4A1 and M4 kits. The original kit doors had only half as many welded bars in the grill as the actual vehicle (there should be 24, not 12, in each door). Dragon corrected this in the late type M4A2 PTO vehicle, as well as the M4A2 Sicily Sherman (essentially the corrected Tarawa kit with British sandshields). The updated kit also has a revision to the drivers' hoods, which originally had the periscope too close the front face of the armor. You can add a sheet of .040" styrene to the front of the original kit hoods to correct his. No doubt, Dragon will include the updated parts in any reissues of the Tarawa M4A2 kit (assuming they have not already done so).

Wow, thank you Gerald for your reply! I'm glad the Tristar Soviet tank crew I ordered with the M4A2 won't be unemployed now...

I have some spares from Dragon's M4A3E8 "Thunderbolt" kit lyring around (the very first 1/35 Sherman I ever built and the only one so far), are you referring to parts 44 and 46 from sprue A? The engine deck doors there have 14 bars each, so I guess they are the old stuff?

I don't have the Tarawa kit yet, so I can't tell if the new parts are included. Lets hope for the best...

Best regards,
Philipp

Id love to see a picture of a welded hooded M4A2 in Russian Service - all the ones I have are of the cast hooded variety. Im not saying that Gerald is wrong by any means - but of all 35+ photos I have they all show earlier or later ones - not the mid production types.

Chris

Some Lend-Lease M4A2 pics from Oliver Messing's website :
http://www.o5m6.de/m4a2_75mm_early.html

http://www.o5m6.de/m4a2_75mm_late.html

HTH

Frenchy

Thank you Frenchy, in fact I do already know this website. These drawings were one of the reasons to get another Sherman and to build it for the Red Army

Philipp

I've just noticed that the Sherman with the fuel drums and the horses (here) has welded hoods. The tracks are different, but many other Soviet Shermans had different types of steel tracks fitted.

A different question is the applique armour. Were all Lend-Lease M4A2 fittet with it or would it be possible to model an early vehicle without it? Did the Soviets bother to add it themselves?

Philipp