Well here are a few quick pics of my Tamiya M4A3 from the frontline breakthrough kit. The Tamiya kit has the usual flaws (no sponsons, recessed welds etc) but I discovered more on this site:

USarmymodels

The site details everything wrong with the kit and how to fix it. I attempted to make all the alterations but, only found out the applique armour wasn't used on this tank after I attached them, which is a it annoying.

I will also used Herve Charbonneau's article on 50 cal. mounts (thanks Herve) to work out which mount to use.

Anyway, I added:

Sponsons
Weld beads from plastic strip, and textured with poly
transmission cover texture
Plus a few replacement parts from a Dragon M4A3
a few details from pictures in some books, and from Toadman's site. Thank you Chris, the site was a godsend.

Anyway, enough rambling here are the photos.

From Desktop

From Desktop

From Desktop

From Desktop#


I am considering a small dio in the Battle of Aachen 1945 with a few supporting infantry, and ruined building. Thanks for looking, and any comments/criticisms appreciated.

Gday Anirudh
I have the same kit in about the same state, although I have shelved it for some time now!
You have utilised some good resources, although it would seem you have added details as nauseum including some that would most likely not be present?
The strip you have added around the gun shield looks to represent the mounting pin strip used to attach a foull weather hood. To the best of my knowledge these were mostly post WII?
You have added the engine door support in one side but not the other? I also would make it slightly larger.
The handles on the rear deck could be a little thinner and aybe not stand so proud from the hull?
I'm not sure what the chain is meant to be? If for the fuel filler cap chains, it needs to be much smaller and in place on all filler caps...
Other than that you are doing some nice work. Look forward to some paint!
Brad

Thanks for the comments Brad.
The engine support is missing as i want to position the tools on the hull first to see where space is available for the support.
I did not know the chain was for the filler caps, i thought it was for one of the tools or that was what one of the photos looked like, I will remove it and add a thin one in the correct position.
The strip was something I copied of a Photo but the caption made no mention of the location or time, and could have been a postwar restoration, so I'll probably remove that.

Anyway, I'll post the improved pics later.