Found this earlier today.... new company producing updates/improvements for Shermans.
www.formationsmodels.com

OOOOOOh boy!

I can't wait for tommorow. I'm getting one of those early M4A1 kits drect from the maker at the KC AMPS Regional Saturday.

I got this e-mail this morning:



I'll report back here about how it looks!

Thanks, it´s very helpful for us Shermanholics.

Thank's for the "heads-up " plasticbattle. Got it bookmarked

- ralph

I got my Formations M4A1 Early Dry Stowage 75mm kit today and it is beautiful!

Rob Erwin, the guy who makes these, is a really nice guy and took lots of time to give tips on building the kit. It is a drop-fit to a Italeri Sherman lower hull. The eight-page instruction sheet is very clear and has nice, clear diagrams.

The horizontal arm bogies are very nice and have the correct foundry marks, as well as the bolts and bolt holes Shermanholics usually have to add themselves.

The turret is very similar to the one in Tamiya's M4 kit. The gun tube is resin, but is very good and straight. The kit comes with both early types of gun shields. The final drive housing is the early one-piece, with correct foundry markings and numbers. The accessories are also beauties -- the pioneer tools have proper brackets and include the tie-downs, straps and buckles all in one piece. There are two sledge hammers and two track bars, so you can match the stowage for any M4A1 and put the spares in the part box. All the hatches are detailed on both sides.

Lots of little detail bits are included -- even the little headlight plugs that hang on the side of the headlight guards and the mysterious Sherman "comb." A set of MV Lenses is included for the headlights and the spotlight.

Add a few Italeri lower hull and suspension parts, plus a PE set for the headlight and taillight guards, and you've got yourself a nice little Sherman.

Now my problem is deciding what paint scheme and markings to use. Some of these had some dandy two- and three-tone schemes in Sicily and Italy. My, what problems I have ...