John/Jake,
Yes! It is MP Models I was thinking about. Last I read was A) Tracks were a hassle but AM was out there. B) Roadwheels lacked some detail,size error not mentioned, C) Turret,hull were fine and turret far better than newer DML kit in accuracy. If roadwheel size is in error in a gross amount, there is plenty of AM and donor kits (Tamiya? ) to fix that!
Thanks for memory assist!
Rick
PS- There are tons of reviews and excellant master referance on this site for pittance of a search. Many IDF armor authorities reside & contribute here!
Some may be on tour.............
-R

The M50 was converted on nearly all hull types, except the M4A6. The Dragon M50 has issues, particularly with the hull. You can do a passable model, but there are other options.

If you do use the kit, substitute another hull, such as the newer Dragon composite hull in the Firefly IC kit, the M4A2 hull in the Tarawa Sherman kit. You can use others as well.

The older M51 kit, with the M50 parts will allow you to do an M50, but the hull top is horrible. The Premium kit will not have the necessary parts. The M51 portrayed is the type with a different IDF stowage arrangement, and even when using the older kit, you have to use the correct parts. Frankly, the whole thing is hard enough to get a decent M51 out it, that to use it for an M50 is not worth the effort.

I just completed an M50 using the Dragon Tarawa M4A2, the suspension from the Dragon Premium M51, Formations M50 turret and various IDF parts from Dragon and MP Models. You can use the Dragon engine deck, but keep in mind that it is post-1975. You need some references and some work to back-date it to either 1967 or 1973. I did mine for 1967, with a partially scratchbuilt deck and lower rear plate.

Re the hull types for the M51, you can use the M4A1 or M4A3, nothing else.

Tom Gannon

Sadly, there are really no totally accurate IDF Shermans in plastic. Bill Miley and I did the MP Models kit, and there are a few correctable issues with it. Most notable is the wrong gunner's sight, but, hey, that was the late 80s and we had only photos to go by. I didn't see a live M50 until 1992. :-) I'll still say the track faces are the best available, and the M4A4 hull is the most accurate except for Tasca.

The Academy M51 kit is poor. I wouldn't bother with it. In a pinch, you may be able to use the turret bustle and the upper hull stowage basket.

If you do get the MP kit, replace the gunner's sight and the back portion of the engine deck. Both of these are easy enough to do, particularly if you do an 1967 deck. Follow the kit, but just use flat sheet for the back portion and trash the louvers. The suspension will pass, even the wheels, but I'd replace the tracks. The rest will give you a decent looking M50.

With anything, have some good photos, as these vehicles are dramatically different from one era to the next.

Tom

Tom thank you for the reply and wealth of information. When funds permit i am going to invest in your book on the Israeli Sherman as the reveiws say it is the bible for sherman. Thanks again mate

Tom after having a look at the kits you mentioned and to kit bash a descent m50 out of i noticed there are a few m4a 2 kits from dragon i think one also has the hvss suspension from memory would these be all suitable to use or just the Tarawa version. I am also assuming the m4a4 hull from tasca would be better than the dragon kit to use if making this version of m50

As for the m51 i also have noticed that there are a couple of other dragon kits of the m4a1 and the m4a3 one that inlcudes hvss suspension that could be used as well. Do you have a recomendation on any of the kits or just one of them in particular that you use

Here is a link to the dragon sherman kits for you to look at please tell me what to think as i can readily get all of them from my model shop

http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/dragon/dragon.htm

i have also looked into the formations m50 turret and will be using this turret on my kist when money permits of couse

Thanks for the kind words, guys.

The Dragon Soviet M4A2(76), Sherman III, M4A1 Cobra kit, M4A3 Thunderbolt, Normandy M4, M4A3(105), M4A3(76), the older M4A1 early can all be used as a basis for an M50. Keep in mind that their older HVSS is not as accurate as the newer version (M51 Premium and Thunderbolt).

Tasca's M4A4, M4A2 and M4A3 can also be used. They are fabulous kits.

Again, all of these need to be heavily converted for M50 variants from 1967 and 1973. There are some resin conversions. Tank Workshop has a detail set, but the perfect set is the Accurate Armour M51 detail set. My friend Mark Hazzard did the masters. If you saw his IDF half-track at AMPS a few years ago, you know he's an excellent model builder. The hull parts in common with the M50 are the lower rear plate, with the extended doors and engine deck. The latter can be flipped over for '67 or '73. Of course, most of the stowage items will work as well. Use photos. The Formations turret is superb. The old Verlinden one is not.

For the M51, Dragon's upper hull, in either kit, needs to be swapped out. I suggest the M4A1 Cobra, for a Dragon substitute. I also like the Italeri version, which is a very nice kit from 30+ years ago. The hull needs some subtle cast texture. The Dragon M4A3s will work as a sub for the Premium kit. I happened to take the Premium kit turret bustle and mated it to the turret from the Thunderbolt kit, but that was a personal preference.

I can go on and on.

Have fun!!

Tom

Tom thanks for the reply i have invested in a few of the accurate armour detail kits for the m51 as i thought these werre brilliant when looking at them i also will be getting the formations m50 turret as well..... so at least im on the right path so far.

You make mention of the hvss suspnsion from dragon not being accurate unless it is the thunderbotl or premium m51 sherman kit. What do you think of the new avf suspension kits that are being produced that can be adapted to any of the kits on the market i have read reveiws that they are more accurate than the latest offerings from dragon. Thanks in advance Tom

ps : I have managed to track down and buy a second hand copy of your book so im well on the way TIA