Grettings all

New guy to the world of Model Armor and shermans. I have been searching high and low for some answers to all my sherman question for awhile now and have gotten some good information Thanks to Kevin,Dave Jim, Paul,Mike,Wayne and Al. And all this has now got me very confused about my kits that I have purchased and what subjects I can make from them. From what I gathered I got the Not so good kits to start my armor career. So I need your help. Here are my Ideas that I have in Section A, and Section B are the Kits that I have on hand for my builds. So can some of you tell me will these kits do OOB or will I need lots of aftermarket, since I am new to armor I would like to be fairly accurate but not super detailed yet. I eventually want to get Tasca kits but that is aways away. So here we go. Thanks in advance for your guidance.

Section A. My Ideas for Builds

2 Sherman MkV's Canadaian Italy 1944
1 Sherman Firefly Canadian Italy 1944/45
1 Sherman Firefly British, France 1944
1 Sherman M4A3(75)US, France 1944
1 Sherman M4A3(105)US, France or Bulge 1944
1 Sherman M4A3(76) US, 1945
1 Sherman M4A2 US Pacific (IWO) 1945


Section B. Kits and parts I have.
2x Tamiya M4A3(75) 35250 one with Figures
1x Tamiya M4A3(105) 35251 one with Figures
1x Dragon M4A3 (76) #6255
1x Dragon M4A2 Red Army
1x Cyberhobby Firefly VC 9110
ADV Firefly Turret 35101
RB Model 3507 QF17 Barrel
Tank Workshop Exhaust Stacks M4A2 TWS 0034A

Hi Eugene,

Here's a few pointers:

Sherman M4A2 US Pacific (IWO) 1945 and Dragon M4A2 Red Army won't work unless you exchange the turret from 76 to 75mm. I'm not sure about the hull, might be that the Iwo M4A2 had the early hull (would have to check at home, am in the office now).

Sherman M4A3(75)US, France 1944 and Tamiya M4A3(75) should work well. However, some work will need to be done on the kit to bring it up to speed (for one thing, fill up the sponsons). There are some nice detail sets from Formations (exhaust for one) that I can recommend.

Sherman M4A3(105)US, France or Bulge 1944 and Tamiya M4A3(105) should wor well also, the kit even has decals for the Bulge IIRC. As with the 75, some updates will be necessary.

Sherman M4A3(76) US, 1945 and Dragon M4A3 (76) should work well. The kit is quite good.

In general the updates all depend on the level of detail you want and the specific vehicle you are modelling. There were many updates, additions, extra armor, repairs, etc, but that's what makes the Shermie so interesting!

Have fun and cheers!
Stefan

Buy the "text book" and read ahead for the course... The syllabus is under revision even as we discuss it!

Seriously, as Stefan said, there are simply so many variations on the Sherman as manufactured and used in the field, that you pretty much have to take each particular subject one by one.

I don't even try to keep all of these almost infinite variations straight in my head, but rely on a good reference library and kit reviews. I usually select a single subject based on my reading and research and go from there -

What features did that particular vehicle have? How was it painted and marked? How would the weathering have looked? What particular kit matches that specific vehicle the closest? I then compare the available kits to the subject to see what changes might be necessary and then chose the best kit available.

Comparing photos of the subject (or other vehicles from the same unit and location) to the available kits is, IMO, the first best step in answering most of these questions. After that, general technical research is used for specific details, but you have to know enough about the subject vehicle first to make good use of the technical information.

If I have a particular kit that I want to build (for example, a new release or one out of my stash), I generally do research looking for examples of that subject, pick one, and then pretty much follow the same sequence to figure out what I want to do to change the kit to match the subject choices (i.e. how accurate I want to make the build). Sometimes then, I eliminate potential subjects if they require too many changes to the kit and pick a subject that needs fewer changes to the kit.

If you're not too concerned with "rivet counting" right now, though, I'd suggest that you just just read up on the reviews of each of the kits that you have to see what others have determined already. Pick subjects closest to the kits you have OOTB and go from there (usually the kit markings and paint).

As for myself, I'm really looking forward to the up-coming Ampersand book on the Sherman:

Ampersand Publishing Co::Son of Sherman Pre-Order

This book promises to be potentially the best single-source reference on all of the many manufacturer's variations which is the real research problem when trying to sort out the Sherman.

At one time, in the not too-distant past, it was simply good enough to know if a Sherman was an M4A3 and not an M4, but not any more. Nowadays, the "Sherma-holic" has to pin down the specific factory that produced the tank and the production time-window it was made during. Only this knowledge will allow him to figure out which of the factory-unique features his subject tank had.

However, if you're just looking for "fairly accurate" (?) then don't let yourself "fall down through the rabbit hole" of research. Check out the kit reviews for the kits you have on hand and decide what level of detail will satisfy your own threshold. You can easily get frozen into inaction waiting on or trying to get "perfect" information. You spend all your time waiting for that and never get to the work bench.

Just looking at photos of your selected subject can usually answer basic questions about "high bustle" vs. "low bustle" turrets and wide vs. narrow gun mantlets, etc. Just recognizing the difference between a Sherman M4 and an M4A3, etc, will get you near enough for "fairly accurate," I think.

Generally, I think that all Sherman builds benefit from PE light and periscope guards and usually some enhanced cast and weld textures. The Tamiya kits all benefit from filling in the hull sponsons. Add wire grab handles, and you're pretty close to having "fairly accurate" in my book.

After that then, IMO, AM tracks to replace kit "rubber band" (DS) tracks usually make the most visual improvement. I prefer either Panda or other semi-workable injection molded link-to-link, but if done well, the DML link-to-link Sherman tracks look very nice and those can be cross-kitted to other models.

For "super-detail" most Sherman kits do well with replacing the tool straps and tie-down loops and headlight lenses. Add "casting" marks from Archer if you really want to go the "full Monty."

Of course, none of that detail matters unless the finish and weathering are done well. Basic construction and finishing skills trump pretty much all other considerations. Metal AM gun barrels are good if you have the money and / or really don't like cleaning up two-part plastic barrels.

Note that none of these changes have anything to do with "accuracy" per se and all are pretty simple for basic to intermediate skill-level builders.

So, unless you're looking for serious "dead-on-tack-driving-rivet-counting" accuracy, my advice is to focus on basic construction, general detail improvements and finish and weathering. Research the markings and camouflage and the basic vehicle types (i.e. was the tank a Sherman M4 or an M4A4 and what were the unit markings and camouflage?) and maybe consider any major changes noted in the kit reviews.

After that, you're blurring the lines between "fairly" accurate and "seriously" accurate. Once you start into that territory, you really have to narrowly focus your research efforts to specific subjects, i.e. this exact tank vs. that exact tank.

HTH,

The only M4A2's at Iwo Jima were the early style not represented by any of the kits in your stash.

3rd Tank battalion used the diesel M4A2 with the 47 degree glacis, small hatches and welded hoods. The only real modifications were add on armor plates over the dry ammo stowage, and a rebar rail around the engine deck. All Battalions had some form of wading stack installed.

The only real representation of this Fischer built vehicle in kit form that I know of is Dragon's M4A2 Early "Tarawa".

4th and 5th Battalions used M4A3's.

G

Eugene,

for the Canadian Sherman V at Italy I recommend the TASCA Sherman V.
1st Canadian Armoured Brigade and 5th Canadian Armoured Division used Sherman Vs at Italy.

In reference to the Cyper Hobby Sherman VC I can't tell you, if this specific kit still has the issue with the hull length.

The first Sherman V kits released by Dragon had lower hulls, that were 3.5 MM too long!

The ADV Firefly turret was a bad choice!

This "kit" is more than 20 years old and has some issues in respect to the turret bustle and the hatches.

The best choice for a Sherman VC or Sherman IC are the TASCA kits!

Their kits are not sheap, but they are the best ones for Shermanoholics!

Be warned ; - even newer Sherman kits released by Dragon have their tweaks!

Greetz

Hauke