Hi guys,

I was almost completing the WWII - USA serie and i realised that i still don't have an "M4A1 cast hull 75 mm". ( I already have the one with 76mm).
I plan to use the bottom hull of italeri225, and the turret of tamiya 35250 (m4A3) thus, the antenna and the machine gun also will be changed, and i will use this m4A3's tracks also.
Do u have further suggestions !? What else i can add & or change, for this "M4A1" of my dreams ? :-)

Thanx from now..

Double check your sources but I don't think the large-hatch cast hull was ever used with the 75mm turrets. You can't use the Italeri hull for this variant.

PH

So Paul, u mean i cannot use italeri hull for anything ? Or, what should i have to use as a turret then, if i decide to use italeri hull !?

Well..my aim is not to use italeri absolutly, but..i just cannot find the "tank workshop" or "verlinden"s hulls anymore

Hi M113:
Checking my references I found that the M4A1 Sherman with 75 mm gun existed and was used during WW2.
Its designation was M4A1 Early Production
It was manufactured by Lima Locomotive Works, Pressed Steel Car Co., Pacific Car and Foundry.
6.281 tanks of this type were produced between Feb 42 - Dec 43.
It´s primary armamament was the 75mm gun M3. The engine qwas a Continental R 975C1.

The problem is that I think that the Italeri M4A1 hull is the correspondent to the Late Type that has a diferent angle of front glacis .
Nichimo has a M4A1 75 mm Early. It,s not as good as the Italeri one but with a little extra work adding and correcting some details will be fine. Take note that this Sherman have the three piece nose (transmission cover). The hull was very smooth with tiny crew hatches.
Take care with the turret you will use if you don´t want to use the one of the kit, it must be a single hatch turret and the mantlet is the M 34 Gun Mount.

Tomorrow I´ll search for some links to Sherman info and I´ll post them here.
Hope this help.

.I'll be waiting for your infos, too CSCH

Thank you, too

If you don't mind spending a few extra dollars, check out Formations conversion kit.

The M4A1 with large-hatches and M4A3-style 75mm turret was used - as DD tanks. So, the little ESCI/Italeri 1/72nd tank did in fact exist. Pics are out there, just not many. And I have no idea what you have to do to replicate the DD h/w with or w/out the waterproof screens.

So yes, you can cross-kit the 1/35th Italeri M4A1/76 with either the 1/35th Italeri or Tamiya M4A3 kits.

Of course there's always the infamous DML M4A1 75mm Early Version, kit #6048. Although they only made like 10 of these kits I hear that they are easier to find in the Far East.

Tell me about it! I will not divulge how much I paid for one on eBay! Still scares me.

I know that also but, cannot find that either, Rob

Thanx for reminding again :-)

M113:

The answer to your question kind of depends on how accurate you want to be.

If you aren't too concerned about accuracy, You could put the Tamiya 75mm turret on the Italeri M4A1 hull and call it an ex-Duplex Drive, but it will be missing lots of hardware from the rear end and all the attachment points on the hull and turret.

If you want an accurate M4A1 (75) mid-production -- as used in Sicily/Italy, NW Europe and the Pacific, get the Formations kit, as Ken suggests. http://www.formationsmodels.com/

I have this kit and it is awesome. Probably the finest resin kit I have ever built. You need an Italeri Sherman kit to donate the lower hull and parts of the suspension. A PE set finishes it up. Everything else is included in the kit.

Great Models might be able to get the Tank Workshop hull

http://www.greatmodels.com/cgi/display.cgi?item_num=tw0004

Yes Hollowpoint, seen those products. The problem is i liked all :-) #:-)

But the m4A1 is reaaally good.
Dunno what to do, but i will decide soon :-)

Thank you too

I know TUNA. But at this moment they dont have in their stocks.
As i said above, i'll see what i can do.
Thank you too

Hi M113:

Here are the links.

http://www.jed.simonides.org/tanks/sierra/sherman_series/sherman-series.html

http://www.wwiivehicles.com/html/usa/m4_sherman_photos.html

http://afvinteriors.hobbyvista.com/m4fac/m4fac1.html

http://afvdb.50megs.com/usa/m4sherman.html

http://www.finescale.com/fsm/pdf/shermanspecifics.pdf

http://www.combatmission.com/articles/usmedtanks/m4.asp

http://www.ontheway.us/articles/shermanstory.htm

http://www.sweb.cz/Tankove_Muzeum/museum/m4sherman.html

http://users.swing.be/tanks.tanks/complet/465.html#583

http://www.missing-lynx.com/gallery/britain/m4a1_cheehongahn.html

In the last link there are pics and details of the Sherman you´re lloking for.

Regards

Thank you very much for the link CAS.

I'm on my way to check'em

M 113,
Try this link http://www.usarmymodels.com/MANUFACTURERS/Tamiya/tamiya35122.html.
Under the heading "For Variety" , 3rd item down, it says that you can swap turrets from the Tamiya M4A3 with the Italeri M4A1 to make a large hatched M4A1 with 75mm gun. Says this combination was used on duplex-drive versions but also on non duplex-drives. States there is photographic evidence for this combination, but does not show any photos. I have no idea if this is correct or not. Hope this helps. Best of luck.
Regards,
Joe

Hi Illhan;

There is one pix I found from Mike Canaday showing a 75mm turreted M4A1; but he again says that most evidence shows that these were DD tanks. But the photo is so blurred that you cannot say that it was a DD tank or not.

I would research the Dupex Drive tanks and make one with all the miscellaneous fittings that a DD tank would have. Think what a gem it would be in your collection.

PH

Here they are:

Under these circumstances, let ne tell u what i will do.
(Please, correct me if i'm wrong).

I'll use the complete lower hull of italeri M4a1,
Turret (w/single hatch) of 35122 of old Tamiya m4a3 or 35190 m4 of Tamiya again.
Tracks of Tamiya 35122 or 35250,even "jumbo"s of Tamiya.
Machine gun of 35250
Antenna of 35250 also....and it's done

All i have to know now if i can use also the transmission cover of Italeri m4A1 ??

Thanx again for your helps.

Yep Paul but, it's uuugggllllyyyyy
Don't u think ? It looks like a swimming UFO, ain't it ? :-)
I guess it would be better one of these regular non duplex-drives.

If you´re going to use the Jumbo (M4A3E2) tarcks first check what type of tracks it use, I´m not sure but I think they could be diferent than the ones of the M4A1.

I think i exagerate a bit, huh CAS ? :-)

I made up my mind, and use the old 35122 or 35190 tracks.

Do u also have any ideas about transmission cover ?
3 pieces or one piece u think ?
Thanks again

M113.
Your idea is correct. You can do this OTB from DML/DRAGON, Tamiya/Italeri Bash , or Italeri lwr hull, w/ Armour Brigade turret and hull. Either way make sure you use the early pattern bogies ie: M3, and make sure you get the right turret hatch configuration. The Concord series on the Sherman pt 1 & 2 have pics of the tank you're wanting to build.
Todd