I'm building DML's M4 Composite Sherman, and I've run into a real issue; the turret. The kit comes with both a high bustle and a late model low bustle with loaders hatch and gun port. I want to do a low bustle version, so I did google search after google search.

The information seems to be all over the place from the low bustle turret with a loaders hatch and gun port being the most common, to the most common being a low bustle turret without a loaders hatch nor gun port.

At this point I'm pretty much convinced that the correct low bustle version is without the loaders hatch and gun port. Am I on the right track or should I include both hatches?

Joel

That confused the crap out of me too, I put on the hatch and gun port on from the inside, filled and sanded it all smooth, re-textured and you can never tell they were ever there. Still have no idea if that decision was right or not!

The most common turret on the Chrysler composite hull M4 Sherman was the low bustle turret without pistol port, without loader's hatch, and with the thickened casting on the right cheek area.
Very late in the production run of the low bustle turret, an undetermined number were built with the loader's hatch and pistol port, though I've only seen this on a Russian M4A2 with 47 degree hull (Dragon based their Cyberhobby "Beutepanzer" M4A2 Sherman kit on this tank, which is why they tooled that particular turret shell).
Late in the war, kits were also produced allowing a loader's hatch to be installed in an existing low-bustle turret, though that was probably more common on postwar rebuilds intended for foreign aid.
Late composite M4's were also delivered with the high-bustle turret with pistol port and loader's hatch.

I've seen and read about a number of builds that used the same solution that James suggests, placing the loaders hatch and filing off the pistol port. As an added option, I have seen a number of photos of low bustle turrets on the M4 composite from Okinawa that used the late commander's cupola with the all around vision ports, also included in the kit, both gun tanks and flame tanks.

As Gerald pointed out you are correct in your assumption. If you ever find a picture of a late low bustle turret on a US composite let me know. DML got muddled up on this and apparently misidentified High Bustle ones as late low bustles as all the photos they offered in thier defence were HB turrets. Do they now include a turret bottom for the HB turret?
You really want to check references for the Markings in the kit as from memory most if not all were HB.

I hope that Tasca offer a 75mm composite with the common mid LB turret.

Al

Thanks guys for all the feedback and information. I found a site which has a tremendous amount of information on the M4 Composite turrets including drawings and pictures. It was a real education for me.

http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/turret_types/75mm_turrets.html

Al, thanks for reminding me about the markings. I never gave it a thought yet.

I've started on converting the LB turret by gluing the loaders hatch in, sanding till it's smooth, and some Squadron putty. Used a grinding stone in my Dremel for the roughing of the pistol port, followed by files and sandpaper. Sheet plastic plugs were used to close up the cavity, and Squadron Putty to blend it in. Also the smoke tube hole needed to be filled in as well.

As for the cheek armor seems to have been taken care of by DML as there is a small bulge when you look at the turret from the bottom.

Joel

Again, thanks to all that responded to my query. Thought you might like to see how my turret conversion turned out.

Joel

Turret before conversion.



Loaders hatch, pistol port, and smoke tube all plugged and puttied.



Turret sanded, and using a steppling effect with Gray Primer, I was able to achieve a convincing cast surface.



the Turret in my basic Tamiya OD mix