(No, this has nothing to do with the movie "Fury". Well, except that the movie inspired me to make my next project a Sherman. And no, I'm not building "Fury"...)

I'm planning to build a M4A3E8 Sherman with the Bison Decals "US M4A3E8 'Easy Eight' Sherman Tank in Germany 1945" sheet (35137). Specifically, I am wanting to build "A PAPER DOLL", from the 68th Tank Battalion. For the build, I have the Tasca kit. However, the illustrations on the Bison instruction sheet show what appears to be the T80 track, and the Tasca kit supplies the T66 track (this is the WWII vintage kit, not the Korean War kit).

From a reading of some references, it is implied that T80 was rarer in WWII ("appearing in small numbers", I believe, is the wording used). So my question is, should I source some T80 track for this, or use the T66 in the kit? I have one of the references Bison cites on the sheet, but it doesn't show this tank. However, *all* the E8's in that book (Zaloga's "The Sherman at War (2): The US Army in the European Theater 1943-45") have T66 track.

Thoughts?

Randy

My understanding is that the T80 tracks were not used until Korea. I would go with the T66 tracks.

The T66 was more common but the T80 was available before the end of WW II.







KL

I guess the T80s were just not as common then. You could go either way, but I would stick w/the T66 tracks.

I'd go the other way with it. Anyone can build it with the T66 tracks because that's what came with the kit, and that's what you're going to see more often that not. Precisely the reason NOT to use them. As long as they're period correct.

Aha! Solved!

After making the post, I decided to do a deeper Googling, and found three things that led to the answer:

1. A build with T66 track
2. A build with T80 track
3. A photo of "A PAPER DOLL"

Now, the photo didn't show the road-facing side of the track, but it did show the outer edge of the track as it curved around the idler and down to the bogies. When I compared that to how the different tracks look, it became clear that...

(wait for it)

T66 track it is! I also found from that one picture, that the turret had the mantlet cover as well.

So, thanks to everyone who helped. It seems that if I had searched a little deeper the first time, I would have found it sooner .

Randy

I'm actually building that very same tank. I'm nearing the end of the build but it's been enjoyable. I used the Tamiya M4A3E8 kit (rebox of Tasca with 4 figures) and some AM stowage stuffs. From the picture, I also just found that there's a bag hanging down from the protrusion on the rear of the turret.

Those that want to build "Fury" in the movie will need to use T84 tracks.

ie: Rubber chevron type tracks ( post WWII tracks that is ).

Right, but he is not building the "Fury" tank.

Yes he says that in his first post