Asuka just posted on their Facebook page an image of the new M4 Composite Sherman with late low bustle turret. Markings are of "China Clipper", a 6th AD Sherman. According to Value Gear Details, they will be producing 500 kits with a special Value Gear set made just for Asuka.

GOOD!!! Thanks for the INFO!!! One more M4-variant to add to my "OD" collection!!!

Sounds cool, I love that hull type for the Sherman.

I saw the announcement on the side of the M4 late box that this would be coming, along with an M4A1 76. It is great news, although I had hoped for more than one marking, especially one from the PTO.

As far as I know, no such plan yet on an M4A1 (76) They announced another M4A1 75 last year.

As far as markings go, they included a nice sheet of generic markings in the Fay kit as a bonus, maybe they will do the same with the composite.

Further more, a M4A1 76 mm means that Asuka(Tasca) will have to provide us with a large hatches cast hull... something which does not exist yet in their range (as far as I've not missed some news)

On the other side a M4 Composite/Hybrid is much more easier with the late low bustle turret (cheek) they did for the Late M4 launched recently... Something I was doing myself, swapping Ic Hybrid's Firefly turret (35027) with their late M4 75 mm turret (35032). But of course Bonus from Value Gear is not included ;((

Anyway, I think Asuca deserve our "bravo" to rebox former Asuka kits with bonus quite often.

Mtbk

Here is the comments I've just found on 1999.co.jp online shop :

This item is limited to 3 per household.

- Tanks was the second World War was to record the number of production that exceeds the total number 50,000 cars in the American M4 Sherman Medium Tank series became the protagonist of the land of combat.
- M4 Sherman Composite car body is of about 1500 cars through August 1943 to January 44 were produced.
- Engine Light R-975-C1 star-shaped air-cooled 9-cylinder. Equipped with a 37.5 caliber 75mm tank gun M3 in the main gun.
- Underbody is adopted VVSS that laid perpendicular to the spiral spring (vertical spiral spring suspension), not European front only, also is sent to the Pacific Ocean Front, was to have been deployed in each unit of the United States Army.
- 68th Tank Battalion C Squadron US military sixth Armored Division also was one of the troops who received the M4 Sherman Composite.
- Each vehicle is given a nickname to the vehicle body, in one of them had been given a nickname in the China Clipper.
- [China Clipper] is the name of Martin M130 large flying boat that Pan American Airlines has operated in the Pacific Ocean from 1934 through 45 years.
- [China Clipper] After arriving in the United Kingdom in February 1944 with 68 tank battalion, the July deployment to France. The march in Germany in August 1945. Until it returns to December, and I continued working.

[Model syllabus]
- US Army M4 Sherman late type composite body `China Clipper is` 1/35 scale model assembly kit.
- Composite (synthetic) stick of named, the front of the vehicle body is cast, behind was reproduced the body that features a combination of the welding vehicle body and the two types. Turret is teak armor turret plus reinforcement on the right side.
- And, you can also produce a Sherman-laden well seen was luggage in the field using a precision resin parts included.

And a picture :

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10368514

Are there plans for a M32