Thank you for the info guys!

Here is a photo of an M3 Lee in Northern Ireland mid-42, 1st AD spent some time there before Operation Torch:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/111021196@N07/23216089694/in/photostream/

If training in NW Europe is acceptable, Canada had a bunch of M3 Lees and Grants in England before the advent of the Rams and Shermans.

Just sayin'.

Paul

Sorry I was forgetting the formations and thinking of the S model kit

Commanders models has a Ram conversion set avalible. Any good?

It's fair. The casting quality on the photos looks better than other Commanders kits. I can't speak to the dimensional accuracy. Though the shape of the turret roof looks off it might be a result of the photo lighting. There are some small shape issues with the upper hull that wouldn't be too hard to fix.

There are no photos of the completed kit on the site (do wish they'd add that).

I can say that while the exterior is nominally a Mk I, the provided interior parts are for a Mk II, so you can imagine from there how accurate the rest of the research on the kit might be. And for those not knowing, the Mk I interior is almost entirely different than the Mk II so it's a big deal accuracy wise. The auxiliary turret gunners seat configuration is for a much later Mk II as well.

I don't see the correct engine plate and exhaust arrangement for the Wright-engined Rams. If the Academy Lee kit comes with the pepperpot exhausts and matching engine plate, then no worries. If not, you'll need to cobble that up as well.

I haven't had one in my hands, just going by the photos on the Commanders site.

HTH

Paul

How long did Monty keep his command M3 Grant?

I saw a photo in the Salerno Landings Museum last week showing 5 M3s loaded on an LCT supposedly landing at Salerno. No attribution for the photo though.