I have an idea for a 1/72nd scale diorama, but I haven't built any 1/72nd scale armor kits in to many years to count. I was wondering who makes quality 1/72nd scale armor kits? I am in need of three M4 Shermans and a M4A1 Sherman for this diorama. Then some day down the road would love to build the same diorama in 1/35th scale, but I don't have the space to do so now.

Ouch! There aren't any really good braille-scale Shermans out there, Rufus. The Hasegawa M4A3E8 has a hull that is WAY too long, and looks it. The Airfix M4 is forty years old, and has very soft and inaccurate detailing. The Heller kit is probably similar. The Matchbox/Revell Germany Firefly Vc isn't too bad, but it is 1/76 and aside from the gun the M4A4 hull is all wrong for a US tank. I've heard tell of an ESCI Sherman but have never seen one.

If you want German, the Hasegawa Tigers aren't bad (I've built two) and I would assume that the new Pz IV series are good, too. I'll also recommend the US M5 Tractor and M2 Long Tom 155mm gun--very nice, althought the Long Tom has some fit problems at the base/chassis of the gun. Fair amount of putty work there, and you'll need a little styrene to shim the gun trails to the right height. I didn't do this, but replacing the plastic axles with brass strikes me as very smart also.
Greg

Ron,
The best sherman in 1/72 I ever built was the ESCI offering,unfortunately their OOP,but still see them on Ebay or the online model fleamarkets, the next best one In my opinion is the Revell- Germany offering,as for the different type of shermans in the dio you might have to get one ofthe resin conv., may i suggest looking at Stuemples Military Miniatures, I think he's the best place for small scale modeling source. HTH

Thomas (modelmaniac)

Hi

Italeri has just released a 1/72 scale Sherman. I don't know if it's an original or the ESCI kit reboxed. I saw the kit in a local shop, but it was sealed, so I haven't seen what's in the box.

The new Revell Germany 1/72 scale kits are awesome. I built the Panther D, and I have the Challenger and a few other German WW2 kits. All have very good detail, and the link and length tracks are very nice. The Cromwell is a peach according to all reports, but they don't have a Sherman yet, other than a rebox of the Matchbox kit.

Andy

Here I thought that 1/72 scale kits were as prevalent as their 1/35 scale big brothers. Not like aircraft kits I guess. Well thanks for your help, I'll check a few online shops and see what I can find.

Andy,

The Italeri kit is a reboxing of the ESCI kit. I recently aquired two of them. Now it comes with both link & length and one piece vinyl tracks. Although it represents an M4A1 75mm, I've always been puzzled by it. It has the late style cast hull front which I've only see used in combination with the 76mm turret or the M4 composite.

And as for the Revell Cromwell, think half size Tamiya! The quality of the mouldings is outstanding.

I wonder how difficult it would be to kitbash an Italeri A1 with the airfix or matchbox upper hull to produce a better A3...sounds like a project!

the Revell Pz lV H in 1/72nd is probably the best kit i have seen in the scale. good detail, plenty of extra parts that aren't molded on and very good accuracy. i plan on making company of them.