Hey Guys I just saw this kit on Squadron's New section.Wow I will be getting two .I saw little review on Modelling WW2 site its marked a M4A2 but they advertise it to be a M4A3.So what is it Sherman lovers?Altough I am still a big Sherman lover I still got a lot of studying to do .Since it is a rerelese has any built it any good reviews. How many After Market Products?How accurate?Is it a fun build or is it hair pulling and lot of work?

Well I will be waiting for your opinions.

AJ

This sounds like a re-issue possibly the Italeri one....Jim

Jim's right. This is supposed to be what Italeri issued as the M4A2 'Jumbo' around 89-90. Basically the M4A3 hull they first issued with the M36B1 Jackson and the original turret from the M4A1 Sherman Allied Standard Tank. Not a bad late war Sherman.

Couple of points on this, as Airfix/Heller (particularly the latter) are releasing very little in new kits, everything seems to be re-issues/re-boxings, perhaps it would be cheaper to buy the original Italeri kit, the AIRFIX DUKW works out more expensive than the Italeri version as does the Chally II (Trumpeter)...hmmmm...Jim

So is this a good kit?
Is it a M4A3 or A2

What is the difference between the M4A3 and the M4A2?
Major differences and many obvious ones.I might be asking a lot but could anyone post comparison pics.

Thanx

AJ

A3 used gas Ford engine. A2 used a diesel engine. As such the exhaust and rear deck lid are different.

You really should invest in some Sherman books if you plan to continue to build Shermies. There is just too much to write in a few lines and uploading a few pics. I myself have over a dozen Shermie books and still find some detail I never noticed before every now and then.

It is a decent late WW2 M4A3 76mm. The engine is what makes the M4A2 different from the M4A3. The A2 uses a twin diesel configuration that changes the top engine deck as well as the rear hull and rear upper hull overhang. The A3 had a gasoline powered Ford GAA engine.

I have a few books well the only one on the market.
Osprey's 76mm M4 Medium
British and American Tanks of WW2
Tanks in Detail Med. Tank M4 (76mm and 105mm)
2nd Armored Division Spearhead series
Both M4 books by Squadron Action and Walk Around

So I am reading and slowly learnig but would rather hear from experts here.Thats what this site is for right.

AJ

No problem. But you gotta do both. As much as I'd like to tell you, sometimes ithere is just too much info to post.

Also A2s were mostly used by Lend Lease forces in ETO. The US used them in the PTO because they used the same diesel as the Navy and the Navy didn't want to handle the logistics of carrying large quantites of another type of fuel.

http://www.usarmymodels.com/ARTICLES/Sherman%20Corner/shermanvariants.html

http://www.usarmymodels.com/ARTICLES/articles.html

A brief but concise overview of WW2 era Shermans and some great tweaking articles