My 105mm and Umbrella Sherman almost done building but still no weathering. Since I took this pic the pioneer tools have been added and the commander split hatches added. Also the decals and applique armor been added. Special note: T49 tracks on the umbrella Sherman courtesy of Big A member Alpenflage

I might do a sherman for the next campaign where they hard. Is there any nice PE sets to use.

I think yours are outstanding, the weathering would kick it up a noch how much are you going to do on weathering full mud or a light dusting.

The missing teeth on the track are great on that one without the umbrella. Are they from the same company or different ones?

You going to put them in a dio.

Happy Modeling

They are more or less straight OOTB. I have traded tracks with some spares I had in the spare parts box.

Both kits are Tamiya: the 105mm being the relatively new 105mm Sherman. The 75mm was the original M4A3 done 20 years ago.

I hae not decided on the weathering yet. I don't do too many dioramas so they will probably sit on the shelf with the other 20 Shermans

Howdy Alan,

As usual, looking great mate!
You say the "umbrella" Sherm is the Tammy M4A3 kit?
The reason I ask, is because both vehicles have the 'high-bustle' turret, as opposed to the Tammy M4 'early' Sherm having the 'low' bustle turret.
Are those tracks on the 105 AM or from the 'Jumbo' kit?
Also looks like two different commander hatchs, but it could be the photo.

Hey, did M4A2's have the 'high' bustle?
I can plug any gun into that turret, hmmm......

Tread.

Lookin' 'tops' Shermie.

Hey Tread, the 75mm is the old M4A3 OOTB except for the T49 tracks. You will note I folded up the rear shelf just like that one photo you wondered about the "spoiler" on the tail of the Shermie.

The tracks on the 105mm are the original tracks from the M4A3 kit. The old M4A3 75mm came with steel chevron duckbills tracks. The new M4A3 75mm comes with the rubber chevrons w/o duckbills.

As for the commander hatches the 75mm has the split hatch while the 105mm has the periscope cupola with single hatch

I will admit my references and knowledge of the M4A2 is limited

Ciao Shermies,
Man, everytime that I see your work, I want to build a sherman. In your opinion, is the Italeri Sherman (the M4A4, I think with the wading trunks) up to the standard? I mean, would it be worth my time to build one up with some real superdetailing, or should I get the Tamiya. I want to do an M4 early for Sicily. What do you think?
Ciao for now
Rob

The Italeri USMC with the waders is an M4A3 default upper hull but parts are provided to make it an M4A2. If you want to do an M4 Early in Italy I would recommend just getting the Tamiya M4 Early kit. Please note although Tamiya calls it an Early, it's really a mid-M4 because the early direct vision slots have been eliminated from the hull.

Ciao Shermie,
You're up late. So, I should go with the Tamiya, huh? I will have to modify it, though. Cool, it will give me something to do for the Sherman campaign. I have the exact idea of what I want to do, I just hope that I can pull it off. I appreciate your help with the questions.
Ciao for now
Rob

Actually you can build the Tamiya M4 Early OOTB. There are even decals and a paint scheme inluded in the kit for an Italy M4

Howdy guys,

Thx for the intel Shermies, but you keep referring to the Tamiya M4A3 as an "old" kit. We're still talking about the one you can go to your LHS and buy right now....right? It's just an "old" mould you're talkin' about, correct? The difference being the chevrons.
Also, do the '3-Bar Cleat' or T49 tracks come in any boxed kits?
And since the 105 participated in the Ardenne's, wouldn't the 'regular' M4 have sported the pericoped hatch as well?
Oh, and if I want direct-vision slots, I'm going to have to go resin, huh?

My apologies for all the questions on what is supposed to be your thread.
But......as I've already stated...this disease is infectious and impair's your judgement.

Tread.

There have been two Tamiya M4A3 75mm kits. The old one is #122. It is the kit they sold for 20 years. You don't get the infantry figures and not as many supplies as the new kit. Otherwise it's the same build.

The latest Tamiya M4A3 75mm is #35250

The 3 bar cleats I use are from AFV Club so it's possible that some of their kits come standard with T49 tracks.

M4A3s 75mm started sporting the periscope cupolas late 1944. M4 Composites too. I don't believe any M4s(except maybe the M4 105mm) ever used the periscope hatch. M4A1and A2 76mm also had the periscope hatch.

Hello Alan!
I swear we take our model pics off the same deck railing! Looks just like my rail. I'm also building the 105mm Sherman, its about at the same stage yours is. I just finished the M-4a3 75mm tank, posted pics awhile back. Next in line is the Tamiya early M4 ! Dang Im hooked for sure now!

Cheers
Garry

22 shermans all the same colour hhmm

Having spent many years designing robotic assembly lines, I find mass production and the evolution of the Sherman very majestic. Cranking out dozens of Shermans every few hours compared to building a dozens of panzers every few days appeals to me. Volume is what won the war!! I'm not afraid to admit one vs one a Sherman stood very little chance against a Panther and Tiger, but no matter how fancy the German camo, they were all overrun by swarms of Shermies!!!

Right on Bro!

:) Garry

Just a note to Treadhead...The M4A2 went though most of the same changes as all the other shermans so yes late M4A2's did have the high bustle turrets,but I wouldn't use it on a mid.. Which M4A2 are you planning to build? Academy's ,Italeri's or a Formations kit?

Rick

As opposed to all those Tiger's wearing Grau.

Ooops, you're right, I forgot, the germans also had Dunkelgelb.
{I can just here it now...."but you also forgot about 'Ambush' camo and the like!"....}

Actually, I'm grateful to Tigeriv for bringing this up. I have, as I've already stood up an admitted in this 12-Step Program, that I have in fact, joined the ranks of the Sherman-aholics everywhere. But, Tigeriv touch's on an interesting colouring (pardon the pun) of the disease. In my recent bout of ref-surfing on the Sherman and it's variants, I have come across many different configurations, and field-applied paint schemes that very rarely, if ever, hit the modeling table.
These are the Sherman's that will be crossing my modeling table. And with the generous and kind help of fellow 'holics like Hollowpoint and ShermiesRule, I hope to shed some light on many of the fine variations-on-a-theme paintjobs/configurations that the truimphant Sherman M4 series of tanks wore during it's time spent killing all those nasty Panther's and Tiger's....

Tread.

No i must come clean i do own a model sherman,but i use it to practice on with my airbrush

I actually have a bunch of Panthers and PzIVs. I even have a Tiger. However much like the real thing, they are much more complicated to build. Those interlaced road wheels and the zim. Takes me a week to knock one of those out. Then after a basecoat of Armor sand you gotta clean the brushes for two more camo colors.

Then if you want to put them in a dio you gotta wreck them or it wouldn't be realistic

LMAO!!!..... :-) :-)

Tread.

Speaking of german camo paintjobs.........did Hauptsturmfuhrer Whittman ever command a tank that was camo painted?

If I remember correctly, on his Big day in Villers Bocage, he was sporting a Tiger in Grau..........who would have thought?
And he began that rout from cover, under a tree. One would think a 'camo' paint job would have been in order........wouldn't one? In fact, that notorious 'Ambush' paint scheme would have been immensely apropros.............

Tread.

No worries Tigeriv........I'm just pullin' your chain.