Once again I may have a line on one of these kits. I know they are not the best quality but they are cheaper than the DML M4A1 Early and more available. I am missing an M4A1 Early in both M3 and M4 style bogies from my motor pool. Since it is such an uncommon kit I am torn between back dating to the M3 bogies or going with the standard M4 bogies.
If you only had one rare kit to fill 2 slots which one would you do?
Hosted by Darren Baker
Nichimo Sherman Opinion
ShermiesRule
Joined: December 11, 2003
KitMaker: 5,409 posts
Armorama: 3,777 posts
Posted: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 - 08:36 AM UTC
DBear
Joined: July 06, 2004
KitMaker: 7 posts
Armorama: 0 posts
Posted: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 - 11:06 AM UTC
I'm glad you asked this Alan. I've been wanting to get one of the Nichimo Shermans for quite awhile, but never seem to be at the right place at the right time.
I'm wanting to know exactly what is wrong with the kit. Other than being a bit crude, what are its faults? Merits?
Just curious.
I'm wanting to know exactly what is wrong with the kit. Other than being a bit crude, what are its faults? Merits?
Just curious.
Sabot
Joined: December 18, 2001
KitMaker: 12,596 posts
Armorama: 9,071 posts
KitMaker: 12,596 posts
Armorama: 9,071 posts
Posted: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 - 11:36 AM UTC
Chief (aka Lauren Blakey) posted a 4 page feature on upgrading the Nichimo M4A1 Sherman.
I'd probably make it an early M4A1 using Grant/Lee bogies or TWS resin M3 bogies.
I'd probably make it an early M4A1 using Grant/Lee bogies or TWS resin M3 bogies.
thebear
Joined: November 15, 2002
KitMaker: 3,960 posts
Armorama: 3,579 posts
Posted: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 - 11:51 AM UTC
Guys don't even bother with this kit ..it is a toy ...The hull proportions are all off the bogies are terrible and all the tools are molded on ...The turret is a complete fabrication...Just pick up a conversion kit from Formation...These kits go for $55.00 but you get everything you need to build a good sherman ...All you need is an Italeri kit as a base...This kit is easy to build and you won't regret it. ..You will regret the Nichino kit for sure.
Rick
Rick
Hollowpoint
Joined: January 24, 2002
KitMaker: 2,748 posts
Armorama: 1,797 posts
Posted: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 - 03:05 PM UTC
I gotta agree with Rick (The Bear) -- you end up throwing away 3/4 of the kit as less-than-toy-like junk and you have some serious work to do on the leftover hull and turret. Look at Chief's article Rob provides a link to and you'll soon see that he replaced A LOT of the original kit and modified the rest.
I did one way back when and figured that as long as I was fixing the hull, I might as well make it a direct-vision, like Chief did:
Mine is far from perfect -- note the gap above the final drive housing and the six-spoke wheels ... yow, how much I have learned since I built this one.
... I still like it, though, warts and all. It was my first attempt at rounded (not angles and planes) bodywork. I have some in-progress pics of it somewhere in my piles of junk. I used a red epoxy putty and the pics look really bizarre -- green plastic, white styrene, red putty ...
I did one way back when and figured that as long as I was fixing the hull, I might as well make it a direct-vision, like Chief did:
Mine is far from perfect -- note the gap above the final drive housing and the six-spoke wheels ... yow, how much I have learned since I built this one.
... I still like it, though, warts and all. It was my first attempt at rounded (not angles and planes) bodywork. I have some in-progress pics of it somewhere in my piles of junk. I used a red epoxy putty and the pics look really bizarre -- green plastic, white styrene, red putty ...
gluesniffer
Joined: June 20, 2003
KitMaker: 120 posts
Armorama: 89 posts
Posted: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 - 03:15 PM UTC
They are made from brittle, hard plastic. The detail is not great, alot of excess plastic on all the pieces, and it has a rough overall hull texture like a Dragon T-34 - not very realistic.
Although...... for a while it was the best M4A1 out there ????
Take the route Richard is talking about, I think you'll be happier
Hollowpoint
Joined: January 24, 2002
KitMaker: 2,748 posts
Armorama: 1,797 posts
Posted: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 - 03:21 PM UTC
Man, that box art made it look pretty sweet!
Too bad that feeling doesn't continue when you open the box.
Too bad that feeling doesn't continue when you open the box.
ShermiesRule
Joined: December 11, 2003
KitMaker: 5,409 posts
Armorama: 3,777 posts
Posted: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 - 03:37 PM UTC
Well for $10 I think I will still go for it. Worse comes to worse I can always sandbag and find other ways to cover up. I can also practice a white wash and other nasty techiques that may pay dividends
csch
Joined: December 27, 2002
KitMaker: 1,941 posts
Armorama: 0 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 07, 2004 - 02:30 AM UTC
I have the Nichimo M4A1 and I agree its a very poor kit.
I think that in a near future IŽll give a try in building it using the lower part of the hull, road wheels and tracks from an Italeri M4A1 and the turret will be an early one from Verlinden that I also have in stock. The only thing that I think will be of the kit is the uppuer hull.
Guess this will give me a very early Sherman, right ?
I think that in a near future IŽll give a try in building it using the lower part of the hull, road wheels and tracks from an Italeri M4A1 and the turret will be an early one from Verlinden that I also have in stock. The only thing that I think will be of the kit is the uppuer hull.
Guess this will give me a very early Sherman, right ?
thebear
Joined: November 15, 2002
KitMaker: 3,960 posts
Armorama: 3,579 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 07, 2004 - 03:54 AM UTC
hi Carlos...No that will give you a mid ,with the wrong suspension...For the bogies you'll have to find an Academy doner kit as the one from Italeri are for the later variants. Guys you should all just remember one word........FORMATIONS!!!! Even the tracks are complete doggy-doo ! Like Hollow says if you want to do it right there will be more styrene and putty than kit..
But hey if you want to blow $10.00 ..why not
Rick
But hey if you want to blow $10.00 ..why not
Rick
tankmodeler
#417
Joined: March 01, 2004
KitMaker: 3,123 posts
Armorama: 2,539 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 07, 2004 - 04:50 AM UTC
The shape problems with the Nichimo M4A1 seem small (it's 6 scale " too short, 6" too wide and 6" too tall in the hull) but the effect is to make your M4A1 look somewhat overinflated. It tends to look "puffy" and a regular Sherman looks positively sleek besides it.
Frankly, I wouldn't waste 2 cents on it, much less $10.
Paul
Frankly, I wouldn't waste 2 cents on it, much less $10.
Paul
ShermiesRule
Joined: December 11, 2003
KitMaker: 5,409 posts
Armorama: 3,777 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 07, 2004 - 05:22 AM UTC
LogansDad
Joined: March 30, 2004
KitMaker: 938 posts
Armorama: 416 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 07, 2004 - 05:28 AM UTC
Shermie- I double-dog-dare ya!! Go for Candy apple red, with flames! :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) As we said in the Corps-"ya aint got a hair on yer {self-censored}if ya don't!"
TreadHead
Joined: January 12, 2002
KitMaker: 5,000 posts
Armorama: 2,868 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 07, 2004 - 10:04 AM UTC
Howdy guys,
Glad we're talking about the M4A1in all it's configurations. I too am on a quest to build an M4A1 small-hatch hulled Sherman with M3 bogies to depict a tank I saw in an 'In Action' book called 'HANG IT N' in the Italian Campaign sporting a beach umbrella.
I'm already working (or, more accurately, my wife has done some work on actually sewing together material) on the oversized umbrella. But I was wanting some help on the small-hatch hull. Do I have to steal the Italeri lower hull, and steal the M3 bogies from the Tammy Lee kit to make this happen? Or is there some other (read, cheaper) way?
Tread.
Glad we're talking about the M4A1in all it's configurations. I too am on a quest to build an M4A1 small-hatch hulled Sherman with M3 bogies to depict a tank I saw in an 'In Action' book called 'HANG IT N' in the Italian Campaign sporting a beach umbrella.
I'm already working (or, more accurately, my wife has done some work on actually sewing together material) on the oversized umbrella. But I was wanting some help on the small-hatch hull. Do I have to steal the Italeri lower hull, and steal the M3 bogies from the Tammy Lee kit to make this happen? Or is there some other (read, cheaper) way?
Tread.
gluesniffer
Joined: June 20, 2003
KitMaker: 120 posts
Armorama: 89 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 07, 2004 - 11:14 AM UTC
Quoted Text
If things don't work out I could always fo this
https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/32866&page=1
Hysterical ! :-) :-)
I saw a really great Purple Plum that might look good as well.
That's right - I forgot to mention kit is motorized so the tracks are in no way close to the right shape
Halfyank
Joined: February 01, 2003
KitMaker: 5,221 posts
Armorama: 1,245 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 07, 2004 - 11:22 AM UTC
I wonder if the auction on ebay started all this. There was a Nichimo Sherman on there this weekend starting at, I think, $10 USD. I watched it until it got over $27 with almost two days left. After reading this thread I decided I didn't want one that bad after all. :-)
Thanks for saving me some $$$ guys.
Thanks for saving me some $$$ guys.
JPTRR
Managing Editor
#051
Joined: December 21, 2002
KitMaker: 7,772 posts
Armorama: 2,447 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 07, 2004 - 05:06 PM UTC
I have one, bought it last year, was so happy 
Built it back in the 70s, thought it was awesome compared to Monogram's
Then I read that it's a (++)
Awwwww, c'mon guys, it can't be so bad!
Anyone want to buy it????
Hollowpoint
Joined: January 24, 2002
KitMaker: 2,748 posts
Armorama: 1,797 posts
Posted: Thursday, July 08, 2004 - 12:23 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Howdy guys,
Glad we're talking about the M4A1in all it's configurations. I too am on a quest to build an M4A1 small-hatch hulled Sherman with M3 bogies to depict a tank I saw in an 'In Action' book called 'HANG IT N' in the Italian Campaign sporting a beach umbrella.
I'm already working (or, more accurately, my wife has done some work on actually sewing together material) on the oversized umbrella. But I was wanting some help on the small-hatch hull. Do I have to steal the Italeri lower hull, and steal the M3 bogies from the Tammy Lee kit to make this happen? Or is there some other (read, cheaper) way?
Tread.
No cheaper or easier way, really.
Get a Formations M4A1 kit -- $50
An Italeri kit to donate a lower hull and other suspension parts -- $20?
Tamiya M3 kit for bogies -- $9 (if you get it at a 1/2 price Hobby Lobby sale)
That's about $80, plus postage on anythng you buy over the net or mail order. On top of that, you'll probably want some different tracks and maybe a PE detail set -- we're well over $100 by now ...
Sabot
Joined: December 18, 2001
KitMaker: 12,596 posts
Armorama: 9,071 posts
KitMaker: 12,596 posts
Armorama: 9,071 posts
Posted: Thursday, July 08, 2004 - 12:52 AM UTC
Quoted Text
If you do find the DML M4A1 Early, other than the M3 type bogies, it would fit your needs. The kit comes with the intermediate horizontal return roller suspension. Getting the TWS M3 suspension or swiping the Tamiya M3 set would be your options (perhaps there is another aftermarket/kit set available?).Howdy guys,
Glad we're talking about the M4A1in all it's configurations. I too am on a quest to build an M4A1 small-hatch hulled Sherman with M3 bogies to depict a tank I saw in an 'In Action' book called 'HANG IT N' in the Italian Campaign sporting a beach umbrella.
I'm already working (or, more accurately, my wife has done some work on actually sewing together material) on the oversized umbrella. But I was wanting some help on the small-hatch hull. Do I have to steal the Italeri lower hull, and steal the M3 bogies from the Tammy Lee kit to make this happen? Or is there some other (read, cheaper) way?
Tread.
The DML M4A1 comes with the 75mm turret found in their M4A4 kit so it has the narrow early (M34) or wider late (M34A1) manlet as well as both the intermediate (smooth) transmission cover and the M3 style 3-piece (bolted) transmission cover.
The kit includes two types of tracks; the metal bar type included with DML's M4A4 kit as well as a set of rubber block chevron tracks. The reason for the extra tracks is that you need the end connectors from the metal bar track sprues. There are other M4A4-specific parts in the kit box that will end up in your spare parts box.
While these are "rare" and "hard-to-find", they are still out there. Someone was selling one on Missing Links flea market for $35 within the last week or so (scooped up quickly). Also the price has seemed to level on eBay at the $40 range.
While this kit is not perfect, it does rank as my second favorite Sherman kit, right behind the Italeri M4A1 Sherman (I just like the looks of this version).
TreadHead
Joined: January 12, 2002
KitMaker: 5,000 posts
Armorama: 2,868 posts
Posted: Thursday, July 08, 2004 - 02:22 AM UTC
Howdy gang,
Many thx fellas, especially Hollowpoint and Sabot, for 'laying it out' a little clearer for me.
So, it seem's, if money is no object. The Formation's route is an option. Whereas, with a little more investigative work, the old DML kit would fit the bill as well.........
Boy, I like the DML route, especially since I've also been looking for some 3-bar cleat style tracks (T49?).
The extra 'goodies' would be welcome too.
Didn't I hear some rumours that DML was planning on re-releasing their M4A1kit?? What's the skinny on that?
Also, (because I'm dense), in which Sherman kit do you get the 'high' bustle turret again?
Tread.
Many thx fellas, especially Hollowpoint and Sabot, for 'laying it out' a little clearer for me.
So, it seem's, if money is no object. The Formation's route is an option. Whereas, with a little more investigative work, the old DML kit would fit the bill as well.........
Boy, I like the DML route, especially since I've also been looking for some 3-bar cleat style tracks (T49?).
The extra 'goodies' would be welcome too.
Didn't I hear some rumours that DML was planning on re-releasing their M4A1kit?? What's the skinny on that?
Also, (because I'm dense), in which Sherman kit do you get the 'high' bustle turret again?
Tread.
thebear
Joined: November 15, 2002
KitMaker: 3,960 posts
Armorama: 3,579 posts
Posted: Thursday, July 08, 2004 - 03:54 AM UTC
Bob could very well be right because we can't see the front of the tank but this could also be a direct vision version as they did in the drawing ...If the drawing is right (Yeah right) Then you will need the hull from Tank Workshop... but unless someone has another picture of this tank ,no one can say you are wrong. 
Rick
Rick
csch
Joined: December 27, 2002
KitMaker: 1,941 posts
Armorama: 0 posts
Posted: Thursday, July 08, 2004 - 05:34 AM UTC
Hi guys:
After reading all this I dicided that I will not build the Nichimo. IŽll keep the Italeri M4A1 for a future build instead of wasting the lower hull, road wheels and tracks with the Nichimo.
IŽll try to get a Formations Conversion Kit.
Here is a pic:
Here is the link to the Formations web site:
http://www.formationsmodels.com/index.html
After reading all this I dicided that I will not build the Nichimo. IŽll keep the Italeri M4A1 for a future build instead of wasting the lower hull, road wheels and tracks with the Nichimo.
IŽll try to get a Formations Conversion Kit.
Here is a pic:
Here is the link to the Formations web site:
http://www.formationsmodels.com/index.html
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