Firstly Greeting to all,

I was wondering if anyone has built the Acedeny M4A2 Sherman recently?

My question is this - is the planking on the side added on during the build. If not do you think it would be feasible to use glue to rough it up as natural armour? I want to use this kit for a British Sherman 111 as a passenger for my LCM (3) and with the deep wading gear and a conversion set from AA it should go well.

Is it a good build?

Thanks

Al

I have this kit but haven't built it but AFAIK this late hull large hatch M4A2 wasn't used by the Brits in WW2.

Al
The side planking is an add on A seperate piece You can build it without them Here's a link to a review of the kit I have it myself Looks to be a good kit

http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/academy/acd13203.htm

As far as British markings go....... Make sure this version was used by the UK It's a late production Not sure if the British used this variant

Hi Pat,

Thanks for the info I'll try and find out about the hatch

Al

Hi Chad,

Thanks that's good news. According to the Sherman Registry the Brits had about 5,033 in service designated Sherman III. Don't know about the hatch size that Pat mentioned but someone else might provide the answer and hopefully a cheap fix if necessary.

I'm working on the following;

M4A2 = British Sherman III
M4A1 = British Sherman II
M4 = British Sherman 1
M4A4 = British Sherman V

Many thanks again, it looks like a good kit. I don't know at what point they came into service but I believe the Mk III was ready D Day.

Al

See: http://web.inter.nl.net/users/spoelstra/g104/gbdesig.htm

Alan

I forgot to mention that the Academy kit has the sunken weld beads on the hull They should be raised There are some articles on the site on making weld beads for Sherman hulls

Thanks Chad,

I picked it up in the reveiw you kindly pointed me to. I think you use plastic weld, plastic strip and a small screwdriver. I remember reading the article sometime back, but I haven't tried the technique yet.

I tried using glue to roughen up smooth armour and it works really well another tip from the big A.

Always more to learn!!!

Thanks again

Al

PS. did the web site help. I don't feel qualified to question it.

True but the Mk lll as used by the brits was the early with the protuding cast
http://www.www-legend.co.kr/bbs/data/Accessory/LF1096.jpg
or welded hull hatches

http://www.formationsmodels.com/files/2018203.JPG
The late 47degree hull with the large hatches as in the Academy kit was only used by the Russians and the US Marines

Hi Pat

Thanks for the info, I might have a rethink about the passenger as the conversion will probably cost more that the actual kit and substantially raise the cost of the build.

I have suggested to Dragon that they issue their Sherman's as 3 in 1 kits with a British version included. I would make life easier all around. One lives in hope!!!

I've e-mailed formations to see if they have a UK distributor and I'll check the price. I'd forgotten about them, it's a really clearly laid out site.

Again many thanks for your time and trouble.

Al

Al,
The M4A2 from Academy is the late hull type and not used by the British. You want the early type with small raised hatch. You can get this Hull from Verlinden, Formations or CMD, or Tiger Model Designs.
Hope that helped.

Hi Todd

Thanks for the info I'll check out the various prices.

While were are talking tanks I've almost completed 2 M4 early Tamiya versions. I used the AA kits for conversion to British Shermans. However, being new to the Sherman I'm not sure which actual version I'm left with.

The first was a remodel of a US version I build about 7 years ago it has the 3 piece hull and the open road wheels. From everything I read at the time I believe this would have been designated a MK1.

The second was a new build and I used the cast hull and road wheels to give a slightly different version. I believe that this was dsignated a Mk2 by the British.

They are supported by a Dragon Fire Fly as I wanted to build a troop of tanks of 2nd Guards Armoured Bn (Irish Guards). They will be supported by mechanised infantry of the 3rd Bn Irish Guards. I believe the the Guards were the first British Troops to organise their Armour and Infantry in this way which today we would recognise as a Battle Group.

Do you think I have a MKI and a MKII or just a good likeness!!

Anyway they are almost finished apart from the decels. I used a sheet from AA as it had the required red 55 for the Tanks and green 62 for the infantry but I'm not sure if I just got a naff sheet but the decels just don't look right so I'm going to take them off and paint them by hand. An expensive choice that didn't work.

I've remodlled 2 Old Bren carriers that I had but hope to replace the tracks at some point in the future. I have an old Italeri M3 that I might redo but I need to find some pictures of the rear interior as the origianl seating arrangement looks naff. When the whole thing is complete I had planned to model them parked on a single highway to represent the build up of troops at Joe's Bridge on the Dutch/Belgium border just prior to Operation Marke Garden in September of 44. The alternative is somewhere in Europe 44.

I know, I'm mad but who cares!!!!

Once again thanks for the info.

Al

The M4 is the British Sherman I (including the composite/hybrid hull, just to confuse you), the Sherman II is the cast hulled M4A1. So you've got 2 Sherman Is.

Sherman Is are annoyingly rare (rare in Sherman terms anyway) in British service in North West Europe. Sherman IIs, IIIs (=M4A2 early hull, not the Academy version) and Vs (=M4A4) were much more common.

In the same vein, the LCM3 wasn't used much to transport tanks, despite what Airfix would have us think You can put an M24 in a US LCM crossing the Rhine though......