I thought I'd ask you for advice on my Sherman...
Any input appreciated... I ran into a couple of nightmares, but that would be a long story, let)s see if you will spot them!
Hopefuly I can take some pictures in day light soon.

Well, your build looks pretty good. As far as accuracy, I noted some things that may have escaped your notice:

1) the gun barrel would have rested completely on the gun lock -- not just above the upper clips

http://www.toadmanstankpictures.com/m4a3_02.jpg

2) the real M4A1 gun tube did not have the step as Italeri molded it. It should be smoothed over with putty. (Italeri incorrectly used a postwar de-militarized tank with a modified gun tube as their pattern)

3) the horizontal bolt strip at the top of the nose/transmission is integral to the nose/transmission and not part of the hull.

Here's a photo of an M4A3 but you can see what I mean about the bolt strip:
http://www.toadmanstankpictures.com/m4a3d_05.jpg

4) the antenna is British style -- not American.

5) and finally, the stiff Italeri tracks don't allow you to accurately depict the tracks as they were very tight on the real thing -- no sag would be evident.

Have a look at this list:

http://www.usarmymodels.com/MANUFACTURERS/Italeri/italeri225.html

Hope this helps.

Roy

OK well for starters your tank looks a little too dark, I would add some sand colour pr panzer yellow to the olive drab to brighten the base colour a bit.
The tracks on the Italeri Sherman are very stiff and I think they have pulled your idler wheels out of alignment.
here is a tweak list for the italeri sherman if you want to go back and correct it.Despite the release of the DML kit I still think the italeri can be built into a good model with a little hardwork and the right approach
http://www.usarmymodels.com/MANUFACTURERS/Italeri/italeri225.html

Thanks!

Roy, you spotted the gun lock... I'm having a hard time with this one : the gun is not moving any more, looks like the paints got it stuck! I was careful not to glue it, but after the airbrushing, I can't get it to move any more!
So now I cannot put it in the right position. And it really has to go there, since this sherman is to go on a Dragon Wagon...

Hopefuly I manage!