Hi,

Just saw this at the Dragon site....

http://www.dragonmodelsltd.com/html/6062p1.htm

Looks pretty good...

Gray

Steve Z has a short build review over on ML under "What's New" on the ML homepage. He seemed to like it.

Rob

Hoohah! another Sherman to add to the collection. I saw the Zaloga article and it looks GOOD. Now this kit has figures to go with it.

Tom

does look like a sure buy! sherman's keep rolling!

It's been announced for some time. They were making some corrections to the tracks but it should be ramping up production now

I was going to ask how I could turn this baby into a Sherman III but I have just read that "the initial release depicts a US Marine M4A2 on Tarawa, but Dragon has already announced a British Sherman III which will apparently include a somewhat different hull configuration and presumably British features such as the rear stowage bin, sand shields, etc."

Cheers
Darren

Darren, the Brits/C'wealth used the version as depicted in the Tarawa kit also. Quite a few pics exist of these in NWE. All you would need is brit Antennas and stowage. The Sherman III kit is a cast hood model (same as the sole Aussie one - now at Pucka in the RAAC museum.) with Brit features. The previewed box art depicts a Wiltshire Yeomanry one in Syria (circa 1943). This one is the one I'm waiting for in quantity but I eagerly await the Tarawa one too.
Al

Not just have we seen it, it's also been the subject of at least one news story.

The fact that it has re-appeared on DML's website indicates it's getting close to releasing for review - expect a full review HERE within a couple of weeks...

Here is the cast hood M4A2 Al was referring to here...

Cheers
Brad

Thanks for the info Brad & Al, here is a shot of the cover art for the upcoming British Sherman III.

Cheers
Darren

Greetings all,

Hi Darren/Al - brilliant, more good news. Not just one new British Sherman but the possibility of two :-) :-) :-) :-) . Now do I need a section, troop or squadron :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) - one is never enough

Cheers

Al

I can't wait to get my hands on these

Perhaps worth pointing out that the M4a2 was covered in a news story back in April.... So this hardly comes into the category as a 'New' Story. It's also going to be reviewed HERE in the next few days...

Thanks Jim, I read the news article back in April and I knew this one was coming, but I had been waiting for a about a year and a half for DML to release their new tool Easy Eight it’s nice to have some "solid" box art to drool over is always cool. Especially when we are talking Commonwealth armor.

Looking forward to the review as always.

Cheers

I believe this is officially the longest wait for an announced kit first appearing in DML catalogues in 2000 and as a flyer from DML to the distributer in 97! The original had artwork for a late hulled M4A3 called boomerang (At least I'm pretty sure it is an A3).

I have waited a long time for this one but am immensly happy now it is coming with the bonus of a second variant to follow. If they were to release an M4A2 early with dv and m3 bogies I'd be in hog heaven. Academy were reportedly doing this once the M3 series was out but we'll have to wait and see what comes.
Al

Based on those pre-production photos it's going to be a very solid kit. I have never met the mentioned DS tracks on any of their kits. Does somebody has experience with them? Sag was not a great issue at the Shermans, so it can be good if it is good.

I have the M4A2 Tarawa here, and a review wil be posted shortly by one of our 'Sherman' experts!

Vinnie

Hi Al,

Would you know which British Units used this version in NWE? That would be most helpful.

Cheers

Alan

I probably wont be able to be absolute as I'm sure all three types of M4A2 hull probably served in the same formation. 8 and 27 AB had them in NWE and I posted a reply on ML with pic references with units where known. They show up in Sicily alonside DV and cast hood variants. I believe most of the Sicilian ones are 46 RTR some had WE 210 tracks.
Brit Tanks in Normandy
pges 52,53 & 56 (8 AB)
pges 62,137,143,153 &162 27 & 8 AB

THey appear to all have been in 8 and 27 AB with other M4A2 variants incl DV.


From my ML post:


Brit Tanks of WW2 vol 1 - Concord
page 11

Images of War - Sherman Tank
Cover, 35, 38,58,60,61,70, 73 & 121. There is also one knocked out and snow covered being inspected by a GI in what looks like the Ardennes. Unsure if this is one of the Brit ones issued to the US to make up losses.

The book Armour Photo Gallery #11 M4A2 Sherman Pt 1 has photos of New Zealand (Italy) Brit 4 AB (Palestine) and Polish ones (Italy). It is an excellent reference for the M4A2 including the Sherman III.


The book mentioned is an absolutely first class reference for the M4A2 but bear in mind it used museum exhibits alonside TM stuff. The Groundpower on the M4a2 is pretty useful too.

Cheers
Al

This is not exactly the version that will be in DML Sherman III kit. Please note that the tank on photo has cast hoods, but welded antenna base and machine gun port. The DML kit will have all these three details in cast versions.

Pawel

Hi Al,

Thanks for the book listing, great that's something to start on.

Pawel and Brad thanks for the photo.

Cheers

Al

Two of the books on the list were reviewed here on Armorama:

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/review/1031

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/review/1071

Thanks Pavel, I'm really looking forward to it (Actually Both). Are DML going to offer a good range of Marking options for it? I was thinking along the lines of A Brit Med, RSG, USSR, French, Polish and NZ ones.
This is THE most colourful member of the Sherman Family. I'm really glad they decided to do one piece tracks too.
Now, if you can just talk them into a DV version for next year with M3 Suspension. If they were smart they could do it as a 2 - 1 for an M4 as used by the US in Tunisia.
Keep up the great work.
AL

I'd recommend all the titles I reffered to as great references for the Modeller of the Commonwealth and Polish Sherman.
I have reservations with a hell of a lot of the captions in IMAGES of WAR - The Sherman but its worth it for the photos. There are a lot of mis identified M4A2's which the book captions as M4's. There are also some gaffs reffering to M4A6's.

Jim, obviously someone at dml read the review and obliged with two kits!

The M4A2 has been my favourite sherman since clambering all over the vehicle Pavel pictured as a young soldier. Once I learned that Shermans came in many different types I took a fancy to the colourful schemes that the M4A2's came in. I'd love to find some more pics of the Picasso like one Page 57 of Images of War which is a 6 Armd Vehicle in Tunisia

Al

Unfortunately no, only three tanks from Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry. I tried to find some Polish markings to include them in the kit, but surprisingly I was not able to find any clear pictures of Polish tank in this exact configuration as will be depicted in DML kit (cast hoods and other parts on glacis, 3-piece transmission cover and M34 gun shield).



Then aftermarket decal manufacturers will have their day!



I'm already working on it I mean talking them into it. But no promises at this point.

Pawel