Before I start my DML M4A1(76W), I have a few questions to ask.

1. Did The M4's during Op. Cobra used the duckbill extenders? I tried searching the net but no to avail.
2. Any accuracy issues?

TIA

Gday Ralph!
To the best of my knowledge the duckbills were not used until the record wet weather of September onwards necessitated their use... As you probably know Operation Cobra was a high speed breakout in the good weather of mid July...
As for the accuracy, well it is one of the best OOTB... Removal is needed of the 2 fuel filler caps inside the splash ring surrounding the rear armoured cover behind the turret... They were (75) leftovers IIRC...
There is also the same problem as with the M4A3(76)W kit, in that the rear spare tracklink holders have hollowed sides whereas they should be blanked off...
Some extra casting should be added to the lower hullsides, and some scarring on the join of the turret halves... No muzzle brake should be used.
That's all I can think of right now...
I have a great pic of 'Elowee' in action (one of the decal options) drop me a PM if you'd like it
Cheers
Brad

Ok Thanks! BTW, do you also have a pic on how the hedgerow cutters were welded/placed on the front?

I think over on ML, back when the kit came out, someone discovered that most of the photos of these tanks from that period revealed they did not have the vent cover on the back face of the turret, that bulge from which the .50 stowage mount extends. I could be wrong, but might be worth a search over on their allied forum.

Hedgerow cutters were welded randomly to the front. Some were welded directly to the tranny cover, others utilised the tow mounts. Remember the Cullen devices were not standard equipment and no two were alike. A few guys held it up to the front and another guy welded it wherever it touched. It's the ultimate sloppt scratchbuilding

As Bradley says no duckbills til later.

As well as the removal of the the two filler covers beside the engine deck screen you need to replace the fenders which are an earlier style not seen on the M4A1/76. They sould look like this

Hi all,

No intention to hijack this thread...
But would like to check what is the purpose of the duckbill on the sherman track ?
More traction ? Better grip ?

Thanks...

Mike

Hey Mike,
Because the Sherman's tracks were so narrow, Duckbill extenders were attached to improve with the tank's mobility over soft surfaces.
By widening the tracks, the Duckbills lowered the Sherman track's ground pressure ie: pounds per square inch on a surface.
Duckbills performed the same function as Ostketten did for German Panzer III's and IV's which had similarily narrow tracks.
The VVSS tracks and suspension gave the Sherman relatively poor mobility in mud or soft ground in comparison to the tracks of tanks like the T-34, Panther or Tiger tanks.
Later tracks and suspensions like the HVSS used on the late Shermans or the M26 Pershing's tracks and suspension had lower ground pressure, giving them better mobility.
HVSS tracks could also have duckbills added.
Cheers.

jjumbo

Hey John,

Thanks for the explaination...I did a quick comparison of the T34 track and the sherman track and you are spot on....The T34 track is much wider than Sherman track without duckbill...

Make modelling more enjoyable when I know what I am building...

Cheers...
Mike