An M4A3 Sherman - Figures Done, all finished.

[Brokeneagle]

Well I have decided to build a Sherman. My first in 45 years. Even then it was only 1 - the original Tamiya release.
I had a need for something different and this lockdown certainly gives me time.
So here goes.......Dragon Bastoigne kit - Battle of the Buldge from the other side for a change. The green Cammo will be fun for sure. Kind of like German grey in a way.

I have made some progress already and will be going for the late model mod on this with the the large hatch turret and the Heavy Duty VVS. Dragon gives you plenty of choice with 2 turrets, 2 different VVS types and 2 different road wheels - gotta love that. PE also included on this 'Premium kit'.

 

[moon puppy]

Whoa!!! And building it intact?

 

[MrT]

Watching with interest.

 

[Iron Mike]

Oh! But they're so...so.. GREEN and flammable. I'm sure you'll do it justice, Ian.

 

[JSteinman]

Wuhan Wow!

 

[jknaus]

Looking forward to this.
James

 

[Skinny_Mike]

Oh man! This will be a treat!

 

[Brokeneagle]

Whoa!!! And building it intact?

Yeah I know, how crazy is that on top of the fact that its not a German AFV.
Maybe I should see someone about it, could be a new strain of COVID 19........Corona-Brainbender20

 

[Brokeneagle]

Oh! But they're so...so.. GREEN and flammable. I'm sure you'll do it justice, Ian.

So damn greennnnn..............

 

[Brokeneagle]

A little more progress...........
Can anyone verify if these Dragon Sherman kits are new turrets but old hulls? Maybe Italeri. The hull is ok but it looks sightly older tech than the turret moulding and the whole kit is way lower in standard than their German stuff.
Still enjoying it though.

 

[moon puppy]

That sounds like a @sharkmouth question

 

[bob letterman]

A little more progress...........
Can anyone verify if these Dragon Sherman kits are new turrets but old hulls? Maybe Italeri. The hull is ok but it looks sightly older tech than the turret moulding and the whole kit is way lower in standard than their German stuff.
Still enjoying it though.
View attachment 1443View attachment 1444

Hey Ian,

That is the standard welded hull Sherman designated M4A3. That particular kit is Thunderbolt 6, one of seven Sherman Thunderbolts used by Colonel Creighton Abrams who commanded Combat Command "B" of the Fourth Armored Division in Europe under General George Patton's Third Army. Abrams served in WW II, Korea, and Viet Nam and became a four star general. He is the Abrams the latest US Main Battle Tank is named after. The M4A3 was in use throughout most of WW II European theater. There were three M4 welded hulls, M4A2, M4A3 and M4A4. The M4A3s were eventually modified from the factory as M4A3E8s, (Easy Eights), fitted with new HVSS suspension and wider tracks.The M4A1s were used throughout the war as well. They had completely cast hulls. There was also a version called simply the M4 which had a composition hull, which used a cast front half and a welded rear half.

The M4A3 kit you have was used earlier with a smaller turret. That turret was introduced when the Shermans were upgraded from the 75mm to the higher velocity 76mm main guns, so, yes the turrets are newer technology than the hulls.

BTW Ian, I am using Abram's 7th Sherman, Thunderbolt 7 in my diorama. It was his last in WW II.

Shermans are fun kits to build. I've got 8 of "em in my diorama!

Enjoy, I'll be following this!

Bob

 

[Sharkmouth]

Ian, the kit's hulls are indeed based on Italeri's but the turrets are all Dragon's good and bad.View attachment

Regards,

 

[bob letterman]

Ian and Saul,

My mistake! I thought Ian was asking a question about the actual Sherman tanks. I wrote the above, then, after reading Saul's post, went back and reread Ian's.

Oops. You were asking about the kits. Sorry, that is Saul's expertise! I would have no clue!

Bob

 

[moon puppy]

So does this mean the Easy8 I built for the Korean Sherman has the wrong turret?

 

[bob letterman]

So does this mean the Easy8 I built for the Korean Sherman has the wrong turret?

Assuming your Sherman has the T-23 turret, it would be correct for the Korean version. However, whether the kit turret you have is correct for the T 23 would be Saul's territory once again!

Dad

 

[Sharkmouth]

So does this mean the Easy8 I built for the Korean Sherman has the wrong turret?

No, the one you used has the correct oval hatch. See top row.

Regards,

 

[Brokeneagle]

Ian and Saul,

My mistake! I thought Ian was asking a question about the actual Sherman tanks. I wrote the above, then, after reading Saul's post, went back and reread Ian's.

Oops. You were asking about the kits. Sorry, that is Saul's expertise! I would have no clue!

Bob

No problem Bob, always appreciate your technical insights regardless. It all helps

 

[Brokeneagle]

No, the one you used has the correct oval hatch. See top row.View attachment 1475

Regards,

Great info Saul - thanks for the clarity!

 

[jknaus]

Oh oh, now you gone and did done it. Looking forward to the build and your conversion to the dark side lol.
James