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An M4A3 Sherman - Figures Done, all finished.

Brokeneagle

Master at Arms
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.
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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'. 😋
 

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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.
20200426_003651.jpg
20200426_003709.jpg
 
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
 
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! :bang head

Bob
 
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
 
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! :bang head

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