D
Deleted member 7237
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Hi this is my next build M4A2 Sherman "US Marines"
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scottie3158
SMF Supporter
I'm in
D
Deleted member 7237
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Hi started with cleaning all the VVSS suspension parts, drive sprockets, idler, the only real bit was to thin down the tops return skid will be adding some more detail to finish them.
D
Deleted member 7237
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Your always welcome sir.
Oooh, fully articulated to go over lumps'n'bumps.
Steve Jones
Steve Jones Scale Modelling Site
Nice to see the numbers are on the boggies. That will save you a job 
D
Deleted member 7237
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Yes, very handy the casting marks being on, to be fair there are quite a few on this model.Nice to see the numbers are on the boggies. That will save you a job
D
Deleted member 7237
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Oh yes and the wheels go round.
Jim R
SMF Supporter
Hi Pete
Watching with interest. And not a Toon
Jim
Watching with interest. And not a Toon
Jim
D
Deleted member 7237
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Yes thought I'd start this one as I can't paint the 1/35 Leopard yet as I haven't finished building my new paint bench, lost all interest in toons at the moment.
Looking forward to this. Nice refinement on the skid…raises the game straight away.
D
Deleted member 7237
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Hi Greg I
The diesel M4A2 was not used in the Pacific as far as I know, Chief of the Army's Armored Force, Lt. Gen.
Jacobs Devers ordered that no diesel-engined Shermans were to be used by the Army outside the Zone of Interior (the continental U.S.). The Army used all types for either training or testing within the United States, but intended the M4A2 and M4A4 to be the primary Lend-Lease exports.
Pete.
BigGreg
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The US Marine Corps received a fair number of them, both small- and large-hatch varieties, which they used from Tarawa (late 1943) through to Okinawa (spring 1945). The kit you’re building has the wooden additional armour (against magnetic mines) that the USMC added to many of its tanks in the later part of the Pacific campaign. It’s often stated that the Marines got these because they could use the diesel fuel that the US Navy also used for many of its engines, but the real reason is that the M4A2 was handed to the USMC simply because the tanks were available at the time.
The US Army did deploy M4A2s in the Pacific, on exactly one island whose name escapes me
But this was basically a one-off deployment.
D
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The US Marine Corps original decision to use the M4A2(75) as its Main Battle Tank had nothing to do with diesel fuel. Rather, the type was "the first one the Corps could obtain quickly in large numbers" from the limited supply of Medium Tanks available in late 1942, early 1943. Furthermore, we suspect that requisitions may have stipulated Fisher built M4A2(75)s exclusively, as we have yet to see a photo of a USMC M4A2 produced by another manufacturer. They are stated to have received a total of 493 units. Since no official distinction was made between the small and large hatch models, it has not been possible to determine the exact number of small hatch M4A2s they received. At present, our guess is around 300. November 20, 1943 marked the Sherman's combat debut with the USMC when the 14 M4A2s of Company C, 1st Tank Battalion attempted to land on Tarawa in support of the 2nd Marine Division. The tanks had not been outfitted with fording equipment, and many were drowned when they fell into underwater craters. Others were disabled when their electronics were ruined as sea water flooded in. As a consequence, only 5 of the M4A2s were operational at the end of D-Day. Nonetheless, the survivors provided indispensable support to the Marines. When the island was declared secure on November 23rd, China Gal and Colorado were the only Shermans still operational. The photo above shows "Condor" of the 3rd Platoon, which was reported to have been disabled on D-Day by a Japanese 75mm gun. A close examination of the photo reveals that Condor had USA 3035025 stenciled on the front side in blue drab. This indicates May, 1943 acceptance. Reports have it that Company C received new M4A2s just before they shipped out of San Diego in July, 1943, and photos suggest that all had the same features as Condor, such as, for instance, M34A1 gun mounts. Common mid 1943 modifications like the "Quick Fix" ammunition protection, or positive hatch lock mechanisms are notably absent Fisher introduced power trains with the "final," sharp nosed E8543 differential housings during that month. The turret has what we believe is a factory installation of the the thickened cheek armor and a welded up pistol port . These two mods generally went hand in hand at factory or Tank Depot, until the supply of such turrets was exhausted, and replaced with new castings made without pistol ports, and with cast in thickened cheeks. The side applique plates, part of the "Quick Fix" modification were probably installed by a USMC Ordnance unit from kits provided by the Army. The Battle of Guadalcanal, one of the most interesting campaigns of WW II, took place from August 1942 to February 1943. The Marines were equipped with a few M2A4 and M3 Light Tanks, but no Shermans. Indeed, SN 26908 had not even been built when the island was secured. Perhaps the garrison stationed there afterwards requested a range target? The name "Jezebel" is faintly visible on the right front applique plate, and we would observe that an M4A2 named "Jezebel" served with the 4th Marine Tank Battalion during the Roi-Namur Campaign in February, 1944.
It's estimate that the USMC received about 200 large hatch M4A2(75)s as they became available in late 1943. Of these, 12 were converted to M32B2 Tank Recovery Vehicles. It is thought that the large hatch M4A2(75) made its combat debut with the Marine Corps in June, 1944 at Saipan. Photos show them serving there alongside small hatch M4A2s with both the 2nd and 4th Marine Tank Battalions. After Tarawa, the USMC "got religion" when it came to waterproofing their tanks. In some cases, the Marines fashioned their own wading trunk designs, but the unit shown above appears to have been equipped with the "official" version, made available in kit form in early 1944. Preparing a Sherman for deep water fording was a laborious undertaking. According to the Technical Manual, if the job was done properly, the tank would be able to operate in water up to 6 feet for all of 8 minutes. This Sherman named Gremlin IV of the 3rd Platoon of B Co.,4th Tank Battalion appears to have fallen into a shell hole in the surf, which drowned out the engines. Marine large hatch M4A2s and M4A3s can be difficult to distinguish, but the M4A2s were "dry stowage," and a bit of the factory installed side applique plate (circled in red) can be seen here. The M4A3s were not equipped with the applique plates, since they were "Wet Stowage" tanks in which the ammunition bins had been repositioned to the floor of the vehicle.
By 1945 the USMC had started to transition from the diesel M4A2 to the gasoline powered M4A3. Of the three USMC Tank Battalions that took part in the Iwo Jima Campaign, the 3rd TB retained their M4A2s, while the 4th and 5th both fielded M4A3s. For Operation Iceberg, the landings on Okinawa and Ie Shima, the 1st and 2nd TBs continued with M4A2s while the 6th used M4A3s. It had been planned to totally re-equip Marine armor units with M4A3s for Operations Olympic and Coronet, the invasion of the Japanese homelands. However, after the surrender of Japan, some USMC M4A2s did soldier on during occupation duty in China which could be considered the last use of the diesel Shermans with US forces. By the time of the Korean War the only Shermans the Marines were using were M4A3s. USMC 102632 is believed to have served Occupation Duty with the 1st Marine Tank Battalion, and was photographed in Tianjin in May, 1946, during a parade. As best we can determine, none of the large hatch M4A2s were built with the commander's all round vision cupola or the T-shaped towing shackles , so these would have been retrofits
It's estimate that the USMC received about 200 large hatch M4A2(75)s as they became available in late 1943. Of these, 12 were converted to M32B2 Tank Recovery Vehicles. It is thought that the large hatch M4A2(75) made its combat debut with the Marine Corps in June, 1944 at Saipan. Photos show them serving there alongside small hatch M4A2s with both the 2nd and 4th Marine Tank Battalions. After Tarawa, the USMC "got religion" when it came to waterproofing their tanks. In some cases, the Marines fashioned their own wading trunk designs, but the unit shown above appears to have been equipped with the "official" version, made available in kit form in early 1944. Preparing a Sherman for deep water fording was a laborious undertaking. According to the Technical Manual, if the job was done properly, the tank would be able to operate in water up to 6 feet for all of 8 minutes. This Sherman named Gremlin IV of the 3rd Platoon of B Co.,4th Tank Battalion appears to have fallen into a shell hole in the surf, which drowned out the engines. Marine large hatch M4A2s and M4A3s can be difficult to distinguish, but the M4A2s were "dry stowage," and a bit of the factory installed side applique plate (circled in red) can be seen here. The M4A3s were not equipped with the applique plates, since they were "Wet Stowage" tanks in which the ammunition bins had been repositioned to the floor of the vehicle.
By 1945 the USMC had started to transition from the diesel M4A2 to the gasoline powered M4A3. Of the three USMC Tank Battalions that took part in the Iwo Jima Campaign, the 3rd TB retained their M4A2s, while the 4th and 5th both fielded M4A3s. For Operation Iceberg, the landings on Okinawa and Ie Shima, the 1st and 2nd TBs continued with M4A2s while the 6th used M4A3s. It had been planned to totally re-equip Marine armor units with M4A3s for Operations Olympic and Coronet, the invasion of the Japanese homelands. However, after the surrender of Japan, some USMC M4A2s did soldier on during occupation duty in China which could be considered the last use of the diesel Shermans with US forces. By the time of the Korean War the only Shermans the Marines were using were M4A3s. USMC 102632 is believed to have served Occupation Duty with the 1st Marine Tank Battalion, and was photographed in Tianjin in May, 1946, during a parade. As best we can determine, none of the large hatch M4A2s were built with the commander's all round vision cupola or the T-shaped towing shackles , so these would have been retrofits
D
Deleted member 7237
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Now the doom & gloom has gone to bed
Finished the suspension units be adding hex bolt heads and drilling the missing fixings holes
Made up rear panel and trans cover
Pete
Finished the suspension units be adding hex bolt heads and drilling the missing fixings holes
Made up rear panel and trans cover
Pete
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It looks like you're building loads of little motorbikes. Oh I see. Don't hate me, I do aircraft.
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