Sherman tank advice needed Please

[RonGlass]

Hi All,
I'm building a 1/35 Dragon M4A3E8(76) (Thunderbolt) kit and want to build a M4A1E8 soon, as well. I don't think this variant has been kitted. Does anybody here have advice / recommendations on how I would best go about kit-bashing a fairly accurate one ?
Also I don't care for the T-66 type tracks and am hoping for recommendations for aftermarket (or alternate kit-supplied) T-80 tracks ?
Thanks for any help,
Ron

 

[rtfoe]

Hi Ron, I'm guessing the variant is probably the Israeli versions with the A1 cast hull with the Easy Eight suspension and tracks. You only need to swap the turrets. The engine deck might be different though...hmmm.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Mini Me]

Hi Ron.........if Jakko doesn't find this thread, kick him a PM and I'm sure he will be able to help......very knowledgeable when it comes to Sherman Variants.

 

[RonGlass]

Hi Ron, I'm guessing the variant is probably the Israeli versions with the A1 cast hull with the Easy Eight suspension and tracks. You only need to swap the turrets. The engine deck might be different though...hmmm.

Cheers,
Richard

Thank You Richard, I see what you mean ! Just looked at the Tamiya M51 Super Sherman and visually, looks like only tbe engine deck would be the biggest hurdle. Turret could be dealt with easy enough I think...

 

[RonGlass]

Hi Ron.........if Jakko doesn't find this thread, kick him a PM and I'm sure he will be able to help......very knowledgeable when it comes to Sherman Variants.

Thanks Rick, yep I know very little about Shermans, current build is just OOB ! The Sherman world looks to be a real rabbit hole , lol !

 

[Jakko]

The easiest way would probably be to buy something like an Asuka M4A3 HVSS, preferably a Korean War-era variant, and their M4A1 (76 mm) VVSS.

What you do then is just build the M4A1 hull but with the HVSS suspension (using the A3’s lower hull sides instead of the A1’s — I kind of assume they will fit), leaving off the spare track links at the rear and adding HVSS links on the sides, use the A3’s extended mudguards, the first-aid box on the left hull side, etc. Then use the turret from the A3 on it as well, because that will have the single-piece, oval loader’s hatch and the attachment points for the canvas cover over the mantlet.

Since the A3 kit comes with T80 tracks, you can use those on it directly. However, these will probably be Asuka’s soft-plastic two-piece tracks with separate, hard-plastic outer faces to glue on. The only real substitute I found, if you prefer separate-link tracks, is RFM’s T80 set, which I reviewed on this forum last year. There are other options, but they’re either hard to find, or of material I don’t like, such as Friul’s metal links.

With what you have left over, you can then quite easily build a World War II-era M4A3 (76 mm) VVSS tank as well. All you really need to make sure for that is to not use the torsion bars on the engine deck, nor the armoured exhaust deflectors under the rear upper hull overhang.

 

[Mini Me]

Hey Ron, do I know my "Sherman Lovers" or what??

 

[RonGlass]

The easiest way would probably be to buy something like an Asuka M4A3 HVSS, preferably a Korean War-era variant, and their M4A1 (76 mm) VVSS.

What you do then is just build the M4A1 hull but with the HVSS suspension (using the A3’s lower hull sides instead of the A1’s — I kind of assume they will fit), leaving off the spare track links at the rear and adding HVSS links on the sides, use the A3’s extended mudguards, the first-aid box on the left hull side, etc. Then use the turret from the A3 on it as well, because that will have the single-piece, oval loader’s hatch and the attachment points for the canvas cover over the mantlet.

Since the A3 kit comes with T80 tracks, you can use those on it directly. However, these will probably be Asuka’s soft-plastic two-piece tracks with separate, hard-plastic outer faces to glue on. The only real substitute I found, if you prefer separate-link tracks, is RFM’s T80 set, which I reviewed on this forum last year. There are other options, but they’re either hard to find, or of material I don’t like, such as Friul’s metal links.

With what you have left over, you can then quite easily build a World War II-era M4A3 (76 mm) VVSS tank as well. All you really need to make sure for that is to not use the torsion bars on the engine deck, nor the armoured exhaust deflectors under the rear upper hull overhang.

Wow I hadn't been aware of the Tasca kits, Thank You for sharing your expertise and laying all that out for me Jakko ! And it's a huge plus that two kits can still be built from the .... two kits ! sure beats just winding up with a bunch of random spare parts in the end !

 

[RonGlass]

Hey Ron, do I know my "Sherman Lovers" or what??

Yep you sure do Rick, Jakko is indeed the Guru ! Great save man, after that infamous leave-Ron-out-in-the-cold and don't-save-a-seat-for-him-at-Scottie's-show debacle ! Now I can't throw that at ya anymore ! Way to go there Buddy !

 

[Mini Me]

Don't worry Pard..........I'll figger out another way to mess you up, it's what I do!

 

[RonGlass]

Don't worry Pard..........I'll figger out another way to mess you up, it's what I do!

'Bout time for Obi Wan John Race to get a break from the Naughty Step anyway lol ! He's sure to welcome a rotation. You two guys keep it occupied like a penalty box at a Hockey game

 

[Jakko]

Wow I hadn't been aware of the Tasca kits

They are generally better kits than the Dragon Shermans, and though they have some minor issues (often little casting texture and missing foundry marks, for example), it’s nothing that can’t be rectified easily enough. I read the other day that the pistol port on the 76 mm turret with the round hatch (like is supplied with the M4A1 kit I mentioned above) is some 3 mm too far forward, though this seems to be one of the few relatively major mistakes in these kits.

it's a huge plus that two kits can still be built from the .... two kits ! sure beats just winding up with a bunch of random spare parts in the end !

Oh, you will end up with tons of random spare parts from just one of those kits, never mind two Tasca/Asuka kits are very modular, with a lot of small sprues that cater for details of particular variants, but you never use all of them on any given model.

To get an idea of how that works in practice, browse around at Asuka’s web shop. If you go to Asuka 1/35 Sherman sprue on the menu on the left, you can click on kit names to see separate sprues from them that are available to order individually (not all sprues seem to be available for all kits, though). A lot of people use this to build exactly the Sherman variant they want.

 

[RonGlass]

They are generally better kits than the Dragon Shermans, and though they have some minor issues (often little casting texture and missing foundry marks, for example), it’s nothing that can’t be rectified easily enough. I read the other day that the pistol port on the 76 mm turret with the round hatch (like is supplied with the M4A1 kit I mentioned above) is some 3 mm too far forward, though this seems to be one of the few relatively major mistakes in these kits.


Oh, you will end up with tons of random spare parts from just one of those kits, never mind two Tasca/Asuka kits are very modular, with a lot of small sprues that cater for details of particular variants, but you never use all of them on any given model.

To get an idea of how that works in practice, browse around at Asuka’s web shop. If you go to Asuka 1/35 Sherman sprue on the menu on the left, you can click on kit names to see separate sprues from them that are available to order individually (not all sprues seem to be available for all kits, though). A lot of people use this to build exactly the Sherman variant they want.

Very good to know, Jakko ! Thanks for pointing all that out, I do appreciate it !