1/35 Revell M-4 Sherman Tank - Black Magic

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

Many of you will remember this old Revell motorized M-4 Sherman and even more of you will know that since 2017 it was re-popped and commonly found at most Hobby Lobby locations.

Honestly this kit did not age well at all even though it wasn’t very accurate to begin with. For the time however, it was a pretty darn good toy lol. These days it doesn’t come with all of the goodies that would’ve made it motorized. The marginally detailed suspension is still vastly inaccurate, and honestly still a questionable combination and curiosity.

Anyways, I started the kit over a year ago and got the base paint job on, detailed the .50cal a bit, and hadn’t yet painted the Tank Commander. Jump to two days ago and I’ve been wondering why I lost steam so close to finishing it. I’d left it over at my Dad’s house and finally recovered it just days ago.

I couldn’t help but to start finishing it off. I added black camo, some decals, and painted the road wheels. Then I started to carve the years of mold degradation off the TC figure. Once I was happy with restoring the details I will admit this figure isn’t half bad at all and after going over him with all of my scribing tools he actually has a pretty good sculpt with some nice little details.

I took some liberties and made it my interpretation of this classic kit, adding a spocket with a Star decal from the WoT decal sheet I have with another kit I was just kinda slapping together recently for the fun of it.

Anyways, I think it’s turning out quite cool even though I’ve left out a lot of my usual steps, such as a final wash, just because this build has been fun. Just plain fun.

May I present my take on the old girl;

(Above; The field Jacket and skin after some washes to bring out the details. The pants and the helmet still unfinished.)

(Above) Custom Monogramed Jacket for this Tank Ace!

Figure completed.

I still have one thing left to do. Paint the tools on the hull. Then I’ll be happy with it.

Thanks for looking. Have a great day and stay safe.

2

You made the old girl look presentable! I think that this kit or one of the Aurora 1/48 E8s were the first Sherman’s that I ever built.

i am really surprised at how you cleaned up the TC figure. He came out pretty sharp!

[t$t] Well done!

3

Odd looking Sherman but you did a great job on her.

And I agree, the TC figure looks fantastic! Love the patch on the back of his jacket.

4

Very good. I still have a partially built young model builder’s club one. Just never could get enough steam to finish it.

It just wasn’t as “cool” as the Monogram Hedgehog or Calliope which got my money instead back in the day.

5

i remember that kit back when I was growing up in the late 50s or early 60s, I’m sure you did a better job on yours than I did. I think they brought it out again in the 70s for a short run. The Monogram tanks were much better, as well as the Aurora 1/48th Sherman. Wish I could find one again.

I remember a article back when I was in hogh school about a man who owned a construction company. Part of his inventory was a field on Shermans, a most impressive photo. He would use them fo take down buildings by driving through them. I think when one would useless he would sell them for scrap and use another until it was shot.

6

Atlantis has released the 8" version of the Long Tom kit and M46 Patton. They may do the Sherman. The last time it was released was in a diorama with an Fw-190 called Ground Attack by Monogram.

https://atlantis-models.com/models-military/

7

Nice work Mike… Where did you get that star on the transmission cover?

Harold

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I painted the tools, but I changed my mind about a wash. I’ll get around to that later.

I want to thank you guys for the comments. It’s pretty cool when I take an old kit like this one and it brings people find and treasured memories.

Thank you for the cool vibes, guys. [:D]

Harold- the star in the drive sprocket decal was on the World of Tanks decal sheet. You get a lot of interesting symbols and logos with only a couple of national insignias.

Historical accuracy isn’t important in that game, but lots of custom “Nose Art” makes for some fun options.

9

Nice job on yours!

I did one 37 years ago as a a club joke with a French 75mm gun with bow tie twisted into it. It was painted in white and bright orange with Navy Rescue colors. I still have it. I thought it was humous.

10

I have this memory of marveling at the Shep paine dio booklet in the Calliope, that SP, replaced nearly part of the rocket launcher assembly, and that was not a great advertisement for the quality of the kit.

SP built that Hedgehog kit up something special for “back then.”
Which is really amazing as he had no static grass, the foilage was nearly all unmodfied lichen, and using either plaster or Cel-u-clay for groundwork.

11

Wow. Awesome job on the figure. The jacket is great. Any tips for figure painting? Any guide you used to learn?

12

On the contrary, Shep Paine’s built kits as box top art sold a whole lot of kits. They were eye catching and infinitely better than artist’s renditions of the kits of the day. Those inserts were amazing.

13

Nice job on this Sherman. To echo everyone else, the TC figure came out very nice and the jacket patch on his back is on the money. Also good job on the tools.

14

I had to do a double-take on this, and I agree, the fig is wonderful. I may have built this model as a kid, not sure, but it does bring back memories… nice work.

15

Thank you all for the kind words!

The figure did turn out to be my favorite part so far. He really brings the whole thing together.

There are two more figures with the kit and I’ve started cleaning them up a little. [Y]

Thank you again for the kind words, my friends!