I’m trying to find some African Front 1/48 or 1/72 main battle tank kits, like Tigers, Shermans, etc. The markings and versions avaliable don’t seem cover these tanks. Anybody have any good suggestions?
Revell issued a Tunisian campaign Tiger in 1/72, and Tamiya are to do a similar version in 1/48 shortly. Mirage do the M3 Medium tanks in both Lee and Grant configurations. Italeri are to re-issue the old (but nice) Matilda and M13/40. They also do the Valentine, while Hasegawa do the Crusader. All of these are to 1/72. You could also try the 1/48 M4A1 Sherman from Tamiya, though this may be a little late for North Africa/Tunisia.
EDIT-- I forgot to mention that Revell and Tamiya both do Pz III ausf L tanks in 1/72 and 1/48 respectivly that would also serve for the later desert battles.
Here’s Mirage’s El Alamein Grant tank: http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=MG72804
Mirage’s North African Lee: http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=MG72801
Mirage’s PzKpfw IV D Tropenpanzer: http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=MG72856
Tamiya’s M4A1 comes with the 3-piece as well as the one piece transmission cover. It would not be too late for a North Africa Sherman. Shermans there used both the M3 style and initial M4 style suspension.
Hasegawa has an M3 Lee,M3 Grant,M3 Stewart and several Panzer IV’s that have markings for Africa.I think Revell (I think) has a Valentine with African campaign markings.Airfix has a Matilda II and a Stug III.I have built all the above,but I’m sure there are more.All are in 1/72 scale.Also,there are several trucks and armored cars by Hasegawa and Airfix that I know of.This should get you off to a good start.