By choice, I build mostly 1/25 or 1/25 scale cars. From time to time, I like to take on projects in other scales and subject matter.
I need some help in identifying the variant of this particular Sherman tank. First a little history. This tank is still owned by the unit that used it in WW2 and it is the only Canadian Army Sherman tnak that fought every day from the D-Day landings until VE Day.
If I can properly identify the varint and if a kit of that variant exisits, I’m giving serious consideration to building a replica of it for the unit that owns it, the Sherbrooke Fusiliers.
I live quite close to where the tank is on display and thus I can get all the reference pics. that I need of it.
Thank you in advance for your help.
John K. Dezan
John,
Welcome to the forum!
happily for you, Robert should be along shortly to help you out.
he is the local expert of all things Sherman!
so fear not, your questions should be answered soon.
once again, welcome aboard!
Diffently a shermy Sherman!!! WHERE ARE YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUU.
I think I know the variant but let Rob take this one, He is the master!
I’m here now … it’s an M4A2 (75) Dry with direct vision slots.
1/35 scale decals are available (or soon will be) from Quartermaster’s Depot.
As for the kit, there are none available in plastic. An upper hull and rear lower hull are available from Tank Workshop and maybe from Formations using the Tamiya M4 as the donor kit.
P.S. - your info about “Bomb” is partially correct. It did roll through from D-Day to VE Day, but so too did “Holy Roller”, also an M4A2 with the First Hussars Regiment
.
That is definitely a Sherman tank.
Sorry.
Oh well. Not kit means no project. Bummer!
As for my info being wrong, I’m just running with what that Sherbrooke Fusiliers have been saying for years.
Someone needs to correct them.
Thanks again!
John
Robert knows his Shermans, no disputing that!
Sorry about there not being a kit John … you could definitely build one but it will take a wee bit of resin to do.
OK. I was initally put off by the idea of a resin armor project but seeing as I’m used to resin car bodies, I’m willing to at least give this project a bit more thought.
Where can I get the mentioned resin conversions preferably from a Canadian dealer?
John
From a Canadian dealer you say … check out “The Barrel Store”
http://www.bentbutnotbroken.com/index.htm
Product line - the Tank Workshop
#0067 M4 Early Sherman Hull with D.V. ports
#0024 M4A2 Conversion
You’ll also need Tamiya’s M4 Early Production as the donor kit
I’ll look around and find a mantlet and suspension and get back to you.
Thanks Robert. I’ve checked with them and they’re listing both sets as available.
How hard is the Tamiya Sherman to find?
John
OK, Sherm,
The 75mm is easy
It must be an early version - it has the early mantlet -early turret
It looks kinda like an M4 but can’t see the nose and the M4 had a different back
So how can you tell ?
Sorry to keep bothering you with this sherman “I.D. thing” but what tips you off to the fact that it was an M4A2 ?
Remember I failed the first Shermocology exam
John - still looking for the turret bits and pieces you would need for this build. It’s a lot easier for me having a large stock of spare parts laying around. But I don’t think you want to purchase 2 or 3 Sherman kits to get the necessary extras.
The Tamiya kit should be readily available through your LHS or on-line from Military Hobbies. Here’s their link. http://www.militaryhobbies.ca/
Jim - from the front, most welded hull Shermans look close to being the same. It’s one of the hardest angles to tell which is which from.
The easiest way to tell is to see the engine deck. From that it is fairly easy to tell one from the other. Now in this case, the 3 pics supplied do not show the engine deck, so you have to use other identifiers to tell which is what.
Looking at the first picture, this could be any early version of the M4, M4A2, M4A3, or M4A4. But by looking at the suspension, there is very little distance between the road wheel sets, so that eliminates the M4A4 which had an extended hull.
From pic 2, the shape of the rear upper hull plate eliminates it being an M4.
So we’re down to either an M4A2 of an M4A3.
From pic 2 you can barely see the exhaust under the rear overhang … definitely an M4A2 exhaust.
Combine that with the M4A3 early being rare, not used by the Canadians, having another 6 or 8 pics of “Bomb” from various angles, etc, etc. … leads to the I.D.
HTH
You want more pics of “The Bomb”?
Say no more.
I’ve got a total of eleven that I’ve found on the web and I’m going to go visit her shortly and take some good ones to use when I build the model.
She was off to be repainted right before the anniversary.
I’m giving some serious thought to donating the completed model to The Sherbrooke Hussars/Sherbrooke Fusiliers and that has raised yet another question. Do I model her as she was in service or as she is now? I’m leaning towards in service BTW
Sherm,
Thanks for that sherm-id lesson. Just a combination of all the little details.
I’m still learning… but it makes sense now.
Johnnai - nice pics - thanks for putting 'em up
John - only you can decide which way to model this old vet. I’m doing the same vehicle right now for the D-Day Group Build, except I’m building Holy Roller.
When you get you pics of Bomb, if you feel like sharing you know where to sent them.
Still looking for any easy way to replace that mantlet. (in Canada)
Robert,
If you can’t find one in Canada, I’ll order from the US. I just prefer to order Canadian when I can.
I will gladly share the pics. I get of The Bomb when I get them.
John
Shermanfreak likes his Sherman photos, [:D]
Wait till I tell him about another Sherman that resides in another small Quebec town. Parked in front of their local Army/Navy.
John
Intresting enough, I still have pics. of the one that’s parked in front of the Legion Hall in Stanstead, Quebec.
Even though I’m a car guy, I know it’s got what’s called the “Easy 8” suspension and I think it has the Canadian Military Pattern tracks.
Please pardon the snow. A friend in the Canadian Marititmes needed a shot of the back of her so I took a 20 odd pics. so long as I was there.
I’m guessing this is a Firefly, right Sherm?
I’m giving thought to building this one too but The Bomb has priority as I don’t know where this one came from. I doubt I could get any help from the Vets in trying to find out who she fought with back in the day.
Before I forget, here’s a link to the remainder of the pics. I took of her.
http://public.fotki.com/jkdezan/the_world_of_scale/references/m4a3e8_sherman_medi/
John