As far as the insides go, how different is the T23 version of the turret than the earlier model. I have the Operation Cobra kit and decided I’d put as much into it as I could seeing as how I was going to offset it with a fully furnished Tiger 1 late. I was thinking about getting the Verlinden front end, I’d go for the CMK if it wouldn’t wind up being $100 vs. the Verlin $30. I know Verlin’s not the best sometimes at interior fit- especially when I use interiors for different kits than suggested [;)] (I have the front and back end’s recommended for the old Tamiya kits for my Dragon Tiger and that’s involving a lot of close attention) so I’m ready to scratch a lot of the interior turret detail b/c I’m sure things wont match up right (the T23 is wider isn’t it? and I know the back end with the radio looks extended) but some interior shot websites all you Sherman freaks use (no offence of course- I’m aspiring [:)] ) or just a quick list of some basic visual differences if it isn’t too much trouble would be nice and definitely appreciated
The T23 would be generally similar to the 75mm, and any mistakes you may make you likely go unnoticed. If you pick up a copy of Squadron’s M4 Sherman Walk Around, they have a lot of interior shots of a T23.
alright thanks, my brother has the walk around and I noticed it had a lot of shots, I’ll hafta look closer I assumbed they’d all be from the 75mm. Thanks for the info, any unnoticable small difference probably wont be noticed in a through the hatch style view. I just wanted to make sure there wasnt some radical difference between the two turret designs
Well… the T23 turret had no basket “floor” like the 75mm turrets. That’s a big difference. For lots of shots of a 76mm interior go here:
http://www.modellismopiu.net/m+photo/showgallery.php?cat=1987
94 images of an M4A1 76W
Again, just peering thru the hatch, you could probably use these pics as a reference and scratch what you need. However, it was radically different than a 75mm turret.
As stated, the general layout of the 76mm turret was pretty much the same as the 75mm. It all depends on how detailed you want to get. To a Shermanoholic there are a LOT of little and big difference between early and late interiors. For instance, in early hulls, some of the main gun ammo was stored in the sponsons (the hull sides over the tracks). That’s why revised 75mm gun tanks had the “patches” of applique armor added over the ammo bins. The later Shermans (late 75mm, all 76mm and the 105 howitzers) moved most of the ammo to the bottom of the hull. So an interior kit meant for an early tank will have ammo stowage for the sponson that wasn’t there in later tanks, but this is hard to see in most views. Already mentioed was the lack of a turret “basket” (full floor), that’s because the loader had to be able to get to the floor ammo, so he walked around with the turret rotation.
For modeling a tank with open hatches, first find an old Italeri M4A1, That kit has a good basic gun breech/recoil cylinders/recoil guard that really helps fill the “empty” spot in the turret. The radio can come from the older Tamiya M4 “Mid Production” (that kit also has a nice 75mm gun breech/mount/guard for older tanks). The rest of the fittings can be added as desired from styrene, etc. It all depends on how “crazy” you want to get with the interior.
Gary