I’ve recently gotten back into modeling and have been mostly assembling armor. I’m interested in finding the best armor kit or combination of 1/35 kits. I want interior and exterior, engine, crew, everything. I’m not ready to scratch built my own from resin yet. Can anyone help?
Part of this depend son which variant you want to model. There are lots of Sherman subtypes to choose from. Some widely avaialble form several kit makers, others only from one or two.
I havent seen one at a hobby shop or anything but I know that Dragon usually makes pretty well detailed tanks i’m pretty sure it will have the breach of the gun and drivers seats, thinks seen if hatches are displayed open, you will probably have to srcatch build or kitbash for an engine.
Newer Dragon kit for sure. Look for ‘Smart kit’ on package or 3 in 1. the extras for the other variants make tasty spares and scratch building parts. Slap a old car motor under the hood and wire it for a V12 not V8 Once its painted grey and weathered it will look like a tank motor. Check some photographs online to get it looking Sherman.
Please don’t be misled as some shermans use aircraft radial engines that will NO WHERE look like a car engine. In addition there are plenty of aftermarket engine/interior kits for shermans to start from than a 1/35 scale car engine which would be tough to find to begin with.
Ditto to stikpusher on being clearer about which version of the Shermans you are looking are. Any recent ones from Dragon after but not including the release of the battle of the bulge m4a3 76mm
(which is corrected and reintroduced at a later point this past year) is a good starting point. Aside from that, Tasca makes some in-arguably best fit and most accurate Shermans for a slightly higher price tag.
some shermans use aircraft radial engines
Indeed. Depends on the chaps wallet and if this Sherman will be shown on a contest table. For a cool looking tank only your friends and family are to admire go within your budget and make it unique. They will just see a well done engine and not historical inaccuracys. Have fun with it and if its no longer fun take it 1 step back.
Jason
I guess my twin power plant Mopar Panzer V won’t be seen on the contest tables with the engine deck lid up then…pity[:'(]
Do take note that he also asked for the best combination or kits available and we are still waiting for him to fill in more detail about types and budget. When someone asks that question for a 1/48 Me262, would you suggest to him the Revell kit or the Tamiya kit that’s 10 times better in detail, fit, and accuracy? Anything can be scratch-built from some styrene sheets and tubes. But it sure is a lot simpler when you have a better starting point.
I’m working on a “what if” Israeli Sherman that will have a serious motor in it, who knows where it will end up…
No pics now but it’s a pure fun project.
BTW, ditto on the Sherman kits from Dragon and Tasca.
I think if you really just want to build a great sherman with a complete interior ,you might want to get yourself a Tasca M4A4 and Resicast has announced a full interior with the engine and all …Or if a Firefly is more to your liking the interior will be out in a month or so…
Rick
Agreed-the Tasca kits are the best and most accurate.
Some of you have asked which variant of Sherman I’m trying to build. That really doesn’t matter so long as I get it as accurate as possible. I"ve recently perused Zolaga’s abooks on modelling the Sherman (76) and his history of the Sherman. My goal is to eventually build them all and place on my bookshelf. I’ve noticed tasca has expensive kits but before I invested nearly $100, I wanted to get some opinions from the more-experts out there.
I’m currently building the Testers anniversary kit and will use it as a static for the M4A3 (w76) but am very disappointed that there are no photo etched parts and the main gun is two plastic parts.
As for cost, that isn’t really a problem. I mean I just spent $40 on Fruilmodel tracks for goodness sake!
I’m getting into building dioramas. How do you drop photos in here?
Welcome to the world of Sherman building. I have three concurrently at the final stages of building: all of which I plan on taking to the AMPS Convention in Indiana this April. Two of them are Tascas and one is a heavily modified older DML kit.
One thing about Sherman modelling: don’t get Fruils. Their weightiness actually is inaccurate as Shermans showed almost no sag whatsoever. Cheaper indy links (Panda Plastics) or the kit contained ones newer DML kits are all one needs. As far as “all on my bookshelf” that goes to about sixty distinctive M4 variants and combinations. Here’s a helpful site for you.
I second that “join AMMPS”
Here is possibly the best site for AFV modeling information: http://www.track-link.net/
Along with this site for Shermans: http://www.usarmymodels.com/
The TASCA M4A4 or any Tasca would be a good place to start. The US Shermans primarily used the Ford GAA V8 engine, the radial aircraft engines mostly went to Allied Forces.
Actually the radial engined variants (M4 and M4A1) carried most of US armored division in combat thru late 1944. Diesel (M4A2) and Chrysler multibank engine (M4A4) were the prime lend lease variants. The M4A3 (V8 GAA motor) took over in US division starting in Autumn 44.
Thanks. I’ve been looking around. All I can find for Tasca is the tasca page. Are you aware of any other websites where I can order?
Tasca is available from these US sellers:
DragonUSA
Spruebrothers
tank rat’s AFV Depot
Great Models
but am very disappointed that there are no photo etched parts and the main gun is two plastic parts.
Jiminva Try a 1/8 alunimum tube turned in a variable speed drill for a custom turned alunimum barrel. It is very close to 75 mm interior diameter in 1/35 scale. Most PE parts like the headlight guards ect can be made out of tin, lead foil or even thinned staples! Add some scratch built details to make the tank unique.
There are some good deals for Tasca Shermans on Ebay. One of the guys at the local AMPS chapter brought his in when completed. A beautiful kit. Or several online shops carry the Tasca line as well.
First, you need to upload your photos to Photobucket, Image Shack, or something similar… You can’t up-load photos directly from your computer into here. Here’s a tute on posting photos:
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