Early British Sherman from Tamiya M4A1 in 1/48

[Rumblestripe]

I'm trying to theme my Armour building in 1/48th around British Army subjects and to that end have bought the Tamiya 1/48 kit for the M4A1 thinking that with some work I could portray an early Sherman in the British Army around the time of El Alamein. I bought the kit off of that there Ebay at a decent price of £12 + a couple squids for the services of Her Majesty's Mail.

I am trying to understand the intricacies of Sherman production and was daunted to read of the complexities of the differing production runs. The pictures that attracted me are held by the Imperial War Museum, like this one:

 

More pictures here http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search?query=sherman alamein&items_per_page=10

 

So I look at the bits in the box and... hmmm, there are problems to be overcome.

 

 

 

There are some significant differences between the tank in the photograph and these bits of plastic.

 

1. The suspension provided in the kit is the later M4 type, early British Sherman's seem to be largely using the M3 type suspension

 

2. The front glacis is completely different, the prototype is the early "DV type" (Direct Vision) where the driver looked through a slit in the front plate.

 

3. "Fenders" it looks like Eduard used to do an aftermarket etched set but they appear to be out of production

 

4. Some other cosmetic differences such as the beading around the machine gun mount but 1 & 2 are the biggies

 

Looking at the pluses, the prototype has the cast type body, the suspension can be remodelled (I think) relatively easily. Fenders can be scratchbuilt from plasticard or even thin brass sheet. It may even be possible to add the DV vision slots but that profile looks quite different, more voluptuous around the hatches! That looks a bit more tricky.

 

At this point I need some help or pointers the books that might help me with markings and unit allocations appear to be long out of print and not readily available second hand. I know that Tank Workshop used to do a DV body in the USA but that too appears to be out of production. And second hand examples are very expensive. It looks like I'm too late to the party with this model! I did find this frighteningly comprehensive site which guides you through the complexities of Sherman production in the US

 

Sherman Minutiae Site

 

As far as I can understand it this tank (and most of its bretheren at El Alamein) would have been M4A1 "small hatch" models with M3 suspension probably produced by the Lima Locomotive Works armed with the M3 75mm gun in an M34 mount.

 

Anyone help me with more references?

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

I built an early type sherman years before tamiya gave us one. I used an early welded hull with direct vision blocks. I then mounted tamiya's M-3 lee suspension. So i can attest it will work. 

[Bullbasket]

Have a look on MR Modellbau's website. They do a resin replacement upper hull as well as the M3 suspension and T49 tracks. They also do a replacement early turret with the M34 gun mount and replacement aluminium barrel. Bison/Star decals do a couple of sets for early British Shermans. If you look at my thread "My 1/48th Sherman Collection", you'll se a couple of photos of a Sherman with all of these replacements. 

 

John.

 

http://www.mrmodellbau.com/_shop/index.php?cPath=45_83

[Rumblestripe]

Thanks very much Bullbasket, if I can get anywhere near the standard of your Sherman's I'll be delighted. I've had a look at Bison/Star and it looks like they have discontinued their 1/48th range there is nothing listed in that scale. I'll have to look for remnant stock. The MR Modelbau stuff at least looks to be still in production but the price is putting me off at £25 for the hull and turret and another £19 for the M3 suspension and tracks (Oh and another 15 squids postage! Erk!).

 

I think I can alter the Tamiya suspension quite easily by removing the idler arm and reducing the height of the bogie and add the idler above. It's worth trying as a no-cost option...

 

As I am discovering with Shermans, each piece of information that I discover tends to raise another question. I didn't know the tracks differed on early Shermans. Looks again...

 

Oh b****r, they do don't they.

 

This may be a far from "shake the box" exercise. Onwards and upwards...

[Silver Fox]

Have you had a look at the Friendship Models website. They have hull tops and early turrets listed.

http://www.friendshipmodels.org.uk/

[Bullbasket]

Have a look at Peddinghaus Decals. They do quite a bit of 1/48th scale stuff. There's also a dealer who deals only in 1/48th models, I think he's in the Midlands somewhere, but I can't remember his name. He stocks some of the MR Modellbau gear. Maybe someone else will remember it.

 

John.

[Silver Fox]

I think that's Parabellum models. His website is awful but he stocks lots of good stuff

[Bullbasket]

Thanks SF. That's the one. If I want stuff from him, I usually get it at Telford.

 

John.

[Silver Fox]

John,

 

 me too. His own range of metal 1/48th figures is well worth a look as well, especially for those of us interested in British and Commonwealth armour.

[Kingsman]

If you've surfed the Minutia site you've seen the major variations and dates.  For Alamein, an M4A1 would be a DV with M3 bogies.  A couple of hundred early M4A1 and a couple of dozen early M4A2 were rushed over to N Africa, pretty much everything available.  Some were lost en route on a ship that sank and the losses were made good by taking vehicles from the US 1st Cavalry Div.  AFAIK these were M4A1 DV too.  

 

Little known, but Brit crews converted from units that had not previously had Grants were not properly trained on the Continental engine in the rush to get M4 into service, especially the need to hand-turn the engine before starting to distribute the oil and avoid hydraulic lock.  That resulted in a lot of burned-out engines and a serviceability crisis, leading to an emergency airlift of replacement engines from the US.  Also little-known, but M3 and M4 both used hybrid ammunition converted by fitting modified captured German PzGr APHE and SprGr HE shells for the L/24 KwK to US cartridge cases.  About 20,000 rounds were converted.  The APHE was obviously much more effective than the M66 AP solid shot and the HE fuse would function on a grazing impact.

 

The Warwickshire Yeomanry had M4A1 at Alamein, apparently including ex-US ones, and B Squadron vehicles all carried US names in recognition of that gesture.  There is a photo of one in the Regimental scrapbook in their museum and it is an M4A1 DV.  In terms of markings help, you can get a copy of the Warks Yeomanry signal diagram from Alamein from their museum for a small contribution.  It lists every vehicle name and callsign in the Regiment and I believe the entire Regiment except Recce Sqn was equipped with M4A1 at the time.  But it doesn't help with AOS etc markings.

 

I think the Tamiya kit could also represent a Pressed Steel built vehicle in this scale.  But as noted above, making any DV A1 with early suspension from it will require a stack of resin AM parts.  No-one has mentioned the transmission cover, but you need the 3-piece bolted type.  Presumably the new hull comes with that?  You haven't shown the kit turret, but as the photo shows you will need a low bustle single hatch without the thickened front right cheek and with an M34 gun mount.

 

 

[bull-nut]

@Rumblestripe I've always thought that an Alamein Sherman was one of those things that every British armour builder does at some point in his modelling career, and by coincidence, I have just picked up the same kit, for that very purpose.

 

I have come to the conclusion that the cheapest way of doing it, is to get bogies and tracks from Mr Modellbau, upper hull and low bustle turret from Friendship models, and use the Tamiya final drives, wheels and lower hull. As an option, if you are up to scratchbuilding the lower hull and back plate, along with a few ancillary details (hatches, etc)using the kit parts as a template, then you will still have the Tamiya kit, sans one final drive/set of wheels, to allow you to build a late production M4A1 75mm, as used, for example, in operation Husky (US invasion of Sicily). It's something I intend to try once I have finished some of my current projects.

 

Incidently, the kit tracks can be converted to resemble the early type, simply by shaving off the chevrons and adding a thin layer of plasticard to represent the rubber blocks, it doesn't even need to be especially neat, since I would imagine the blocks would get worn fairly quickly.

 

I would also recommend, if you haven't already, that you get Mike Starmers book on camouflage during the Alamein period, as it contains copies of the actual MoS camouflage instructions. It's a great book, as indeed they all are, review and contact link here.

 

Edit: Mike's paint colour mixes can be found Here.

Edited August 12, 2017 by bull-nut

[Rumblestripe]

19 hours ago, bull-nut said:

the kit tracks can be converted to resemble the early type, simply by shaving off the chevrons and adding a thin layer of plasticard to represent the rubber blocks, it doesn't even need to be especially neat, since I would imagine the blocks would get worn fairly quickly

That looks entirely "do-able", good shout!

 

In similar manner I think I can convert the bogies to M3 type, were the bogie wheels the same size?

 

Looking at the "Minutia" site

 

This is an M3 type bogie and...

...this is the M4 (or one of them). IF the wheels are the same diameter (and width to a lesser degree) then by filling in the upper suspension arms to make a plain version and a bit of butchery around the top to move the "roller" wheel to the top, I reckon that would be pretty close in 1/48th. As I am going to chuck them if a buy resin replacements I reckon it is worth a few minutes. Looking at photographs of British Shermans it is plain that they had the five spoke wheels rather than the solid wheels shown above.

19 hours ago, bull-nut said:

I've always thought that an Alamein Sherman was one of those things that every British armour builder does at some point in his modelling career

How right you are and a right b****r of an itch it is proving to be!

 

I'm looking at the replacement hull with the DV slots and having more thoughts of butchery...

 

...the rear deck is identical to the molding on the Tamiya kit and the hatches are identical as no replacement hatch covers are provided. Hmmmm...

 

On the subject of the turret, I've looked at the "Minutia" site and I reckon that the turret in the Tamiya kit is the "low bustle" type. Am I right?

I also read that British Shermans did not fit the .50cal yet on all the photographs of Shermans in the desert, I have seen it is plainly there. Is this a result of the Churchill/Roosevelt deal where these tanks were effectively US spec and diverted to British use at the last moment?

I have purchased a turned aluminium barrel and some natty etched adornments for said .50cal.

 

Thanks to everyone who is chipping in here, the gaps in my knowledge are quite alarming it seems.

 

[Bullbasket]

I believe that most, if not all Shermans delivered to the British army in N.Africa with the M3 suspension, had the open 5 spoke wheels and yes they were the same diameter. I haven't got one to hand at the moment, but I think that the turret in the Tamiya kit is the low bustle variety. You will need to check your references with regards to the turret as some of the very early models were fitted with the gunner's rotary sight device on the right side of the turret front. Another thing to watch for is the mantlet cover. Again, most if not all had the M34 cover. The kit has both this and the A1. Also watch out for where the lifting rings are attached. Basically you need to check your photo references when modelling a specific tank.

IMO, the best way to detail he .50 calibre MG is to cut off the barrel and replace it with the brass one from RB Models. It does away with having to bend etched brass to shape to make the cooling shroud. British units favoured the 7.62 mg, but that was mainly later on. For El Alamein, the .5 cal. is more likely.

HTH's.

 

John.

[AgentG]

Other than the wheels, the M3 and M4 suspension bogies are completely different. 

 

G

[Bullbasket]

If you're interested, I've got the Bison decal sheet 48003. It's missing the Sherman Vc and the Sherman ll of the 9th Queens Royal Lancers, but it still has the Sherman ll "Cricklade" of the RWY, (which had M3 suspension) as well as eight other Shermans.

 

John.

[bull-nut]

@Rumblestripe @Bullbasket looking at my kit, I can confirm that the turret is indeed the low bustle type.