Foghorn Leghorn

Once again, some great info, many thanks  That's a good call on the hatch, kinda makes sense I think I'm narrowing the project down to a small hatch (non DV) with cast nose but, as you say, they might have used the most knackered M4s so a bolted nose may have been possible. Kit wise, I need an interior so I reckon the best financial option will be an Academy M10/Achilles married with a Tamiya M4 early. The M10 will donate the interior, nose, suspension (for straight return rollers) and engine deck. Using the Tamiya will keep the price down instead of a Dragon Sherman III. Other bits and pieces should be do-able. Neil

It's probably time to confess that I have a fetish for turretless tanks (Allied stuff) so any turretless Shermans are of interest. I've now got all the bits together to do an ARV and I'm at the same stage with a Stuart recce. Now I need to collect bits for the Kangaroo... Interesting pic of the german Sherman showing a hatch on the turret ring, although it's not the full size of the ring.

Yeah, it seems they would have been painted green. Thanks for the links Jack, I'll dig a bit more. Apparently some turretless shermans were also used as liason or signals, correction, for sappers

Indeed yes, I built Italeri's kit many moons ago. Apparently it's not that accurate but at the time when I built it, it was the only M7 out there. Academy's Priest may be a better place to start from but refs/pics of M7 Kangaroos are hard to find as well. The first link in my original post also covers the M7 Kangaroo if you want more info, maybe I'm sad (but then I am a modeller) but I find the background info that it gives, facinating. Neil Edit: Oh yeah, I forgot, I also came across one M7 Kangaroo photo which had been converted to a command/signals vehicle

Cracking info there, Jack. I continue to be amazed with the research that's available out there (the Missing Lynx link), with people managing to piece together tank serial numbers for an unusual (and small volume) tank conversion. The Star sheet is extremely useful as it shows: 1. It's green. In Andy's FSM piece he admitted he used artistic licence to do a desert scheme, they may well have had that scheme at some point but the decal sheet shows at some point they were green. 2. It's got a cast nose 3. It's got a partial wading trunk 4. They surivied until 1945 5. It shows badge info. Many thanks for the info Neil

To cut a long story short, I read a piece in FSM April 2018 by Andy Cooper who built an M4A2 Kangaroo. I didn't think any Sherman Kangaroos existed (assuming you discount the RAM Kangaroo) but it seems they did, so I want to do one in 35th. I only found 2 refs on the web, this refers to the story around the conversion to Kangaroos http://web.inter.nl.net/users/spoelstra/g104/apckang2.htm The second ref covers building a wargame version using the M4A2 large hatch 47degree Sherman as a basis http://tinyhordes.com/rubicon-sherman-kangaroo-conversion/ I'm guessing this is the wrong version Sherman as (I think) all the 47degree M4A2s went to Russia .... and the first link also mentions the Sherman III as the donor tank. Half way down the page is a pic of the Kangaroo and it looks like an M4A2 small hatch but I can't tell if it's a cast nose or bolted. Does anyone have any more info on the Sherman Kangaroo, does the pic show a small hatch early M4A2? Is it a cast nose or bolted? TIA Neil

I've never considered a GB as competitive, but I've never been that way inclined with modelling (although I am competitive elsewhere in life). For me, one of the reasons for entering a GB is the drive to get the thing finished and not end up as yet another shelf queen, the deadline for the gallery is good motivation in that sense.

Either that or the Aussies have been caught ball tampering again ... I'll err ...

Yeah, I'd go for that. It does seem strange to post your finished GB and not vote, but each to their own I suppose BTW, thanks to you, Ozzy and Sgt Squarehead for running the GB

Yeah, it's a shame that you never made the deadline but you have to remember that modelling is supposed to be enjoyable and, fundamentally, you do it to please yourself (unless your a pot hunter of course), not for others. So take your time and finish is the way you want, otherwise it'll always nag you in the back of your mind.

Yeah, it may or may not have been down to temp, at the time it was the only explanation I could come up with. Even then it wasn't that cold as I spray indoors too. I've thinned with water before and it was fine. Maybe it was just a modelling gremlin day but as the UMP worked with it I'll probably stick with it for now Thanks for the kind comments Badder... and to everyone else

What a brilliant idea for doing the eyes. I think I've still got my rotring set from many moons ago. I'll have to dig it out... Otherwise, looking cracking as per usual

Heller 72nd M4 Sherman