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That's Kiwi Sherman.  Not Pee-wee Hermann...  :fool:  

 

The build is of a Sherman Mk.III of the New Zealand 20th Armoured Regiment in Italy during October 1944.

 

The kit I will use is the Zvezda Sherman M4A2.

 

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Decals from Star Decals.

 

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This is the vehicle to be modelled.

 

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The camouflage is a little odd for the time and area.  It is far more suited to the terrain in Sicily the previous year.  I can only imagine that this vehicle had seen a lot of combat.

 

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A very nicely moulded selection of parts.

 

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The tracks are link and length, which will be far easier to deal with than some of the AFV kits I have built recently.  The moulded parts are even of the correct pattern needed for this particular vehicle!  :thumbsup: 

 

 

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

So let's make a start.

 

The lower hull is made up of six parts.  Although each part is quite flimsy, they build up into a robust assembly.

 

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Upper hull with the four parts added for the rear decking and engine bay doors.

 

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The turret is one large part with another for the underside of the bustle and a third for the turret ring.  The turret is intended to be clipped into place.

 

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No more than twenty minutes work and suddenly I have a Sherman!

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Great choice of subject Enzo,... I do like Kiwi WW2 armour,.....BUT,.... that kit is wrong for the subject you have chosen,... it is a late variant M4A2 with the slab fronted armour whereas the Kiwis operated the early M4A2, known as the Sherman III,....if you look at the decal subject you have chosen it has a totally different front sloping hull section which has the drivers and co drivers hatches sticking out from the sloping section. The nearest variant to the kit you have is probably the Sherman Ib  which has 2 hatches in the turret (unlike the earlier variants such as the III and V which only had one for the commander) have a look here,.... the first photo shows a Ic and mentions the changes;

https://www.rctankwarfare.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12977

 

The Sherman Ib variant was used by the Kiwis in Italy,..... but they were mostly Olive Drab,.... have a look at the attachment,.... there is a photo showing a Sherman numbered 15 which has this later front section;

https://www.gf9.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=246

 

This is an interesting reference page for Kiwi armour too;

http://kiwisinarmour.hobbyvista.com/m4a2.htm

 

Sorry to bring this up mate,..... but I thought you would like to know? I will gladly delete this,.... just let me know..

Cheers

           Tony

Edited by tonyot
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Thanks for the heads up @tonyot    This just shows what a minefield Sherman variants can be.  :wall:  

 

So, I have a choice here.  Continue with this build in a different marking scheme or find a kit more suited for the scheme I originally intended to build.  

 

Would the Tamiya kit 35190 be suitable?   It has the projecting hatches on the front plate.

 

https://1999.co.jp/eng/10000257

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6 hours ago, Enzo Matrix said:

Would the Tamiya kit 35190 be suitable?   It has the projecting hatches on the front plate.

How do Enzo,

 

The Tamiya kit is supposed to be an M4, which was known as the Sherman I in British/Commonwealth service. By all accounts its a bit of a mess and doesn't really represent the type correctly - something to do with the front glacis plate i think. @Das Abteilung would be the man with all the knowledge on this 👍

 

For a Sherman III you would need the Dragon kit - 6313 has the cast hoods and the one i'm doing is 6062 which has the welded hoods. This is the Tarawa Kit but is also available as a British version (6231) Not sure if they're overly accurate though. Asuka/Tasca also do a Sherman III. It all depends on how accurate you want to be i suppose. The Dragon kits tend to be around the 50 quid mark on ebay and the Asuka ones are often priced above that! 

 

Regards,

 

Steve

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7 hours ago, Enzo Matrix said:

Thanks for the heads up @tonyot    This just shows what a minefield Sherman variants can be.  :wall:  

 

So, I have a choice here.  Continue with this build in a different marking scheme or find a kit more suited for the scheme I originally intended to build.  

 

Would the Tamiya kit 35190 be suitable?   It has the projecting hatches on the front plate.

 

https://1999.co.jp/eng/10000257

Hiya Enzo,... I`m really sorry mate,.... I feel terrible passing this on to you! Yes Sherman`s are a real minefield,..... even more so when you convert them to British service and variants! I`m no expert,.... far from it,..... but the Tamiya kit is more representative of a Sheman III,..... however I think that the engine grills etc may be different,..... the III was a diesel powered variant and I think the Tamiya kit represents a petrol powered variant,.... maybe a later Sherman I?  Personally I would use it and then cover the engine deck with tarpaulins, boxes and other stowage. Dragon do a dedicated Sherman III,..... so maybe have a look at that and compare kits?

 

You could complete your current kit as a Sherman Ib by changing the gun maybe? 

Sorry again mate,

                          Tony

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1 minute ago, tonyot said:

Hiya Enzo,... I`m really sorry mate,.... I feel terrible passing this on to you!

 

Why?   If it's not right, then I need to know.     I'm just glad you caught it before I got too far. :thumbsup: 

 

I'm going to continue with this build because I'm enjoying it so much. :D   As you pointed out, I can simply change the gun and mantlet and build the vehicle you mentioned in one of your links. 

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2 hours ago, Enzo Matrix said:

 

Why?   If it's not right, then I need to know.     I'm just glad you caught it before I got too far. :thumbsup: 

 

I'm going to continue with this build because I'm enjoying it so much. :D   As you pointed out, I can simply change the gun and mantlet and build the vehicle you mentioned in one of your links. 

Thanks mate and good decision,.... that is what I would do too! 

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You have save me a hassle as well, I have the same Zvezda kit and Stars decals for the 19th as my great uncle drove Shermans with the unit until his discharge in Nov 44,

I wasnt aware of differences in early and late M4A2a and would have made the same mistake.

 

I guess I can make a later OD one using some of the decals and maybe find an Asuka kit to do it proper at a later date.

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  • 1 month later...

Moving on...

 

Next stage was to build the running gear.  Thirteen parts to each unit but still a far easier task than the running gear on my recent M3 Grant.

 

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The rest was simply built in accordance with the instruction, apart from the gun and mantlet.  I used a set from Jordi Rubio using a white metal mantlet and turned aluminium barrel.

 

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Next task is to figure out was colour the tactcal marking should be on this vehcile.   Any ideas?

 

https://www.gf9.com/Portals/0/all_images/Historical/FKandC/NZ4th-armoured-01.jpg

 

 

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  • 1 month later...
On 3/22/2021 at 7:12 PM, Enzo Matrix said:

Moving on...

 

Next stage was to build the running gear.  Thirteen parts to each unit but still a far easier task than the running gear on my recent M3 Grant.

 

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The rest was simply built in accordance with the instruction, apart from the gun and mantlet.  I used a set from Jordi Rubio using a white metal mantlet and turned aluminium barrel.

 

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Next task is to figure out was colour the tactcal marking should be on this vehcile.   Any ideas?

 

https://www.gf9.com/Portals/0/all_images/Historical/FKandC/NZ4th-armoured-01.jpg

 

 

Hiya Enzo,.... not sure if this helps re markings etc but Star Decals have their instruction sheets on line which include quite a bit of Kiwi armour,.... thee is a Mk.Ib here;

http://www.star-decals.net/35-C1108.html

 

This may help too;

https://balagan.info/kiwis-in-italy-stevens-wargaming-project

 

Cheers,

         Tony

Edited by tonyot
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