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Not what i thought i was getting


M3talpig

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Might i please pick the brains of our resident expert in all things Sherman @Das Abteilung.

Yesterday at my local club meeting i picked this up for a song, cheap enough that i didn't want to turn it down, on inspection when i got home it wasn't what i was expecting :P

But if you can identify it for me should still make for an interesting project.

Is it accurate? 

What would be a suitable donor for it for completion?

what theatre would it have been used and by who?

Any pics for reference if you have any?

Many thanks in advance ...and don't hold back .....ultimately if its not worth the time spent then i will Ebay it for somebody with a more comprehensive stash then me to do.

 

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1 hour ago, Bonhoff said:

M4A2?

 

Rear deck looks like it to me anyway..

 

IanJ

Been digging on the interwebs and it appears to be kit 333 M4A2 lend lease conversion, so i'm guessing for a Russian /French possibly British Sherman 75mm, need more info really.

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Yep, it's an M4A2.  Specifically it's a Fisher built one.  Note the unique very square welded drivers' hoods.  And it appears to have the other fabricated Fisher features, so it isn't too bad.  Essentially it's the same hull as you would find in Dragon's Sicily or Tarawa kits.  It dates from before such things were available, and both are hard to find today.  I don't know what donor kit it was designed for.

 

Fisher M4A2s overall comprised about 70% of M4A2s.  They were used in small numbers by USMC.  I haven't seen one in Soviet service but it is possible, even likely, they had some among their 1,900-odd M4A2 75s.  But I've only ever identified Pullman Standards. 

 

They were by far the most common non-DV M4A2 in British service.  Free French is another possible option: they had just under 400 M4A2 75s.

 

As for donor parts you need a lower hull with an M4A2 rear end: exhaust, no doors.  Cast final drive cover, earlier rounded type.  75mm low-bustle turret with or without thickened cheek.  Bogies with flat roller arms with or without pads and intermediate or late skids.  Probably pressed spoke idlers and plain disc sprockets.  Open spoke or pressed spoke roadwheels.  Sherman Minutia should help you with options.

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6 minutes ago, Das Abteilung said:

Yep, it's an M4A2.  Specifically it's a Fisher built one.  Note the unique very square welded drivers' hoods.  And it appears to have the other fabricated Fisher features, so it isn't too bad.  Essentially it's the same hull as you would find in Dragon's Sicily or Tarawa kits.  It dates from before such things were available, and both are hard to find today.  I don't know what donor kit it was designed for.

 

Fisher M4A2s overall comprised about 70% of M4A2s.  They were used in small numbers by USMC.  I haven't seen one in Soviet service but it is possible, even likely, they had some among their 1,900-odd M4A2 75s.  But I've only ever identified Pullman Standards. 

 

They were by far the most common non-DV M4A2 in British service.  Free French is another possible option: they had just under 400 M4A2 75s.

 

As for donor parts you need a lower hull with an M4A2 rear end: exhaust, no doors.  Cast final drive cover, earlier rounded type.  75mm low-bustle turret with or without thickened cheek.  Bogies with flat roller arms with or without pads and intermediate or late skids.  Probably pressed spoke idlers and plain disc sprockets.  Open spoke or pressed spoke roadwheels.  Sherman Minutia should help you with options.

Just the info i needed thank you very much ...now i have something to work on..... do any of the tamiya kits offer a turret that might lend to this build? i ask about the Tamiya kits because there cheap and i won't mind hacking one of those apart for this. I know AFV Club do a set of bogies that might fit the bill, The kit was supposed to have the engine rear plate but it wasn't in the box but it shouldn't be too hard to scratch that..... USMC sounds interesting but i haven't done any British armour so that is tempting as well.

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I might have an M4A2 rear end in my parts box.  I'll have a rummage.  Tamiya's M4 Early should provide lower hull, suspension and turret but has the bolted final drive.  They can be picked up quite cheaply.  The upper hull in that kit is pants anyway as they put an M4A4 glacis on, but you should be able to use all the fittings and small parts.  I actually have one of those in my surplus pile.

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1 minute ago, Das Abteilung said:

I might have an M4A2 rear end in my parts box.  I'll have a rummage.  Tamiya's M4 Early should provide lower hull, suspension and turret but has the bolted final drive.  They can be picked up quite cheaply.  The upper hull in that kit is pants anyway as they put an M4A4 glacis on, but you should be able to use all the fittings and small parts.  I actually have one of those in my surplus pile.

OOOhhh if you can spare the kit and have the rear end drop me a pm and i will paypal you the cash, much rather it went in your pocket than some random on Ebay...and thanks again for the help .....i'm on Sherman minutia at the moment reading as much as i can :nerd:

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