Dunc2610 Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 Little help required, I don't build armor at all, only 1/48 WW2 planes, and know where I'm at with these. But armor I'm somewhat clueless, so I'm after some guidance as to the 'best' kit to enable me to build the 'Fury' Sherman. I don't know why, but I thought there was a specific kit released for this? Any guidance on an appropriate kit would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig Eater Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 Italeri have a 1/35 kit specifically for Fury. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunc2610 Posted January 30, 2023 Author Share Posted January 30, 2023 9 minutes ago, Mig Eater said: Italeri have a 1/35 kit specifically for Fury. I saw this on Scalemates, but no idea what the kit quality is like? If its naff, I'd rather avoid seeing as I'm used to Eduard quality kits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig Eater Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 The Italeri kit isn't the best M4A3E8 kit available, but from what I have see (you can do on a search on the forum to see several builds) it looks like it can be built into a nice looking model without any problems. It's the only kit available that has all the correct stowage & decals for Fury, so even if you buy another Sherman kit you'd need the Italeri one for all the extra Fury specific parts anyway. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunc2610 Posted January 30, 2023 Author Share Posted January 30, 2023 10 minutes ago, Mig Eater said: The Italeri kit isn't the best M4A3E8 kit available, but from what I have see (you can do on a search on the forum to see several builds) it looks like it can be built into a nice looking model without any problems. It's the only kit available that has all the correct stowage & decals for Fury, so even if you buy another Sherman kit you'd need the Italeri one for all the extra Fury specific parts anyway. What is the verdict on the 'best' M4A3E8 kit, this is the 'Easy Eight' variant correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig Eater Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 (edited) The "best" M4A3E8 currently available is the Rye Field Model kit with full interior, it comes with over 1900 parts though so I wouldn't recommend it for someones first armour build 😅 The Tamiya M4A3E8 is arguably the best all round kit, with good detail, low part count & ease of building. I would say that the Italeri isn't that far behind the Tamiya one though, so I'd recommend just getting the Italeri kit. "Fun fact" Fury is depicted as an M4A3E8 (common version of the Sherman used by American forces in Europe late war) but the actual tank used in the film is a M4A2E8, the M4A2E8 is an extremely rare version of the Sherman that was only used by the Soviet Union in WW2. There are no model kits of an M4A2E8 available so you'd have to combine several different kits together to make a screen accurate Fury. Edited January 30, 2023 by Mig Eater 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunc2610 Posted January 30, 2023 Author Share Posted January 30, 2023 8 minutes ago, Mig Eater said: The "best" M4A3E8 currently available is the Rye Field Model kit with full interior, it comes with over 1900 parts though so I wouldn't recommend it for someones first armour build 😅 The Tamiya M4A3E8 is arguably the best all round kit, with good detail, low part count & ease of building. I would say that the Italeri isn't that far behind the Tamiya one though, so I'd recommend just getting the Italeri kit. "Fun fact" Fury is depicted as an M4A3E8 (common version of the Sherman used by American forces in Europe late war) but the actual tank used in the film is a M4A2E8, the M4A2E8 is an extremely rare version of the Sherman that was only used by the Soviet Union in WW2. There are no model kits of an M4A2E8 available so you'd have to combine several different kits together to make a screen accurate Fury. I take it you mean THIS Tamiya varient? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig Eater Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 (edited) Fury has several post-war features & different tracks so this one might be more suitable if you want to try a Tamiya kit. Edit: Just noticed that Fury used T84 tracks, The Tamiya "European Theater" kit has T66 tracks & the "Korean war" kit has T80 tracks. The Italeri kit has the correct T84 tracks so that's another reason to just get that one. Edited January 30, 2023 by Mig Eater 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingsman Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 The key question is whether you want to build the tank that the Film star actually is, or the tank it is meant to be. And how accurate you want to be. The film tank is a diesel M4A2 HVSS - only used by Russia in WW2 - posing as a petrol M4A3E8 as used by the US Army in the last few months of WW2. It also has post-war rubber tracks. The Italeri kit is neither one or the other and isn't a great kit. But it is quite straightforward and gives you the parts to make Fury, although it is the wrong type to be the actual film star itself. Engine deck and rear hull are wrong. If you just want to make a US Army 76mm M4A3E8 Sherman late in WW2 as per the film plot then you could do a lot worse than the Tamiya M4A3E8. If you want something a little better but harder and more expensive, get the RFM version. If you want the much more common 76mm M4A3 with the original suspension type then the Zvezda kit is very nice, quite simple and relatively cheap. Meng do a nice one too. The Fury configuration really only works for 1945. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunc2610 Posted January 30, 2023 Author Share Posted January 30, 2023 34 minutes ago, Kingsman said: If you just want to make a US Army 76mm M4A3E8 Sherman late in WW2 as per the film plot then you could do a lot worse than the Tamiya M4A3E8. If you want something a little better but harder and more expensive, get the RFM version. That's probably where I'm at to be honest, if the film depiction isn't really reality, I'm not that interested, I'd rather make what is supposed to be in reality, not a fictional mashup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanC Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 If you want a stress-free build I'd go for the Tamiya M4A3E8 kit. I made one recently and rate it as one of Tamiya's finest AFV kits to date. A bonus is that the commander figure appears to be modelled on Mr Pitt himself, hunkered down in the turret and directing the action! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingsman Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 16 hours ago, IanC said: the commander figure appears to be modelled on Mr Pitt himself Tamiya also do a separate figure set that seems to be closely modelled on the Fury crew. Clearly they can't say so or there will be big licence fees. 16 hours ago, IanC said: If you want a stress-free build I'd go for the Tamiya M4A3E8 kit. Agreed. It can be improved - it still has solid moulded handles for example - and you could add a copper tow cable from Eureka (which comes with nice 0.30" MG barrels - and an aircraft 0.50" barrel you can't use) and a metal gun barrel from RB, DEF etc. Have a look at the Wilcat's models website. He's a reliable supplier of such things in the UK. Other suppliers are available....... They do 2 versions. Don't get the Korean War version as it has features not found in WW2, or only found in the closing days of the war. You want this one. But if you want something better-detailed but more complex to build and don't mind 6-part individual T80 track links you could look at the Rye Field kit. Again they do a Korea version to avoid for WW2. But they also do an "early" version with much easier T66 tracks and the option of field-improvised applique armour. You can pick up the Tamiya kit for as little as £22.50 (Jadlam) whereas the RFM Early kit can be found in the low £40s. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanC Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 And just to plug the Tamiya kit a bit more, here's my 'Fury-style' build, incorporating some of the excellent crew figures - slightly modified - referred to above. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Smith Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 On 30/01/2023 at 10:26, Dunc2610 said: I don't build armor at all, only 1/48 WW2 planes, and know where I'm at with these. But armor I'm somewhat clueless, so I'm after some guidance as to the 'best' kit to enable me to build the 'Fury' Sherman. How good it would be for 'Fury' i don't know, but as you do 1/48th planes, you maybe interested in the 1/48th Tamiya M4A3E8 kit https://www.scalemates.com/kits/tamiya-32595-m4a3e8-sherman-easy-eight--1138360 the 1/48th Tamiya kits are noted for being easy builds, so as a non-armour builder that may appeal, along with scale compatibility though likely as much as the 1/35th in price, ah, a look at Jadlam shows the £22.50 kit IS the 1/48th model, the 1/35th Tamiya is £34.95 @Kingsman maybe able to add some info on what is in the box, though 1/48th is not his area. HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingsman Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 34 minutes ago, Troy Smith said: a look at Jadlam shows the £22.50 kit IS the 1/48th model, the 1/35th Tamiya is £34.95 Whoopsie. Apologies all. Same box art........ Well in that case of £35 for Tamiya or £43 for RFM (Jumblies) then I would probably opt for the superior RFM if only to avoid the Tamiya vinyl tracks. But that's just me...... But if you want something very reasonable in the £20-£25 range as a first tank build then you could look at the Zvezda M4A3(76) with the original VVSS suspension. Same tank as Fury just different suspension. This version appeared in service in Aug 44 just in time for the Paris liberation whereas the E8 doesn't appear until 1945. You have the decal option of a Free French version - they were first to use it in action - as well as US. Plus early/late feature options and nice link and length tracks. Not a bad build at all: impressive for the money. Here's mine with after-market stowage and decals. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunc2610 Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 2 hours ago, Kingsman said: Whoopsie. Apologies all. Same box art........ Well in that case of £35 for Tamiya or £43 for RFM (Jumblies) then I would probably opt for the superior RFM if only to avoid the Tamiya vinyl tracks. But that's just me...... But if you want something very reasonable in the £20-£25 range as a first tank build then you could look at the Zvezda M4A3(76) with the original VVSS suspension. Same tank as Fury just different suspension. This version appeared in service in Aug 44 just in time for the Paris liberation whereas the E8 doesn't appear until 1945. You have the decal option of a Free French version - they were first to use it in action - as well as US. Plus early/late feature options and nice link and length tracks. Not a bad build at all: impressive for the money. Here's mine with after-market stowage and decals. I actually ordered the tamiya one (1/35 scale) from amazon! I'll give that one a whirl! If I get on with armour I might try the RFM one at a later date. Thank you all for your input. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keeff Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 I have built the 1/35 Italeri version 'Fury', but not as the film version. It wasn't a bad kit to build and I did it to get back into the hobby and attempt some damage and weathering too. Things to note: 1. Overall, not a bad kit but the Tamiya one is better 2. Some parts are brittle 3. Instructions were confusing at times Cheeky pic of my finished version ..... Keith 😁 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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