Author Topic: British Shermans  (Read 12078 times)

Pinky

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,726
    • View Profile
Re: British Shermans
« Reply #15 on: February 03, 2018, 05:20:56 pm »
The Marines got the M4A2 because their first preferences (the M4A3, M4A1 and M4A4, in that order) were earmarked for other users.  In 1945 they began to shift over to the M4A3 because production of the M4A2 (75mm) ceased.  Some units kept the M4A2, and while a few older types soldiered on, there were replacement "large hatch" vehicles.  They are hard to distinguish from "large hatch" M4A3s, however, unless you can see the engine deck or the hull sides (which had applique armour, but this was increasingly covered with improvised protection).

elias.tibbs

  • Corporal
  • **
  • Posts: 422
    • View Profile
Re: British Shermans
« Reply #16 on: February 04, 2018, 05:12:25 am »
Yep, that was defiantly an A2 large Hatch stuck in the mud!

It must have been the 76 that they didn’t get the A2 of.
"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."
A (Cam)Bridge Too Far - A UK based Bolt Action Tournament

Pinky

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,726
    • View Profile
Re: British Shermans
« Reply #17 on: February 04, 2018, 10:19:01 am »
Only the Soviets got the M4A2 (76mm).  The Marines didn't use any of the 76mm variants.

elias.tibbs

  • Corporal
  • **
  • Posts: 422
    • View Profile
Re: British Shermans
« Reply #18 on: February 04, 2018, 06:18:37 pm »
Well, the Brits did get sent 6 ^_^
"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."
A (Cam)Bridge Too Far - A UK based Bolt Action Tournament

Pinky

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,726
    • View Profile
Re: British Shermans
« Reply #19 on: March 10, 2018, 04:45:35 pm »
I finally picked up the Hybrid Firefly and Sherman III kits.  Lovely stuff - I am really looking forward to building them.  I love the new plastic colour - a great improvement, and the detail seems sharper.  The various alternative parts are also very welcome.  I have binned my Warlord Fireflies, which are crude and uninspired by comparison.

ripley

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,849
    • View Profile
Re: British Shermans
« Reply #20 on: March 10, 2018, 10:42:58 pm »
Pinky , turn them into Kangaroos . Put a half dozen figures in the turret race and cover up the soft detail of the hull with ammo boxes , fuel cans and the ever present tarp  ;D I would go the route Warlord does with their Ram Kangaroo , by using half figures . Good way to use up those blah metal figures we've all got gathering dust

Pinky

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,726
    • View Profile
Re: British Shermans
« Reply #21 on: March 10, 2018, 10:58:59 pm »
I don't think M4A3s got converted into Kangaroos.  Anyway, I literally binned them.  I want all the chassis to look the same.  I'm going to try and mate the M4A2 chassis with the M10 hull.

The Rubicon Hybrid goes together extremely well.  The new 75mm turret is excellent.
« Last Edit: March 10, 2018, 11:09:49 pm by Pinky »

ultravanillasmurf

  • Lieutenant
  • ****
  • Posts: 2,305
    • View Profile
    • Blog:
Re: British Shermans
« Reply #22 on: March 11, 2018, 02:15:42 am »
Though I can understand the impulse, I will finish my remaining three Sherman Vs - by which time Rubicon will have issued theirs (admittedly one is Hercules - which is waiting for another German stowage set).

I have one original Rubicon M4A3 for an E4 film star.


Pinky

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,726
    • View Profile
Re: British Shermans
« Reply #23 on: March 26, 2018, 09:57:56 am »
I've now built the M4A2/Sherman III, and nearly finished the basic assembly on 2 M4 Composite/Hybrid Fireflies.

Rubicon's Shermans are a lot of fun to build.  It's very cool having all the different variants available in this scale.  I am still a huge fan of their simplified tracks, and much prefer them to trying to line up Warlord/Italeri's tracks (which usually don't quite fit properly).  So the hull and running gear just about falls together.  The improved detail on the lower rear hull is good on both - especially the Sherman III.  This means that what is normally the most tedious part of assembling a tank kit can be done in 10-15 minutes. 

The 75mm turret sprue is probably the best feature of these kits; it has lots of options, very sharp detail and everything goes together nicely.  The 'wargame scale' .50 cal is a good addition, but I think they should just mould all their .50 cals like this.  It would be good if it came with separate handgrips.  It's otherwise reasonably accurate, apart from the mounting.     

The hull pieces are a little bit less satisfactory.  The rear plate on the Hybrid hull doesn't sit as well as it should, although the rest of the hull is excellent (and accurate).  The M4A2 'small hatch' hull could have done with some more thought; it would have been relatively easy to include the initial glacis with the direct vision ports, and the earlier style hatches.  The hatches supplied have moulded-on periscope guards which were only introduced in late 1943.  So you end up with a quite late 'small hatch' version that doesn't go with the early turret configurations, and which probably should have applique armour (which you have to make yourself).

A few tips:
- Fill the join where the hull rear plate meets the hull sides. 
- Remember to drill out the locating holes for the various Firefly additions before you start assembling.
- If you're using the full sandshields, be careful when you attach them.  They should stand out slightly from the hull sides - they shouldn't be flush.  You'll also need to make the inner sections on the rear of the sandshields, which are simply left open on the kit.  This is a fiddly job, which I haven't attempted yet.
- It seems like a good idea not to attach the upper and lower hull sections until you've painted the suspension.  These fit together really well, so it's quite easy to do it this way. 

There aren't many accessories.  There are several crew upper bodies (British and American), but the detail is still rather soft for my tastes.  The Sherman III kit includes a couple of stowage retainers for the upper hull.  These were actually fashioned from the rear section of the sandshields and welded to the hull, so you should remove the rear section of your sandshields if you're using them.  I think this was a bit of a waste of sprue space, as only 1 unit made this modification.
« Last Edit: March 27, 2018, 11:00:14 am by Pinky »

ultravanillasmurf

  • Lieutenant
  • ****
  • Posts: 2,305
    • View Profile
    • Blog:
Re: British Shermans
« Reply #24 on: March 26, 2018, 03:49:39 pm »
Useful to know, thanks.

Look forward to seeing them.

The Shermans are on my Salute shopping list.

Pinky

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,726
    • View Profile
Re: British Shermans
« Reply #25 on: March 26, 2018, 04:12:35 pm »
I'll put up some photos soon.  In case it didn't come across - I really like my Rubicon Hybrid Fireflies! 

elias.tibbs

  • Corporal
  • **
  • Posts: 422
    • View Profile
Re: British Shermans
« Reply #26 on: March 26, 2018, 04:55:50 pm »
The Shermans are on my Salute shopping list.

Should drop me a message some time, I have them in stock ^_^
"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."
A (Cam)Bridge Too Far - A UK based Bolt Action Tournament