Author Topic: Tracks' M4 Medium tank thread  (Read 47843 times)

Tracks

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Re: Tracks' M4 Medium tank thread
« Reply #15 on: April 19, 2018, 10:45:40 pm »
All depends on your point of view, the M4A4 is more important than the others - at least for my interests (and we all remember Pinky's opinion on the currently available options).

The M4A4, or the Sherman with the lengthened hull. Another important version, I agree! However, a plastic M4A4 (Sherman V) kit is available to us. It is made by PSC for Warlord Games, and while it might not be of Rubicon Models excellence, it is still a pretty good plastic model kit, and so much better than any resin kit.

That being said, the reality is that no one makes a plastic M4A1 kit... yet.  ;)

...and/or:

  • M4A3E2 Jumbo
  • M32


A Sherman Jumbo... now here is an idea. How easy would it be to scratch build one of these using Rubicon Models M4A3 / M4A3E8 Sherman (Product Code: 280042)? Using plastic sheets (Evergreen Scale Models) it should be pretty easy to add the extra armor on the hull. The new casting for the heavier final drive assembly cover looked almost similar to the standard rounded cover, so just using part E26 might work without modification. I think the biggest problem would be the turret. Even though it was based on the T23 76 mm turret, there are some differences, but how easy would it be to convert the kit's turret into a Jumbo turret?

Oh, and you will have to use parts D20 and D21 because I think all the Jumbos used the track extenders. This was because of the extra weight of the tank.

Trivial Note: I would like to point out that the name "Jumbo" does not appear in any official wartime documents. It was simply called the M4A3E2 Assault tank. The name "Jumbo" came later after the war. Some say that the post-war nickname was created by a model company.


Even easier to make might be the Field Expedient Jumbo. We would start with the Rubicon Models M4A3 / M4A3E8 Sherman (Product Code: 280042) to make a Field Expedient Jumbo. These were created using 76mm gun armed M4A3 with HVSS by increasing the armor protection with additional armor welded to the glacis and turret. The additional armor was scavenged from wrecked tanks (German and American), but not from knocked-out tanks that burned - the heat of the intense fire compromised the steel. Other M4s were preferable because the entire glacis plates from wrecked Sherman tanks could be cut out and welded to the vehicle without needing to move gun travel lock or cutting a hole for the bow MG.

I have already assembled and painted my two M4A3 / M4A3E8 Sherman (Product Code: 280042). Now I have to order another one!


ultravanillasmurf

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Re: Tracks' M4 Medium tank thread
« Reply #16 on: April 19, 2018, 11:18:44 pm »
The M4A4, or the Sherman with the lengthened hull. Another important version, I agree! However, a plastic M4A4 (Sherman V) kit is available to us. It is made by PSC for Warlord Games, and while it might not be of Rubicon Models excellence, it is still a pretty good plastic model kit, and so much better than any resin kit.
I have two each of the two Sherman Vs (though only one finished and one under construction):
http://ultravanillasmurf.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Sherman%20V

« Last Edit: April 19, 2018, 11:22:42 pm by ultravanillasmurf »

ultravanillasmurf

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Re: Tracks' M4 Medium tank thread
« Reply #17 on: April 19, 2018, 11:39:45 pm »
Company B used to do an upgrade kit for Abram's later Thunderbolt, now they just do the kit.

ripley

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Re: Tracks' M4 Medium tank thread
« Reply #18 on: April 20, 2018, 08:08:32 am »
I think a reasonable Jumbo could be made using the Rubicon turret as a starting point . Build up the sides with thin plastic and add curves and texture with green stuff . I did that to a BA T-34 Uralmash turret , the one supplied in the kit is way to narrow / small . But I had very good 4 view scale drawings and numerous pictures  of the turret and I had 3 turret shells from the BA Platoon box , so I had lots of wiggle room if I f#cked one up ( which I did  ::) ) . If you only have one turret to work with , and this kind of kit bashing is not in your comfort zone , you might just wreak the turret . Now if you have a few left over turrets from numerous Rubicon  kits , you have the means to hone your skills and make a go of it . Still going to need good  4 view scale drawings though or maybe have the Company B tank on hand as a visual reference . Green stuff would work well to bulk up the cast nose .  On the other hand Company B have this add on lit which they say fits " most " 1/56 scale Shermans . At $11 US it might be a easier way to get your self a Jumbo

« Last Edit: April 20, 2018, 10:07:40 am by ripley »

Pinky

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Re: Tracks' M4 Medium tank thread
« Reply #19 on: April 20, 2018, 10:55:30 am »
Even easier to make might be the Field Expedient Jumbo. We would start with the Rubicon Models M4A3 / M4A3E8 Sherman (Product Code: 280042) to make a Field Expedient Jumbo. These were created using 76mm gun armed M4A3 with HVSS by increasing the armor protection with additional armor welded to the glacis and turret. The additional armor was scavenged from wrecked tanks (German and American), but not from knocked-out tanks that burned - the heat of the intense fire compromised the steel. Other M4s were preferable because the entire glacis plates from wrecked Sherman tanks could be cut out and welded to the vehicle without needing to move gun travel lock or cutting a hole for the bow MG.


I would like to see you do one of these!

It would be relatively easy for Rubicon to produce an M4A3E2 resin upgrade.  It would  require a resin turret, preferably with a separate mantlet, and a new transmission housing.  I suppose the hull could just be modified with plastic card, but I'd hope that Rubicon would do the hull in resin as well.

We seem to have hijacked Tracks' thread...

Jimmy_P

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Re: Tracks' M4 Medium tank thread
« Reply #20 on: April 20, 2018, 07:06:32 pm »
I have already assembled and painted my two M4A3 / M4A3E8 Sherman (Product Code: 280042). Now I have to order another one!


They look fantastic by the way!

Tracks

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Re: Tracks' M4 Medium tank thread
« Reply #21 on: April 23, 2018, 05:48:09 pm »
We seem to have hijacked Tracks' thread...

No worries!
As long as its M4 Medium tank related, it applies here.  :)

Tracks

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Re: Tracks' M4 Medium tank thread
« Reply #22 on: April 25, 2018, 02:26:01 am »
Not so many years ago the only Sherman tanks (or any vehicles really) available in 1:56 (28mm) scale were these resin kits with metal bits.  These days the gamer/modeler has a pretty good selection of plastic Sherman tanks in 1:56 (28mm) scale to choose from, and these new plastic kits are far superior than the old resin kits. Especially with the Rubicon Models kits because of all the options they provide with most of the parts from the different kits being interchangeable. This gives the gamer/modeler a wide assortment of choices.

Currently Rubicon offers the following plastic kits:
M4A3 / M4A3E8 Sherman - http://www.rubiconmodels.com/products.php?i=55
M4A2(W)76 Sherman - http://www.rubiconmodels.com/products.php?i=67
M4A2 Sherman / Sherman Mk III - http://www.rubiconmodels.com/products.php?i=68
M4 Sherman / Firefly IC - http://www.rubiconmodels.com/products.php?i=73
M4 Composite / Firefly IC Hybrid - http://www.rubiconmodels.com/products.php?i=74

Warlord Games (WG) also has a few to offer:
M4 (75) Sherman - (by Italieri for WG)
M4A4 (75) Sherman - (by Plastic Soldier Company for WG)
M4A4 Firefly - (by Plastic Soldier Company for WG)



This gives us a really good selection of plastic Sherman tanks to choose from, but as mentioned earlier in this thread, the only major version of the Sherman tank in plastic missing from the list above is the M4A1 with its cast upper hull, but it has been said that Rubicon Models will be releasing a plastic kit of the M4A1 in the future.
« Last Edit: April 25, 2018, 03:53:20 pm by Tracks »

ultravanillasmurf

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Re: Tracks' M4 Medium tank thread
« Reply #23 on: April 25, 2018, 04:07:25 am »

ripley

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Re: Tracks' M4 Medium tank thread
« Reply #24 on: April 25, 2018, 04:11:55 am »
Did you forget the Warlord M4 ? Much better kit IMO than their A4 versions

Tracks

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Re: Tracks' M4 Medium tank thread
« Reply #25 on: April 25, 2018, 03:49:44 pm »
Did you forget the Warlord M4 ? Much better kit IMO than their A4 versions

Oops! My bad. I have the version listed as the M4A3, but you are correct in that it is the M4 version. It even says "M4 Sherman Medium Tank" right on the box (Doh!). I will fix the listing above.

The plastic Sherman kits offered by Warlord Games are made by two different companies. The M4 kit was made by Italeri while both the M4A4 kits were made by PSC. I think both are good plastic kits, but I would have to agree with you in that the Italeri kit is a little better than the PSC kits.

Pinky

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Re: Tracks' M4 Medium tank thread
« Reply #26 on: April 25, 2018, 06:58:33 pm »
The plastic Sherman kits offered by Warlord Games are made by two different companies. The M4 kit was made by Italeri while both the M4A4 kits were made by PSC. I think both are good plastic kits, but I would have to agree with you in that the Italeri kit is a little better than the PSC kits.

The plastic Sherman V is okay, but no better than that.  The detail is very chunky, and parts of it are overscale.  It looks more like a resin model than a plastic one.  As I've mentioned, I threw my Vc Fireflies away when the Rubicon M4 and M4 Composite kits came out. 

ultravanillasmurf

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Re: Tracks' M4 Medium tank thread
« Reply #27 on: April 25, 2018, 09:25:56 pm »
Compare the Mantlet dot com (sans Russian mongooses).
Italeri/Warlord M4

Warlord M4A4.


I have three Rubicon 75mm turret sets to build, but only have 76mm (one original, one new) turrets built.

Tracks

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Re: Tracks' M4 Medium tank thread
« Reply #28 on: May 03, 2018, 08:32:47 pm »


Rubicon has already said they will produce the M4A1, but I wonder if they are planning on an early, mid, or late production version? Or will they include bits like M3 and M4 bogies for example so that the modeler will have a choice to make an early, mid, or late?

ultravanillasmurf

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Re: Tracks' M4 Medium tank thread
« Reply #29 on: May 03, 2018, 09:14:41 pm »
Contrary to the 3d picture above...
Rubicon have indicated that they are doing the parts for an early M4A1 (vertical bogies, bolted transmission housing), so we could be looking at different M4A1 hulls - early small hatch with direct vision ports, later small hatch, perhaps with applique armour, and large hatch (76mm) version.
http://forum.rubiconmodels.com/index.php?topic=395.msg9540#msg9540
I suspect only two hull options, but it might be possible to have separate drivers' hoods for the direct vision option mentioned by Pinky.