Codename: Sherman 2016 - 3pc Differential Housing Conversion 210122

[ripley]

Have you  ( Rubicon ) , given thought to selling single sprue  turret or wheel and track kits for the Sherman ? The various detail kits for the German 250/251 are a fantastic addition to your  line up , especially for those of us who like to kit bash model kits . I think various track/ wheel and turret/ gun combo kits would  appeal to model builders as well . There's a weird early / late war Frakentank Sherman at one of the local Veteran Associations here in Canada I would love to build ( looks to have Israeli stowage boxes on it !)

[Rubicon Models]

Have you  ( Rubicon ) , given thought to selling single sprue  turret or wheel and track kits for the Sherman ? The various detail kits for the German 250/251 are a fantastic addition to your  line up , especially for those of us who like to kit bash model kits . I think various track/ wheel and turret/ gun combo kits would  appeal to model builders as well . There's a weird early / late war Frakentank Sherman at one of the local Veteran Associations here in Canada I would love to build ( looks to have Israeli stowage boxes on it !)

Think is still too early to say.  We preferred not to sell individual sprues because of manpower issues.  We are a design studio and simply do not have the facility to handle that.

[Rubicon Models]

The perks of being on our forum... first to see new stuff being posted outside of the studio!
This is our new WIP M4A2 variants - Sherman Mk III... in 3d prototype!









Enjoy!

[Yaquir]

Looks fine.

[ultravanillasmurf]

Excellent, though one of their colleagues will complain they have stolen their sand Shields and welded them on as a storage solution ^__^.

On a related subject, how does it look without fitted sand shields?

[Pinky]

Great to see the M4A2 taking shape.

The notches in the top of the rear plate were for the stowage 'shelf' that wasn't fitted to this model of the M4A2.  The rear plate also had 2 rows of bolts arranged in a 'T' shape.  There should also be a track-tensioning device and a mallet fixed to the rear plate.

The sharp-edged 'hoods' for the driver and co-driver's hatches are a nice touch, and help to distinguish the (Fisher-built) M4A2.  I think there should be a weld seam between the hoods, but it's not a big deal.  This hull is therefore really a relatively early M4A2.

The use of sand shield sections to retain stowage was common on 3rd County of London Yeomanry Shermans.

[Rubicon Models]

This is something everyone is looking forward to!











Enjoy!

[Pinky]

Wow, that's really nice.  So many cool bits on one sprue!

[Yaquir]

Very good.

[ultravanillasmurf]

Is the Firefly hatch a surface mount or do you remove the material from the underside of the turret top?

Looks great.

Having the appliqué Armour separate s great as well.

I must compare the turrets to the M4A3 Firefly in the Osprey modelling 76mm Sherman book. Something for Weird War Americans?

[Rubicon Models]

Is the Firefly hatch a surface mount or do you remove the material from the underside of the turret top?

We have two hidden notches on the underside of the turret that you can drilled open before attaching the Firefly hatch to the turret.

Having the appliqué Armour separate s great as well.

We think so too.  This will enable you to create variety throughout the turret production cycle.  We have put in a lot of thoughts in the initial design stage... flipping through stacks of reference material!

[ultravanillasmurf]

Excellent, just spotted the smoke bomb thrower on the turret roof.

[ultravanillasmurf]

Is it a statistical anomaly that only British Shermans with the right bustle aerial fitting in use were photographed or was that standard for British tanks.

I have drilled and fitted a stub on all my models.

[Rubicon Models]

Is it a statistical anomaly that only British Shermans with the right bustle aerial fitting in use were photographed or was that standard for British tanks.

At least from photos, a majority (closeup images) had them disregard of Sherman types.

[Pinky]

A couple of photos (of Red Army vehicles)  to illustrate my earlier comments about the M4A2.

The rear plate on a late production 75mm M4A2.  You can see the tool stowage, and the bolts.  Also the steel cleat tracks.



A side view of a late production 75mm M4A2.  The hull appliqué armour is visible.  Nearly all of this variant had appliqué armour because (despite having the revised glacis and large hatches) 'wet' stowage wasn't installed until the upgrade to the 76mm version.  This should be included in the kit.  This version also usually ( but not always) had the folding 'shelf' on the rear plate.