Project: 1/35 M4A3(75)W Sherman Progress

Here's the M4A3 as it stands now. Most major assembly has been completed, and all that needs to be done is mount the stowage rack and spare track links on the rear hull, as well as the tank commander's hatches. One negative point about this kit is that the loader's hatch is molded close, and requires surgery in order to model it open. So I understand, newer issues of this kit modified the mold so the loader's hatch can be posed open. 

Paint jobs on these tanks were pretty standard Olive Drab, like most US Army equipment during WWII. While plain OD is often used as a point in the detriment for modeling US Army equipment in WWII, it can actually weather in interesting ways, something I'd like to really bring out on this kit.

Another modeling point I'd like to explore is stowage. Many period pictures of these vehicles in service showed vehicles loaded down with lots of crew stowage. These vehicles were designed for extended operations in the field, so the crew tended to acquire a lot of equipment to make their home on wheels more livable. Much of the stowage for this vehicle will probably come from the after-market, though I have yet to decide on what exactly that will be.

Project: 1/35 M4A3(75)W Sherman

The M4 Sherman was the standard battle tank of the US Army and Marines in WWII. When it came out it was reasonably powerful and armored, able to tackle German tanks of the era on close to an even footing. Although advances in gun technology on the German side would reflect poorly on the Sherman, it was reliable, available in large numbers, and able to get to where it was going.

The M4A3 was an effort to utilize the US industrial capacity to its fullest extent. It replaced the Wright radial engine with paired Ford truck engines, giving it a boost in horsepower as well as reliability (acceleration was smoother, for example, when compared to the Wright engine which "hesitated" when the accelerator was depressed all the way). The hull was later upgraded as well, eliminating the bulges for the driver and co-driver (thus enhancing protection) as well as containing the cannon stores in "wet" tanks filled with anti-freeze. This effectively reduced the tendency of the Sherman to burn when penetrated, and helped with crew survival.

When Tamiya came out with their M4A3 kit, the market was pretty thin on Shermans. The Tamiya kit was then a big leap forward, providing a reasonably detailed kit of an important tank. Over the years, other Shermans have been released that potentially supplant or exceed the Tamiya kit. But the nice thing about it is that it is available and easy to aquire. Out of the box it can be built into a reasonable replica.

For this project, I'm keeping it fairly simple: no aftermarket parts to speak of and just a few details added that are missing. The biggest detail missing on this kit are the 3 bolts on the bottom of the suspension bogies, an easy fix with some Grandt Line bolts. Other than that, however, I want to keep it simple.