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Description
Into battle the waged, track to track, mile by mile until the final victor over Nazi Germany was finally ascertained. Shermans, of different marks, of different specifications but all with the same purpose in mind.

To wage war against and otherwise unstoppable enemy.

From Normandy to the the Scheldt. From The Pas De Calaise to the Battle of the Bulge, men fought and died for their beliefs.

So here are photo's of my four M4 models built so far. Likely to be more in future too as I need practice getting the level of grime & weathering right. I'm of two minds regarding the first as I think it's too dark but happy otherwise.

First: M4 Sherman, cast hull, 75mm gun. Fought in the Normandy Campaign and originally landed on Omaha Beach, June 6 1944.

The 75mm wasn't the best gun and it wasn't until the introduction of the 76mm high velocity that the Sherman could penetrate more armour. The German Panthers & Tigers frontal armour was too thick for the penetration of the short barreled 75mm as this gun was originally designed for HE not AP. Statistically it took the sacrifice of 5 Shermans to take down a german Tiger or Panther.

Poor bastards.

Second: M4A3 105mm. Believed to have fought in the Battle of the Bulge, Belgium, 1944. This is the M4A3 chassis with the short barreled 105mm howitzer designed as a mobile infantry support tank. This being a more direct source of arty compared to the need for mobile arty like the M7 Priest of M41.

In World of Tanks I used the 105mm gun in my Sherman and it can cause some real havoc, especially on smaller tanks, even bigger tanks if you use a HEAT round.

Third: M4A3 (76) W, served in the Italian campaign against the German Afrika Corp. The mid production M4A3 Sherman with the 76mm high velocity cannon. Slightly stronger armour which was assisted with the angled frontal glacis. I play World of Tanks and it does help at certain angles but it won't stop a Tigers 88mm still. :c

The Sherman was at a disadvantage during the Italian Campaign as it wasn't able to use it's higher flanking speed in the confines of the mountainous region of the Italian countryside. This left it more of a mobile gun platform.

Forth: The venerable Sherman Firely Vc. Serving with the British armoured core during the battle of the Howich Gap. The Firefly was an improved version of the Sherman designed for use by the British. The chassis was lengthened 5 inches and up gunned with the British 17 pounder or 87mm. This was an adaption of their 17 pound AT gun normally used by the infantry and a real tiger Killer. A typical British tank troop consisted of 4 Sherman III's with the 75mm and one Firefly (either Ic or Vc).

It was believed originally that the German Tiger Ace Michael Wittmann [link] was killed by RAF Hawker Typhoons during the battle of France. This fact though has been dispelled as historically accepted that Trooper Joe Ekins, the gunner in a Sherman Firefly of the 1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry fired the killing shot.

Models wise they're all of the 1/72 Dragon Armour Pro series and come with high detailed parts, DS tracks (their own composite plastic not rubber) and Photo Etched parts (fiddly but worth it). The retail for around $25 but worth the $$$. Dragon cover lots of different subject so lots of choice, even the Ferdinand & Stug III.

Painted with Mr Color lacquers and weathered with acrylic paints & Mig pigment dusts. I'm getting better with each one but still more to learn but one at a time.

Description
Into battle the waged, track to track, mile by mile until the final victor over Nazi Germany was finally ascertained. Shermans, of different marks, of different specifications but all with the same purpose in mind.

To wage war against and otherwise unstoppable enemy.

From Normandy to the the Scheldt. From The Pas De Calaise to the Battle of the Bulge, men fought and died for their beliefs.

So here are photo's of my four M4 models built so far. Likely to be more in future too as I need practice getting the level of grime & weathering right. I'm of two minds regarding the first as I think it's too dark but happy otherwise.

First: M4 Sherman, cast hull, 75mm gun. Fought in the Normandy Campaign and originally landed on Omaha Beach, June 6 1944.

The 75mm wasn't the best gun and it wasn't until the introduction of the 76mm high velocity that the Sherman could penetrate more armour. The German Panthers & Tigers frontal armour was too thick for the penetration of the short barreled 75mm as this gun was originally designed for HE not AP. Statistically it took the sacrifice of 5 Shermans to take down a german Tiger or Panther.

Poor bastards.

Second: M4A3 105mm. Believed to have fought in the Battle of the Bulge, Belgium, 1944. This is the M4A3 chassis with the short barreled 105mm howitzer designed as a mobile infantry support tank. This being a more direct source of arty compared to the need for mobile arty like the M7 Priest of M41.

In World of Tanks I used the 105mm gun in my Sherman and it can cause some real havoc, especially on smaller tanks, even bigger tanks if you use a HEAT round.

Third: M4A3 (76) W, served in the Italian campaign against the German Afrika Corp. The mid production M4A3 Sherman with the 76mm high velocity cannon. Slightly stronger armour which was assisted with the angled frontal glacis. I play World of Tanks and it does help at certain angles but it won't stop a Tigers 88mm still. :c

The Sherman was at a disadvantage during the Italian Campaign as it wasn't able to use it's higher flanking speed in the confines of the mountainous region of the Italian countryside. This left it more of a mobile gun platform.

Forth: The venerable Sherman Firely Vc. Serving with the British armoured core during the battle of the Howich Gap. The Firefly was an improved version of the Sherman designed for use by the British. The chassis was lengthened 5 inches and up gunned with the British 17 pounder or 87mm. This was an adaption of their 17 pound AT gun normally used by the infantry and a real tiger Killer. A typical British tank troop consisted of 4 Sherman III's with the 75mm and one Firefly (either Ic or Vc).

It was believed originally that the German Tiger Ace Michael Wittmann [link] was killed by RAF Hawker Typhoons during the battle of France. This fact though has been dispelled as historically accepted that Trooper Joe Ekins, the gunner in a Sherman Firefly of the 1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry fired the killing shot.

Models wise they're all of the 1/72 Dragon Armour Pro series and come with high detailed parts, DS tracks (their own composite plastic not rubber) and Photo Etched parts (fiddly but worth it). The retail for around $25 but worth the $$$. Dragon cover lots of different subject so lots of choice, even the Ferdinand & Stug III.

Painted with Mr Color lacquers and weathered with acrylic paints & Mig pigment dusts. I'm getting better with each one but still more to learn but one at a time.