| 4th Cuirassier | 24 Mar 2023 5:13 a.m. PST |
Monogram made and Revell has occasionally reissued two 1/32 Shermans. One's a cast hull Sherman Calliope which I think is an M4A1. The other is usually just billed as an M4 but does anyone know what variant it actually is? Reason for asking is that I'm contemplating acquiring one to turn into a 1/32 Firefly. To do that it has to be an M4 or M4A4, because there were Ic and Vc Fireflies only. It sure isn't the latter, but does any Sherman expert here know which it is meant to be for sure? Here is a photo of the parts showing the engine deck:
flic.kr/p/Mcj7p4 Thoughts? |
Marc33594  | 24 Mar 2023 6:35 a.m. PST |
It appears to be an oversimplified M4 "small hatch". |
| dBerczerk | 24 Mar 2023 9:21 a.m. PST |
21st Century Toys, sadly now out-of-production, made a nice Sherman Firefly in 1/32 scale. You can, however, still occasionally find them reasonably-priced on eBay. auction |
| Heedless Horseman | 24 Mar 2023 9:51 a.m. PST |
You could enquire whether Butlers printed models might be able to upscale 1/48 Sherman variants… but would cost. 1/48 £22.00 GBP+. |
 deadhead | 24 Mar 2023 11:07 a.m. PST |
I remember that Monogram model and I loved it. They called it a "Hedgehog" and gave it the Cullin Hedgerow fitting. Snag was that they left it with the earlier M3 suspension. The tank is an M4, no doubt, from the engine cover (but a very early one).The return rollers are directly above the suspension (as seen on the Grant/Lee and M7 SP gun and the earliest Shermans), not behind, wrong for US Army by 1944. Small mantlet as well, which is not impossible for Normandy Bocage. Would be a difficult prospect for any of the three Firefly variants. Why 1/32? Glutton for punishment? |
| Marc33594 | 25 Mar 2023 7:24 a.m. PST |
One up on me deadhead I didnt even notice the suspension! |
| Heedless Horseman | 25 Mar 2023 12:41 p.m. PST |
If you like 1/32 vehicles… LONG time ago, Airfix did Brit Cromwell and German 251 h/t in 'soft' plastic. Probably V rare, but were quite nice! |
| deadhead | 25 Mar 2023 2:45 p.m. PST |
They did a Panther in soft plastic and I am sure there were others. But that was a LONG time ago indeed. I do recall, in hard plastic, 1/32 scale models of the M3 Lee and Grant and a Crusader (surely others). They were all designed to go with the brilliant Multipose range of WWII figures. EEEEEH, them were the days. Kids now, they haven't a clue…. |
| 4th Cuirassier | 26 Mar 2023 7:49 a.m. PST |
The Monogram M3s – there was a Lee and a Grant – used the same suspension sprues as the two M4 kits. Probably they looked near enough. The whole range was quite rational like that. Off one set of suspension and hull parts, they also managed to produce no fewer than six Panzer IV variants: IVH, StuG IV, JgPz IV, StuPz IV, Ostwind, and Wirbelwind. I'm aware of the various 1/32 options but the only one that's not really rare is the Revellogram. The various Airfix soft poly offerings can still be had through CTS except they're now in hard poly and made in China. There was a 1/32 soft poly Sherman, briefly, although they packaged it with the running gear fitted back to front. That suspension is the drawback with most of them – it's crude and one-piece. Anyway thanks all for the ID… |
| Marc33594 | 26 Mar 2023 9:44 a.m. PST |
Well to be fair the early Shermans did indeed have the older M3 suspension. |
| 4th Cuirassier | 27 Mar 2023 1:28 a.m. PST |
The other error with the running gear is that there is a widget on the outside of the tracks that holds each link to the next which on the Monogram kit is in the middle instead. The 21st Century toys Fireflies are £55.00 GBP to £100.00 GBP on UK eBay so not really an option. |
bases more of his German artillery tractors.
