M4 Sherman - Early Production

James C
Have been fluffing around with this build for something a little bit different.
Still shiny form the clear gloss coat I used prior to applying the decals.
Once it's had a wash I'll knock back the sheen with a flat clear coat and final weathering.
Still undecided how much of the stowage items I will end up using, but the kit includes quite a good assortment of various items.

Robin (WhiteGlint)
Nice work with the paintjob, James. Looking forward to the weathering.
I wonder, is it easier to paint a scheme like that with the turret attached or without?

James C
Thanks mate 🙂

I start by painting the hull first, then attach the turret to line up the scheme, then remove it again to paint it separately. You can also use a pencil to VERY lightly lay out the entire paint scheme with turret attached, then paint them separately as well.
With the exception of single colour schemes, I wouldn't recommend attempting to paint with turret attached (but that's just me) as you have to remove it anyway to cover the area beneath it etc 😉

Robin (WhiteGlint)
I think I will give the method with the pencil a try on my Type 10, thanks James. 🙂

James C
I finished it off late yesterday afternoon.

The kit was released back in 1995 as a retooled version of Tamiya's original 1981 M4 Sherman. While nowhere near as good as Tamiya's much more recent "Easy Eight" series of M4's, this one still holds up fairly well given it's age, with a nice cast texture over the upper hull and turret, and a good assortment of stowage items to choose from.

I ummed and erred a bit over whether to install the side skirts or not, but in the end I decided to put them on as a point of visual difference from the rest of the M4's currently in my stash (excluding the Dragon M4 Sherman Mk.III which is destined to be an NZ Army unit when I get around to building it)
Secondly, the sponsons on this kit are not closed off from below and would need plugging off if I were to leave the skirts off. With them on, you'd never know once the tracks are mounted. The tracks themselves are nicely detailed and can be glued together using ordinary plastic glue which is a bonus.

All up, well worth a look if you can get it cheap, but no comparison to Tamiya's more recent offerings of the subject.

The Value Gear resin sand bags, while supposedly being intended for use on this particular Tamiya kit were not very good in that it didn't want to sit flush against the hull. I broke out the dremel, and ground off the headlight mountings on the upper hull and removed a little material from the bottom of the piece of resin, and while improved a bit, it still didn't fit properly. I don't know if it was miss cast or warped etc, but in the end I had to pack the gaps beneath with white-tack. Based on this experience I'd not recommend using it.

Cheers! 🙂👍

Robin (WhiteGlint)
Very nice result, James.
Stowage, tools and sandbags are nicely painted and an overall good amount of dirt and weathering. 👍

Spanjaard
excellent as usual!

Neuling
Top build with wonderful colors and appropriate weathering! No problem visible with the sand bags. 👍

James C
Thanks WhiteGlint, Spanjaard and Neuling... cheers guys 🙂

Robert H.
looks great

James C
Many thanks Robert & Roland. Much appreciated guys 🙂👍

Scott
That's great

Rui S
Nice work, photo 14 looks really great 👍

Olivier
Great colour scheme ! And I agree with Rui about image 14.

James C
Thanks Scott, Rui and Olivier 🙂