This page contains photos of the 18th Scale model I am building from the action toy Sherman M4 model issued by 21st Century Toys:
21st Century Toys web site. Just put M4 in the search box and the models, photo will come up.I will write up full details as time allows, but just to give you the idea, here are some build photos. The first ones are before it had the base coat of paint on and the second set, once basic painting had been done.
The model is a compromise between a totally accurate model and the limitations of the model upon which it is based. The model has some limitations and there are some things that I chose to ignore as my skills do not allow me to correct with a degree of confidence that I could repair, if things went wrong!
Thus; known problems:
The model represents an M4, early production with some updates, low bustle turret, M34A1 mantlet, no loaders hatch, appliqué armour on hull and turret,pistol port. The figure provided is a US tank crewman, but without more work that I was willing to put in, it is not a scale human being. One has to say that the model as sold does look rather like the Tamiya M4 kit, with many details, such as the stowage being very similar, just twice the size!
The hull hatches are made too large, so as to accommodate the action figures. To solve would involve a complete rebuild of the hatch area, that was a bit too much for me on this occasion.
The suspension is late upswept VVS. As discussed in the book, this version of VVS is confirmed for only rather late M4 Hybrid Shermans. I have yet to see it confirmed on a rolled steel hull M4, but given recent developments one does tend to believe that with Shermans almost anything is possible! Thus this might just be an option. My main reason for not altering it on this model, was that if it went wrong, I could not really salvage the parts, nor replace them with cheap spares as I could do in 1/35th, where it is quite easy to convert late VVS to the earlier packed style common on Fireflies.
The 17 Pdr gun is from Evergreen plastic tube, with Muliput to make the cone shaped section at the mantlet end. I took the easy way out and put a simple cover over the muzzle, to avoid making a muzzle brake. This is a complex affair and while I have done it in 1/35th, it's a daunting job in this scale.
All IC's I have seen had the single piece cast differential, as opposed to the model's three piece item. Using a Tamiya and Italeri kit part in 1/35th as a model I filled out the model part with Muliput, in layers. Reference to photos will also be useful and I used Squadron Signals; "Sherman Walk Around" as the key source, plus photos in my own collection.
Other than that the work is all quite easy. The turret radio box is from plastic card, over a balsa core, as is the Sherman I stowage box on the rear plate. The gun travel lock is from various bits of plastic and brass strip. The loaders hatch was made from plastic card, with plastic rod bolts, sanded to a hex shape and a brass strip splash plate around it.
The tools and stowage in the model are held on with large lugs into unsightly holes in the model. All of these were dismounted and filled, after backing with plastic card. All tools and stowage were then added once the conversion work was done, with brackets from thin pewter foil and brass strip. The tracks are flexible T48 rubber chevron (again like the Tamiya M4 kit) and perfectly acceptable, with the metal parts picked out in steel with a rust wash, plus weathering to taste. The wheels are OK as they are the common open web type visible on many IC's. The sprocket is the more fancy style, but could be modified to the plainer style. Being lazy I did not bother in this case! The sponsons need plastic card bottoms (as in Tamiya's kit) and the sand shield running strips will need grinding off and replacing with strip.I found that the plastic used for the model, really needs super glue, but as I was using a whole manner of dissimilar materials, this was the best choice anyway. The plastic takes paint OK, and I have thus far used a base of Humbrol 163 enamel spray and some acrylic (e.g. 33 black for the tyres, after the base coat of paint over sprayed them). The headlights were drilled out and replaced with MV Lenses, which are brilliant and really add to the model. I will add more photos and text as I work on the model over the next few weeks.
Basically its going to be finished as a representative IC of a British Armoured regiment in the Rhineland, with the less common pattern painting of the sort used by among others the 4/7 RDG. I am going to add wire netting camouflage support and a lot of stowage as seems obligatory for Fireflies by this time.
I really like this model despite its problems and will get another. They also do a Panther G and an M48 in the range, that also look worth buying.
Below some images of the model during construction:
Below three views of the model as at 10th Feb. Dress makers mesh has been added to represent chicken wire, used to hold foliage in place, very common at this stage of the war. The green plastic base comes with the model and keeps it secure in its box for transit. Markings of 4/7 RDG have been added using some 1/32nd scale kit decals and the code made up from ventura 1/48th scale RAF serials sheet and some spare Aeromaster Beufighter RAF fin flashes for the red/white marking.
Below two views taken yesterday of the model, with foliage camouflage added to the netting on the model. Next week photos of it on a base
The photo below shows the finished model as displayed at Trucks and Tracks 2002. The base is an old off-cut of ply with a filler base. Usual techniques apply to the ground work. The final bit of foliage for the tank came from a selection of herbs from Tescos! All held in place with matt and gloss Humbrol spray can varnish.
