Sherman Firefly Updates and Corrections Page

1. MMS make two excellent Fireflies - an ICH and recently an IC. Both are very nice using MMS's standard Sherman hull. They are solid and decent models that can be simply knocked up as war games pieces or turned into amazing replicas by the dedicated model maker. MMS also make other Shermans (regrettably not an M4A4 or M4A6 yet) such as the basic M4 Hybrid that includes the late pattern high bustle turret. Swap parts this around with the IC kit and you can make a very nice late Firefly without wasting parts as the original Firefly turret can easily be converted back into a standard 75mm gun version. Kit number IR-13 represents the 17-pdr Firefly Mk IC. MMS have just released a long awaited Sherman variant the Sherman IC rolled hull version. This is the first time to my knowledge that this type of Firefly has been made available in any scale (oh Mr Tamiya how about it in 1/35th please!). The kit uses MMS's standard Sherman lower hull, with T48 rubber block track. They previously released a Hybrid Firefly and this kit contains the turret and detail parts from that kit plus the new M4 hull top. The model is well cast and at last in this scale we have a decent M4, which will lend itself to many versions in British and US service. The glacis can be easily modified to any of the variations in structure by adding weld lines to represent the different forms and the differential housing can be converted to the earlier three piece version for some early Shermans as appropriate. Although based on available photographic evidence Firefly conversions had the single piece type (with its variations) only. The turret is the common low bustle turret, without thickening on the right side cheek. This can be left as it is, thickened up or covered with an appliqué patch as all three variations can be seen on Fireflies. The hull has moulded on appliqué patches and all of the Sherman I based fireflies I have seen in photos have this fitted, but that does not mean that it was universal as Firefly did not need this armour as the bins they protected (poorly it must be added) were not used for ammunition stowage in Firefly. The Firefly radio box has three square lids as per the original Bellona plans and the Matchbox VC kit, but other patterns are more likely it would seem with simple plain lids and circular covers to be seen on IC's. Problems, not really, although the VVS units don't look right due to casting limitations and the single track option in the kits is a bit boring given the variation common on Shermans. That said and done T48 rubber block is ideal for IC's, but is by no means universal. You also have to make your own hull lap gun block, but this is noted in the instructions and is not a problem as the hull fronts were often covered in stowage anyway. One annoying omission is the lack of a gun lock on the engine deck as it is fiddly to make in this scale. The simple way is to cheat and cover the deck in stowage! At £9.95 at the moment, this kit is good value compared to its competitors and Barry is yet again to be congratulated for an excellent product. I made mine as a 7th AD vehicle in the Rhineland in winter 1944/45 in a battered white wash scheme for a change from all my Khaki Green No 15 Shermans. My second MMS Sherman is their standard Hybrid kit (IR-06), with the late high bustle turret. The Hybrid is available as a Firefly (kit 953), but with the low bustle turret. I have made the basic kit before and found it a delight, but the high bustle IC Hybrids are a good looking Firefly and I wanted to add one to my small scale collection (note in 1/35th Dragon's hard to find Hybrid kit can be made into this version as you get the high bustle turret included). Th conversion is simple and perhaps Barry will issue this as a kit one day. Basically add a Firefly radio box (I used one cut from a discarded Milcast kit) to the back of the turret with the lip of the box, just slightly above the top of the bustle. The oval loaders hatch was left as is and was NOT replaced by the larger hatches used on other Firefly conversions, from tanks that did not have a loaders hatch originally fitted. The gun and mantlet also need to be added and in this case also came from the Milcast kit. Alternatively you can take them from the MMS Firefly kits, converting them to standard 75mm tanks or from a Matchbox VC. As above an engine deck gun travel lock will need to be made, but the original glacis plate lock was also to be seen on some vehicles, but not it would seem for supporting the gun barrel. Other than that comments apply as per the IC review. This is an easy way to make a very common Firefly version and MMS make it easy. It certainly beats a hack of the Airfix kit and that comment applies equally to the IC kit above. One note on decals. MMS do not supply any with their kits, but Bull Models sell Fingerprint designs brilliant 1/76th scale sheet of British unit markings and these cane be used to decorate your Shermans and they come highly recommended as do their 1/35th scale sheets for 7th, 11th and guards armoured divisions.

Milcast also make a ICH, but I prefer the MMS model on grounds of cost, robustness and some details of the hull shape.

2. The book is due out hopefully in January 2002 and when I get my copy I will check through it for corrections and put in new things as they come up for this page.

3. Skytrex make some Fireflies in 1/76th that are worth checking out for wargamers. As scale models they are very basic and include a IIC on an early M4A1 hull - most unlikely! The VC and IC are ok, but I can not rate them over the accurate MMS products that are little more expensive, nor Matchbox's wonderful little VC. Sorry Skytrex. They are simple to make and I have just done a Churchill IV from the range and baring various accuracy problems the model builds in mins. The small scale (15mm, 1/200 and 1/300) models are much better and can be highy recomended. I also recomend their decals and their detail packs such as stores, ammo boxes, wheels, packs etc. These are great and good value for money. Try www.skytrex.com for their range of models.

4. Armoured Brigade Models have just added a late high bustle Firefly turret to their range - See Military Modelling July/August 2001 for a review.

5. Thank You; My thanks must go to (in no particular order); Barbarossa Books for allowing me to put this collection together, the staff at the Imperial War Museum London, Photographic and Firearms and Exhibits departments, David Fletcher and Giles Smith at The Tank Museum, Peter Brown, Bob Fleming, D P Dyer, Jeff Plowman, Alan Phillips, Dick Harley, Phil Greenwood, Ken Jones, George Bradford, the staff of the Public Records Office, Kew, Russell Hadler, Mike Taylor, Ron Murray, Steve Zaloga, Helen De Roia and colleagues of the National Archives of Canada and to family, friends and colleagues. Many people have provided extra information and confirmed facts for me and have also allowed me to use that information in the text and captions. Space has precluded a specific mention in every place, so; most notably Peter Brown, Phil Dyer, David Fletcher, Phil Greenwood, Dick Harley, Ken Jones, Jeff Plowman, Merlin Robinson, Mike Shackleton, Steve Zaloga. Without all of these people this project would not have been possible. Thanks must also go to people like Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis for doing so much of the original research on the Sherman in the 1960's and 70's. A special mention to Maurice Condon a former MAFVA Nationals winner who taught me a lot about model making and was a great friend. Maurice died on 26th November 1999 during the preparation of this book.

6. Summary of the new material:

a. Production. Firefly production seems to have reached some 2139 vehicles between January 1944 and April-June 1945. Only statistics until February 1945 are available so I do not know the precise date when they stopped being converted at this point in time. This figure comes from the RAC Progress Report on June 1945. There are some problems with the figures. The US Army had some 80 Fireflies completed for its own use by the war's end, with another 20 partly built. These were converted in the UK, but may or may not have been included in the total of 2139. There is some talk, that some may have been converted post war in the Netherlands and Belgium, but no real facts have come forward to confirm this theory.

b. Types converted. This is firmer ground as based on analysis of available photographs and surviving documents (including some that list the types of vehicle in service at any one time in 1945) only the M4A4 (Sherman VC) and M4 (Sherman lC), M4 Hybrid/Composite (Sherman lHC) were used for the British conversions. Only seven M4A3 (Sherman Mk IV) came to the UK, too few M4A1's were delivered and M4A2's seem to have been used for other purposes. There may have ben other reasons for not using M4A1 and M4A2 (mantlet type and internal space issues perhaps?, see the book and other bits on this site for details). In addition M4A6's were not converted either. M4A3's were converted for the US, but did not seee action. See the link below for the details.

Link to page

c. Post war use. The Firefly seems to have been used far more than is commonly known. The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Yugoslavia, Argentina and The Lebanon used them and in the case of the Lebanon in combat in the mid 1970's civil war. The latest user is Paraguay, which was given six by Argentina a few years back. It is possible that Firefly is still in use in the 21st century, abet in tiny numbers.

d. US use. Basically the US Army set up a programme of conversions in the UK using M4's and M4A3's. The programme took a long while to get into swing as initially the US die not want to use Firefly then after Normandy when the German tanks became a major problem and the 76mm M1 was inadequate they wanted them. But at first the UK could not help due to a shortage of 17 Pdrs and conversion facilities. The in the spring of 1945 the idea was revisited. The plan was to convert a few hundred and the work started. As above some 80 to 100 were finished. But by this time it was April 1945 and the war was obviously coming to a close. The M26 was coming on and had greater potential. But the overriding problem was ammunition, there was never enough of it notably the ever-scarce APDS and HE. Both of which the UK did not have enough off. So with this in mind the programme was cancelled. The converted tanks seem to have been given back to the UK, although some may have made it to US units, but none ever fired a shot in anger.

7. I have just visited the wonderful Mucklebergh Collection in Norfolk, please take the time to go as there are some great vehicles and items there. The naval models are amazing and put most of us to shame! There is a Churchill VII Croc and a nice M4A1 Grizzly. This working tank has a thickened turret cheek and due to the handy steps you can get a real close look at it, not possible at other museums. They also have some aircraft such as a nice Meteor NF 11 and a Harrier GR3.Contact them on 01263 588210 for info. It is located at Weybourne, Holt Norfolk, near Cromer.

8. Cromwell list a solid resin Firefly in their Combat ready range. The model I am told is not yet out, but I have built their Stug IIID and the Sherman M4A3 76mm W HVSS (the production version of the test M4A3E8) and thse are wonderful. I hope the VC gets issued as it should be great! Contact Cromwell for details.

9. A very good source of kits, figures, detail sets and decals is F&F Models (tel 44 01283 550421), who I buy a lot of items from. Give them a try for your armour modelling needs.

F and F Models web site

10. For those interested in the use of aircraft rockets on Fireflies by the Guards in 1945, I have found a good source of extra information on the rockest that may be of use. Plese check out issue 50 (September 1985) of Flypast magazine that contains a great article on the rockest and their development by Ron Wallace Clarke - well worth reading even if you are not in to aircraft. Good diagrams as well of the rockets.

11. Link to page. New material Firefly conversion work for M4 and M4A3.

12. One thing lacking in the book was a good close up of the thickend turret cheek armour of all late 75mm Shermans. Only one kit (Dragon's IC Hybrid) and some resin conversions (Castoff for example) include this feature. It's easy to add and almost certain for IC's without applique armour on the turret and Hybrids. Here are two photos of the M4A1 Grizzly at the Mucklebergh Collection (thanks to the museum for allowing me to use photos of their vehicles) with the feature: