Sherman V Conversion
1:35 #F049
Review by Peter Brown
Dragon released two kits of the M4A4 75mm as kits 6035 and 6041 with 60lb rockets which were based on the old Firefly Vc kit 6031 though these are no longer in their catalogue. Though they have produced updated Fireflies, first as kit 6121 and the current 6182, they have so far not released another 75mm version. So, anyone wanting a standard gun tank or a Command or Observation Post version has to resort to some conversion work and swapping of kit parts to reverse the changes made in real life to make a Firefly, replacing the main gun, deleting the loader's hatch and refitting the hull machine gun. This conversion package from Formations provides these "original" parts and also some others to correct shortcomings in the basic kit.
As with other Formations sets, this is made up of other existing ones. Thus, the turret is F003 Early M4 Dry Stowage 75mm Turret, this comes with gun barrel and older-style M34 series mantlet with its narrow rotor (also in set F004 M34 Mantlet and M3 75mm Gun) but we also get the wider style mantlet from set F016 M34A1 Mantlet and M3 75mm Gun as an option though only the mantlet and not the barrel itself. So we have a complete turret assembly with a new hollow turret with good cast texture and casting marks, all fittings including commander's hatch and flaps, lifting eyes, periscopes and an antenna base for the No 19 radio set.
For the hull, many of the parts are in F005 M4 Sherman Dry Stowage General Detail Set for Mid-Production Sherman though not the complete set. These include the hull machine gun and ball mount, replacement vehicle tools from kit F018 Sherman Pioneer Tools, twine tow rope and fittings set F013 U.S. WWII Vehicle Cables and Clamps are also included plus MV Lenses for the lights, new filler caps, ventilators, British-style fire extinguishers and the smoke grenade holders on the rear hull complete the update. Also supplied is F024 Early Sherman Three Piece Transmission Cover which replaces the kit parts with a new one-piece moulding with good texture and casting marks. A feature often overlooked on Sherman V is the two small plates protecting drain plugs at the rear of the coaming around the turret. New ones are supplied to fit after the moulded on kit items have been carved off which will produce a good representation of the original. We also get replacement hull side up-armour plates and driver and co-driver's hatches with periscopes.
To improve the kit wheels - which are not bad and at least come with detail on the rear face unlike some Sherman kits - a new set of pressed steel pattern road wheels and idlers is included which is set F041 Pressed Spoked Sherman Wheels with Idlers (though idlers are available separately as F020 Pressed Idler Wheels for VVSS Shermans).
As well as these older items, new parts are included in the form of F048 British Sherman Hull and Turret Stowage Boxes. This has four parts, one rounded style turret bin in the style used on Crusaders used in Italy, the rectangular box for the turret rear and wide hull rear bin used in NW Europe which unlike the Dragon box has the correct number of closing latches, and the smaller First Aid box. This is enough for two different models.
Instructions come in the usual line drawing form and packaging is various zip-lock bags which may not look spectacular but are all that is needed. Mixing Formation's parts with the Dragon ones will result in a very good model. Some variations are possible, you will need to choose which pattern of gun mounting to use, whether to fit side armour and with turret and/or hull bins as required. A few items will be left over for other models, there is little or nothing to be added to the project as happens with some update sets.
An added bonus for a short time is a decal sheet plus colour and markings details for three tanks. Two are for Canadian tanks in Italy in 1943, COBRA of C Squadron Lord Strathcona's Horse in 5th Armoured Division and CONDOR from the Three Rivers Regiment's C Squadron of 1st Armoured Brigade. The colour scheme diagrams depict tanks without side armour plates fitted, photos I have seen of tanks in Italy at this period do not show these or bins on turret or hull rear but many have the twin 4" smoke grenade dischargers on the turret side which is one item the kit does not provide. Third option is for a tank of 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards in Guards Armoured Division in Holland 1944 which would have been uparmoured and fitted with the rectangular style turret bin and the hull rear bin and first aid box. Enough decals for all three options are included, even two sets of the red-white-red recognition markings so some will be useful for other models.
Some might want to use parts left over from other models and scratchbuilt items to do this conversion, but this set does most of the work for you which saves time. With variation in production, check reference photos for details of the tank being modelled but that is a good plan for any conversion whatever the source of parts.
Highly recommended.
References:
SHERMAN A History of the
American Medium Tank
R.P.Hunnicutt. Presidio Books ISBN 0-89141-080-5
Review set purchased via the Formations website.
Page created 4 June 2005