SPA Modeler

This is an M4A2 from the Saipan campaign. The Platoon Leader, a Lt Max English, painted the camo on the tank to make it recognizable as his.
This began as a mishmash of parts. The lower hull and bogies are Tamiya pieces, the upper hull and turret are Verlinden pieces. The rest is from DML by way of my spare parts box.















I scratch built the wading trunks, side armor and front plywood shields from sheet stock. The water tank started life as a gel pen. Tamiya paint with oils and pigments.

G

Now that's a different look for a Sherman. Very cool!

Thank you sir!

Here's what she looked like prior to paint.



G

Great Stuff - all of your tanks builds are great!

I've never heard of wooden armour before....

Thank you sir!

The Japanese had some serious magnetic anti tank mines and a good hollow charge device similar to a Panzerfaust. Sturdy oak on the sponson sides and plywood aided in the defense.
Google US Marine tanks WWII for a treat.

G

AgentG wrote:Thank you sir!

The Japanese had some serious magnetic anti tank mines and a good hollow charge device similar to a Panzerfaust. Sturdy oak on the sponson sides and plywood aided in the defense.
Google US Marine tanks WWII for a treat.

G

Wow - I've never heard of that, makes perfect sense - I'll take a look.

cheers!

Very nice!!!!

G -

I really love the King Kong Sherman, however I did come across a pic online of a Sherman with First in Bastogne written on it. Have you done one like that? Anyway, I tried to find some history behind the King Kong Sherman but had no luck. So many questions about that - why the boards? Why the odd muffler on the back? Etc...

The "First in Bastogne" Sherman AKA "Cobra King" was a M4A3E2 Sherman "Jumbo", a more heavily armored variant, often used to lead columns because of their survivability. There were only a few hundred built and they all served in Northwest Europe.

That's a water tank on the engine deck, and the planks are for protection against magnetic mines used by Japanese troops. Magnets and wood do not mix. These were unit and theater specific mods made by the Marines to their Shermans on the basis of continuing battle experience with each campaign.