SPA Modeler

Tarawa was the first time the Marines landed with their Sherman medium tanks. No wading trunks, no add ons, just grit and determination. Most succumbed to water logging during the landing phase. The rest suffered at the hands of the enemy as well as friendly fire. Lessons learned here were taken into consideration throughout the Pacific theatre of operations.









Here's the real tank. She foundered in a shell hole just off the beach.



She's still there today.



G

Nice work and I love the then & now photos! Did all the Shermans in that unit have that jerry can rack for the landing?

Yessir, the 8 can rack was a modification on every tank.

Lot's of history out there in regards to photos. The interwebs are a blessing for research.

G

very nice and it is always interesting to see some backstory.

I think someone did a diorama of the sunken Sherman. Just can't remember where I saw it. Gotta find it though.

AgentG wrote:Yessir, the 8 can rack was a modification on every tank.

Lot's of history out there in regards to photos. The interwebs are a blessing for research.

G

I will have to add that to mine when I get around to building it. Thanks for the heads up!

That looks awesome! I also like the historical photos as well. I built one of Chicago's sisters in 1/72 scale. I need to find a way to add a jerry can rack like that to it.

I believe Value Gear produces some Braille scale jerry cans.
Take 8 of those, stack them in a row, make sure they fit and look right, then glue them together.
Use some heavy gauge aluminum foil as a base and the upper bar. I'd cut strips from an aluminum pie pan or turkey roasting pan.
Super glue the whole thing together and then add it to the back of the tank.
Paint it all at once the pick out a few cans and tint them a slightly different color.

That's my 2 cents on the topic anyway.

G

That's a great looking build and an interesting bit of history!

wow ! very nice work and great detail .

gino