The Paranoid Sherman

[andy_01732]

Having received a Henglong Sherman from my good lady at Christmas I wanted to do something a bit different to "olive drab". Looking around on the interweb discovered pictures of Sherman's in Iwo Jima. The marines used to up armour their tanks due to the fear of magnetic mines, infantry assault and shaped charges. They used various home made protection including concrete side armour laminated with wood, sand bags on any horizontal areas, nail or cages around hatches and tank tracks welded on for extra protection. The extra weight must have been enormous in fact many Sherman's broke down because of it and Patton banned the practice in the Western theatre.

I haven't based mine on any particular tank just a combination of several tanks. Chose not to go down the "super scale route" but did want to try adding cast numbers and cast effect. The wading gear was trial and error but I think I've got the look right (ill let you be the judge!). The side armour is made from balsa to represent the concrete with a harder grade for the wooded sides. I used fine mode railway ballast to add a bit of texture to the edges of the concrete.

The screens above the hatches are Halfords repair mesh with plasticard angle. The tracks on the side are from a spare set but I had to fill in the pads as they are open moulded. Sand bags are made from milliput with fine bandage pushed in to them when wet to simulate a texture.

Electronics are untouched apart from the removal of the BB led in the gun sight and the addition of a metal mg meant for a Tiger.

Camouflage was done freehand with an airbrush with the lettering done by creating a stencil out of masking tape.

I'm pleased with the result but you guys are the real judges.

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[AlwynTurner]

That's a really nice job, love the camo effect. Lots of research and work has gone into this and it looks really authentic. Great job! Alwyn

[palepainter]

It's a beauty. Makes me want to sell another German tank and get a Sherman.

[PainlessWolf]

Good Morning,
Never enough Shermans, that's a fact. You've got quite a nice tank there, Sir. Very well thought out and executed. I really like the side armor and add on rivet heads. Very cool looking! Don't be afraid of scale detail. The work that you have done there creating add on armor and wading trunks easily matches the effort put into the work that is done by rivet counter fellows.
regards,
Painless

[edpanzer]

Looks great to me love it .

[Merlin707]

You've done a great job on this Sherman, it looks very realistic and the level of detail you have achieved is commendable.

[Ad Lav]

Andy I see you are from Kent - with that phone number I'm guessing sevenoaks or tonbridge

Based in kent myself!

[MartinL]

That is a nice looking Sherman! Love the extra details such as the casting numbers. Had to smile at the title - they certainly didn't scimp with the extra precautions!
Cheers,
Martin

[billpe]

Looks fantastic and certainly unique, don't see many doing those Sherman mods. There was one which was made to DD spec but not a Pacific one.

[jtracks]

I'm very impressed with the work you have done and the LOOK you have accomplished. I've been buying my sand bags from ETO, may have to give your way a try. Very nice.

Joe