[D-Day] Sherman IIA - 1st Polish Armoured Division

[Kaczor]

Today we start Group Builds so I'll start with the Sherman M4A1(76)W project (Sherman IIA in the British nomenclature). It will be a vehicle from the Polish 1st Armoured Division liberating the Low Countries in 1944. I still haven't decided on a specific one, but it will definitely have typical British modifications in the form of additional stowage boxes (these were identical to the Firefly).

The base will be the plastic Mato M4A1(76)W model. The turret will be from Taigen. Various details will be from the I Love Kits set. Ultimately, I will replace the chassis with a Taigen one, but currently it will be in the budget plastic Mato.

A post to encourage others. I'll post some progress soon.

[ColemanCollector]

A Sherman covered in GEAR--righteous build!

Mike

[MrChef]

Very cool. I’m not a big Sherman fan but I gotta say you guys have some interesting Sherman subjects that are peaking my interest.

[Kaczor]

Mato hull was stripped of all detail. I started adding some items from the I Love Kit - fan covers, fuel caps, towing cable holders. The biggest modification was the transplantation of a fragment of the hull with hatches.

[Ad Lav]

Good start

[Kaczor]

In the meantime, I also dismantled the Taigen turret. I plan to replace the loader's hatch. The commander's cupola remains, I'll just improve it a bit. In Taigen, the surface of the cast is very exaggerated, it looks like the skin of some fruit. In reality, the castings were not that rough. Therefore, I will level the surface with putty.

[HERMAN BIX]

Like the skin of some fruit !!...........thats a great comparison Mr Kaczor, and bang on right.
I cant (nor can you) get the section set up but I will do my best to reach those that can.

[Ecam]

Had no idea of how aggressive the texture on that Taigen turret is. Funny thing is I have one and never noticed. You've done a great job to tone that down.

[Estnische]

Love the cast Sherman hull. Looking forward to this one.

[Kaczor]

Archival photo: parade in Meppen, Germany, May 3rd, 1946. Back then, all Shermans had a uniform appearance - additional track armor, camouflage painted on the barrel (like on the Firefly). The ones that fought the year before had a more improvised look.

Early M4A1(76)W Shermans did not have muzzle brakes only a cap protecting thread. I cut the one from the set, leaving only the "nut" and placed a cut aluminum tube on it. The barrel is a bit too short compared to the original, but it doesn't bother me too much, especially since the only source for the "correct" one is MK Modellbau. And I won't shop there again.