What's in the Box; M4A2 Sherman, Academy, 1/35

As I have had a bit of luck regarding M4A2 articles in magazines and on the internet  I think it is due time to present the plastic as well. Sprue A, wheels and bogies, are actually duplicated in the box. I have no idea about measurements and such but it looks like a Sherman I think. Quality is good as Academy gets but not as sharp as a recent kit from Tamiya or other comparable kit maker. However, I think it will be a pretty fast build as the kit does not seem to be over engineered. For those of you who like your details being a bit more well defined there is a bit to do.

A Magazine; Military in Scale, January 2007

 

Let's continue on the Sherman track from the other day. The MiS issue of January 2007 had a nice build article on the Academy M4A2 kit. The kit is said to be not fully correct but for some people there just aren't any correct kits out there, final. So go grab a fist full of resin and aluminium barrels then! For the rest of us it is good enough I think. I'm happy Ashley Webb chose a really nice sand and green camou for his Sherman,so will I one of these days! The Perth Military Modelling site, Missing Lynx and Military Modelling magazine have reviews of the kit.

A Book; Tank Warfare on Iwo Jima

Tank Warfare on Iwo Jima, David E Harper, Squadron Signal, 2008

96 fact packed pages of colour side views, photos and text helps the model builder to recreate one of the most famous tanks ever, the M4 Sherman, from one of the most famous battlegrounds ever, the one on  Iwo Jima in 1945. If you have seen the films Flags of our fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima you know a bit what the fighting was like but can never fully comprehend what the soldiers went through. The photos of war weary tankers, blown up Shermans and the conditions of the fighting are mildly said sobering. If you like the Sherman this book is a must. Lots of colour and markings, not just Olive Drab and white stars like in the ETO.