FOV 1/16 M4A3 Sherman Review
My Sherman arrived yesterday--one day early. I got home just as the UPS guy was going to put the box back in his truck.
The Sherman is really impressive and puts my 21st Century 1/18 Sherman to shame---at $375 it ought to.
My question about the 1/16 Sherman being a real Sherman remains unanswered, but it is a "D-Day Commemorative Series" tank and the enclosed booklet mentions the 741st and 743rd Tank Battalions on Omaha Beach, so for my own convenience, I'll assume the tank is based on a real tank from Omaha Beach.
Minor complaints:
1. The wooden crates are not weathered like the rest of the stowage. For the price, they should be (the crates on my 21st Century Sherman are weathered).
2. Some of the sandbags do not lie flat on the tank's surface so the bags look like they "suspended" in mid-air. I might remove the sand bags anyway because they cover up too much of the Sherman.
3. If the sandbags are not used, there is no "grip" to tie-down the loose end of the towing cable that drapes over the sandbags. There are three grips on the Sherman's left side, but none on the right side for the loose end.
The Sherman is really impressive and puts my 21st Century 1/18 Sherman to shame---at $375 it ought to.
My question about the 1/16 Sherman being a real Sherman remains unanswered, but it is a "D-Day Commemorative Series" tank and the enclosed booklet mentions the 741st and 743rd Tank Battalions on Omaha Beach, so for my own convenience, I'll assume the tank is based on a real tank from Omaha Beach.
Minor complaints:
1. The wooden crates are not weathered like the rest of the stowage. For the price, they should be (the crates on my 21st Century Sherman are weathered).
2. Some of the sandbags do not lie flat on the tank's surface so the bags look like they "suspended" in mid-air. I might remove the sand bags anyway because they cover up too much of the Sherman.
3. If the sandbags are not used, there is no "grip" to tie-down the loose end of the towing cable that drapes over the sandbags. There are three grips on the Sherman's left side, but none on the right side for the loose end.
Dragon53 wrote;
Slip the cable end through the tow hook and that will secure the front end of the cable. Pictures have shown many US tankers secured the tow cable this way on early M4A3's (later M4's had another retaining clip added on the bow)
As far as the crates go I tossed em, bought bass wood strips and made my own real wood crates. Get some millput or sculpy clay and make a sand bag to sit under the top middle one...that will stop the "suspended" in mid-air look...(see picture below)
Take a look at the picture I posted at the top of this thead.If the sandbags are not used, there is no "grip" to tie-down the loose end of the towing cable that drapes over the sandbags. There are three grips on the Sherman's left side, but none on the right side for the loose end.
Slip the cable end through the tow hook and that will secure the front end of the cable. Pictures have shown many US tankers secured the tow cable this way on early M4A3's (later M4's had another retaining clip added on the bow)
As far as the crates go I tossed em, bought bass wood strips and made my own real wood crates. Get some millput or sculpy clay and make a sand bag to sit under the top middle one...that will stop the "suspended" in mid-air look...(see picture below)
Last edited by Yoxford on Wed Sep 24, 2008 11:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
The sign of a great model is that one’s eye is not drawn to any one feature, yet one can study it for hours and continually find something new.
Dragon53
Yes I did... added more mud and dust to the Sherman, tow cable, tow shackels, and the sand bags.
Also removed much of the overdone "silver paint" weathering on the hull.
Yes I did... added more mud and dust to the Sherman, tow cable, tow shackels, and the sand bags.
Also removed much of the overdone "silver paint" weathering on the hull.
The sign of a great model is that one’s eye is not drawn to any one feature, yet one can study it for hours and continually find something new.
YOXFORD:
You did a great job on your customizing.
2 more questions:
1. Why was the Sherman awkardly designed with the 50 cal. machine gun only able to be fired from someone standing outside/behind the turret?
2. What are the two semi-submerged circular things (they look like small hatches) flanking the two hull hatches?
You did a great job on your customizing.
2 more questions:
1. Why was the Sherman awkardly designed with the 50 cal. machine gun only able to be fired from someone standing outside/behind the turret?
2. What are the two semi-submerged circular things (they look like small hatches) flanking the two hull hatches?
Thanks Dragon...I use MIG weathering powders.... best weathering stuff I have ever used and you can mix -n-match it for just about everything MIG 's dark mud and European dust...mix some of each, add some alcohol, each by themselves or mix the two together...spat it on, dry bush blend it...great results every time.
Actually the commander could spin the hatch around and fire the .50 but the problem was 1. he exposed his upper body to the enemy in doing so, and 2. it took away from commanding the tank crew...some tankers mounted a .30 cal in place with less exposure but also less hitting power. An infantryman riding shotgun could fire the .50, scatter the tank hunting huns, while the commander took care of the business in the tank.
The two semi-submerged circular things flanking the two hull hatches are ventilators. Also an interesting thing about the hull ball mounted .30 cal. no sight mounted next to the gun like the Germans had...just shoot and spray...
Actually the commander could spin the hatch around and fire the .50 but the problem was 1. he exposed his upper body to the enemy in doing so, and 2. it took away from commanding the tank crew...some tankers mounted a .30 cal in place with less exposure but also less hitting power. An infantryman riding shotgun could fire the .50, scatter the tank hunting huns, while the commander took care of the business in the tank.
The two semi-submerged circular things flanking the two hull hatches are ventilators. Also an interesting thing about the hull ball mounted .30 cal. no sight mounted next to the gun like the Germans had...just shoot and spray...
The sign of a great model is that one’s eye is not drawn to any one feature, yet one can study it for hours and continually find something new.
YOXFORD:
Thanks for the info.
I thought the round things were ventilators last night as I was looking at them again.
Three more questions:
1. How effective was the 76 mm cannon vs Panthers and Tigers? I know the 75 mm was ineffective, but I read recently in a very comprehensive book on tanks that the 76 mm was effective against Panthers/Tigers, but I think the FOV booklet said it was not significantly effective vs the 75 mm.
2. This is a hypothetical question---since the 1/16 Sherman is a "D-Day Commemorative Series", I wonder if a Panther is next?
3. Have you heard any additional info about the rumor (posted on SSHQ) that FOV will release a 1/16 M1 Abrams?
Thanks for the info.
I thought the round things were ventilators last night as I was looking at them again.
Three more questions:
1. How effective was the 76 mm cannon vs Panthers and Tigers? I know the 75 mm was ineffective, but I read recently in a very comprehensive book on tanks that the 76 mm was effective against Panthers/Tigers, but I think the FOV booklet said it was not significantly effective vs the 75 mm.
2. This is a hypothetical question---since the 1/16 Sherman is a "D-Day Commemorative Series", I wonder if a Panther is next?
3. Have you heard any additional info about the rumor (posted on SSHQ) that FOV will release a 1/16 M1 Abrams?
The FOV booklet is correct, the 76mm was not much better than the 75mm. Good book to pick up is The Sherman at war. It goes into great detail on the pro/con of the M4.
Way way back before the first 1/16 extreme metal King Tiger showed up, the story at the toy shows was a metal 1/16 Tiger 1 was to be released... then all the talk was a 1/16 M1 Abrams would be the first Extreme Metal 1/16 tank. All of sudden out of the blue they release a King Tiger.
I asked my contact at Unimax about what Sherman version is next and he said the following..." We have not decided what the next item for 1:16 will be at the moment. When I have more information, I will let you know."
My guess is another Sherman (firefly?) as history shows they like to release two versions of each mold) After that, I hope the next tank is a Panther, but it is anyones guess.
Way way back before the first 1/16 extreme metal King Tiger showed up, the story at the toy shows was a metal 1/16 Tiger 1 was to be released... then all the talk was a 1/16 M1 Abrams would be the first Extreme Metal 1/16 tank. All of sudden out of the blue they release a King Tiger.
I asked my contact at Unimax about what Sherman version is next and he said the following..." We have not decided what the next item for 1:16 will be at the moment. When I have more information, I will let you know."
My guess is another Sherman (firefly?) as history shows they like to release two versions of each mold) After that, I hope the next tank is a Panther, but it is anyones guess.
The sign of a great model is that one’s eye is not drawn to any one feature, yet one can study it for hours and continually find something new.
The 76mm was a little more effective against the Panther and Tigers. It did give the Sherman and edge over the PZ IV. The 76mm was basically the same as the 3 inch gun the M10 TD carried. The 75mm had a better HE round that was more effective against infantry. Most Shermans fought against infantry then other tanks.
One other advantage the 76mm had was that it could handle HVAP(Hyper Velocity Armour Percing) rounds. Hard to get and restricted to TD units, some Sherman crews managed to beg, borrow or steal a couple of rounds for their use. HVAP was effective against Panthers and sometimes could take out the Tiger 1. Not as usefull against Tiger 2 though.
One other advantage the 76mm had was that it could handle HVAP(Hyper Velocity Armour Percing) rounds. Hard to get and restricted to TD units, some Sherman crews managed to beg, borrow or steal a couple of rounds for their use. HVAP was effective against Panthers and sometimes could take out the Tiger 1. Not as usefull against Tiger 2 though.
Well said Grockwood.
Also in regards to using the 75mm to its utmost, tank crews found that the Germans hated the white phosphorus smoke shell. A few Panthers and Tigers were taken out when the burning shell started oil and gas fires on the deck of the enemy tank causing the crew to bail. Patton even ordered in tank to tank confrontations, first shell is AP second is smoke…gives you time to maneuver and shoot while the enemy can’t see, and if lucky, totally incapacitated to fight.
Also in regards to using the 75mm to its utmost, tank crews found that the Germans hated the white phosphorus smoke shell. A few Panthers and Tigers were taken out when the burning shell started oil and gas fires on the deck of the enemy tank causing the crew to bail. Patton even ordered in tank to tank confrontations, first shell is AP second is smoke…gives you time to maneuver and shoot while the enemy can’t see, and if lucky, totally incapacitated to fight.
The sign of a great model is that one’s eye is not drawn to any one feature, yet one can study it for hours and continually find something new.
