In Box Review of Tamiya 1/35th Scale
U.S. Medium Tank M4A3 Sherman Tank
By Ray Mehlberger
Kit no. MM 222A
Copyright 2001
Available at Mega Hobby for $37.72 or at Kit Linx for $36.79 or at Sprue Bros for $36.99 and at 16 locations overseas on the web.
Kit no. MM 222A
Copyright 2001
Available at Mega Hobby for $37.72 or at Kit Linx for $36.79 or at Sprue Bros for $36.99 and at 16 locations overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
It was late 1944 and Germany was clearly losing the war. Russia was closing in on the Eastern Front while American bombing raids were devastating German cities.
Italy had been liberated and the Allies were quickly moving through France and the Low Countries. The end looked near for Germany unless they could succeed in a great offensive push, which is exactly what they attempted.
On Dec. 16, 1944, an American sentry reported countless “pinpoints of light” flickering along the German line. Seconds later, shells exploded around him and he realized that the lights were the muzzle flashes of hundreds of German guns.
A massive German counter-offensive was underway along a 85-mile Ardennes front. In the north, the Sixth Panzer Army struck the U.S. 99TH and 2nd Divisions. In the center, the fifth Panzer Army hit the 106th Division, the 14th Cavalry Group and part of the 28th Division.
Although the Allies were initially sent reeling, courageous troops and rugged armor, such as the Sherman tank eventually turned the tides of battle. The representative version of the tank was the 75mm gun-equipped M4A3 Sherman, which was housed with a V8 450 hp Ford engine.
The late production version first rolled out of the factories in February 1944, with an angled front hull and 63.5mm armored plate. To the turret, a cupola for the commander and hatch for the loader were added. This version was also equipped with wet ammo storage bins, which helped prevent internal fires, a weakness of earlier Sherman's.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Medium tank
Place of origin: United States
In service: 1942–1957 (United States)
Used by: United States, and many others
Wars: World War II, Indonesian National Revolution, Greek Civil War, 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Korean War, Cuban Revolution, Vietnam War, Revolución Libertadora, Suez Crisis, 1958 Lebanon crisis, Nicaraguan Revolution, Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Six-Day War, Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Yom Kippur War, Lebanese Civil War, Uganda–Tanzania War, Iran–Iraq War
Designer: U.S. Army Ordnance Department
Designed: 1940
Manufacturer: American Locomotive Company, Baldwin Locomotive Works, Detroit Tank Arsenal, Federal Machine and Welder Company, Fisher Tank Arsenal, Ford Motor Company, Lima Locomotive Works, Pacific Car and Foundry Company, Pressed Steel Car Company, Pullman-Standard Car Company
Unit cost:$44,556–64,455 in 1945 dollars, depending upon variant ($607,861-879,336 in 2017 dollars)
Produced: September 1941 (prototype), February 1942 – July 1945
No. built: 49,234, excluding prototype
Mass: 66,800–84,000 lb. (33.4-42.0 short tons, 30.3–38.1 tonnes) depending upon variant
Length: 19 ft 2 in–20 ft 7 in (5.84–6.27 m) depending upon variant
Width:8 ft 7 in–9 ft 10 in (2.62–2.99 m) depending upon variant
Height: 9 ft 0 in–9 ft 9 in (2.74–2.97 m) depending upon variant
Crew: 5 (commander, gunner, loader, driver, assistant driver/bow gunner)
Armor: 12.7 mm (0.5 in) minimum, Up to a maximum of 177.8 mm (7.0 in) depending upon variant
Main armament: 75 mm gun M3 (90–104 rounds)
Secondary armament: .50 caliber Browning M2HB machine gun (300–600 rounds), 2×.30 caliber Browning M1919A4 machine guns (6,000–6,750 rounds)
Engine: M4A3 model: Ford GAA V8 gasoline engine; 450 hp (336 kW) at 2,600 rpm
Power/weight: 10.46–13.49 hp/short ton (8.60–11.09 kW/t) depending upon variant
Transmission: Spicer manual synchromesh transmission, 5 forward and 1 reverse gears
Suspension: Vertical volute spring suspension (VVSS) or horizontal volute spring suspension (HVSS)
Fuel capacity: 138–175 U.S. gallons (522–662 liters) depending upon variant
Operational range: 100–150 miles (161–241 km) on road depending upon variant
Maximum speed: 22–30 mph (35–48 km/h) on road, depending upon variant
It was late 1944 and Germany was clearly losing the war. Russia was closing in on the Eastern Front while American bombing raids were devastating German cities.
Italy had been liberated and the Allies were quickly moving through France and the Low Countries. The end looked near for Germany unless they could succeed in a great offensive push, which is exactly what they attempted.
On Dec. 16, 1944, an American sentry reported countless “pinpoints of light” flickering along the German line. Seconds later, shells exploded around him and he realized that the lights were the muzzle flashes of hundreds of German guns.
A massive German counter-offensive was underway along a 85-mile Ardennes front. In the north, the Sixth Panzer Army struck the U.S. 99TH and 2nd Divisions. In the center, the fifth Panzer Army hit the 106th Division, the 14th Cavalry Group and part of the 28th Division.
Although the Allies were initially sent reeling, courageous troops and rugged armor, such as the Sherman tank eventually turned the tides of battle. The representative version of the tank was the 75mm gun-equipped M4A3 Sherman, which was housed with a V8 450 hp Ford engine.
The late production version first rolled out of the factories in February 1944, with an angled front hull and 63.5mm armored plate. To the turret, a cupola for the commander and hatch for the loader were added. This version was also equipped with wet ammo storage bins, which helped prevent internal fires, a weakness of earlier Sherman's.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Medium tank
Place of origin: United States
In service: 1942–1957 (United States)
Used by: United States, and many others
Wars: World War II, Indonesian National Revolution, Greek Civil War, 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Korean War, Cuban Revolution, Vietnam War, Revolución Libertadora, Suez Crisis, 1958 Lebanon crisis, Nicaraguan Revolution, Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Six-Day War, Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Yom Kippur War, Lebanese Civil War, Uganda–Tanzania War, Iran–Iraq War
Designer: U.S. Army Ordnance Department
Designed: 1940
Manufacturer: American Locomotive Company, Baldwin Locomotive Works, Detroit Tank Arsenal, Federal Machine and Welder Company, Fisher Tank Arsenal, Ford Motor Company, Lima Locomotive Works, Pacific Car and Foundry Company, Pressed Steel Car Company, Pullman-Standard Car Company
Unit cost:$44,556–64,455 in 1945 dollars, depending upon variant ($607,861-879,336 in 2017 dollars)
Produced: September 1941 (prototype), February 1942 – July 1945
No. built: 49,234, excluding prototype
Mass: 66,800–84,000 lb. (33.4-42.0 short tons, 30.3–38.1 tonnes) depending upon variant
Length: 19 ft 2 in–20 ft 7 in (5.84–6.27 m) depending upon variant
Width:8 ft 7 in–9 ft 10 in (2.62–2.99 m) depending upon variant
Height: 9 ft 0 in–9 ft 9 in (2.74–2.97 m) depending upon variant
Crew: 5 (commander, gunner, loader, driver, assistant driver/bow gunner)
Armor: 12.7 mm (0.5 in) minimum, Up to a maximum of 177.8 mm (7.0 in) depending upon variant
Main armament: 75 mm gun M3 (90–104 rounds)
Secondary armament: .50 caliber Browning M2HB machine gun (300–600 rounds), 2×.30 caliber Browning M1919A4 machine guns (6,000–6,750 rounds)
Engine: M4A3 model: Ford GAA V8 gasoline engine; 450 hp (336 kW) at 2,600 rpm
Power/weight: 10.46–13.49 hp/short ton (8.60–11.09 kW/t) depending upon variant
Transmission: Spicer manual synchromesh transmission, 5 forward and 1 reverse gears
Suspension: Vertical volute spring suspension (VVSS) or horizontal volute spring suspension (HVSS)
Fuel capacity: 138–175 U.S. gallons (522–662 liters) depending upon variant
Operational range: 100–150 miles (161–241 km) on road depending upon variant
Maximum speed: 22–30 mph (35–48 km/h) on road, depending upon variant
THE KIT:
Tamiya is an old prolific model company based in Italy. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a M4A3 posed against one of Tamiya’s signature all white backgrounds, that they use for the majority of their box arts.
The M4A3 is overall olive-drab, with a large white star in a circle on the nose of the hull and an un-circled white star on the turret sides. In the center of the hull side is a white logo of “ASA-MULE”. The tank commander of the tank is looking out of the turret cupola. He is wearing a khaki shirt and a brown leather helmet. He is looking through a pair of goggles.
One side panel has a color 3-view of a M4A3 that is overall olive-drab with a logo of a black wolf’s head, followed by a white slogan “CLASSY PEG”, over a small white diamond.
This is followed by a one paragraph of the M4A3, followed by a color illustration of the tank commander, a wood box, a road wheel, single track links and tools. Kit was molded in Japan. Packaged in the USA. Paint and cement are not included. Tamiya’s street address in Shizuoka, Japan is provided. Printing was done in Canada.
Tamiya is an old prolific model company based in Italy. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a M4A3 posed against one of Tamiya’s signature all white backgrounds, that they use for the majority of their box arts.
The M4A3 is overall olive-drab, with a large white star in a circle on the nose of the hull and an un-circled white star on the turret sides. In the center of the hull side is a white logo of “ASA-MULE”. The tank commander of the tank is looking out of the turret cupola. He is wearing a khaki shirt and a brown leather helmet. He is looking through a pair of goggles.
One side panel has a color 3-view of a M4A3 that is overall olive-drab with a logo of a black wolf’s head, followed by a white slogan “CLASSY PEG”, over a small white diamond.
This is followed by a one paragraph of the M4A3, followed by a color illustration of the tank commander, a wood box, a road wheel, single track links and tools. Kit was molded in Japan. Packaged in the USA. Paint and cement are not included. Tamiya’s street address in Shizuoka, Japan is provided. Printing was done in Canada.
The other side panel begins by saying: Experience the art of modeling through the authenticity of MRC Tamiya precision series kits. This is followed by a 3-view color illustration of the M4A5 that is overall olive drab with a heavy winter white-wash coating that is worn off a few small areas.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit holds 3 olive drab part trees, a loose olive-drab hull tub and roof part, black vinyl poly-caps and treads, in 2 stapled-shut clear cello bags, the decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consist of a single sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 6 3/4” x 10 ¼” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, over the history of the M4A3.
Page 2 starts with READ BEFORE YOU BEGIN instructions, an illustration of parts being cut off a tree, and a suggested paint color listing in a column on the left side of the page. The right side of page 2 through to page 5 gives a grand total of 11 assembly steps. Step 5 includes assembly and painting instructions for the figure. Step 9 shows 2 black and white photos of the model made up.
Down a left hand column there are instructions for assembling the vinyl tracks, how to stretch sprue over a candle and photos of the wood crates. Step 11 shows 2 more photos of the model made up.
Page 6 is the painting and marking instructions.
It shows a 3 view of the M4A3 that is overall olive-drab with a heavy white-wash coating over it. White stars are on its nose, turret and hull sides.
It is as it appeared in the Ardennes in December 1944.
Next is a side view of the box art subject “ASA-MULE”. It further shows a white serial no. U.S.A. over 3083791 on the ends of the hull sides
It is how it looked in Germany in January 1945.
Next is a side view of a M4A3 that also is overall olive-drab. It has a white serial no. 13 triangle 25 triangle on the gun barrel. White star on the turret sides and white serial no. U.S.A. over 3082911 on the ends of the hull sides.
It is how it looked in Germany in February 1935.
Lastly is another side view that is the one with the logo of the black wolf’s head and “CLASSY PEG” on its hull sides (already described above)
It is how it looked in the Philippines in January 1945.
This kit holds 3 olive drab part trees, a loose olive-drab hull tub and roof part, black vinyl poly-caps and treads, in 2 stapled-shut clear cello bags, the decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consist of a single sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 6 3/4” x 10 ¼” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, over the history of the M4A3.
Page 2 starts with READ BEFORE YOU BEGIN instructions, an illustration of parts being cut off a tree, and a suggested paint color listing in a column on the left side of the page. The right side of page 2 through to page 5 gives a grand total of 11 assembly steps. Step 5 includes assembly and painting instructions for the figure. Step 9 shows 2 black and white photos of the model made up.
Down a left hand column there are instructions for assembling the vinyl tracks, how to stretch sprue over a candle and photos of the wood crates. Step 11 shows 2 more photos of the model made up.
Page 6 is the painting and marking instructions.
It shows a 3 view of the M4A3 that is overall olive-drab with a heavy white-wash coating over it. White stars are on its nose, turret and hull sides.
It is as it appeared in the Ardennes in December 1944.
Next is a side view of the box art subject “ASA-MULE”. It further shows a white serial no. U.S.A. over 3083791 on the ends of the hull sides
It is how it looked in Germany in January 1945.
Next is a side view of a M4A3 that also is overall olive-drab. It has a white serial no. 13 triangle 25 triangle on the gun barrel. White star on the turret sides and white serial no. U.S.A. over 3082911 on the ends of the hull sides.
It is how it looked in Germany in February 1935.
Lastly is another side view that is the one with the logo of the black wolf’s head and “CLASSY PEG” on its hull sides (already described above)
It is how it looked in the Philippines in January 1945.
There are no part trees illustrations in the instructions. Bad move Tamiya!!
Trees are alphabetized.
Olive-drab letter A tree holds: road wheels, drive sprockets, bogies, return rollers, final transfer covers, springs, spare track links etc. (58 parts)
Trees are alphabetized.
Olive-drab letter A tree holds: road wheels, drive sprockets, bogies, return rollers, final transfer covers, springs, spare track links etc. (58 parts)
Olive-drab letter B tree holds: lengths of more spare tracks, two crew figures (one is just his upper torso, the other one is divided into full body and arms, with goggles for both), engine air intake grills, tools, headlight guards, hull nose and rear wall, wood crate, hatch doors, machine gun, exhaust pipes etc. (60 parts)
Olive-drab letter C tree holds: turret parts and main gun barrel, hatch doors etc. (23 parts)
Next are the single olive-drab upper hull tub and lower hull parts.
The black poly caps and a loose .050 cal. M.G. are next (9 poly cap parts)
There are two long runs of the black vinyl tracks. The instructions say they are glue able.
I have added two sets of my companies (Armor Research Co.) resin turret sets for a M4A2E8 type and a Sherman “Jumbo” type. Also I added a gray resin hull top. I cannot remember the brand name of it and a On the Mark Models brand brass PE set and a set of brass PE headlight guards of another unknown company.
The decal sheet completes the kits contents.
There are no clear parts or any interior details. Externally the detail is very good.
Highly Recommended.