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ITALERI's 1/35 U.S. MARINES M4 SHERMAN

By Ray Mehlberger

HISTORY

The "Sherman", U.S. medium tank, the M4 and variants were in U.S. service from 1942 until 1956, and in service with other countries even longer. A total of 49,234 Shermans were built in the U.S. during WWII, a quantity only equaled by one other wartime tank: the Soviet T-34.

When the M3 "General Grant" tank was adopted, in 1941, it was admittedly far from perfect, and as soon as production had been arranged work began on an improved model, much of which was based on British observations and requests based on their combat experiences.

The principal call was for a tank with a 75mm (2.95in.) gun, in a fully rotating turret, instead of in a side sponson as on the M3. Also, one which had a lower silhouette. The new design was originally known as the T6, and two alternative methods of manufacture were proposed: one was to have a cast upper hull, and the other to have a welded upper hull. The lower hull, engine, transmission, and running gear were to be based on the M3 components, so that, when the time came, production lines for the M3 could change to the new design with the least delay.

On December 11th, 1941 the two designs were standardized, the welded-hull model as the M4 and the cast-hull model as the M4A1, and production of the latter began in February 1942 on an assembly line already established by a British contract. The first two Shermans even bore British Army numbers; T25189 and T25190.

The basic Sherman had a turtleback hull shape, with a cast turret. The driver sat in the left front, with an assistant driver/machine gunner alongside him manning a flexable 0.30 in. (7.62mm) machine-gun; early models were provided with two additional fixed 0.30 in. machine-guns in the nose, but these were soon eliminated from the design. The engine was a radial, air-cooled aircraft type mounted in the rear of the hull, and the drive-shaft passed along the floor to the transmission unit in the nose, from where it drove the track drive sprockets. Suspension was by vertical valute spring suspension (VVSS) bogies, three two-wheeled bogies per side. The turret mounted a 75mm gun and a coaxial machine-gun and carried the gunner on the right, the commander behind him, and the loader/machine gunner on the left.

The principal variant models of the basic M4 can be listed as follows:

M4A1: As like the M4, but with the upper hull made as a one-piece casting and welded to the lower hull.

M4A2: As like the M4A1, but using twin GMC diesel engines.

M4A3: As like the M4, but using a Ford V-8 engine.

M4A4: As like the M4, but using a Chrysler multibank engine, built from five 6 cylinder engines arranged around a common crankcase. To accomodate the assembly the hull was lengthened by 28cm (11in.). Most M4A4 tanks were supplied to Britain, where they were known as the Sherman V.

M4A5: This designation was allocated to the Canadian "Ram" tank.

M4A6: An M4A4 with a Wright air-cooled radial engine converted from gasoline to diesel operation. After production commenced only 75 of these were built, following a decision to concentrate on gasoline engines.

There were also a large number sub-variants and scores of additional experimental types.

The most important variations came with armament. The original 75mm gun rapidly became obsolescent and better weapons were demanded. The British Army rapidly rearmed numbers of Shermans with their 17pdr. gun, calling the result the "Firefly". But, in spite of the lip-service being paid to the principal of "adoption of the best weapon, irrespective of nationality", the U.S. authorities refused to approve the 17pdr. and developed their own 76mm (3in.) gun instead. While better than the 75mm it was still no match for the German armor, and the Sherman was out-gunned for the last year of the war in Europe.

Another armament change was the adoption of the 105mm (4.1in.) howitzer M4 for the close-support role. This was a modification of the standard field artillery howitzer to make it a better fit into the turret and more convenient to operate. The ballistic performance of the howitzer remained unchanged.

A request for an assault tank, to accompany infantry, led to the M4A3E2 version (known as the "Easy 8"). This had an additional 36mm (1.5in.) of armor welded to the hull, and a new gun shield giving a total of 178mm (7in.) frontal protection to the turret and 152mm (6in.) side protection. This additional armor raised the weight to 42 tons, and reduced the speed slightly, but 254 were built and were used successfully in Europe.

Other variations included flame throwers, rocket launchers, mine exploders (flails), swimming apparatus (used principally in the Pacific Theatre---and subject of this new kit), and tank-dozer conversions.

The chassis of the Sherman formed the basis of a number of self-propelled guns. The first of these was the M7 "Priest", and this was followed by the M40 with its 155mm (6.1in.) gun. Though, in this case, the chassis was considerably altered from the standard. The 3in. (76mm) tank destroyer, M10, was one of the most successful Sherman conversions, though it did not reach it's full potential until it was re-gunned, first with the British 17pdr. and then with the U.S. 90mm (3.54in.) gun.

Sherman tanks remained in service, with the U.S. Army, throughout the Korean War until declared obsolete in 1956. They were widely supplied to other countries under various military aid schemes, and some of their most interesting service has been with the Israeli Army. Here the original Shermans were gradually modified, firstly by fitting the French, high velocity 75mm gun as used in the AMX-13 tank; this was known as the "Super Sherman". Later came the "Isherman" which successfully installed a 105mm gun into the turret and had the original engines replaced by a new Cummins diesel.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX?:

The kit comes in a tray and lid type box. The box has a bit of a new look to it, from what Italeri boxes have looked like in the past. Especially the addition of photos of a finished model on the side panel.

The box art shows a M4, of the U.S. Marine Corps., somewhere (you are never told EXACTLY where) in the Pacific Theatre, 1945. The slogan "Nitemare II, L.A. Bound via Kitano Point" is written, in white, across the wood side panels on the left side of the hull. The tank sits with its hatches open on a beach.

Inside, there are five trees of olive drab colored styrene parts. A tree of two runs of black vinyl tracks, a small decal sheet, a piece of nylon mesh screen, and the instructions complete the contents.

Several parts were broken off the trees, in my kit, due to abrasion of trees against each other, and one part was broken too. I wish Italeri would cello bag things.

The instructions consist of a large, bi-fold sheet. This telescopes out into 10 pages.

Page 1 gives the vehicles history, in 10 languages including English.

Page 2 begins with general assembly instructions, in 12 languages. This is followed by parts request, mail-in coupons, to order any part that you may be missing...or is damaged, in 6 languages. The bottom of the page gives the translations for the alphabet codes used to denote the colors to be used in the instructions.

Page 3 shows three of the parts tree drawings. There are many of the parts grayed-out on these drawings as being excess/not used for this version. Some international assembly symbols are translated here too.

The top of page 4 gives two more parts tree drawings and the tread sprue drawing. The bottom of the page gives us the first assembly step.

Pages 5 through 8 give us the balance of a total of 10 assembly steps.

Page 9 is the markings and painting instruction drawings. There are two options: the box art painting and one with just the numeral "27" on the turret. Both are only identified as "U.S. Marine Corp., Pacific Theatre, 1945". I wish we were told WHERE and WHAT UNIT these markings were with. Kind of leaves ya up in the air!!

Large tree "A" holds the upper hull, rear hull plate, tools, air intake grill, main gun travel lock, hatch lids, headlight and siren guards, grab handles, fender parts, jerry can, etc. (101 parts) 39 of these are grayed-out on the instructions as being excess.

Large tree "B" holds the hull bottom, boggie parts, road wheels (there are two types in the kit, solid and open spoked variants), return rollers, drive sprockets (there are 2 variants of these), etc. (61 parts) 13 are excess and this tree is common to a lot of other earlier Sherman variant kits offered by Italeri.

Large tree "C" holds the turret top and bottom, mantle, alternate road wheels, a hatch lid, top rear hull plate, etc. (42 parts) 15 parts are excess.

Long, and narrow, "D" tree holds spare tread blocks (both steel chevron type and solid rubber type), 50cal. machine-gun and cradle, tow cable, copula and it's hatch lid, top rear hull plate, etc. ( 42 parts). Only one part is called out as excess on this tree.

Small tree "E" holds the wood hull side pieces, the deep water wading trunks, etc. (29 parts) All of these parts are used.

Finally, is the vinyl tracks (these are of the steel chevron type), and the decal sheet.

Conclusion

The Squadron in Action book, on the Sherman, and their Sherman Walk-around book, make this tank out to be a M4A3 variant. The deep water wading trunks will make this model really neat, and fill a niche needed in Sherman models for sure. The wood side beams, bolted to both sides of the hull, was an attempt to ward off Japanese attacks with magnetic mines, much like the purpose of the German Zimmerit. Some of us might want to replace these plastic parts with real wood for a more realistic look.

You will wind up with quite a few spare parts, for use later on other Sherman projects, out of this kit. Always nice to have spare parts.

Other than the lack of cello bags, to stop breakage, and Italeri not telling us too much about the markings on the decal sheet, I highly recommend this kit. Now where did I put my artist gel medium, to make some water with for a diorama??