Monday 18 February 2013

20mm Rapid Fire! Sherman II (PSC conversion) for El Alamein, Pt 1


The PSC kit is apparently disappointing for someone who wants Sherman II for El Alamein.

In fact the back cover information and drawings induces several mistakes: parts for US 76mm late Sherman and British Sherman II are indicated enlarging the possibilities of the kit.

But no. Only the standard late M4A1 is provided. After entering some wargaming and modelling forums I saw many people had found the same flaws in PSC Sherman. Better, it's not the kit itself, which is excellent, but the back cover which induces the mistake.

The PSC kits are nowadays one of the best and affordable ways of producing quality wargames pieces, and have many conversions possibilities as I hope to show.



Start gluing the tracks and carving out the side return roller of the M4 A1 version and placing a slice of Evergreen rod on top the the bogie axis making it close M3 bogies.



Then some new vision slots; co-axial MG and details for the transmission housing, all in Evergreen.


Evergreen external housing for the radio.



The mantlet was made into the previous M34 by cutting the "ears" of the kit M34A1 mantlet.


Some evergreen on the  co-axial MG, antennae with small paper flags and external stowage made from repair putty.

The two small supports of the 75mm gun were also erased with an X-acto as well as the extra armour on the hull and turret.

Two boxes of PSC makes 6 Sherman/two companies for Rapid Fire! At about 12-13 pounds, each Sherman gets around 4 pounds/6 euro. Besides PSC making a beautiful Sherman, the models are heavy as the plastic they are made of is quite sturdy, which is excellent for wargaming pieces.

4 comments:

  1. Looking very good, very helpful! I can't wait to get mine now.
    FF

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  2. I concur, it's looking very good. I'll follow this line with a lot of keen interest. Well done so far.

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  3. Excellent conversions!

    Kind regards, Chris

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  4. Eh, Eh- -:) já tinha visto em primeira mão as conversões. Excelente trabalho JP.
    Aguardo com expetativa pelas fotos com o resultado final após pintura.
    Abraço

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