Another Sherman battalion moves to the front line with the Co observing the movements behind the protection of a hedgerow.
This battalion is made mostly out of Armoufast M4 and M4A3 tanks with two ESCI M4A3.
Armourfast made history when in 2002 and for the first time in the hobby you could have two tanks in a box for the price of one. Each of my Medium Tank battalion has 10 Sherman 75mm (1 for the Co and 9 for the three companies), 1 Sherman 105mm How, 3 M3 lights and 1 HT M4 mortar 81mm (total 15 vehicles)
Clearly designed for wargaming Armourfast produces very good quality models which are getting better and better, easy to build and accurate. For instance their Cromwell owes very little to Revell's in term of the final appearence. On the down side they don't have figures, you only have one variant in the box, and the first models they produced didn't bring cartridge boxes on the MG's and such details that you can find nowadays in more recent enterprises like PSC.
No big deal though as the missing details can easily be made or added like imported figures from other brands, home made stowage, sand bags, extra armour plates on the vision slots (for enemy shells not to be trapped and on the case of M4's) and hull sides (to protect ammo) and Evergreen cartridge boxes for the turret Brownings.
The Co of the battalion mounts a M4A3 and has two figures as usual, one metal Skytrex and another plastic Hasegawa. The americans usually had their white stars removed for obvious - aiming- reasons.
The light company is once again made of Hasegawa M3 models. The one in the front is heavily covered in foliage in order no one notices that it should be an M5...
The M4 81mm mortar HT is Hasegawa again with SHQ crew.
The M4 105mm howitzer is a standard Armourfast with a Fujimi mantlet and barrel.
For most of my Sherman small conversions and added parts I use as reference the excellent Squadron/signal no16 Sherman in action.
The M4 105mm howitzer is a standard Armourfast with a Fujimi mantlet and barrel.
For most of my Sherman small conversions and added parts I use as reference the excellent Squadron/signal no16 Sherman in action.
Next: the Armoured infantry battalions.
Very cool mate :)
ReplyDeleteAs usual you have far more kit than I do - I have 6 Shermans in total plus 4 M3/M5s - one of which is part of my recce battalion.
Your work as always is excellent :)
Thanks Richard. As I dont wargame I turned the hobby into collecting large units. So this armored US division is still shown half way.
ReplyDeleteViva Joao! What an excellent post and some fantastic models. This is great and I hope you post the whole division once it's complete. But how come you don't wargame? It is a great pity with so many wonderful units.
ReplyDeleteNo one to wargame with my friend. My closest wargaming mates are over 100 km distance (which in Portugal is like from here to the moon) but don't worry I'm wargamingly happy this way.
ReplyDelete