M4A4 Sherman OP Tank

Dave Flitton
I thought the tow pintle should be on the center line?

Henry Milton
I will go back and check my references and instructions. If I am off it will be an easy fix. Thanks for the heads up. Would not have wanted to get too far along and then have to correct.

Eric RENOUX
good build. What are doing with the decals from the box ? i'm looking for the french option, as the decal in my kit are cracked and unusable.

Henry Milton
Dave, I checked reference using Mark Haywards Sherman Firefly book. Pg 75 has a war time photo, pg 159 shows a survivor at Bovington and there is a line drawing on page 186 all showing the pintle off center. This may have been done to accommodate the British smoke dischargers. The Aber instructions also show the tow pintle off center. I would guess they used the survivor at Bovington as the example.
If you see any thing else in my work that looks off let me know. There is so much I have not learned about the Sherman and I want my builds to be accurate.
Henry

Dave Flitton
I would gladly watch this build

Dave Flitton
The reason I asked the questions is because those boxes on the back are cemented on the engine hatches, they would not be able to open the doors to service the engine. tank-photographs.s3-..a1-sherman-tank.html

Henry Milton
Dave,
From what I have read about the M4A4 in British service the smoke dischargers were removable. The braces holding them in place were welded to the door. The tow pintles being attached in factories in USA were long and when damaged they caused the access doors to warp so they were removed by the crews and maintenance shops. The British wanted US factories to install their short version pintle but that did not happen so they did the work when the vehicles got to them. I will post a few shots I have shortly.

Henry Milton
I posted a good pic in the album showing the location of the smoke dischargers. This may be a Firefly but the OP tank I am building is also an M4A4 just without the 17 Pounder gun added. My turret will be without the counter weight that was added to the rear of the turret and will have a wood barrel. The 75mm gun was removed from OP Shermans to allow added radios and map tables

Henry Milton
Eric, I will be happy to send the kit decals your way. I am using after market decals to represent the OP tank in the villers bocage photos. Just need to know where to send them and they are yours.

Henry Milton
I still need to add the electrical junction boxes and wiring for the smoke dischargers to the door as seen in the photo.

Eric RENOUX
It's very nice. Thanks.
My adress is
Eric RENOUX
15 Bis rue de Lorraine
88000 DEYVILLERS
France.

Thanks again.

Dave Flitton
Well.... look at that! Thanks for the information! Always looking for new information on Shermans

Henry Milton
Dave,
There are a some great reference books on the Sherman. The Son of Sherman series is excellent and the Firefly book by Heyward is a must if you are doing a Vc or Ic Firefly.

Eric,
I will get the decal sheet to the post office and on to you in a day or so.

Henry

Eric RENOUX
Thanks a lot !

Henry Milton
No worries. Just post a few pics when you get that project completed.

Eric RENOUX
Of course !

Henry Milton
I found a 3rd photo of this OP Tank on line today. As far as I can deduce there are only 3 photos in existence of this vehicle taken after the Villers Bocage action. This one shows that the ammo box seen on the right fender was placed there after the action and was not welded on as some have opined in the past.

Henry Milton
I will post it later today.

Kerry COX
Just fantastic PE work Henry. and I am quite partial to the fold out tool box at the rear doors. 🙂
Is this to have the gun and mantle positioned as image 55. ? As it looks like it took a big hit. 🙂
I am sorry I have not commented before, but after looking through your work so far, I am just so impressed with all your results. Salute. 👍 🙂

Henry Milton
I am doing "before" takes on what happened at Villers Bocage. In this case the OP Sherman was on a main street when Wittmanss Tiger swung around a corner. They did not have time to react and took that shot in the turret. Wittmann proceeded up the road and knocked out a few more Cromewells, an M5 halftrack and an Humber scout car before being engaged by a Firefly.
My work will show what the OP Sherman should/could have been like just before getting hit.

Henry Milton
Thank you for the comments and compliments. PE is an area I have had to work on to get better but it adds such and excellent depth of detail that it is a must and one of the skills needed to produce top teir work. Plus I love the way it stands out in photos before painting.

Bart Goesaert
interesting story, and a a very nice build so far...

Henry Milton
Bart,
I am studying the battle and have been since I began this project. There are some great books on the subject but also much disagreement on Wittmanns actual kill totals and who was where when certain things transpired. Each of my vignettes so far is based on facts in writing in the references I have. I will be doing a Sherman Firefly in the near future and I have many photos of the particular vehicle I want to create. In other instances I have just a few if any photo reference to work with so I have to use other historical data to get markings and other details as accurate as possible. I love the learning of history as much I the actual building, painting and finishing of models. It keeps the hobby fresh for me and always gives me something else to learn about and explore.

Bart Goesaert
I can agree with you, but now that my modelling time has disappeared largely (renovating my house, and that of my girlfriends...), I must tend more to building than spitting down my references... unfortunately... now I'm only adding basic details to get an appearance of correctness, without actually being correct...

Kerry COX
Anything you do here is sure to be an other masterpiece Henry. 👍

Henry Milton
bart,
any chance to build a model is time well spent. I have been unemployed since I left the military and so time is a commodity I have had in abundance.....even with all the things my wife comes up with for me to do. That may change as I am screening for a job and should be back in the world of the working very soon. I love to read and I find I can both fill my passion for history, reading and research my projects all at once. The military taught me to multitask. I had a friend tell me one time that even if you only get 20-30 minutes try and do something with you project, you will be surprised how quickly it can get done. He was right.

Bart Goesaert
that's the thing I'm learning now, making the most of every half hour I can spend to modelism... cleaning up parts when I can, and prepare everything to paint as much as I can at once...

Henry Milton
The other thing I did when I was working and did not have much time was do 1/72nd scale armor kits. Most you can get done in a few hours, keeps the skills fresh and you actually finish something for that sense of accomplishment.

Eric RENOUX
Decals arrived this morning, in perfect condition. Thanks a lot. Next step, build of the kit. Regards.

Henry Milton
Glad I could help. Looking forward to following your work.

EnsignExpendabl
Huh, OP Shermans didn't have a machinegun in the turret?

Dave Flitton
Are you sure the picture just shows it as stowed and can't see it?

Henry Milton
I have the 3 surviving photos of this OP tank here. I do not see a mg in the turret but given that Wittmann put an AP round into said turret the mg may have been destroyed. Given that the main gun was removed to create space I think they went ahead and removed the mg as well. If anyone can find definitive proof on way or another please post a link or photo. In addition I will be detailing the turret interior to show the radios and map tables that were added when the main gun was removed. If anyone has info on the turret configuration of an OP Sherman that would be of great help.

Henry Milton
Will be finishing up the wiring of the radios and turret today. Prime, base coat by tonight. I have a wee to get this one done for the AMPs nationals in Sumter South Carolina next week.

Holger Kranich
Wow, what an impressive pe work! And what a stunning clean build!😄

Bart Goesaert
and you want this finished by next week???????? kuddo's for that, but rushing a model to the finish is never a good idea...

Eric RENOUX
I love your job !

Henry Milton
Thanks for the positive feedback.
Bart. You are correct, a rush job ends in poor work, however, I have everything but the turret exterior done (finished painting and weathering the turret interior last night, photos to follow). Just need to add a few details and it is off to the painting bench. My base and figures are done and I have a cache of stowage already painted and weathered, (I did several reviews on Value Gear Sherman items some time back). It also helps that I am unemployed at the moment and have plenty of time during the day to devote to this. That will change in a few weeks as I have been selected for a job and will start that endeavor later in mid April. Anyway since I am building this for a national competition I would not hesitate to leave it behind if I run out of time. I will keep you posted and I will also be posting photos from the AMPs nationals in Sumter, South Carolina next week.

Henry Milton
Got base paint and markings done. Washes and dry brushing today and I hope to have the last clear flat application of Dulcote on tonight. Tomorrow add the weathering pigments and them mount on the base and tie it all together. Thursday is off to the AMPs Nationals.

Eric RENOUX
Looks good

Henry Milton
Just returned from AMPs Nationals. The following link will take you to a huge photo album already put on the web. The show was great, quality of entries was very, very high, had a blast with many old and new friends and Sumter South Carolina is a lovely town. All in all a great way to spend a long weekend. facebook.com/rothjr/..791430512&type=3

Holger Kranich
Hi Henry,

wow that is all high Quality stuff, that was shown on the Exhibition! A lot of lovely tanks among them🙂

Henry Milton
Some really great stuff and unique. I was fortunate enough do judge the eventual best of show. The AMPs web site will have photos up in a day or so. From what I understand the man responsible had a multi day drive to get home. Finescale modeler will have photos up shortly as well on their web page and a select few will make it into and upcoming issue.

Henry Milton
I will be adding my final photos to this album soon. I finished this work the night before heading to the show and did not have time to posted completed pictures.

Eric RENOUX
Very good job. I don't think I'll be abble to do so with my M4A4.

Henry Milton
Sure you will. I have seen your work and it is outstanding.

Henry Milton
Never be afraid to take chances and grow your skill set. I was never going to do figures or bases, I did not like doing certain subjects. I realized I was missing out. I made many mistakes but learned from each one and got better. I just earned my 1st advanced gold metal at a Nationals. I have been in that category for 9 years and entered many contests. If I did not push the envelope and try new things I would not have improved. It is a fun hobby but sometimes we get caught up in trying to be perfect. It is a model, we have many in the stash, if you don't like how one comes out do another, and then another. That is what it is about. The joy of making something and discovering new talents and skills.

EnsignExpendabl
Wow, amazing! Truly a great job.

Ulf Petersen
Very nice dio, Henry!👍
Convincing in all aspects.

Kerry COX
Hi Sherm, (MASH 4077) hahaha. 🙂 What a treat to see what you have produced here Henry.
Now you can tell me to bugger off after reading this, but I am assuming you have totally finished your model and because of that, I am wondering if there could be a little more bright metal exposed on the surface of the track where the rib that stands out from the outer track surface has met the street cobble stone surface.?
I ask this because.
I have noticed in images 38 and 40, the wear and polished surfaces on that particular part of the tread pattern, caused I would imagine from where the track meets the cobble stone surface as it moved along these hard stone surfaces.
I really feel that doing this would benefit the overall finish, and it is something I would be looking for if I was judging your work at a competition.
I do hope you take my comments as not a criticism, but they are intended, to mostly draw your attention to something you may have overlooked, as your attention to detail is something to marvel at.
Like I said, I will not be at all surprised if you did tell me to bugger off.
Cheers again, and I do love your work.
🙂 👍

Henry Milton
Thank you for the great feedback,
Kerry, You have a good point. I did finish this late the night before travelling to the show in South Carolina. I did add a bit of wear on the track but maybe not enough. I also forgot to weather out the distance poles and fill in the rear lights with a bit of clear red, all noted by judges at the nationals.
I will never shy away from constructive comments. That is how we get better. Now if someone told me that I would be better served to take up knitting I might get a bit sore, other than that I will take what folks say and run with it, so no worries there at all.

Henry Milton
I use a darker mix than most when it comes to track weathering an wear. I have several links from actual vehicles that I have acquired over the years. I use my Panzer 2 link as a book end. The real ones are a bit darker than most people portray in their work and too rusty as well. I have worked on getting it to a good scale effect and continue to try and improve the process. My friend has a whole collection of track links so fellow dug up in Europe some time back. pretty amazing collection. I will post pics if I can find them.

Kerry COX
Henry, You are as diplomatic as you are a superb modeller mate, and thank you for your understanding my meaning. 🙂 And to tell you the truth, I didn't notice the red and white distance pole had no wear to it OR, the tail light lenses either, but tail lights on an armoured vehicle in the middle of a war can be forgiven. :-/. So I will now look at what you mentioned, and again, Thanks. 👍

EnsignExpendabl
Wait, is that supposed to be striped? I painted mine flat black because I thought it was a gun cleaning rod. Oops.

Henry Milton
Like I said, no worries Kerry.
I modified some cleaning rods to resemble distance poles. I figured a tank used as an artillery observation post would have them. On the M4A4 with a 75mm gun the cleaning rods would be metallic black or a gun metal color. I believe they kept the cleaning heads in a container.

Kerry COX
I am always amazed to see just what is available for the modeller to detail their models, and your fineness in the turret is one of those examples of great attention to detail, and all the other PE work you did.👍
A big SALUTE mate. 🙂