M4A3 Sherman 75mm Tank

Nice kit. This was my first kit in 25 years. Really fun build. Decided I would add some photo etch brass details from a Verlinden and Eduard kits along with some added aftermarket stowage and home made. Model was finished with Tamiya TS5 Olive Drab lacquer and weathered using an array of AK Interactive acrylics and oils. Dirt was made using tile grout and a bit of static grass.

Now the rivet counters types might not think highly of these kits but its a great platform to build out of the box or to try your hand at scratch building and modifying. I decided to push it as far as I can so I shaved off all the molded handles and scratch built those, scratch building the exhaust deflector and rear skirts on either side of it. Used styrene to replicate the sand skirt mounting strips, built up the right side of the turret with putty for a better profile and blended the pistol port, add styrene rods w texture for better welds on the hull, built up the welds on lift hooks, drilled weep holes around filler caps etc. The list can go on, as I said a nice easy build or a great platform to develop your skills by researching and adding lots of easy DIY details.

I really enjoyed building this model. It is good quality, highly detailed, and good quality plastic that doesn't require primer before painting. The pieces fit together nicely with little manipulation, filing, or flash removal. The tracks are moveable as long as you are careful when gluing the wheel pieces together. I hand painted this model rather than air brushing but either technique would work well. Make sure to apply the decals to the tank prior to gluing on the attachments as there is some overlap. The only think I would change is that I painted this with Tamaiya Olive Drab which is darker green than the actual color of most of these tanks. Testors olive drab is closer to the authentic color.