Dragon Models Ltd

1/72 Sherman M4A3 105mm with HVSS

Kit Number: 7313

Reviewed by  Jim Pearsall, IPMS# 2209

MSRP: $14.95 Thanks to Dragon USA for providing this nice kit to review. The Vehicle The M-4 Sherman evolved like a lot of US equipment during World War 2; the hardware kept changing, but the name was kept the same. If you look at the huge advances in aircraft carrier design between 1939 and 1944, the fact that the Sherman just got better and better isn't that amazing. Of course there are those who (rightly) say that the M-4 was inferior in armor and armament to Wehrmacht equipment, but there were just so MANY of them. Also, the reliability of the Sherman reached a very high standard by 1945. So which is better, an inferior tank which is there supporting you, or a superior one which is busy 4 miles away, and can't get to you anyway because it can't cross the bridge? The Ford-built M4A3 used a gasoline fueled V-8 engine. It was preferred for reliability by the troops. This M4 has the HVSS (Horizontal Volute Spring Suspension) system, which has a wider track, giving a smoother ride and better cross-country ability. The 105m howitzer is mounted in the same (larger) turret as the 76mm high velocity gun. The 105 was generally less effective as an anti-armor weapon than the 76mm, due to the lack of a power traverse for the 105, plus the problem of hitting a single vehicle with the howitzer, which was not as good as a direct-fire weapon. HVSS M4s were used in Korea, both the 76 and 105 mm versions. The Model As you can see, all the parts come in plastic bags. This certainly reduces the problem of lost parts. And as you will see later, this could be a large player in this kit. There are 2 hull parts, plus 5 sprues of plastic parts. Also included are 1 fret of photoetch and the "rubber band" tracks. Construction This is a fairly complex model. In addition to the large number of small parts, the suspension parts are a model unto themselves. The HVSS bogies are 8 parts, and there are 6 of them. This is 48 parts. The whole Airfix Sherman kit had 55 in toto. We've certainly come a long way!

The rest of the construction consists mostly of determining which parts need to be attached to the hull or turret, finding the parts and putting them in their place. Sometimes this is a feat, as shown by this picture of the lift rings used to dismount the 105 mm gun. They attach to the gun mantlet. That huge round thing is a US penny. There are 2 parts there, just in front of Lincoln's beard. This is where I was very glad each sprue came packed in its own sealed plastic bag. Can you imagine looking through the box to find one of those? The only other notes I had were that there are two sprues with part A. The extra one is the 105mm gun and its parts. I spent some time looking for those parts on the wrong sprue. Otherwise, the only thing I noted that will cause some folks pain is that most of the tools were molded onto the hull. Nicely molded, but still molded on. OTOH, the shovel was a separate part, and you couldn't leave it off without filling the mounting holes in the rear of the hull. I noted that there's a very nice looking .50 caliber machine gun on sprue B. But it's an unused part on this kit. Which means I now have a nice .50 in my spares box. I painted the model with Testors® Faded Olive Drab. Looked fine. I touched in the details and hull mounted tools, and I was getting close. I put a burnt sienna wash on, but I'm not happy with how it looks. The tracks are a continuous piece of some sort of flexible plastic. But these really aren't the old-fashioned "rubber band" tracks. They take paint superbly, and can be glued successfully. Also, the attachment system for the ends works very well. The tracks match the photo of the Korean Sherman (above). If you're going to have 1-piece tracks, these are the ones to have. I only used a couple of the photoetch parts. Fenders are supplied, and if you want to do a "well used" Sherman, wrinkling these and attaching them would be a real plus. The light guards I used were a little finicky, but then aren't all small PE parts? Since the M4A3 only came on line in late 1944, your choices for WW2 markings are limited, Okinawa 1945, Germany 1945, Italy 1945 and Austria 1945. I chose Austria. Overall Assessment This kit takes a long time to complete, but it's one of those when you finish it, it's worth all that effort. Most of my problems were that I just don't have the 20-15 eyesight I had when I was in high school, 45 years ago. Even wearing glasses and a magnifier, I sometimes had trouble getting those small parts to go where I wanted. And they don't sit and stay nearly as well as la Poocharacha. Additionally, careful handling is a must, as those little parts depart the main model with great velocity and glee. Thanks to IPMS and Dragon USA for this kit.

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