Followers

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Shermans in Many Versions

Paul Heiser eventually made an M4A1 with Continental 975 engine and cast hull, M4A3 with Ford GAA engine and welded hull, and the M4A2 with diesel engine.  The M4A2 was used mostly by the Soviet Union and the USMC.
These three Paul Heiser Models come with a vast array of accessories, and the parts can be mixed and matched with the Roco Sherman.  The early production cannon on the Roco can be swapped out for one of the newer Paul Heiser Models to depict and upgraded older Sherman.  Since you get two gun barrels with the Heiser Model you end up with an extra barrel and this is a good use for it.  I am in the process of doing some of that now.
Paul also makes a number of Sherman tanks that are mostly resin, such as the M4A4 with the Chrysler multi-bank engine.  Most were sent overseas to serve with the British as the Sherman MK V but many stayed in the US for crew training.  Just behind the turret you can see the distinctive hump on the engine deck.
This photo is an all plastic early production M4A3 Sherman, note the narrow mantelet, and the pistol port on the turret, early cupola, like the Roco.  This narrow mantelet is "newer" than the Roco with is very early production.

I have 21 M4A2 with the diesel engine but they are not in this group as they have been Lend Leased to my Soviet Union WWII forces.  The only significant difference from this tank is the engine deck grills.

 At one time Paul Heiser made at least 20 different versions of the Sherman tank and with his accessory sprue you could make dozens more variations.  By adding a few Roco turrets or cannon you could make even more.  I don't have them all, but I am working on it.

2 comments:

Legion4 said...

Looks good to me !!!

Mike Bunkermeister Creek said...

Thank you so much for the complement.
Bunkermeister