M4A1 Assembled and Painted

Heiser Models M4A1(76) W late production tank with HVSS suspension.

This is a very late war tank, and would have seen service in Europe for about 6 months before the war ended.

The HVSS was a heavier suspension that was used because the new turret and 76mm gun and ammo were heavier than the older 75mm guns and smaller turret.

The W referred to wet stowage for the ammunition.  Sherman tanks burned when hit by German guns with about the same frequency as the Panzer IV did when hit by Allied guns.

Most vehicle fires were found to have been due to the ammo catching on fire, not the fuel.

So they started putting the ammo in special liquid filled racks to prevent that problem and it greatly reduced tank fires.

Over time Sherman tank armor thickness got thicker, especially on the front and around areas were the ammunition was stored.

Paul Heiser has made at least 22 versions of the Sherman tank in HO scale.

This is one of the few still in production.  So far this is the only one I have assembled and painted.