Heiser's Models HO 1/87 Scale M4A3E8(76)W Sherman Late Production HVSS Track

Heiser's Models HO 1/87 Scale M4A3E8(76)W Sherman Late Production HVSS Track number 5035.

This is a very late World War Two Sherman tank model with all the ultimate features of those used by the US Army in WWII and post War.  The tank  model itself is all resin and there are detail parts made out of plastic.

The upper and lower hull is one single magnificent casting with almost no flash.

There is just a tiny mold line that needs to be trimmed all around the vehicle.  The mold is two parts and the join is perfect to leave the least amount of obvious marking on the vehicle.  A quick hit with 400 sanding stick is all it takes to clean it up.

Test fitting the tracks and the turret.  There is a giant pin on the bottom side of the turret that fits into a big hole in the top of the hull.  It allows for a smooth turning turret.

The plastic accessory sprue.  It has machine guns gas cans, tools, and many other parts.  This sprue comes with most Heiser  US Army tank models.

Additional parts out of resin.  It comes with headlight, and extra hatches so you can have the hull hatches in the open position, and spare roof hatches in case you lose or break one.  The oval loaders hatch is a bit thick so sand it down just a little so it will fit flush with the turret roof.

Spare track section, spare individual tracks, engine vents, cargo shelf, road wheels, including two extra, and suspension parts.  The long white things are supports for the fenders. 

The parts come packed in individual sealed plastic bubbles for freshness.  And it keeps you from losing parts until you are ready for them.

It also provides a little air pocket so they don't break during shipping.

Instructions are a bit vague but are not too hard to puzzle out.  The top of the rear mounted cargo shelf is flush with the top side of the rear hull.  In real life it folds down to form an L shape to hold cargo.  Paul includes a couple different versions including a folded up one.  The extra tracks links were stowed three per side along the fender.  They were always placed as shown in the drawing above.  The lower right illustration shows were to put the fender supports.  Since I am doing a wargame model that will be handled a lot so I left them and the headlight off of my models.

The large cupola hatch and small loaders hatch was a very late war combination, but very common in the Korea War.

Here is a listing of the resin parts.  The plastic sprue has both a .50 caliber and a .30 caliber machine gun, either one was common in WWII on the turret and sometimes even both at the same time.  Over all an excellent kit.