US M4 Medium in 1:48

Kit construction and detail enhancement by Luke Pitt

The kit used was Tamiya's 1:48 M4 Sherman, enhanced with applique armour and many detail inprovements. You might have seen a detailed article on Luke's treatment of this kit in the September 2005 issue of Tamiya Model Magazine International.

Contruction

Main points:

• Cast effect on final drive housing and glacis plate.
• Detailed antenna mount to represent a cast type (based on photo evidence).
• Headlights hollowed out and fitted with MV lenses.
• PE detailing from the Hauler HLX48001 set - front & rear headlight guards, periscope covers.
• Hull applique armour from 10 thou (0.25mm) plastic card.
• Detailed bogies (drilled out return roller mounting points, bolt head details to skid plates and lower bogie assembly).
• PE detailing of turret mounted .50cal MG.
• On-vehicle crew stowage from Milliput and lead foil straps and PE buckles.

Painting and Finishing

Luke chose a scheme depicted in Concord's "US Tank Battles in France 1944-45", page 36. Main points:

• Base coat in Tamiya Olive Drab XF62 with a little earth XF52 added to tone down the straight out-of-the-jar colour.
• Crew-applied mud camo in splinter pattern using brush applied mixes of Vallejo Khaki 988, Khaki Grey 880, London Grey 836 and White 842, straight from the bottle.
• Very thin wash of Winsor & Newton Burnt Umber thinned with lighter fluid directed into the recesses.
• Final overall very thin coat (15% paint to 85% thinner) concentrating more on suspension than upper hull.
• Attached Scale Link SLF39 PE foliage.

Images - Click on thumbnails below for larger images. Images © Luke Pitt 2006