Scale: 1/72 | Manufacturer: Italeri | Kit nr: Nr. 7003

The M4 Sherman, officially Medium Tank, M4, was the medium tank most widely used by the United States and Western Allies in World War II. The M4 Sherman was reliable and well adapted to mass production. Tens of thousands were distributed through the Lend-Lease program to the British Commonwealth, Soviet Union, and other Allied Nations. The tank was named by the British after the American Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman. It was also the basis of several other armored fighting vehicles including self-propelled artillery, tank destroyers, and armored recovery vehicles.

The M4 Sherman was instrumental in the success of several Allied offensives, particularly after 1942, when the Allies began to gain momentum following the Allied landings in North Africa (Operation Torch) and the subsequent campaigns in Italy and France.

An M4A1 in Italy on the Gothic line, town of Ponsacco, 1944. Credit: www.theshermantank.com

I bought this kit at a shop near Military Museum Overloon. Despite the somewhat dated tooling I enjoyed building this little kit. This is the only 1/72 tank kit that I’ve built which contains parts for an engine.

I also utilised this model to practice my painting and weathering skills. I tried to convey rain streakes, dirt, paint chips and light rust to make the model more interesting. If you can make an olive drab painted vehicle interesting, then you can take future models to the next level, at least, that’s my perspective.