Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

As the title says, is there a difference in what the kit comes with? On the PSC website is says the 75mm allied comes with US and UK commanders, and the sprue picture seems to indicate that the 76 and 105 barrels are included, but I am wondering if anyone has any personal experience on them. The shop I was looking at has the 75mm in stock but the 76mm kit is sold out. I would just order but this place has a history of "misplacing" special orders.

I'm wanting to build M4A1 105s and 75s to go with the BF M4A1 76s I already have.

I could be mistaken, but I think I once saw a comment that there were no M4A1(105) tanks built.

You might want to research that before building one.

I believe both the sprues for the M4 A1 75 and 76 kits are identical.
Its just the 75 version shows the parts for the 76 mm gun ,turret and transmission housing as 'not required for this kit'.
And the 76 mm version shows the parts for the 105 mm gun, 75 mm gun , turret and transmission housing as 'not required for this kit.'.

I could be wrong but the only real difference with the 'wet version' was the internal water jackets on the ammo storage bins.

Although it may be true no M4A1 were built with 105mm turrets from the factory .
I am sure several were converted to 105mm guns during the war.
Many hybrid Sherman tanks were created in field workshops.(Different hatches/turrets/guns variations on standard chassis.)

I'm not too terribly concerned about M4A1 105 vs a straight M4 105. I was just focusing on the option being available in each kit and having a rounded hull.

I did some research a while back and posted here:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/544068.page

Essentially it comes down to this.

1. PSC makes kits with a lot of redundant parts. So you get British commanders with the M4A3 tanks, even though the British didnt use them, the same gun options throughout etc. The only item handled seperately is the Firefly.

2. Given the choice choose M4A1 over A3 as the earlier tanks saw wider action.

3. PSC provides two bustles for each sprue, enough for one turret of the two available. However turret bustles are interchangable, tanks were jury rigged with any combination of high or low bustle turret hatches, so the bustles on two boxsets will be enough to service both 75mm and 76mm turrets allowing you to field the 76mm with swap out turrets.

4. 105mm tanks used the chassis available, as did the 76mm as both were higher priority to the 75mm for refits an salvage. You tanks dont have to look identical.

Take a mix of the chassis you want.

Essentially you should use the dry kit to build 75mm Sherman's and the wet kit to build 76mm Sherman's.

The 76mm Sherman's came in from July 44 onwards after wet stowage became the standard so there where no dry stowage 76mm Sherman's.

 LuciusAR wrote:
Essentially you should use the dry kit to build 75mm Sherman's and the wet kit to build 76mm Sherman's.

The 76mm Sherman's came in from July 44 onwards after wet stowage became the standard so there where no dry stowage 76mm Sherman's.

However a lot of tanks were field salvage, if you lose a 76 and the turret could be saved it would be placed on an older hull.
So there is a lot of room for mix and match.