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.

WWPD got in a box of Plastic Soldier Company(PSC) Allied M4A4 and Firefly Sherman Tank (WW2V15011) to review. I did a review on the PSC German Halftracks, and the Panthers, so I could not wait to get my hands on these guys for my Late War British Flames of War army!

PSC M4A4 Sherman Review

Lovely photos. And the Firefly version looks great.

I would add a few points:

- the assembly issues are common to PSC's Shermans - basically you have to be very careful with the tracks, particularly where the two halves meet.

- the moulded-on applique armour on the hull sides is not square (due to moulding restrictions), and this is quite noticable.

- the position of the .50 cal is incorrect; it should be mounted on the commander's cupola (although most M4A4's were used by the British and the Poles as the Sherman V, and they rarely mounted the .50 cal).

- the narrow mantlet was used initially on the M4A4, but was very quickly phased out and almost never appears in photos - the PSC model is the later version with applique armour so it should have the wider mantlet. The (very nicely detailed) 3-piece transmission is correct, as all M4A4's had this.

Tailgunner wrote:
- the position of the .50 cal is incorrect; it should be mounted on the commander's cupola (although most M4A4's were used by the British and the Poles as the Sherman V, and they rarely mounted the .50 cal).

Are you sure of this? I've seen a number of images where the .50 cal is to the left of the cupola.

Its a shame that this kit as the same commander model as their other Sherman kits. Oh well

Cwen wrote:Are you sure of this? I've seen a number of images where the .50 cal is to the left of the cupola.

You can never be entirely definitive - there were too many weird variations. But it seems pretty clear that the M4A4 was only fitted with the split hatch commander's cupola, which had an integral mount for the .50 cal. The pedestal mounting depicted on this kit was introduced with the later one-piece commander's hatch with vision blocks, which didn't appear on the M4A4.

Tailgunner wrote:

Cwen wrote:Are you sure of this? I've seen a number of images where the .50 cal is to the left of the cupola.

You can never be entirely definitive - there were too many weird variations. But it seems pretty clear that the M4A4 was only fitted with the split hatch commander's cupola, which had an integral mount for the .50 cal. The pedestal mounting depicted on this kit was introduced with the later one-piece commander's hatch with vision blocks, which didn't appear on the M4A4.

I read a bit about this before assembly and found that there were quite a bit of variations (especially among the US), and the main UK one was removal of the .50cal. However, I thought I needed to do it in order to do a proper review, so -- meh.

You will notice that I did re-position the .50 on the Firefly -- I found a picture online and emulated that.