My thoughts on Airfix's somewhat maligned vintage Sherman kit...
Preface
I wrote this little piece for a video script that I am planning, but as it seemed interesting enough in it's own right I thought it might post it up. Note: I am NOT a Sherman tank expert - a 'Shermaholic' - and what I am about to relate is just my amateurish sleuthing. So be warned!
The Airfix 1/76 Sherman M4 kit has always been something of a oddity to the British modelling fraternity and has gleaned something of a reputation for inaccuracies and problematic detail.
Some of the questions over accuracy may be because Airfix - over the course of the kit's history - mis-identified the tank's variant as variously a 'Mk.II' (M4A1) in 1991 and then as a 'M4A2' in 2011. However, even in it's original 1961 guise as an 'M4' (Sherman Mk. I) there was something strange about the model's make up given the decals supplied with the kit.
What Are You Airfix Sherman?
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| When is a Sherman tank not a Sherman tank? Picture: WW2 inflatable 'dummy' tank decoy! [Wikipedia] |
Historically, Britain was supplied with the first model M4 Sherman tank (which the British Army called the 'Mk.1') in 1942 and it's first combat outing was at the Second Battle of El Alamein.
This early mark of the British Army's Sherman saw service in North Africa, Sicily, and possibly Italy (c.1943), but by 1944 and D-Day onwards it seems that many of these early M4/Mk.1s were converted into the Sherman Firefly '1C's.
My cursory research leads me to believe that while a small number of M4/Mk.1s had maybe slipped through this conversion and were deployed in France, the main variants of Sherman used by the British in Europe were the M4A1s (Mk. II), M4A2s (MK. III) and some M4A4 (Mk. V).
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| Above: Star Decals D-Day British Shermans sheet includes some examples of fairly rare 'Mk.I' Shermans deployed to Normandy! So there were some! |
If It Looks Like A Duck...?
What I think Airfix had done with this kit - and this is only a theory - was to base their model on the only available reference example that they had available - and I suspect that might have been a mid-war US Army M4. A clue that Airfix based their M4 on a US version is the inclusion of the T41 tracks with rubber pads as by late 1943 and certainly by 1944 the British Army was equipping their Shermans with with tracks using steel chevron pads.
A good number of US (and French) Shermans deployed in the Normandy campaign and later on displayed in museums after the war are equipped with the rubber pad tracks and this points to a US M4 being used as the basis for Airfix's model.
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| Above: This unpainted build of the Airfix M4 is by Modkits and it shows the unadorned features of the kit. Souce: Modkit Youtube Build |
To make matters even worse regarding identifying exactly what Airfix was going for, apparently Airfix decided to 'improve' it's M4 by adding extra 'detail' in the second production run of this kit! 🙄
The main things to note - that are included on my version of the Sherman kit - are driver/MG Direct Vision Blocks (done badly) and the three-part transmission (the original 1961 moulding of the kit having the one-piece transmission). This only went to muddy the waters of authenticity even more! No wonder nobody could really tell what exactly this Sherman was meant to be!
As I said, while the British did deploy the some Sherman M4 (Mk.1) in Normandy, the steel chevron tracks were almost certainly a standard feature by this time. So, the use of a US M4 design - to model a tank suitable for both US and British service in Europe - was a bit of a fudge. But that is just my guess.
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| Above: Another example of a relatively rare British Mk. I in Normandy. This depicts an example from 1st Squadron, 2nd (Armoured) Irish Guards. Note, though, the steel chevron style tracks and the later M34A1 Gun Mount . |
The Curious British Decals!
To give the user a decal choice I suspect Airfix may have just picked a vaguely suitable looking British D-Day Sherman scheme thinking that the modeller would not be too au fait with British Army and Sherman subtleties in 1961! (Reference material may have been not so accessible back then?)
The British decals appear to be a somewhat questionable reference to a unit of the Royal Armoured Corps (red & yellow shield, Divisional badge?) and a vehicle of the Guards Division/Household Cavalry (blue and red rectangle, Divisional/arm of service flash?). [Note: This is guess work!]
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| Above: Here's a handy reference to British Armoured Divisional insignia for WW2 by SquireBev. The closest to the Airfix decal's Shield is the 25th Army Tank Brigade yellow & red shield, but it's not identical. The Airfix red/blue flash is likewise a somewhat dubious inclusion. Full-sized version here: Tank Unit Insignia. |
...BUT I've been unable to find any instance of the exact use of these emblems in any historical reference (particularly in this combination). I do wonder whether Airfix concocted this 'generic' identity for this model, backing up my theory that they chose a US example first and simply opted for a compromise/fictional second scheme so they could include the two decal options?
Airfix, Uhhh, What Is It Good For?
So, again, what is the Airfix Sherman? Well, it is what the box says it is - at least in it's first production run guise - that being an early M4 or what the British Army called a Mk.1 (if you get the Airfix box that says it's this). 😉 But it's an M4 of a fairly specific time period and it almost certainly isn't what the alternative British Army scheme option tries to convince you that it is (probably/maybe).
If you want a US Army M4 that served from mid war and into D-Day then you are safe with this model pretty much 'out the box'. Likewise if you are building an early British example - with the T41 track type - based on North Africa and Sicily examples of the 'Mk.I' then you might also get away with this model! [With some tinkering!]
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| Above: One careful owner - the US Army! This M4 is - aside from the obvious - pretty much Airfix's M4 model - 'ish'! 😏 |
But - there are a lot of 'buts' about this model - if you want a British Mk.1 going into the Normandy campaign this kit becomes a bit dodgy and you might have to swap out or modify those tracks for the steel chevron type for authenticity and also do some futher tinkering! (Dependant on your reference material on which you base your version of the tank! Oi vey, I have a headache!)
In this meandering examination I have concluded - with no firm documentary evidence whatsoever - that I think Airfix pulled a bit of a boner back in 1961. Bear in mind that they were not beyond doing this as their very first attempt at a Spitfire model was lambasted as being nigh-on cartoonish regarding it's basis in authenticity and detail.
In fact, many of Airfix's early attempts at armoured vehicles in it's 1/76 range come up against varying degrees of criticism on the grounds of 'realism'. But, in their defence, this was the 1960s and there wasn't a whole lot of competition around.
Conclusion - So What?
OK, I guess you are tired of my rambling and saying 'so why didn't you buy a better Sherman kit?'
Well, actually there isn't a better 1/76 M4 Sherman! There is a Revell 1/76 Sherman Firefly, but then I would have to fettle and down-grade that model back to being a Sherman Mk. 1! Either way - Airfix or Revell - there is going to be a bit of tinkering to get the look of the version of the tank I want...
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| Above: Rare photo of an rare tank? What looks like a 'Mk.I' Sherman in use with the British in Normandy with an early M34 Gun Mount! This is the tank that I'm Looking for! 😉 |
And before you say 'why didn't you chose the better 1/72 range instead', remember I'm doing this whole project because I already have a 1/76 Cromwell and have bought a 1/76 Comet and 1/76 Firefly to go with the project so I'm kinda committed.... So it's Airfix Sherman tinkering ahoy then! 😂
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