Yesterday, I received in the mail the brand new Tasca 1/35 M4A3(76)W Sherman, kit #35-019. The following is a preview of what you'll receive if you purchase the kit. Inside the box are 665 total parts including a small PE fret, a sprue of poly caps, and a small rectangle of felt for use in the bogie assembly.
The upper hull has casting numbers and foundry logo in the proper spot. There's fine casting texture on the cast parts of the upper hull. Both sponson floors have the fuel tank drain covers on them.
Bogie options include two different types of road wheels. Pop rivets for the road wheels are molded on the sprues and need to be carefully scraped off for use on the wheels.
The T23 turret is molded with a fine cast texture on it. The foundry number is located near the gunner's periscope.
Sprues from their earlier M4A4/Sherman V kits are included as they provide fuel filler caps and other parts common to all Shermans. The leftovers will help fill the spares box. Three different drive sprocket options are included.
Openings in the driver's, loader's, and bow gunner's hatches allow the fitting of periscope parts. Grouser box covers from the M4A1's are also included and will go into the spares box.
Parts for two different variants of the engine deck are included. The exhaust deflector is a six piece assembly that has a few sink marks in it.
Both the differential housing cover and mantlet are molded with a fine cast texture. Neither of them of foundry markings on them, so you'll need to add them using something like Archer Transfers surface details. Two 76mm barrels are also included, the smooth M1/M1A1 and M1A1C/M1A2 with muzzle brake thread protector. No muzzle brake or provision for one is included.
Two commander's cupola, one clear and one solid color are included along with clear and solid periscopes. Two water and two gas cans come with the kit.
The lower hull is a multi-piece assembly like Tasca's other Shermans.
A disassembled .50caliber M2 machine gun can be displayed stowed on the turret bustle or assembled and mounted on the pintle in front of the loader's hatch. A small PE fret for the light guards and periscope guards is included. The decals are printed by Cartograph of Italy and feature markings for 3 different vehicles.
Four sections make up the T48 tracks, two sections per side. The felt rectangle is supposed to be cut into small pieces for use inside the bogie housings.
A 10 page instruction booklet is accompanied by a 2 page painting/decal guide. That pretty much covers it. I'll probably start working on it later this week. I'll post pictures of my progress as I go. I plan on building it out of the box because if I attempt to detail it, I'll never finish it.
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