Is the old Tasca kit better ?
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You mean the Asuka release from like 2017 right? I don’t think Tasca ever released an M4A1 76mmW. IMO the Asuka kit is a quite a bit better than the Border Models kit
I still think this BM will look decent once it’s finished.
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Very nice job so far, it looks great!
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Yes that’s what I was thinking - Asuka
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Unfortunately the Perth site is offline now, he had some good reviews of those old kits where he explained where they had gone wrong and also what was right about them. I think the decals in those kits had some issues too, but I know that the turret required some mods, the turret and the gun are off scale and too small, more like 1/37 scale. The kit wasn’t without a couple of pluses tho. I think the suspension is really nice if you don’t mind a neutral pose, the PE was decent, and the tracks build into a really nice looking set of tracks if you use a jig like what Steve Zaloga recommended in his book. It’s hard to recommend much else on the kit, The FDA is mishappen, the way it joins to the glacis is wrong, the glacis on the upper hull lacks the proper contour shapes on the hoods. Although the Italeri is much much older and is a bit too long, it still has a much better shape to the hull overall but especially to the front of the hull.
It’s weird how before Tamiya and Asuka released their versions of the T-23 turret, I thought the DML turret was great. Then later when the others came out I saw that the DML is slightly smaller by comparison. Also DML’s interpretation of the 76mm gun is really small. Their 76mm barrels got bigger in the M4A3 smart kit, but in the Cobra kit it was about 3.5mm shorter than it should be and it’s also a bit skinny too.
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Wow I didn’t realize the kit had so many issues. Thanks for the rundown.
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With way back machine, they are still viewable etc.
Appreciate the review of the Border Models Sherman and sharing what you’ve found.
The BM seems pretty unappealing for a 2025 release to me.
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I had to build the spare track holders? I’m not sure that’s what they are called but the BM kit not only omits the brackets but no track blocks provided for it either although the track set should have some remnants once built. Still most kits provide spare track and brackets.
I used the Italeri brackets and spare DML track blocks, easy enough to throw together.
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The Border Models kit is a DOG. It deserves to be put down. Those craters in the hull, even after sanding, need to be completely filled in everywhere. A little AK Easycast is all that’s needed, if at all. With all the other mistakes these kits are just bin-tastic.
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Before we kick the dog out, you need to think back to what came before,
I have built 3 of the 5 shown.
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The only way I would even remotely consider buying another one is if I can get it super cheap and then not to build the kit but for the resin light and horn guards, the link to link tracks and the metal barrel. Also really nice is the jigs that BM included for building the PE brush guards and tracks too. A lot of kits don’t come with jigs for the PE or tracks. Another thing I would take from another one of these is the tow cable ends, tow cable, and the clamps used to tie it down to the hull. It’s a carp kit with some A+ items in the box.
I’m canibalizing most of the cool things for an Asuka Cobra Sherman I’m planning on building next. The tracks, resin parts, and a couple of PE items are going to end up on the more deserving Asuka build. With all the corrections I have done on this BM hull and still have to do with the turret. plus with the 1990s caliber suspension. I have no qualms about short changing this kit with a bunch of stuff from the spares box. The suspension alone kind of kills this kit for me. I already have to build the 75mm version which has the same identical suspension but after that I’ll probably never build another one again.
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I don’t plan to acquire anymore of these;) One go around will probably be enough. I do plan to mine this kit for some of the goodies that it has. This kit is strange in that it’s so poor in some areas but then has one of the nicest shovels I’ve ever seen in a plastic kit, just little details that pop here and there but mostly the kit is carp 
- Tracks
- PE
- Resin brush guards for the lights and the siren
- Turned barrel and comes with an additional really nice slide molded M1A2 barrel as well
- Unfortunately I used the tow cable and clamps but should’ve taken those for my Asuka too.
- I’m not an expert but the MG looks decent to me but it might be the wrong version for WW2? IDK
- The plastic stowage is nice and something I plan to use on my Asuka too.
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Toying around with track options and stowage. Tomorrow I’m gonna try to find some sand shield brackets in my Asuka spares.
Feeling kind of guilty about taking so much away from the kit I’m considering scratch building a cullin device to add interest.
Do any of you guys have a PDF with dimensions or scale drawings in 1/35 that you can share?
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You can probably derive your own drawings, the same as I did, from my photos. I took them at the Armor Collection at Fort Benning recently. There was also a discussion last year about whether or not they were welded on. I did not think it made sense to weld them, and I’m pretty sure my photos will bear this out.
I also photographed the one at the WWII Museum in Nawlins. As a field mod, historical photos seem to indicate there was little standardization. That said, having initially been based on German tank obstacles at Normandy, it would make sense to use angled steel of similar dimensons.
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I made one (with the wide triangular “wings”) based on a photo of the Cobra tanks being prepped - I’ll dig it out later and do some measurements for you! It was all cut from Evergreen strip, but these days I would probably start with the Gecko beach obstacles for the angle-irons…
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You can get the triangular type from Asuka, ¥350 each if you don’t buy the set with two of them in it.
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Son of Sherman just identifies them as “track block holders”, a very unmilitary term!
We had to fabricate new ones for the M4A1(76)w VVSS we’re restoring/reserving.
FWIW, here are my pics
I was not fixated on the spares, but that closeup side view was intriguing.
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I’m such a bonehead, the look I’m going after is this one and it’s not called the “Cullin” it’s called the “Douglas” device. I already knew this stuff before but for some reason I guess it got dumped outta the old database😞
I found this image which shows a frontal view. Steve Zaloga’s book says these were made for 3rd AD tanks only. 2nd AD got the Cullin style cutters.
Then I found this which shows how to manufacture one and I’m not going to make it look perfect, these were field made mods thrown together with repurposed beach obstacles. They might have followed a pattern but these were all individually hand made and I doubt any two were exactly the same. I know that they bolted onto the towing brackets but I’ve seen images where they appear to be welded onto the FDA or at least portions of it are welded on?
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Yep, the triangular wing also known as the Douglas device. Those measurements would definitely make my job easier but if it’s too much trouble to find it I’ll just measure my tank and go from there like if was making a real one. In real life I’ve been many things but I did work as a mechanic for almost a decade and during that time I learned how to weld a bit and I made jigs for mounting engine blocks and even a small crane for pulling engines out of cars. But that was like 40 years ago. The only thing I weld nowadays is my ass to the recliner😂.
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