Ooh you’re brave! Some years ago I arm-wrestled the DML A4 into submission, but it left me scarred…
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Yeah, the front of the hull (FDA and sprocket mounts) won’t fit without surgery and lots of putty. About 6 years ago I sold off all my Dragon Shermans for $20 a pop. I have aquired Asuka Shermans in that time. But my real favorites are the RFM Shermans, of which an A4 is newly available. The RFM hull goes together in an afternoon with absolutely no putty needed anywhere. The fit is perfect and it’s a joy to build up.
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I was also not a fan of the one I build (and still haven’t finished painting …) — in fact it made me decide not to bother with Dragon Shermans at all anymore.
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I built the DML M4A4 a long while back, for my Crab, but I don’t recall having too many issues other than a tiny bit of putty along the transmission bolt plate and adding some styrene around the turret ring to fix sloppy fit. Maybe, I have compartmentalised my trauma…
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@SSGToms
DML’s A4 kits have some issues for sure, I think the big one if I recall correctly is that the lower hull is too long which makes the idler look really strange as it’s too far away from the last set of boggies. The sunken welds on the hull, the issues with the final drives and the differential cover that you mentioned.
Like you, I plan to sell most of my older DML kits, like the ones they released in the 90s, I do like some of Dragon’s newer releases that came out around 2009-2014 like their M4A1 DV #6404, M4A2 DV #6573 , M4 DV #6579, the redone M4 hybrid, the the later M4 IC, the M4 IC hybrid, of all their later Sherman kits I think the last 4-5 releases were actually nice compared to their older Sherman releases. I think at the time they were trying to compete with Tasca and when Tasca raised the bar I think Dragon produced some nice Shermans during that time period.
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Yeah, the few remaining “old” DML Shermans in my stash are kept as parts-donors. A few newer ones are good though.
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If you haven’t already seen, Paul has some tips for Dragon kit at the bottom of the page.
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@barkingdigger
Here is a list of the newer Dragon Sherman kits that I own and built that I thought were much better than their older kits. I’m not saying that they’re perfect but these are nice kits and some of them offer several build options too.
#6511 Normandy M4
#6573 Sherman III DV
#6231 Sherman III mid production
#6529 Beutepanzer M4A2 75mm
#6441 M4 hybrid PTO
#6568 Firefly IC based on M4 hull
#6579 M4 DV
#6447 Sherman II El Alamein
#6404 M4A1 DV can be used for Kassarine Pass
#6228 Firefly IC hybrid hull
#6548 M4 large hatch 105mm, some issues with the mantlet and turret but can be used to build a late large hatch 76mm M4 or the M4 test tank with the Pershing turret.
Some of these have since been re-released with upgraded 3D printed parts in them, but they are expensive. $65-70 dollars is not worth it IMO, if you can get the earlier releases for less I’d probably go in that direction instead.
Of those releases from Dragon in 2008-2012 range, I own and have built everything on that list above and while they’re not perfect I think they are Dragon’s best Sherman kits. I like them because they borrowed less from older kits than other Dragon Sherman tank releases. Most of those kits listed were newly tooled kits at that time. I would have no issues recommending those kits to anyone. The only one from that generation of kits that I never purchased was #6698 M4A3 75mm(W) ETO probably because I read that it borrowed sprues from older releases.
EDIT: Two other Dragon Shermans not on that list I would have no issues recommending are a bit earlier releases than those posted above, M4A2 Tarawa release #6062 and #6313 Sherman III. Kit #6062 represents an FTA hull while #6313 represents a PSCC hull, I still haven’t started either of these kits and they’ve been in the stash for 20 years, only gripe on these kits was the hoods on #6062 required a sliver of plastic added to the front face, I think Dragon corrected the issue in later releases of that kit but it’s a pretty easy thing to correct. For #6313 the issue that I recall reading about is that it had something to do with the bolt pattern on the upper rear hull plate needed to be corrected which is a real minor thing to have to fix.
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While I am very busy till mid August my idle hands put me to work.
Added the transmission and shortened the lower ith approx 5mm. Removed the forward tow shakcle mounts as they were very low and small. So I need to scratch build new ones. Also need to fill that hole in the back and to build that wedge in the color photos.
Should I buy 3d printed parts for smoke dischargers on the back? I cannot see them in the picture
Thanks.
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by curiosity, what are your thought on the dragon firefly kit? I plan to do a polish one (zemsta II with aftermarket decals).
Thanks for your answers, I hope there’s not too much trap here
Dragon released several different Firefly kits over the years going back to the 1990s it would be helpful if you have a four digit kit number. I put several Fireflies on my list above, they’re not perfect but none of these kits are. Asuka also makes one, IMO you can’t go wrong with either the later Dragon ones or the Asuka version. RFM also makes a Firefly, but that one is based on the A4 hull and incorrect of the tank you want to build.
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it’s the 90’ firely Ic I got (9037)
In the picture you posted right above where you wrote that? They’re the box-type things on the left, in front of the engine door.
And it also has the m1919 mg on the turret. So I ordered 1/35: Commonwealth Sherman upgrades Vol.2 which has them both
@sgeorges4
wow, 1996…it’s been a very long time since I built that one…it had some issues, the two part barrel is too long, the turret is a bit misshapen, the casting texture on the front hull is over done (lots of sanding), you’ll need to do the welds on the upper hull, and it might have the old hollow wheel suspension too, I don’t recall now, it’s just been so long…Back when I built mine we didn’t have all the choices we have now, so I put some good money into that build, resin turret, tracks, turned barrel, etc… In the end I gave it away to my brother for his personal collection after I bought the Tasca version.
Like I said earlier I don’t recommend any of the older 1990-2004 era DML Sherman tank kits. I wouldn’t spend after market $ on a kit like that anymore. I would just build it OOTB with some minor scratch building upgrades like the sanding of the hull texture and the weld beads, plus maybe some scratch built sand shield brackets, that’s about it and nothing fancy. I’d just have fun with it and enjoy it for what it is.