Modeling the Sherman Tank in 1/72nd Scale
 
M4A3 Medium Tank
M4A3
The M4A3 entered service with the early small hatch hull, armed with the 75mm turret. Early versions of this tank had a bolted 3-piece final drive housing (nose piece), and direct vision slots in the front hull. The direct vision slots were removed fairly early, and the nose piece eventually converted to the single-piece cast nose of two styles.
Name Manufacturer Medium Type Rating Comments Links
M4A3 Early-production CPL Overby's Motorpool Resin Kit   With 3-piece transmission cover. OOP  
M4A3 early ARMO Resin Conversion   With rounded nose piece, early hull, and M34A1 gun shield. Turret has no loader's hatch. Comes with etched brass details and turned metal gun barrel. Converted from ESCI.  
M4A3 late (actually mid) ARMO Resin Conversion   With rounded nose piece, early hull, and M34A1 gun shield. Turret has loader's hatch. Comes with etched brass details and turned metal gun barrel. Converted from ESCI.  
M4A3 Mid-production CPL Overby's Motorpool Resin Kit   OOP  
M4A3 UniModel Plastic Kit      
M4A3 w/Calliope Rocket Launcher UniModel Plastic Kit      
M4A3 w/Deep Wading Trunks UniModel Plastic Kit      

 

M4A3W
Some M4A3s were built with the late 47° big-hatch hull, and yet retained the 75mm M4 turret. These turrets all had the oval loader's hatch. Early models retained the split commander's hatch, but later models incorporated the commander's vision cupola. Total Number Produced: 3,071.
Name Manufacturer Medium Type Rating Comments Links
M4A3 (75)W early ARMO Resin Conversion   With rounded nose piece, late hull, and M34A1 gun shield. Turret has no loader's hatch. Comes with etched brass details and turned metal gun barrel. Converted from ESCI.  
M4A3 ESCI Plastic Kit *** Decent but very rare model. OOP Preview
Review
US Marines Sherman Fine Scale Factory Resin Kit *** Modified from ESCI M4A3. Added wood and sandbag armor, plus new tracks. OOP? Preview
M4A3 Armourfast Plastic Kit N/A Wargamer model. Good scale accuracy but very simplistic.  
M4A3 Italeri Plastic Kit N/A Wargamer model.  
M4A3 (75)W MR Modellbau Resin Conversion *****    
M4A3 Trumpeter Plastic Kit *** Decent kit with high-bustle turret and solid dish wheels. Preview
M4A3 w/Deep Wading Trunks UniModel Plastic Kit      
M4A3 Calliope Lexa/Dragon Plastic Kit **** Plastic parts from Dragon with a resin T-34 rocket launcher. Preview

 

M4A3 (75) HVSS
There were over 500 M4A3 (75) HVSS tanks built, although photos of them are extremely rare. At least one was photographed in Czechoslovakia, and several on Okinawa at the end of the war. Their combat use remains elusive. As do model kits of this version, though it would make an interesting and easy conversion through simple kit-bashing.

 

M4A3 (76)W
The M4A3 (76)W was one of the more common Shermans to see action in the European Theater of Operations, and the selection of available kits reflects this fact.
Name Manufacturer Medium Type Rating Comments Links
M4A3 (76)W Al.By Plastic/Resin Kit **** Includes complete plastic ESCI M4A1 kit, with resin M4A3 hull (improved copy of ESCI M4A3 hull) and 76mm turret (modified Hasegawa turret). OOP Preview
M4A3 (76)W Al.By Resin Conversion **** Highly improved copy of ESCI M4A3 hull for use with the M4A1 kit. Turret converted from Hasegawa.  
M4A3 (76)W Ca.Ma. Resin Kit   OOP  
M4A3 (76)W CPL Overby's Motorpool Resin Kit   OOP  
M4A3 (76)W Dragon Plastic Kit **** Fairly decent kit. Best plastic version of this tank available. Preview
M4A3 (76)W Eduard Plastic Kit *** Comes with photoetched details. Preview
M4A3 (76)W ProfiPack Eduard Plastic Kit **** Same kit as above, but with more photoetched details and new decals. Preview
M4A3 (76)W Armourfast Plastic Kit N/A Wargamer model. Good scale accuracy but very simplistic. Preview
Preview2
Review
M4A3 76mm Italeri Plastic Kit N/A Wargamer model. Good scale accuracy and nicely detailed. Preview
Preview2
Review
M4A3 (76)W MR Modellbau Resin Conversion *****    
M4A3 (76)W Trumpeter Plastic Kit *** A pretty average model. Good scale accuracy, but some weak areas in detail. Preview

 

M4A3 (76)W HVSS
Also known as the M4A3E8, this version was equipped with the HVS suspension towards the end of the war, and saw action in Europe and also post-war in Korea.
Name Manufacturer Medium Type Rating Comments Links
M4A3 (76)W Ca.Ma. Resin Kit   OOP  
M4A3 (76)W HVSS Modell Trans Resin Kit   Very good turret and hull parts, but 1/76th scale suspension. Includes open hatches with figures. Cannon is without muzzle brake.  
M4A3 (76)W HVSS UM Plastic Kit *** Decent hull, nice suspension and tracks, horrible turret. Preview
M4A3E8 (76)W HVSS Dragon Plastic Kit **** With appliqué armor and T66 track. Preview
M4A3E8 HVSS Fine Scale Factory Resin Kit *** The hull is heavily modified from ESCI, the suspension is modified Hasegawa, and the turret is modified Revell. White metal tracks. OOP? Preview
M4A3E8 HVSS Hasegawa Plastic Kit * Poor kit. OK detail, but some major dimension errors. Preview
M4A3E8 HVSS Modell Trans Resin Kit   Very good turret and hull parts, but 1/76th scale suspension. Includes open hatches with figures. Cannon has muzzle brake.  
M4A3E8 HVSS Trumpeter Plastic Kit *** With T66 track and WW II markings. Preview
M4A3E8 HVSS "Korean War" Trumpeter Plastic Kit *** With T80 track and Korean War markings. Preview

 

M4A3 (105)
The M4A3 (105) was one of only two Shermans to be outfitted with the 105mm M4 turret (the other being the M4 (105)). Only 500 were built before switching the HVSS. Early models had the split commander's hatch, but later models switched to the vision cupola. Total Number Produced: 500.
Name Manufacturer Medium Type Rating Comments Links
M4A3 (105) Al.By Plastic/Resin Kit **** Includes complete plastic ESCI M4A1 kit, with resin M4A3 hull (improved copy of ESCI M4A3 hull) and 105mm turret (modified ESCI turret). OOP Preview
M4A3 (105) CPL Overby's Motorpool Resin Kit   OOP  
M4A3 (105) Ca.Ma. Resin Kit   OOP  
M4A3 (105) VVSS Dragon Plastic Kit **** Comes with photoetched details. Preview
M4A3 (105) w/Deep Wading Kit Dragon Plastic Kit **** Comes with photoetched details.  
M4A3 (105) Eduard Plastic Kit *** Comes with photoetched details. Preview
Review
M4A3 (105) Profikit Eduard Plastic Kit *** Comes with new markings and a more extensive set of photoetched details than the previous kit. Preview
M4A3 (105) Armourfast Plastic Kit N/A Wargamer model. Good scale accuracy but very simplistic. Preview
M4A3 (105) Modell Trans Resin Kit   Converted from ESCI M4A3, but 1/76th scale suspension. Includes open hatches with figures.  
M4A3 (105) MR Modellbau Resin Conversion *****    

 

M4A3 (105) HVSS
The majority of the M4A3 (105) vehicles were equipped with the HVS suspension. Most of these likely had the commander's vision cupola, though some of the early ones may have still been equipped with the split hatch. Total Number Produced: 2,539.
Name Manufacturer Medium Type Rating Comments Links
M4A3 (105) HVSS Ca.Ma. Resin Kit   OOP  
M4A3 105mm HVSS Dragon Plastic Kit **** Comes with T80 tracks. Preview
M4A3 (105) HVSS Modell Trans Resin Kit   HVSS suspension copied from a 1/76th Matchbox or Fujimi kit.  
M4A3 (105) HVSS UniModel Plastic Kit      
M4A3 HVSS POA-CWS-H5 Dragon Plastic Kit **** Flame tank from the Korean War. Same as Dragon's earlier M4A3(105) HVSS kit, with a metal tube for the flamethrower. Preview

 

M4A3 Firefly
Although shrouded in mystery, the Americans experimented with an M4A3 that mounted the British 17pdr gun used on their Firefly tanks. Only a few were built, and apparently never saw action.
Name Manufacturer Medium Type Rating Comments Links
M4A3 Firefly Al.By Plastic/Resin Kit **** Includes complete plastic ESCI M4A1 kit, with resin M4A3 hull (improved copy of ESCI M4A3 hull) and Firefly turret (modified ESCI turret). OOP Preview

 

M4A3E2 Jumbo
One of the most interesting Sherman variants was the M4A3E2 Jumbo. This was an M4A3 that had its hull armor significantly reinforced, and what was essentially a new, heavily armored turret mounting the 75mm cannon. A few of them were retroactively upgraded with a 76mm gun. There were no headlights mounted on the front hull, and the tracks were fitted with the extended end-connectors to compensate for the tank's excessive weight.
Name Manufacturer Number Medium Type Rating Comments Links
M4A3E2 Jumbo Black Dog 72040 Resin Conversion **** Very good set, only lacking suitable tracks. Preview
M4A3E2 Jumbo Ca.Ma. 72005 Resin Kit   OOP  
M4A3E2 Jumbo Extratech 72036 Plastic Kit *** Comes with photoetched details. Preview
M4A3E2 Jumbo Fine Scale Factory TL 020 Resin Kit **** Heavily modified from ESCI M4A3. New hull and turret, plus highly improved wheels and tracks. OOP? Review
M4A3E2 Jumbo Friendship Models WVC72050 Resin Conversion   Conversion set for Dragon. Some parts can also be purchased as separate subsets. Review
M4A3E2 Jumbo Final Drive Housing Friendship Models WVC72081 Resin Conversion   Conversion set for Dragon. Also sold as part of Jumbo Conversion set (WVC72050). Review
M4A3E2 Jumbo Hull Friendship Models WVC72079 Resin Conversion   Conversion set for Dragon. Also sold as part of Jumbo Conversion set (WVC72050). Review
M4A3E2 Jumbo Friendship Models WFG20013 Resin Kit N/A Wargame friendly vehicle.  
M4A3E2 Jumbo Italeri 7520 Plastic Kit N/A Wargaming kits.  
M4A3E2 Jumbo Leva 72-C-06 Resin Conversion ** OOP Preview
M4A3E2 Jumbo MR Modellbau 7202 Resin Conversion **** Conversion set for ESCI.  
M4A3E2 Jumbo UM 453 Plastic Kit *** Includes resin parts. Preview

 

 

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Modeling the Sherman Tank in 1/72nd Scale