Modeling the Sherman Tank in 1/72nd Scale
(Now Including the M3 Medium Tank!)
Support Vehicles on the M3 and M4 Chassis

A large number of support vehicles were developed using the chassis from both the M3 and M4 Medium tanks. This was due in part to fill needs for a number of support roles, as well as to find useful purposes for older, and now obsolete vehicles. For many of the vehicles listed below, it can be difficult to remember which chassis provided the basis for the vehicle, given the convoluted developmental history of this series. Thanks to the number of available aftermarket accessories and the subtle differences between the two chassis, kit-bashing models from a number of different available kits can produce variants that are missing from the tables below, regardless of whether or not the kits are M3s or M4s.

Due to the large variety of support vehicles produced during (and after) the war, many of which are not yet available in kit form, I will list below only those that are currently available as model kits, and perhaps a few other important versions that we are currently lacking, in order to highlight their absence to potential manufacturers.
Self-Propelled Artillery
M7 Self-Propelled Gun "Priest"
The initial M7 Priest was a development of the M3 chassis. "Priest" was the name bestowed upon this vehicle by the British Army.
Variant Manufacturer Item # Medium Type Rating Comments Links
M7 Priest/Kangaroo Italeri 7513 Plastic Kit N/A Quick-build wargaming kits. Box includes two models: one Priest and one Kangaroo.  
M7 Priest UM 72213 Plastic Kit **** Mediocre model, but the only one we have available to us. Preview1
Preview2
M7 HMC w/9.75 inch Heavy Mortar UM 72451 Plastic Kit ? Rare variant. Only three of these modifications were ever built.  

 

M7B1 Self-Propelled Gun "Priest"
Later models of the Priest were based on the M4A3 chassis and designated as M7B1.
Variant Manufacturer Item # Medium Type Rating Comments Links
M7B1 Priest UM 72212 Plastic Kit **** So far, this is the only M7B1 kit on the market, and it's decent, if not stellar. Preview

 

M7B2 Self-Propelled Gun "Priest"
The final version of the Priest was essentially the same as the M7B1, but had a heightened gun platform to increase the maximum elevation of the main gun. This conversion was used during the Korean War.
Variant Manufacturer Item # Medium Type Rating Comments Links
M7B2 Priest UM 72228 Plastic Kit ?    

 

M12 Self-Propelled Howitzer
The M12 was a self-propelled 155mm howitzer mounted on a modified M3 chassis. This vehicle is sometimes referred to as "King Kong", but I don't know if this name was ever used by troops in the field, or if it's a made up name by our hobby.
Variant Manufacturer Item # Medium Type Rating Comments Links
M12 Self-Propelled Gun ESCI Multiple Plastic Kit ? Released several times under the ESCI and AMT labels (and their offspring), but not yet released by Italeri. It has fairly nice detail, but is overall a poor to mediocre kit. Preview

Review
155mm M12 Gun Motor Carriage UM 211 Plastic Kit ? Better than the earlier ESCI kit, but still only a mediocre model. Accurate size and shape. Preview

Review

 

M40 Self-Propelled Howitzer
The M40 was a self-propelled 155mm howitzer mounted on an enlarged M4A3 HVSS hull. Used during the Korean War.

 

M43 Self-Propelled Howitzer
The M43 was a self-propelled 8-inch (203mm) howitzer mounted on an enlarged M4A3 HVSS hull. Used during the Korean War.
Variant Manufacturer Item # Medium Type Rating Comments Links
M43 8-in Howitzer Motor Carriage Fan Kit   Resin Kit ?    

 

Sexton
The Sexton was a self-propelled gun that mounted the British 25pdr artillery piece on the chassis of converted Ram. Modifications were made to the Sexton throughout its production run, including changing the 3-piece nose to a single piece, rounded nose (as seen on the M4), as well as mounting heavy duty bogies with the trailing return roller arm. To date, no Sexton kits are available in 1/72nd scale.

 

T31 Demolition Tank
Only a single pilot vehicle was built of the T31, and the effort was ultimately abandoned due to poor performance and the end of the war. The vehicle was based on an M4A3 HVSS hull, with a massive turret containing two 7.2 inch rocket launchers bracketing a 105mm howitzer.
Variant Manufacturer Item # Medium Type Rating Comments Links
T31 Demolition Tank Unimodel 456 Plastic Kit ?    

 

Personnel Carriers
M7 APC "Kangaroo"
A number of Sextons and M7 Priests were converted by the 8th Army in Italy into troop carriers by the removal of the gun, mount, and ammo bins.
Variant Manufacturer Item # Medium Type Rating Comments Links
M7 Priest/Kangaroo Italeri 7513 Plastic Kit N/A Quick-build wargaming kits. Box includes two models: one Priest and one Kangaroo.  
Armored Troop Carrier M7 Kangaroo UM 72227 Plastic Kit ?    

 

Ram Mk. II "Kangaroo"
Although the Ram never saw action as a gun tank, many of them were converted into troop carriers by the removal of their turret and ammunition bins.
Variant Manufacturer Item # Medium Type Rating Comments Links
Ram Mk. II Kangaroo "Early" Friendship Models 72019 Resin Conversion ? Conversion for ESCI/Italeri. With full interior. Preview
Ram Mk. II Kangaroo "Late" Friendship Models 72021 Resin Conversion ? Conversion for ESCI/Italeri. With full interior.  

 

M4A1 HVSS Personnel Carrier
 
Variant Manufacturer Item # Medium Type Rating Comments Links
M4A1 HVSS Personnel Carrier/Command Vehicle Modelltrans 72220 Resin Conversion ? Conversion hull for Dragon.  

 

Armored Recovery Vehicles
M32 TRV
The M32 was a tank recovery vehicle (TRV) based on the M4 tank chassis. The M32B1 was based on converted M4A1s, the M32B2 was based on converted M4A2 chassis, the M32B3 was based on the M4A3 (some with HVSS), and the M32B4 was based on the M4A4.
Variant Manufacturer Item # Medium Type Rating Comments Links
M32B1 Recovery Tank Exokit   Resin Kit ? Heavily modified ESCI M4A1. OOP  
M32B1 Recovery Tank Solfig   Resin Kit ? Same kit as Exokit. OOP?  
M32 w/T1E1 Mine Trawl UniModel 72222 Plastic Kit ?    
M32B1 UniModel 72225 Plastic Kit ?    

 

Sherman ARV
The British created several armored recovery vehicles (ARV), some based on the Sherman III (M4A2), others on the Sherman V (M4A4).
Variant Manufacturer Item # Medium Type Rating Comments Links
British Sherman ARV Goffy 7263 Resin Kit **** ARV based on the Sherman III. OOP Preview
British ARV Sherman Black Dog 72041 Resin Kit ? I believe this is the same kit as the Goffy kit.  
M4A4 Sherman ARV Mk. I Modell Trans 72060 Resin Conversion **** Conversion for Italeri/ESCI. Based on MR Modelbau kit. Includes wire tow cables. Preview
M4A4 Sherman ARV Mk. II Modell Trans 72061 Resin Conversion ?    
M4A2 Sherman BARV Modell Trans 72446 Resin Kit ? Beach armored recovery vehicle (BARV) used for amphibious operations.  

 

Sherman Twaby ARK
British bridging vehicle, never used in combat.
Variant Manufacturer Item # Medium Type Rating Comments Links
Sherman Twaby ARK MGM   Resin Kit ? ARK based on unknown plastic Sherman kit.  

 

Others
M30 Ammunition Carrier
Based on the M3 chassis, this vehicle carried ammunition for the M12 Self-Propelled Howitzer.
Variant Manufacturer Item # Medium Type Rating Comments Links
M30 Ammunition Carrier UM 226 Plastic Kit ? As with other UM Sherman kits, this one is pretty accurate in size and shape, with mediocre details. Preview

Review

 

M35
The M35 was a prime mover converted from extra M10 hulls. It was used to pull heavy artillery pieces and trailers.
Variant Manufacturer Item # Medium Type Rating Comments Links
M35 Prime Mover Hauler   Plastic & Resin Kit ? Conversion of the Extratech M10 kit. Includes the complete M10 kit plus resin conversion parts. OOP?  

 

 

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Modeling the Sherman Tank in 1/72nd Scale