1:72 M4A1 Sherman - Accessories Set (for Revell Kits)

M4A1 Sherman - accessories set 1:72 (Black Dog)

A cast resin set of accessories for the M4A1 Sherman in 1:72 scale from the Czech maker Black Dog. It holds separate parts of equipment, cargo and tarpaulins that are attached to a finished model. The base kit named is the M4A1 Sherman from Revell. The set is not a model of the tank and cannot be built without the base kit.

The real subject

The M4A1 was the version of the Sherman with a cast hull, recognizable by its rounded, smoothly flowing surfaces instead of welded edges. A cast hull was stronger and cheaper to produce, but heavier and more demanding on the foundries. Tanks of this version received both the 75 mm gun and later the long 76 mm, and they fought in North Africa, in Italy, in Normandy and with Soviet units, where they went under lend-lease deliveries.

Building and painting tips

First rinse the resin parts in lukewarm soapy water to remove the mold release residue. Cut the casting blocks off with a fine-tooth saw rather than snapping them. Sanding is better done under water or with respiratory protection. They are glued with cyanoacrylate glue (super glue); solvent cement for plastic will not hold on resin. A primer is needed before painting. The parts for 1:72 scale are very small, so it pays to paint them while still on the casting block and cut them off last. The rounded surfaces of a cast hull come out well when a wash is allowed to run into the transitions between them.

Who the set is for

• modelers of Allied equipment in 1:72 scale
• builders of small dioramas with a Sherman
• more experienced modelers used to small resin parts

The accessory set is supplied unassembled and unpainted. The base kit, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.