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Armor/AFV: Allied - WWII
Armor and ground forces of the Allied forces during World War II.
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M4A3 76 Wet Interior questions
ProfessorP
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Minnesota, United States
Joined: February 20, 2007
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Posted: Friday, October 31, 2014 - 09:53 AM UTC
Hi all,

I have a plan to model an M4A3 76mm Sherman with all hatches open which will inevitably mean that some of the interior needs to be visible. There seems to be a few interior detail kits available for various Shermans but none specifically for the 76mm version. I know that the 76mm turret didn't have a basket like the 75mm version did and because of the wet stowage, more shells were stored in the floor in water jacketed racks.

My question is, are there any parts from the available interior kits that would be appropriate for use in the 76mm wet stowage hull? Driver's and co-driver's stations? Transmission? Sponson shell storage? Obviously, no turret parts would be compatible so I would have to scratch build those parts that are visible along with the hull floor ammo storage.

Any advice on how to go about this would be much appreciated.

Thanks
ericadeane
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Michigan, United States
Joined: October 28, 2002
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Posted: Friday, October 31, 2014 - 11:58 AM UTC
HEre are pics of a 76mm armed M4a1 interior

http://www.modellismopiu.net/m+gallerie/main.php?g2_itemId=23070&g2_page=22


The drivers' stations & transmission can be used from other kits. The 76mm rounds were in floor lockers, not on the sponsons, I'm pretty sure.
barkingdigger
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ARMORAMA
#013
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England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: June 20, 2008
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Posted: Friday, October 31, 2014 - 11:58 AM UTC
Hi Don,

Don't know about AM sets for the M4A3 76(W), but pretty much any driver's compartment should do. (You can even steal the parts from the Academy M10/M36 kits...) You'll need to sort out stowage etc for the sponsons, but generally the visible differences in seats & gearbox are tough to notice through the hatches!

The turret is another matter. You can scratch much of it (I fitted out an Italeri one ages ago...), but the big stuff is seats & radio & gun breach. (The Italeri gun has the basics of breach & shields.) I can't remember the sponson stowage offhand (way too late tonight for clear thought!) but it is a mix of water cans, .50cal ammo, & of course an auxiliary generator! If I get time this weekend I'll see what reference I can dig out.
Frenchy
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Rhone, France
Joined: December 02, 2002
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Posted: Friday, October 31, 2014 - 06:28 PM UTC
"Wet storage" thread (with pics) :

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/202317&page=1

H.P.
Holzmichel
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Moscow, Russia
Joined: February 02, 2014
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Posted: Wednesday, November 26, 2014 - 03:50 AM UTC
Tank WorkShop kit# TWS0023 "M4 Late Interior/Wet Storage"
GeraldOwens
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Florida, United States
Joined: March 30, 2006
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Posted: Thursday, November 27, 2014 - 11:59 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Tank WorkShop kit# TWS0023 "M4 Late Interior/Wet Storage"


That's the wet stowage 75 mm version, unfortunately, which had a different turret.
barkingdigger
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ARMORAMA
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England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
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Posted: Thursday, November 27, 2014 - 05:43 PM UTC
Not sure if you saw this build! Back when I did mine I mistakenly gave the turret a full floor based on web images of the M4A3E2 Jumbo (a full-circle) instead of a half-floor. If I did it again I'd liberate the turret floor, gunner's seat, fighting compartment floor, and driver's compartment from the Academy M36...

There's more info here.



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