M4A3E8 Sherman

Manufacturer: Hasegawa (# 31115)

Another one of Hasegawa's earlier releases, this is a kit that has very good detail and moldings, but is far too large for an accurate 1/72nd scale kit.

Most of the detail is very well done, although the hull hatches are molded closed, and the tools are molded onto the hull. It is about a millimeter too wide, and five or six mm too long. I think the length scales out to about 1/68 or so, and the width around 1/71.

The turret is mostly well done, with open hatches, and a very nice gun barrel. It is just a bit too large, perhaps around 1/71, and the sides of the turret directly behind the gun mantlet are too vertical; there should be a little bit of a slope to them. Not as much as on the Revell turret, but more than is represented here.

The sprockets are poor, and the headlight guards are also poorly detailed, but the road wheels look pretty good (but are also too large).

The tracks are typical Hasegawa garbage. But considering how old this kit is, I guess that's to be expected.

The decals include markings for two tanks of unknown US Army units, and one vehicle from the Japanese GSDF.