French M4A3 (76) - Flandres
Dated: June 28, 2008
Hi,
These are a few pics of an M4A3 76 which I recently completed. This model is based on actual photographs of the real Flandres (II) which can be seen in the background. The real ones were taken during the battle of Strasbourg whilst she undertook a recon patrol. She was the second French Sherman to carry the name (the original having been lost). In fact whenever a French Sherman was lost, the name would often live on in its replacement. The French never recieved M4A3s as part of lend-lease however working alongside US forces meant that replacements came out of US stocks (of the 700 or tanks received under lean-lease, over a third were lost).
The base model is clearly an Armourfast M4A3 (76). Most additional details are sculpted from clay (Das). The towing cable comes from cheap jewelry, the aerial is piano wire. The only additional stock are resin tools and wood boxes.
Given the amount of scratch building, I had thought that this would be the last completed of the batch I am building. Postage delays in delivery of 'bits' for other tanks has led to this being the first completed in the end.
The model whilst not perfect, captures the original with its bed sheet camouflage and should be ok for wargaming (one minor imperfection is that the left turret hatch which is split and round on the original).
Regards,
J. Spencer
France
Many thanks to Mr. Spencer.