Model Forum / General / Models / February 2008

Kit Review: Dragon Model Limited 1/72 Scale Armor Pro Kit No. 7275;
M4A2(76)W Red Army; 177 parts (145 in grey styrene, 29 etched brass, 2
DS plastic, 1 twisted steel wire); price US$13.95

Advantages: new kit of this version in this scale

Disadvantages: Some engine deck details may be off

Rating: Highly Recommended

Recommendation: for small-scale Sherman and Soviet armor fans

    The Soviets were pleased to get American M4 medium tanks for a number
of reasons, and one of the most important was that they mostly got the
M4A2 variant with twin GMC diesel engines. Since all other Soviet
tanks built after the start of the war were diesel powered, the fact
that they only needed one form of fuel supply for tanks, as well as
their being less susceptible to fire, was considered a great
advantage. While they thought the 75mm gun was acceptable in all roles
except tank killing, the 76mm gun in the later model Shermans at least
put them on a par with the T-34 76mm tanks in tank-versus-tank combat.

    DML has now released a kit of the Soviet version of the Sherman using
many of their myriad of parts for Shermans in 1/72 scale, and this is
one which sports a number of new parts to get the right version. The
model uses the A sprue for the T23 style turret with oval loader's
hatch, and comes with a choice of all three major guns used (M1, M1A1
and M1A1C - without, with threading, and with muzzle brake).

    The hull is a brand new molding but does make use of some of the M4A2
(56 degree hull) parts. There is a short correction note in the kit
that shows the changes needed to adapt those parts to this kit, most
of which requires modification to the engine cooling air exhaust
grille under the rear hull overhang. The kit also includes etched
brass grouser stowage bin vent covers so that the modeler does not
have to remove them from the kit.

    The suspension is the familiar pressed steel welded wheel set for
VVSS Shermans with flat top return rollers, which I seem to recall is
not quite right for this particular M4A2 variant. (I believe more of
them had the raised return roller mounts by this time of the war.)

    One nice new touch is a pair of T49 three-bar steel cleat tracks,
which is more accurate for this particular tank as the Soviets liked
the extra traction they provided. As usual the tracks are single piece
DS plastic runs.

    Etched brass comes on two frets and covers most of the small details
such as the stowage rack at the rear of the hull and the light guards.
There is a supplemental fret with the aforementioned covers on it.

    Markings and finishing are provided for two vehicles: 2nd Guards Tank
Army, Berlin , 1945 (white 154); and 8th Guards Mechanized Corps,.
1944-1945 (white 216). I would like to have seen Colonel Dmitriy
Loza's white 900 from the Vienna operation, but that's just me!

    Overall this is another gap filler in DML's excellent run of small
scale M4 tanks.

    Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.

Cookie Sewell

Sprue breakout:

A    39    T23 style turret with oval loader's hatch
B    40    Sherman 47 degree hull details
C    32    VVSS suspension with pressed steel wheels and straight return
rollers
D    32    M4A2 parts and three-piece transmission cover
E    2    M4A2 47 degree hull
X    2    T49 track in DS plastic
Y    1    twisted steel wire
MA    27    Etched brass
MB    2    Etched brass