1:335 M4 Sherman Late commander cupola

PANZER ART 1:35 commander's cupola for the Sherman

An accessory for modelers of military vehicles in 1:35 scale from the PANZER ART brand. On a model of the Sherman tank, the set replaces the commander's cupola in its late version, that is, the one with a ring of vision blocks and a hatch, which appeared on the vehicles in the course of production. The part has a sharper shape than the plastic component out of the kit. The tank model is not included in the package. The cupola is moreover the part the eye looks at first when it takes in a model.

The real subject

The commander's cupola on the Sherman went through a development: the early versions gave the commander a poor view, whereas the late type with a ring of glazed vision blocks made it possible to watch the surroundings without the commander putting his head out. It is precisely by the shape of the cupola that one can tell from photographs which phase of production a vehicle comes from, so it is a detail that decides the credibility of a model.

Use

• cut off the original plastic part and true the opening in the turret flat
• fit the part dry and check that it sits square
• glue with cyanoacrylate, which holds best on a joint between different materials
• wash the part before painting and give it a primer, otherwise the paint may not hold
• paint the vision blocks dark and add gloss varnish, so that they look like glass
• you can leave the hatch open and add a figure of the commander

The set is intended for more experienced modelers. The kit, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.