1:48 Sherman IC Firefly (TAMIYA)

The real subject

The Firefly was a British modification of the American Sherman medium tank, into whose turret the Ordnance QF anti-tank gun of 76.2 mm caliber was successfully fitted, known from the weight of its shell as the 17-pounder. It was one of the few Allied tanks that could deal with the German heavy types at normal combat range. The letter C in the British designation refers precisely to this armament, the numeral I to the basic version of the Sherman. You can recognize a Firefly at first glance by the conspicuously long barrel and the stowage box at the rear of the turret.

What the photo-etched set offers

The set is intended for the Tamiya kit in 1:48 scale. The photo-etched parts of thin sheet replace items that on the real tank were made of sheet and that in plastic necessarily come out thicker than the scale calls for. The extent of the set and the fitting sequence is given in the manufacturer's instructions.

Building tips

Separate the parts with a sharp blade on a hard surface; scissors will bend the metal. Bend in a bender or between two blades, in one movement. It is bonded with super glue in drops on the tip of a pin; cement for plastic has no effect on metal. Degrease the parts before painting and spray them with a base coat, or the paint will not hold on the smooth metal.

Who it is for

For modelers who build the Firefly in 1:48 scale and want to take the model beyond the level of the parts from the kit. Whether the parts fit a particular release of the kit should be checked in the instructions of the set. The kit, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.