1:35 Sherman Firefly w/ Cast cheek armour turret

Sherman VC Firefly with the cast cheek armor turret (1:35, Asuka / Tasca)

An injection-molded plastic kit of the British Sherman VC Firefly tank in 1:35 scale from the Japanese maker Asuka, formerly trading as Tasca. This is the variant with the later turret, which has thickened cast cheek armor on the right side and no pistol port in the side. The kit ranks among the most highly rated Shermans available: it holds finely shaped parts, photo-etched extras, a commander figure and tracks supplied as flexible bands. Several British vehicle marking options are provided.

The real subject

The Firefly was a British conversion of the American M4 Sherman medium tank: a long 17-pounder (17pdr) anti-tank gun was fitted into the turret, and it was one of the few Allied tank guns able to destroy heavy German tanks at normal combat ranges. To make room for the long breech of the gun inside the turret, the radio was moved into a box on the turret rear and the crew was reduced. The Firefly made its mark from the Normandy landings in 1944 right through to the end of the war.

Building and painting tips

On this tank, pay attention to the running gear and the bogie units, which should be glued and aligned before you close the hull. Glue the plastic with liquid modeling cement, treat the surface with a primer and spray the opaque shades with an airbrush. Build the weathering with washes in the recesses and around the rivets, and finish with pigments for mud and dust effects on the running gear.

Who the model is for

• For modelers interested in British armored vehicles of the Second World War
• For collectors of Sherman variants who will appreciate an accurate Firefly
• For more advanced builders used to photo-etched parts
• For diorama makers working on the fighting in Western Europe 1944-1945

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.