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Upper Hull
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M4 Dry, Initial, 56 degree glacis, direct vision, welded plate
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Faxon Conversions
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Baldwin built early hull with direct vision blocks. Solid cast resin conversion, kit #4865.
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M4 Dry Early, 56 degree glacis, welded plate
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Tamiya M4 75mm and
Sherman Firefly
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The tapered D70563/-64 drivers hoods represented by the kit part appear to be found only on early production M4s with solid hoods and M34 gun rotor covers, and possibly on remanufactured tanks based on these hulls. They are also correct for M4A3 and M4A4. More common part is the D77160A/B hood with parallel sides and a rounded front at top tapering to square at bottom.
Weld seams on glacis match D70563/-64 drivers hoods, but must be filled to correct if D77160A/B hood is depicted.
Welded horseshoe shaped antenna pot depicted was not used on all M4s, standard round cast type may be more correct, check references. Conversion requires removal and replacement with a styrene tube and card part of your own making, as no conversion part is presently available.
No sponson bottom plates.
Weld detail represented by recessed panel lines, should be raised weld seams.
Tools except for the shovel and crank starter handle are moulded on the hull parts.
Drain holes missing from turret guard and ventilator guards.
Early crew hatches without spring assist.
Separate appliqué armor for hull sides included; size did vary, so check references.
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M4 Dry Early, 56 degree glacis, welded plate
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Hobby Boss Mid‑Production
M4 75mm
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The glacis slope is excessive, pushing the front edge of the hull top approximately 6 scale inches too far back, which in turn pushes everything on the hull top such as the turret ring and rear deck detail back by the same amount leaving the engine deck too short as the overall hull length is correct. This also results in the detail on the glacis such as the machine gun mounting being “stretched” to fit onto the elongated part. Unfortunately, all this makes the HB M4 hull pretty much useless.
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M4 Dry Early, 56 degree glacis, welded plate
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Faxon Conversions
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Corrected cast D77160A/B hood with parallel sides, rounded front at top tapering to square at bottom (Tamiya shape is wrong). Solid cast resin conversion, kit #4877.
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M4 Dry Late, 47 degree glacis, large hatch, welded plate
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Faxon Conversions
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Late large hatch M4 hull type used with 105mm howitzer turret. Solid cast resin conversion, kit #4853.
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M4 Dry, Initial, 56 degree glacis, direct vision, composite
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Faxon Conversions
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Early cast and welded plate composite hull with direct vision blocks. Solid cast resin conversion, kit #4873.
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M4 Dry Late, 47 degree glacis, large hatch, composite
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Faxon Conversions
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Late cast and welded plate composite hull with large hatches. Solid cast resin conversion, kit #4821.
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M4A1 Dry, Initial, 56 degree glacis, direct vision, cast
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MR Modellbau, Germany
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Hollow cast resin hull with direct vision slots. Conversion kit contains DV upper hull and early style low bustle turret with small parts. M3 style bogies and T49 block tracks not included.
Separate tools.
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M4A1 Dry, Initial, 56 degree glacis, direct vision, cast
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Faxon Conversions
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Early cast hull with direct vision slots. Solid cast resin conversion, kit #4822.
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M4A1 Dry Early, 56 degree glacis, cast
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Tamiya M4A1 75mm
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Excellent overall shape, however the drainage slot at the back of the rear deck is not found on most US made production of this variant, being more common on the Canadian produced Grizzly hulls.
The upper edge of the vertical sides of this hull are also more square than seen on many examples, but this is easily improved with sanding to round the corner.
No sponson bottom plates.
All separate tools, excellently moulded.
Separate appliqué armor for hull sides included; size did vary, so check references.
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M4A1 Dry Intermediate, 56 degree glacis, cast, reinforced hull
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Faxon Conversions
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Intermediate small hatch cast dry stowage hull with appliqué cast in place on the hull, protecting ammunition storage areas. Solid cast resin conversion, kit #4874.
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M4A1 Dry Late, 47 degree glacis, cast, reinforced hull
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Faxon Conversions
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Late large hatch cast dry stowage hull with appliqué cast in place on the hull, protecting ammunition storage areas. Solid cast resin conversion, kit #4854.
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M4A1 Wet Late, 47 degree glacis, cast
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Hobby Boss M4A1 76mm, Wet
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Although the fine details are well rendered, the hull sides are excessively sloped in toward the centerline and the height of sides is significantly too short at the rear of the hull. Actual hulls have a slight 1 - 2 degree draft angle to allow removal from the moulds. The sides of the HB hull are sloped about 5 degrees, making the hull out about 5 scale inches too wide at the bottom edge and pinching the hull top considerably, which moves some of the hull fitting locators further inboard than they should be. The overall effect of these issues gives an odd look to the hull apparent from most angles.
Correction is possible, and requires slotting the sides and rear of the sloped side panels on the back of the hull and lifting the rear edge of each sloped panel by .060 inches at the outboard edge, followed by building out/sanding back the hull sides to the correct profile (see Correcting the Hobby Boss M4A1, http://www.track48.com/shop/xnews.php?newsid=648)
Contours of the hatch housings on the glacis are also a little sharp, but can be sanded back easily to a smoother profile.
All separate tools, excellently moulded.
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M4A1 Wet, 47 degree glacis, cast
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Faxon Conversions
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Late variant with extra filler cap and splash guard. Solid cast resin conversion, kit #4866.
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M4A2 Dry, Initial, 56 degree glacis, direct vision, welded plate
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Faxon Conversions
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Early hull with direct vision blocks. Solid cast resin conversion, kit #4870.
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M4A2 Dry, 56 degree glacis, welded plate, cast drivers hoods
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ToRo Model
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Pending release.
Hollow cast resin conversion hull, includes rear plate and diesel exhaust parts. Replaces Tamiya M4 parts; master appears to be based on Tamiya M4 hull. Hoods correct D77160A/B hood with parallel sides, rounded front at top tapering to square at bottom used on this version.
No sponson bottom plates.
Improved weld detail.
Separate tools (requires donor parts).
Drain holes missing from turret guard and ventilator guards.
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M4A2 Dry, 56 degree glacis, welded plate, cast drivers hoods
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Faxon Conversions
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Dry intermediate hull with cast hoods. Solid cast resin conversion, kit #4867.
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M4A2 Early, 56 degree glacis, welded plate, welded drivers hoods
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Faxon Conversions
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Includes rear plate and diesel exhaust parts. Solid cast resin conversion, kit #4837.
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M4A2 Early, 56 degree glacis, welded plate, welded drivers hoods
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Formations / Wings & Treads
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Includes rear plate and diesel exhaust parts. Hollow cast resin conversion, currently OOP. Masters with Wings & Treads.
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M4A2, 47 degree glacis, welded plate
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Faxon Conversions
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Can be used for Dry Late or Wet Early. Dry late has appliqué, wet early does not. Solid cast resin conversion, kit #4839.
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M4A2, 47 degree glacis, welded plate
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Gasoline
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Resin conversion, kit #480075 - currently OOP ?
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M4A2E8, 47 degree glacis, welded plate
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Faxon Conversions
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Late hull for M4A2E8. Solid cast resin conversion, kit #4868.
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M4A3 Dry, Initial, 56 degree glacis, direct vision, welded plate
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Faxon Conversions
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Early hull with direct vision blocks. Solid cast resin conversion, kit #4871.
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M4A3 Dry, 56 degree glacis, welded plate
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Faxon Conversions
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Small hatches, early production engine deck. Solid cast resin conversion, kit #4857.
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M4A3 Late, 47 degree glacis, welded plate
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Bandai M4A3 75mm, M4A3 76mm, Wet,
M4A3 105mm
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Shapes are correct, but much softer and simpler details than on the Hobby Boss kit.
Armor guards on fuel fillers overscale and shaped poorly. Fuel filler hatches oddly shaped.
Crew hatch area detail is soft and hinge detail is not correct.
No engine hatch props on sloped side plates.
Simplified engine hatch detail.
All separate tools, poorly moulded.
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M4A3 Late, 47 degree glacis, welded plate
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Hobby Boss M4A3 75mm, M4A3 76mm, Wet
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Again HB has done fine work on the small details but has made the sloped rear top plates are too short and too narrow, pushing the break point on the vertical side plates about 6 scale inches too far back and making the main rear engine deck and intake grille too wide, and pushing the fuel fillers too far outboard by about 2 scale inches. Overall hull length and turret ring guard armor are correct, permitting correction for those willing to remove and rebuild the sloped side plates, engine grille and rear deck.
Driver and bow gunner crew hatch hinge detail is soft and not entirely correct, and the front top deck weld lines and round access plate locations are also about 2 scale inches too far aft.
All separate tools, excellently moulded.
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M4A3 Late, 47 degree glacis, welded plate
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Hobby Boss M4A3E8 76mm, HVSS
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Upper hull includes front and side fenders extensions. Hull width, length and glacis angle are correct. The engine deck is the correct width and the round access cover and weld seam behind the hatch panel are in the correct positions although the break point on the vertical side plates remains about 6 scale inches too far back. Driver and bow gunner crew hatch hinge detail is soft and not entirely correct. Side fenders are about too wide by a scale inch or so.
Overall, with fewer shape issues, this hull looks better than the earlier version.
Two engine decks are provided, one with assist springs.
All separate tools, excellently moulded.
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M4A3 Late, 47 degree glacis, welded plate
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Hobby Master M4A3, M4A3 105mm
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Shapes are correct, but softer details than the Hobby Boss kit.
No engine hatch props on sloped side plates.
Weld detail represented by recessed panel lines, should be raised weld seams.
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M4A3, Wet, 47 degree glacis, welded plate
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Faxon Conversions
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Wet, big hatches, mid production engine deck. Solid cast resin conversion, kit #4856.
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M4A3, Wet, 47 degree glacis, welded plate
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Faxon Conversions
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Wet, big hatches, late production engine deck. Suitable for 76mm or 105mm gun turret. Solid cast resin conversion, kit #4869.
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M4A3E2, Wet, 47 degree glacis, welded plate
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Faxon Conversions
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M4A3E2 "Jumbo" assault tank. Solid cast resin conversion, kit #4872, includes turret and gun mantlet.
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M4A4, Dry, 56 degree glacis, welded plate
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Fighting 48th
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Cad-cam designed resin hull, excellent shapes, includes complete upper and lower hulls, detail parts and PE fret. Completion requires Tamiya M4A1 or Tamiya Firefly Kit.
Suspension parts from HB kits can also be used.
Bolt head detail on round ventilator inside rear turret ring armor should be reduced to represent flush fitting screws.
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M4A4, Dry, Initial, 56 degree glacis, direct vision, welded plate
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Fighting 48th
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Cad-cam designed resin hull, excellent shapes, includes complete upper and lower hulls, detail parts and PE fret. Completion requires Tamiya M4A1 or Tamiya Firefly Kit.
Suspension parts from HB kits can also be used.
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M4A6, Dry
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Faxon Conversions
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Stretched composite hull for diesel radial aircraft engine. Solid cast resin conversion, kit # 4861
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