Ryefield Model M4A3 76W HVSS Early Type Sherman 1:35 – build review

Full review with Dai Williams

Just before we get started, here’s a look at how it all turned out

Ryfield Models has gained a reputation for well-produced, accurate kits and the company has produced several Sherman kits in recent years. This particular kit provides an extra sprue with parts for the additional armour plates fitted to some Sherman tanks. These were used to provide some extra protection against the powerful weapons carried by some of the German tanks encountered towards the end of the war.

Some of Ryfield’s Sherman kits have a full interior while others are more simplified, as is the case here with only parts for the gun breech and the undersides of the hatches being provided. The turret hatch openings on this version of the Sherman were quite large and without any figures to fill them I felt that the empty voids would be rather obvious, so the hatches on my model were left closed.

The kit provides a set of workable T-66 track links that are held together with tiny pins. These initially looked as if they would be difficult to put together, but thankfully small plastic jigs are provided which I found greatly assisted the process. The track links were placed into the jigs in groups of five. The track pins are moulded on their sprues with the correct spacing so that they can be inserted directly into the groups of links. Once glued in place the sprues can be cut away and the ends of the pins can then be cleaned up with a sanding pad.

Read on…