Ohhhhhhhhh, this is gonna be awesome! 

Absolutely wonderful base kit. If you really want to go all out, you may consider a few of these tweaks (granted, very nitpicky):

1. engine plate E31 was supposed to have weld seams on the rearmost and side edges

2. thicken up the armor slabs at the front of the drivers’ hoods using putty. The M4A4’s hood front faces have distinct bulges created by the casting process with the right bulge being thicker as evidenced by a deeper shadow in all photos. I simply applied a thicker coat of putty on the right hood than the left hood.

3. The taillights’ attachment points could use some attention. The taillight is attached by a curved post which I carved down from the kit part’s rectangular nub

4. add photo etch chains to the armored fuel caps and headlight mount protection cap

5. drill 4 holes to the face of each bogie unit and add sliced hex rod bolt heads to detail the skids.  Glue the workable suspension in place -- I've heard that the spongy pieces give way later and your tank will droop.

Nice subject. Theres a guy in the model club i am a member of who has a thing for Shermans. In fact its all i think he has brought to the club nights, everyone being his last lol. And he has brought quite a few tasca kits in but i have never sen one built or even seen them for sale. In fac i had never herad of them until i joined the club. But i understand they are pretty nice kits. Will be nice to see one being built.

I take it the tank is all Tasca and the figures are Tamiya.

Nice topic. You've been a bit of a machine lately Anthony. 

tigerman

Nice topic. You've been a bit of a machine lately Anthony. 

 

Thanks Erik,sadly only 3 complete this year,way too much OT at work,but at least I got money to buy kits !!

Everyone else thanks for the encouragement

Here is some progress,slow but sure.An enjoyable build.Paul Budzik's video on the suspension helped.Thanks for the suggestions,much appreciated,but I build out of box with just a few fixes,for me if it resembles a Firefly,then I'm happy,thanks for looking. 

Sweet!!! What markings does the kit come with or do you plan on using?

stikpusher

Sweet!!! What markings does the kit come with or do you plan on using?

 

Thanks Stik,here they are.

I plan to use A

I like those Fireflies.  They certainly look much meaner with the long 17-pounder.  I'm looking forward to seeing yours painted up.

Looks good Tojo, figured she'd go together with no muss no fuss. 

Looks great!  Can't wait to see it.

Major assembly,painting,and decals done,weathering and detailing to follow.

Thats looking good. can't wait to see how you weather it.

What? No modulation? You make me sad. lol

I am sorely missing a Sherman in my Armor collection. A Firefly would be a jewel. Love to see how you weather this one up.

Great looking build can't wait tosee it finished.

Robert

She's coming along nicely! Looking forward to seeing how you weather her. 

I agree totally!
Wanting to see those effects also.            

Watching this with interest as I'm halfway through the same kit, I'm even using the same markings!

Thanks everyone for the encouraging words.I put aside the actual vehicle for now to work on the tracks and these guys.

Not sure about accuracy,whether the 101st ever rode into combat on Fireflys,but I really wanted to use the set and they do look cool,so I'm not overly concerned.Also any self respecting Sherman needs a little stowage.

That figure set is based of a scene in Band of Brothers, during Market Garden in Holland. US Paratroopers (101st and 82nd) worked with XXX Corps during the fight for Hells Highway between Einhoven and Nijmegen in Sept. 1944. US Airborne (17th) would work with British armor again during Varsity in Spring 1945

British Shermans were not stowed as heavily as US tanks. 

Thanks Stik,I do remember that scene.

That is neat, love that set of figures. 

Finished up today,really impressed with the Tasca Sherman.In the future I have their Easy 8,want to make it into Fury.Snow today so had to take indoor pics.Thanks for looking in.

Just need to tie down ammo boxes.

Some great work there, really like your figures.

Wholeheartedly agree,beautiful build ,REALLY like the figures.

Really nice work, I too love the figures!

Hey Tojo,
Quite a bit of intricate work here.                                                                                 

That Sherman came out great!
Count me in on the positives for those figures too.

As for a bit of well meant criticism. Those ropes
retaining the "gear on the rear" look to be a bit out of scale.
They appear to be as large as the soldiers wrists....