Whilst visiting a toy/model collector's fair today, I bought a large box of assorted old, built-up 1/72 and 1/76 military vehicle models, for repainting, rebuilding and spares. Amongst them was a strange-looking Sherman tank of a variant which I've never seen before. Instead of a gun barrel, it has a large mortar shell in a pivoting mount, a bit
like the Churchill AVRE's spigot mortar.
The tank itself is a M4A1 with cast hull and turret, and has American markings. It also has a decal with the name "Screamin' Mimi" but as far as I know, this was the nickname for the Calliope rocket-launcher Sherman.
I'm not sure of the kit manufacturer, but I believe it's ESCI.
I can't find any pictures or information on this variant in my book "Tanks of the World 1915-1945" which seems
to have every other imaginable Sherman variant (including many unique prototype variants).
Any suggestions? - has anyone else seen or bought this particular kit?
As for the other models, there are about 25-30 in total, including some quite rare and unusual ones - Krupp Protze
truck, Brummbar (unfortunately without a gun barrel, but I will probably be able to scratchbuild one),Panzer III, and
PaK 36. Most of them are ESCI, Matchbox and Airfix.