M4A1 Sherman Calliope Info?

I guess it depends on how far you want to go with the kit Beans. It is not the cleanest of builds by any means. The launch tubes will need some special attention, much like a gun barrel, they are two part and will have a seam at the joint that needs cleaning up. Unlike a gun barrel, there are many more of them. I have been tempted to replace the tubes with brass tubing myself for the next time I build one of these but I still think you can build a decent kit OOB with a little effort.

Just for future reference though the kit is an M4A3 Sherman, not an M4A1.

Photos of the calliope are fairly rare on the net, here is a link that may be of some help though.
http://www.752ndtank.com/RocketTanks.html

Shermanfreak is right, the Italeri kit is a M4A3.

Beans welcome to the forum. The Italeri M4A3 Calliope kit is at this moment OOP. I was able to find one on E-bay. I am going to super detail my kit. I purchased a Verlinden Calliope conversion kit to replace the kits Calliope. The Verlinden kit is also OOP. I'm sorry this isn't much help. If you look around on E-bay you might get lucky and find some good stuff.
Mark956

Anybody seen the photo of the Calliope equipment fitted to the rear of a German Sdkfz 251 D by the Americans in WW2?

It was put in sideways, with the tubes firing over the side behind the radio operator's seat. I've only seen one small picture in an Encyclopeadia of German AFV's.

Mark, maybe an opportunity not to waste that spare Italerie calliope

interesting idea Peter. I have never seen the picture of it.
mark956

shermanfreak- Thanks for enlightening me about the M4A3 and yes, it is quite
hard to find info about this very interesting tank. Thanks for the link and I never knew
there were also experimental versions of this.(you sure got me excited when I saw
the photos!)

mark956- thanks, and I hope to see some photos of your super detailed
M4A3 Calliope soon.

I wish Italeri would re-release the 1/72 Esci kit of that beast! It's the best looking Sherman and that little kit was a little beauty (well, as far as I remember it!).

QUOTE: Originally posted by petbat Anybody seen the photo of the Calliope equipment fitted to the rear of a German Sdkfz 251 D by the Americans in WW2? It was put in sideways, with the tubes firing over the side behind the radio operator's seat. I've only seen one small picture in an Encyclopeadia of German AFV's. Mark, maybe an opportunity not to waste that spare Italerie calliope

I think this is the one you're talking about http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/pit/3515/251/251-call.htm

Yep Beans, that's the one.

Thanks for the link Beans. Peter that does look cool. HMMM maybe a future project.
mark956

In the Osprey Modelling Manual #14 M4 Sherman, there is a build article on the Sherman Calliope. The builder used both the Italeri M4A3 Sherman Calliope kit and the Verlinden Calliope conversion. Great photos of the extensive wiring of the model, but none included of wiring of the actual vehicle. Photos shows before and after painting.

Book is ISBN 1-84176-207-5 and ran about $14.95 (IIRC).

Rob, I have the book you mentioned. Thats how I got the idea to do a Sherman Calliope. It's got some very good information in it.
mark956

Due to trouble finding info about this kit and the kit itself, I will have to temporarily abandon on this, I have purchased and will do Academy's M3 "honey" but for those of you doing the calliope, I have found a rare video clip of the calliope from the britishpathe website, just scroll down and look for: (Locals watch American soldiers firing multiple rocket launchers) on the description. here's the direct link. http://www.britishpathe.com/product_display.cfm?Search.x=18&Search.y=21&searchfilm=sherman&start=41
Just in case the link does'nt work go to the british pathe website (there are also lots of clips about the sherman on this site)and search for sherman, go to page three and look for the description.
On the footage there will be a lot of detailed close ups on the rocket launchers and the soldiers loading them up. Hope this would help. As for me, I will continue looking on 'til the day I will finally meet again this very special tank.

I learned everything I know about the Calliope from the old Monogram kit! It was an M4A1, with the cast hull. I loved Shep Paine's whitewash diorama!

QUOTE: Originally posted by J-Hulk I learned everything I know about the Calliope from the old Monogram kit! It was an M4A1, with the cast hull. I loved Shep Paine's whitewash diorama!

can I see some photos?

Beans, my finished model and all relative materials are in storage back in my hometown in the US, so I don't have any pix here to post.

Anyone else out there have the Monogram diorama how-to sheet featuring Shep's Calliope dio?

Here's some pix of the 1/32 Monogram M4A1 Calliope (mislabeled as 1/35 scale). Not Shep Paine's diorama, but a nice one nonetheless!
Hope it helps.
Here's the link:

http://www.geocities.com/amvcmodelistas/body2b4.htm

Enjoy!

Some really good shots of the Calliope Beans.

Thanks for sharing !!

Kool link J-hulk. Thanks.
mark956

QUOTE: Originally posted by J-Hulk Here's some pix of the 1/32 Monogram M4A1 Calliope (mislabeled as 1/35 scale). Not Shep Paine's diorama, but a nice one nonetheless! Hope it helps. Here's the link: http://www.geocities.com/amvcmodelistas/body2b4.htm Enjoy!

Thanks J-Hulk, I'll be sure to check that out soon.

djmodels said:

"I wish Italeri would re-release the 1/72 Esci kit of that beast! It's the best looking Sherman and that little kit was a little beauty (well, as far as I remember it!)."

I agree, it was a fun little kit! Once I am able to get into rongeorge's upload site, I'll upload a pic of the one I built. I hope it looks as good as you remember the kit tobe.