Aaron. I hear what you are saying and thank you for your input. As to the Chev -I did ask for input when the LRDG Chev was nominated.
What we are trying to avoid is a simple upgun or similar simple conversion which the Firefly, Achilles, Grant, Stuart, etc are. The Aussie Sentinal tank was designed and manufactured in Australia using some parts of the M3 Grant/Lee, but the vast majority of components were Aussie made; it is a one of a kind vehicle and commonly regarded as Australian.
Same goes for the Ram. It was designed and manufactured in Canada. That it used available chassis components from the M3/M4 available stock is not that much of an issue as it was not simply a new turret on a manufactured in the USA vehicle. The majority of the vehicle was 'home grown'. The Sexton was a 'home grown' variant of the Ram using the British 25 pounder artillery piece on the RAM chassis. The Ram Kangaroo was the Ram tank without a turret, unlike the old Italeri kit which is not a Ram Kangaroo just a turretless Sherman.
I suppose it is like looking at a car. Often designers use parts that are commercially available in the market that also fit other vehicles - like engines, tyres, radios, etc. Its make may be Chrysler, Ford, Chevrolet, whatever - but that company didn't make most of it. The parts are subcontracted out and then assembled at the central plant. We produce engines in Australia that we supply to the USA. Overseas companies provide USA with tyres and alloy Wheels. Does that mean the end car isn't an American car? That's the way we are looking at it anyway.
Aaron, I hope I don't seem condacending here as typed words can often seem harsher than intended. I'm glad to see someone willing to put his point accross.
TG . Thanks for joining. You're in the list.
Rebel. Emhar make some WW1 Whippet and Mk 4 tanks in both 1/35 and 1/72 scales. Not sure of availability. Supposed to be reasonable kits too.
Zokissma - good luck buddy. I don't know of any other cheaper ones out there.