CMK Article by Doug Chaltry; last updated 18 November 2007.
The third of four very similar detail sets from CMK. This set provides an M34A1 rotor shield for the 75mm-armed Sherman. The rotor shield has the side armor protection for the gun barrel, and is basically an improved copy of the ESCI rotor shield. The screw mounting holes have been relocated to more accurate locations, and the apertures for the gun sight and coaxial machinegun are also correctly located. The metal M3 gun barrel measures perfectly to 1/72nd scale, and although you can't see it in the scan, I think that the tip of the barrel is slightly flared, as it should be, though I may be wrong. It's really hard to see, even in hand. Also included are one complete and one empty cartridge. The complete round measures to be about 1mm too long for the standard armor piercing round, though my references on ammunition size are limited. One concern I have of this kit is that it will be very difficult to remove the thin rotor shield from the very heavy casting plug. I guess it will be easiest to grind it off using a motortool, but that's going to make a LOT of resin dust. CMK should have found a better way to cast this part. |
