Southern Cross

Christiano Couto builds a Sherman M4 Composite Hull.

The Sherman M4 Composite Hulls were produced by the Chrysler Corporation and had the cast front end of the M4A1 cast with the welded rear hull of the M4A2. The U.S. Army did not create a new designation for it and officially they were all simply M4, 75mm, Dry. In documents of the time, such as lists of units, they were erroneously reported as M4A1s. The British referred to them as the ‘Sherman I Hybrid’. Chrysler produced 1,676 M4 Composites from August 1943 to January 1944, while this version of the Sherman was also made by the America Locomotive Co. (ALCO).

Assembly

I started to make this kit four years ago, but, as with many project, it had languished in its box in this state for some years. I’m sure we’ve all had projects like this. Whenever I wanted a ‘quick build’ I would open the box, look at this Sherman – and keep looking – and that was that. In the end though I determined to get this stager out of its box and finish the project once and for all.