KIT PREVIEW
JUMBO!
Al Bowie is impressed with Meng Model’s latest in their 1:35 scale Sherman family – the M4A3E2 Jumbo.
Al Bowie
The decal sheet offers four marking options.
At some stage the need to kit a Sherman becomes too strong for most model companies and the result can be a mixed bag as the years have shown. Meng, a relative newcomer, has dipped its toes in the M4 pond and did an admirable job with their new M4A3 (76) W Sherman kit.
Hot on the heels of this, MENG has followed up with a logical expansion of their earlier M4A3 (76) and offered this M4A3E2 Jumbo Heavy Assault Tank.
This variant has previously been kitted by Tamiya and Tasca / Asuka. Meng’s new release is up there with the current pack leader - the Tasca / Asuka release (again shading it in some areas).
The M4A3 with the big hatch 47 deg hull was the culmination of the Sherman development in WWII and the need for a heavier armour assault version saw the development of the M4A3E2 or Jumbo as it is popularly known today. It added significant armour to the transmission, glacis, hull sides and particularly the turret and mantlet.