Kelly's Heroes
Can you believe it's been over 30 years since this movie was made?
I always wanted to do models of the Tigers and Sherman's so here are
some reference pictures.
Found this on R.M.S.
I saved this from
Cookie a while back. It talks about 1/35 kits but the
detail is excellent. Been thinkin' the same thing tho with all the new Shermies
showing up.
Frank
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I hope someone has information about the Shermans used in the movie
"Kelly's Heroes", especially the one with loudspeaker (Oddball's). I want
to know the type of hull and turret and other characteristics.
If someone has pictures I wish to get them mailed.
After reading your request, I fast-forwarded through the movie and made
some quick notes. Here you go!
The Shermans used in the movie were wet-stowage 75mm M4A3s, with 47 degree
glacis plate, late cast transmission housing, and late-style driver's
hatches (Tamiya's hull is, in my humble opinion, the best available).
The turrets were fitted with the M34A1 mantlet, commander's vision cupola,
and oval loader's hatch (the DML turret included as an option in the Hybrid
Firefly kit is probably the best one out there). Additionally, these
vehicles were refitted (as were some Pakistani Shermans; see New Vanguard
1) with a 76mm M1A2 gun (threaded for but not fitted with a muzzle brake; a
turned aluminum version is available from Tank Workshop) in the original
75mm turret. On the right side of the turret are three spare track links,
while the left side of the turret mounts the loudspeaker and a single spare
track link.
The .50 fitted to the turret is unusual in a few respects: the ammunition
is simply stacked into the ammunition tray (i.e., without ammo box), while
the gun itself is a .50 air-cooled (as fitted to most WW2 aircraft and
LRDG/SAS vehicles) instead of the common .50 M2HB (Heavy Barrel).
Collector's Brass makes this weapon in this configuration, I believe.
The tracks are standard metal chevron types without extended end connectors
(T54E1, available from DML), while the wheels and idler are the "solid
spoke" type (available from Tamiya and DML), and the volutes feature the
upswept return roller mountings. The drive sprocket is, for want of a
better description, the "solid" type (look at the two different types
included in Italeri and DML kits to see what I mean; in Italeri kits, the
correct part number is 15, while in DML kits it's D15).
The vehicle has extended fenders at the front and rear, as seen when these
vehicles are fitted with sandshields, but the sandshields themselves are
not fitted. The mounting brackets on the rear hull plate for spare track
links are missing on these vehicles. Also, an extra radio antenna is fitted
to the hull, just behind and to the right of the assistant driver's hatch
(I believe where the air vent is usually fitted).
The markings on Oddball's Sherman are as follows:
1. a mid-sized white star in the center of the transmission housing;
2. white stars on the hull sides, under the turret;
3. a small white star on the right rear fender;
4. the codes "USA 301104" on the hull sides aft (as standard on most WW2
US tanks), as well as "USA 301104" on the left rear fender, with "USA"
above and "301104" below.
No other markings were visible (although there may be a star on the engine
deck or turret roof, it's not apparent in the movie). The patch on
Oddball's jacket, by the way, is for the 6th Armored Division, although
standard US divisional codes are not visible on the vehicle.
Incidentally, one of the other Shermans appears to have been fitted with a
loudspeaker on the right side (as seen when Kelly is first introduced to
the tanks), while the other did not seem to be fitted with one.
Were I building this, I would use the hull from the Tamiya M4A3 kit, and
just about everything else (turret, suspension, tracks, and anything else
that seems superior in the DML kit) from the DML Composite Firefly. You
could quite easily build a Sherman Firefly with all of the leftover pieces.
I hope this is of some use, since I consider this a most worthy modeling
project.. Sorry, but I don't have any pictures.
Good luck!
Collectors Brass makes a 1/35th scale 50 Cal. with open ammo tray & ammo
belt which they offer "as seen on Oddballs Sherman".
Some links I found.
Sherman Register - Retrofitting of 76mm guns
