Upgrades the running gear and details from
this older DML kit with contemporary levels of detail; replaces disliked
two-piece single link tracks with DS plastic and "slide molded" center
guides
Disadvantages:
Some lingering problems, but attention to
the etched brass fret and supplementary sprues show others have been
fixed; directions not correct (again)
Recommendation:
Highly Recommended for all Israeli and
Sherman fans
FirstLook
When DML released their highly anticipated M50 and M51 Israeli
Sherman kits over 10 years ago (Nos. 3528 and 3529 respectively)
they landed with something of a thud. While DML had many of the
details right, and at the time the best 1/35 scale HVSS suspension,
the kits suffered from a lot of sloppy details (such as water can
holders that did not fit) and poor research on others, such as the
signature muzzle brake on the M51 which was at least 20% underscale.
The directions also were murky, as they did not cite the right parts
during assembly. Needless to say, disappointed modelers were not
happy nor kind with their comments about the kits, especially when
Academy released an M51 which was better in many areas, had a
simpler suspension to assemble, and vinyl tracks.
Fast forward to 2007. DML has now revamped their M51 kit, and are
re-releasing it in the Premium Edition series. The kit has received
a lot of TLC, etched brass, and some corrections, and while far more
expensive than the originals (some which can still be found at shows
or flea markets for single-digit prices) it is a much more
substantial kit and more in line with the acceptable norms for kits
today.
First off, the model retains about 200 parts in mix-and-match sprues
from the M50 and M51 kits, with some updating and corrections, and
then adds in the 439 parts of DML's excellent new HVSS suspension
from its M4A3E8 and M4A3 (105mm) kits. Since the Israelis eschewed
rubber pad tracks, this works well as those kits came with the T80
steel faced tracks and that is provided here with the two DS plastic
runs with separate guide teeth. For simplicity's sake (e.g. simpler
cross-kitting) A slide molded lower hull is provided.
Turret and hull details from the M4A2/A3 kits are also added in,
such as the vision cupola, the fuel filler caps, and either the M2HB
machine gun or a .30 caliber Browning.
One of the big slams against the original kit was the fact that the
signature of the big French 105mm smoothbore gun stuffed into the
turret, its fancy muzzle brake, was at least some 20% underscale,
and many modelers were upset over this failing. A close examination
of the sprues in this kit shows a more accurate one with more
correct proportions tucked away on the M51 sprues, so DML has at
least responded to its critics by fixing that glaring error. The new
muzzle brake copies the shapes from the original; in his great book
"Israeli Sherman" Tom Gannon noted that DML had the shapes right but
was way underscale, whereas Academy had the right size but was too
flat and missed the character of the muzzle brake. This kit would
appear to have fixed that problem.
However, there is a big problem with the directions (par for the
course.) The CORRECT parts for the accurized muzzle brake are H-6,
7, and 9. The ones which are INCORRECT as they are too small are
J-30, 31, and 32; both sets appear to attach to muzzle cap J-33.
Surprisingly, while the kit now comes with extensive etched brass
upgrades, an etched brass muzzle brake is not one of them. (It would
actually be too thin in scale if they did make one that way, so not
a big loss.) The kit does come with etched brass water can carriers,
fenders and braces, and other "standard" Sherman bits like periscope
guards and headlight guards. It also has clear styrene parts from
other Sherman kits, such as headlights and periscopes, as well as
one item missing from the original kit – a clear lens for the
searchlight.
The kit comes with a nice set of Cartograf decals, but only one
finishing option; the "Zippori" Brigade, IDF, Sinai 1967.
Overall, DML has fixed most of the "gigs" with the original kit, and
anyone who did not get one the first time around will want to pick
this one up, as this time it really requires no additional items to
create a really good model of the vehicle. But I suggest you get
good references as Israeli vehicles are subject to changes from
vehicle to vehicle.
Highly Recommended
Sprue Breakdown:
B 52 M50 Sherman - Engine deck and
hull rear
B 35 M4A2/A3 cupola, gun, mantelet, M2HB and .30 caliber machine
guns
B 10 M4A2/A3 fuel filler caps and hull details
C 21 clear styrene
F 25x2 M50 Sherman barrel, side details
G 16x2 M50 Sherman water cans and brackets
H 9x2 M51 Sherman barrel and muzzle brake, fenders
I 20 M51 Sherman turret, engine deck and hull rear
J 35 M51 Sherman upper hull and muzzle
M 24 M4 HVSS road wheel tires
N 4 M4 HVSS idler tires
Q 35x2 M4 HVSS Drive wheels
Q 48x3 M4 HVSS road wheels and bogies
T 22x8 T80/T84 track center guides
Y 2 DS plastic T80 track runs
X 1 M4A3 HVSS lower hull
MA 90 etched brass (details)
MB 27 etched brass (fenders)
MC 12 steel springs
MC 6 brass tubes
MC 1 turned aluminum barrel