M4 Sherman wading Stacks

This 1/72-scale conversion kit appears to be designed to convert a 1/72-scale Sherman tank to a tank designed to wade through water up to the turret roof. This allowed the tanks to exit off a LCT (Landing Craft Tank) and have less worry of the engine and crew being flooded. The forward wading stack I understand allows air intake and the rear stack is for exhaust. This style of wading trunks replaced field-manufactured ones I’ve seen in some historical photos.

I have most commonly seen these used with M4 (Sherman I) tanks. In conjunction with the wading stacks, the tank hatches, turret race, vents, periscopes, bow machine gun and other openings would be sealed with caulking and covers. In reference photos I have typically seen them with light cable tie-downs and “jettisoning ropes”. These particular wading stacks were used during the Normandy and Southern France landings, and the Pacific islands. See your references for further information. The box of Calibre 72’s Sherman Dozer M1 kit #72014 shows a photo of these wading trunks mounted on a Sherman model.

The Kit Parts

• There are six gray colored cast-resin parts. It looks like we have some clean-up to do by sawing off the pour plugs.
• Detail is great and casting appears faultless. Unlike the etched brass wading stacks included in DML’s M4 Normandy kit, these stacks are molded solid with a screen impression over the opening.

Instructions

• The kit instructions have a numbered parts diagram and two-color exploded-view style assembly instructions which look pretty simple and clear, though I am unsure of the exact placement of part-5. The instructions do not specify if any of the details on the rear engine plate, like the engine doors, have to be cut off; test fit the part and use your references and common sense to be sure.
• The instructions state that this conversion is for any Sherman: this would mean it would work just as well on a 1/72 scale Sherman from Dragon, or UM, ESCI, Italeri, ARMO or MR Models; or with the M4A1, M4A2, M4A3 or M4A4? The drawing shows kit part-2 being attached to what appears to be the engine deck of a gasoline powered M4. I recommend that the set be test fit to your kit you plan on using. The M4A3 and M4A2 had a different engine deck and rear plates with large ventilation grates that would require a different base for the intake and vent stacks.

Conclusions

1. This appears to be a very well rendered conversion kit for a 1/72 scale M4 and M4A1 Medium tank that I recommend highly.
2. The solid stacks may be a drawback for some modelers doing a display model. Dragon and aftermarket companies produce etched brass wading stacks that may be more appropriate for them.

References
US Armored Funnies, US Specialized Armored Vehicles in the ETO in World War II #7052, by Stephen J Zaloga, Concord Publications Co (2005). ISBN 962-361-085-8

Article Last Updated: 10 November 2012