Found this posted on Hobby Havoc.

Darn

Was hoping for an earlier version. I don't quite understand their marketing strategy. I hear the KT is not doing well

I was surprised to see it was a 105.......hopefully the tools and stowage aren't molded on.</p>

I agree and earlier version would be much more desirable..

Don't necessarily take this at face value; there's been a lot of controversy here about Walterson's and the mythical HL Sherman. There doesn't seem to be any solid information about the supposed HL M4, but I've been hearing rumors and speculation since before Mato's came out with thiers. Iquestion whether there actually IS a HL M4 in the works. There was also some flap about Walterson's a few months ago, including whether they were actually a real company or not; to the best of my knowledge this was never resolved. This particular model looks like a professional build, and suspiciously like a TaMato to me. I'd be disinclined to believe anything about a HL M4 untill there's either a press release from HL, teasers (again from HL), or it appears on their website. Just sayin', and if my knowledge is old and outdated I'd love to hear about it, since I'm all for ANY Sherman's being released! I mean really, how hard would it be to make this a 75? I'd love that...


Andrew

...odds HL would ever release an M4 Grizzly?

:P

...actually probably fairly high.. seeing as though most running shermans these days tend to be the canuck ones! ie. Band of Brothers & all of Portugal

I wonder about this. There seems to be a rumor mill hidden culture around with HL realease inuendos and one man vendors trying to look like they are big companies. I see the Waltersons King Tiger and Awesome Hobbies with the Panther II tank destroyers. To look at the add it would make one believe that they are HL releases. There have been statements that a HL Sherman (the picture shown above) as well as a HL Leo is just on the horizon. I do notice the 'Heng Long Premium' logo seems common to these vendors.

I agree, I will wait until something is on the HL website and agree that that picture looks suspiciously like a pro built Tamato.

Perry

Still need to get me one of those Jagdpanther II Tank Destroyers. There's a guy 'round here that makes them, so I think I'll order from him instead of ending up with a puzzle.

I DO hope this is the true HL offering!! A much better platform to base all Sherman projects from. I want to keep one in stock form (the M4A3 105MM) and a lot of kit bashing will be avoided getting the tank this way.

Hopefully I won't have to dump another $200 bucks on making the suspension system the right way as well, like with the MATO. [:'(]










~ Jeff

Why are all these model makers so hung up on that dumb 105mm model? It is the least used of any Sherman and was not really a direct combat tank, but set up for infantry support. They were normally issued only 2 to a company, (3 platoons of 5+ Hq) sometimes 3, one with a dozer and assigned to Hq platoon both in Tank Battalions or Tank Companies with 4 platoons as tank support at Regimental level. Post Korean War, Army units got rid of most of them or used the chassis for an ad hoc VTR or upgrade to M-32A1B3 to supliment the weaker M-32. The M-45 was infantry support with the M-46 being the standard tank. Marines made more use of them during and after Korea, many set up with secondary flame guns and dozers.

Sure, anyone can convert it back to a 75mm model...but that requires ordering more parts like guns, mantlets of different styles, various turret styles etc, and requiring surgery when the tank could be offered as early 75mm, or otherwise. Still wonder what happened to all the nice ideas Mato had about conversion parts. Mato Shermans seem to be selling OK, but they could be doing much better with conversion kits to M-10, M-3, Jumbo etc. as per all the noise they made when the VVSS Sherman became available.

All these model makers? Who is that? As far as Iknow only Tamiya makes a 105mm...

Here we go arguing again.

Good thing with this A3 VVSS is that you CAN stick a 75MM & M34A1 mantlet on the tank and it would be correct. OR, stick the M36 turret on it for a M36B1.

And so on and so forth. This version has more capabilities for other versions. Plus, I really like the M52 mantlet. It grew on me when it was the ONLY SHERMAN AVAILABLE ... for the longest time!

WAY TO GO HENG LONG!!!

You finally got me!










~ Jeff