Got to agree with almost all of this.piersyf wrote:So far for me, the La-5 is the only interest, and that's peripheral. I am not a part of the obsession with WW2 naval between the US and Japan, and for me the response to the M4A2 was 'not another Sherman'. I'm not that fussed over the position of fuel caps. I should point out though, that my WW2 US force was built mostly 30 years ago and was sourced from a shop in Australia, so I had to select from what the shop stocked. I drew the line at using Ishermans, if that gives you a hint.
I think the issue here isn't so much the products, but the perplexing level of anticipation and excitement around the releases. It's a bit like Christmas as a kid where you see all the cool presents go to your relatives and you get socks.
Personally I like looking at the pictures... but that is over a year away for this batch before I actually get to SEE them all.
All these releases, and my magazine is still dry!
I don't collect aircraft, and differ on the naval thing a bit- if I was still collecting micronaughts or if I start again, I'd be buying early Pacific war; ABDA and IJN, including the Hosho and last years Langley.
Got a chuckle out of your Sherman situation too. Mine's a bit different, but similar in using what I have/ could get..
I only easily recognize a few types myself and generally categorize them as short gun, long gun, and those late ones with the new suspension that really ought mostly to be fighting north koreans and chi-com...
In any case, I bought almost all my Shermans from GHQ about 43 years ago.
Back then, it was "US-1 M4 Sherman" and that was that.
It was a 75mm welded job, and I used wire to give some an ersatz "76".
I don't even know if they HAD fuel filler caps, & I'd have to soak off a lot of paint to see.
Beyond those, I bought a few Fireflies when they came out, and a pack of CinC "easy eights" when they were released.
Haven't used any of them in a very long time, but if need arose I'd dig them out again.
