Iwo Jima Shermans

[Carl67]

I was looking through a squadron publication on the 3rd,4th and 5th tank battallions that served under the Marines at Iwo Jima. Shermans with the Oak planking and layered concrete sides and color scheme of brick red,black,green and tan camo. They served under names like "COED". "Crispy" , Applejack"and "Tokyo Express" to name a few. This led me to thinking that would be neat if GHQ could work some magic and create some Shermans along the lines of these historics horses that road into battle on the island.

A great marketing idea much like the combat commands. Create Battle boxes along the lines of theme sets Like Iwo Jima - D-Day - or the Battle of the Bulge to get newcomers into the game or just to get impulse GHQ maniacs like me another reason to buy more Micro Armor.

Discuss amongst yourselfs


Sincerely,

Carl
Loyal GHQ fan since 1980
Cleveland Ohio

[thetourist]

I like that idea! The Battle Box idea that GHQ introduced last year seemed kind of half baked to me, but I think your idea has legs.

[Carl67]

So I take it no one is really interested in doing up some IwoJima Shermans at GHQ.Just keep that in the back burner or in your notebook of ideas for future wish list. I of course will periodically bring up this subject because of my fascination with the Island hopping campaign in the Pacific and with the upcoming HBO miniseries on the pacific, I know how gamers can switch to other theaters of war on a dime. I have a feeling that With the series there will be an increased interest in this area in the months ahead. I guess I could try my hand at some sheet styrene and scratch build some Iwo Jima Sherman in the mean time.

Carl
Cleveland, OH

[piersyf]

Personally I'd rather see an LVT4 than yet another Sherman variant.

[Hauptmann6]

I don't think you are going to have much luck asking for a Sherman with add on armor. Best I can say is to get some green stuff and make your own add ons.

[Mk 1]

There were a variety of mods to Shermans done by crews in the Pacific. Concrete was used for many of the Shermans on Iwo, but palm logs were also used in several island battles, particularly by Marine units (don't know about Army units).

As previously mentioned, the concrete armor might be relatively simple to do with putty. But as I recall it was actually poured concrete using wooden forms, so you might be able to do it more quickly with styrene beams. The palm logs should be easily enough kit-bashed with some plastic sprues, or even thin toothpicks.

As to getting GHQ models of Shermans that were used on one specific island or another ... well, I'm not one to discourage any Sherman variants, but we're still hoping to see a GHQ Sherman for use on D-Day and in the Normandie campaign! Might be bigger fish to fry than any one island battle.

(Although now that I think about it, Okinawa was actually a larger invasion than D-Day, wasn't it?)

[piersyf]

(Although now that I think about it, Okinawa was actually a larger invasion than D-Day, wasn't it?)

And not a single LVT2 in sight, from the figures I've seen. Can we expect an LVT4 anytime soon? With a ramp, and cargo carrying capacity? It'd also be good for the Brits (Walcheren, Rhine crossing etc)...mmmmm LVT4 with 20mm Polsten guns!

Oh, paint on putty works too for concrete armour. Let it dry then scratch or file the formers into it. Hard part is that the joints are raised, not sunken... the concrete will leak outwards between the timber formwork...

P

[Carl67]

I was thinking about the sheet styrene or green putty route for the Iwo Jima shermans. GHQ is just so good with the details and with the basis already there they could easily make them.

I too wish they would make some shermans with the wading stacks on the back like for the D-Day invasion. But then again, would they sell for such a specific battle.

Again, many ideas. so little time.

Carl