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This is my second vehicle featuring another of the great dry decal sets by Archer Transfers for the Free French 2ème DB (Second Armored Division). The 2ème DB was the main unit tasked with the liberation of Paris with other Allied, mainly US units in support.
The basis for my model was Dragon's Sherman Mk.III. This was recommended by the instruction sheet that accompanied my very early version of Archer's set AR35257. A very nice email exchange with Archer's boss Woody Vondracek uncovered that the in the current version of AR35257 the recommended kit is changed into Dragon's Tarawa Sherman. Actually both kits are equally good to use as basis, since the Mk.III kit has a number of sprues of the Tarawa version anyhow.
The only major feature that must be made from scratch is the large rectangular storage box at the end of the engine deck. Written records state that -all- 2ème DB's Shermans were fitted with this box. This may bre true or not, but certainly "Tarentaise" had it. There are several August 1944 pictures of "Tarentaise" on which this box is clearly visible. The box is a straightforward and simple build, easily made from Evergreen sheet, and strip for the reinforcing bands.
As with my last week's M3A3 "Vexin" the weathering of drybrushing and Schminke pastels was kept pretty minimal as
I want to depict "Tarentaise" shortly after disembarkation, somewhere between Normandy and Paris.
To finish this model off I am at the moment looking for a suitable set of figures to fill the now very open spaces of the hull and turret hatches. In 1944 the French were mainly dressed in US type uniforms, certainly the tank helmets; so with the big number of US tank crew figures around it should'nt be too difficult to find some.
Happy Modelling!
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