lovely build. However it was a 17 pounder gun wedged in the turret and the bigger rear box was to house the radio because if it was left in its original position the radio would have been smashed to bits by the recoil of the gun. The additional box on back was a counter wait for the gun.

For people complaining about the workable tracks and wheel springs, they're there for extra detail, for example if you wanted to do a diorama featuring the tank rolling over a rock or rail tracks ybe wheels and links will follow the curve if you don't like it then just leave it and move on. You complaining makes RFM likely to revise the kit and take away the tracks and springs meaning less realism and details for the rest of us

Great kit, a huge amount of work. Set aside a lot of time for the tracks.

A few tips: Glue the idler halves together and give them an extra thorough sanding. The rim portions will go on perfectly. Same with the inner road wheel faces. Just sand them an extra few rounds and they pop right in. Have the transmission section built first, and then in one session build the lower hull as well as the upper hull with sponsons. You’ll be able to align everything perfectly.

Use narrow masking tape to hold assemblies together then glue. I suspect this kit is super accurate vs Tamiya super kit. 😂😂

The bow gun is blocked of on the Firefly because the bow gunners position is used for main gun ammo stowage. The 17 pound rounds were considerable longer than either of the American 75 or 76 mm gun rounds and restricting the ammo load to the standard Sherman positions would have resulted in a very low number of main gun rounds being able to be carried. All Fireflies I have seen have plate armor welded over the bow gun position.

Starting this build today. Tracks first I think. Nice to know I can watch this as I need some help.

Great video , I was going to get one , but after seeing the etch and tracks building , , I realized is too much for my hands to handle. (got carpal tunnel ) But it looks like a great kit and love what you done so far , looking forwards to next video ! Take care, Tony

As a American, I can totally tell you that the US does go Crazy with the 50 Calibre Browning LMGS, all though, some sherman Variants such as the M4a1, M4a2 and the M4 Jumbo's had 12.7 HB Browning machine guns. The UK tanks usually had the Vickers, Bren's or the [I think] Besa 7.92 mm's.

Nice start, looks good.

The bogeys look slightly easier than the Tascam version. Which is also all about cramming the bits together. I made the Tascam some years ago, and had to scratch-build one of the swinging arms out of sprue when one pinged away to be eaten by the carpet monster. I was burgled last year, and the burglars knocked the Firefly off its plinth and I think they trod on it. After beefing up the locks and fitting a remote-control electromagnetic lock for my inner front door, and replacing my stolen pool cues and air rifle, I've bought the Ryefield version to add to my stash, which will probably go directly after my Amusing Hobby Centurion Mk 5.

The big box on the turret is the radio set

Very nice and informative. I have the Sherman M4A3E8 and was wondering how I was going to build the tracks. Can wait for part 2.

The idlers have the lip overhang, the only way to mold that is in halves. Other kits just skip that. Explained clearly on the box top.

Few technical notes to the greatt build video: - transmission gear cover. IRL the cover made up from three pieces and the big "bulges" behind the sprockets were a single cast with the side parts. On the other hand the three parts were hold together by bolting the big flanges on their edges (in the middle of the transmission cover) together. So by building the kit the join gaps on the two sides should be filled (if there are any) and replace the cast texture there, and there should be a slight join line scribed all around the middle of the flanges. - the small L-shaped part on the front glacis: it was a footrest, a support for climbing up in the glacis. - turret boxes: The first was the radio, because the big breach of the 17pdr left no place for it in the original turret bustle. So the rear was cut out and an armoured box was permanently welded to the back of the turret. The second one however was a simple steel stowage box, often removed from the turret. It was fixed there by small steel plates welded to the radio box. So the narrow verical bars at the end of the radio box should overlap the storage box, not being flush with the edge of the radio box. - the small rectangles on the side of the hull: those were part of the "boathouse", a frame and tarp which covered the tank and disguised it as a lorry. The two pronges on the front fenders were part of that too. - track construction: after making the small segments it easier to connect them in the jig. put one connecting piece in the middle, two segments at the two end, push the side fixers on and it will not be fiddly.

the reason the brits welded armor over the bow gun slot is because the 17pdr ammo was quite big and so in order to store enough of it in the tank to make it viable in combat ( the ready rack having only like 6 or 8 rounds ) the co-driver ( or bow gunner ) position was made into ammo storage

And the entire front end is the transmission housing/gear box cover. It looks like all the parts go together very well. Excellent build video. Nice an' slow with very good dialog throughout. I'm a new subscriber! 🤙

Really good model. I find your interesting channel on you tube, I am modelers too. Good

These square things on the hull sides are the mounting points for the arms that kept up the canvas shrouds that enabled these shermans to wade ashore with a bit more confidence on d-day and immediately thereafter.

It's the "final drive" assembly. 🤙

The front part of the hull with braces is the transmission cover.

That is nice! Glad I searched for a review now, it's in my hobby shop so now away to pick it up with the mini art Grant!

Looking good mate, i have always liked the Sherman, looking forward to the next episode, please keep safe and well in these troubled times.

hi, love your comments. The "Just Fiddely" comment is exactly it. Love british armor ww 2. Tamiya Archer was great. I really hate this kit. Plastic micro part to go into photo etch. not mentioned on some pre drill holes, yet photo etch in unseen areas and gaps!. Really hate this kit. To much brass

The actual wheels also have a seam in the middle, rubber was vulcanized on from 2 sides. The problem is cleaning up the gate withou destroying the seam line. I indeed usually file them off.

Cor blimey I've just recd delivery of the Sherman with full interior rm5042 model n I only have one good hand so if you have troubles there's no hope for me then lol

Firefly would be an M4A4, radio was mounted in the first add on box in the turret, then a stowage box after it, the 17lb gun was huge and that's how they made stuff fit, that's also why the bow machine gun position is blocked, there was no gunner there cause that space was used for ammo storage for the much larger 17lb ammo.

Nice video mate

I wanted to know which brand is the cutter you use to cut plastic? Thank you very much. You are very very good you are an expert model maker. Reyfield model tracks are very very difficult, I prefer magic tracks

It's called the transmission housing

Excellent instructional clip, very well done. Question, what are you using to secure the photo-etch? The stuff in the green container. Thanks.

I've been thinking about grabbing this kit and skipping Dragon's versions. Looks like a nice kit and Dragon needs some competition IMO. I agree some things look over engineered but it doesn't look Miniart over engineered lol.

Funny, meng learned from their first Sherman by including rubber band tracks and single link tracks in their jumbo kit. Hopefully rfm does the same...

The assembly of the individual track links are absolutely the worse I have ever attempted to put together. Plus, the boogie/suspension is WAY over engineered. I replaced them with the one's from Dragon's British Sherman Vc Firefly. Also, I wished RYE FIELD would have included a set of vinyl tracks in the kit.

You should try some model master glue it will work on photo etched parts

4:50 .... Transmission Cover, early 3 piece design too

could you tell me where you got your sprue cutter from please

What cutters are you using, like pincer cutters?

Got this kit recently, it didnt come in plain grey, but german yellow, anyone else get the same ?

The plastic snapped on my idler wheels aswell. Bizarre considering how good the rest of the kit is.

There is no bow gunner in a fire fly its a amo storige and in a regular sherman has a .30 there not a .50

It’s 17 pounder not 16 pounder

When we see the continuation of the build?

How did you do the front hatches? first time in 30 years just threw the kit away. the two pieces that fit between E 22, 23 were not even close. Too much bull shit. thanks

thats a beautiful rubber crack over there

The lower part is pronounced (glay,sis) glacis

High end kits are painful compared to Tamiya! (Older Tamiya)

Duck bills are just replacement end connectors, should not be more work at all.

What size springs are these?

The drives on the gearbox might seem over engineered but if you want to depict the model with missing wheels or maintenance. Tamiya would be a better fit BUT less detail and same kit price so less hours of enjoyment.

What are your clippers! They confuse me!

those tracks 🤦🏻‍♂️😫

P-40 ???

The newer Tamiya Sherman's hull is not "absolutely perfect". It is a janky shit, with gaps almost everywhere. The molding quality on those kits are just bad. Almost all of the parts warped. At least on my M51 that was the case. The upper hull is 1 mm longer than the lower for example. Tamiya Shermans among the worst in the market these days. Only the Italeri form 1977 is worse, but the Italeri is priced accordingly. MEanwhile Tamiya is priced if it was a premium kit. Nope, it is absolutely not premium. Even the Zvezda Shermans are way better, for half the price. Tamiya Shermans are the ones lacking. Tamiya Shermans are oversimplified even compared to the aformentioned Italeri. Tamiya engineering on their armour is nothing else but cheaping out.

Model designer: "Right shall we make the tracks detailed but easy to fix together and make the roadwheels as one piece so that it comes together nicely?" Rye Field Models: "Nah, that's too simple and logical, we need to make them complicated as it will appear more professional and detailed. Oh and add some springs and make the suspension 6 pieces!" Model designer: "So make the the track multiple fiddly pieces again and make the roadwheels 4 pieces again?" Rye Field Models: "Perfect!" But seriously. Why do they need to make them so complicated and all that. Are they appealing to the "rivet-counters" who like complicated things rather than most normal people who want something that works nice and stress free?

16 pounder gun ? If you've selected the kit it's best to know what you're making..

17 pdr gun, not 16 pdr.

It's a static model. What's the point of moveable tracks? Meng Sherman has individual guide teeth for God's sake. What's the point? Rubber band tracts, like on Tamiya Sherman's are way better. Done 6 Meng T90s with tracks like this. After model is finished, it makes no difference.

I think you have to be a bit of a sadist to be a model kit designer.

17lb not 16lb

There is no need to have tracks so damned complicatedly tedious and time consuming to put together, when finished they look no better than link and length and they prevent me buying a kit like this that I would otherwise have bought. Pointless, do a bloody jigsaw instead!

Too complicated for a simple mortal

That's a 17pdr gun, not a 16pdr.

just threw these tracks away honestly not worth the time just for them to fall apart a hour after