# Turretless Sherman Kangaroo



## Owen E Oulton (Jan 6, 2012)

During WWII, Canadian forces created a field-expedient APC by stripping the gun from M7 Priests and plating over the opening, thus creating what they called a "Kangaroo" personnel carrier (a.k.a "defrocked Priest"). Somewhat later, they adapted the Canadian-built Ram II medium tank by removing the turret, leaving room for a section of 10 infantry. The British were so impressed with the concept that they began doing the same with M4 Shermans. 

I decided to take a Tamiya M4 (Sherman 1 to the British and Canadians) which was missing its turret and convert it. I had several photos of a Sherman Kangaroo as well as a Ram II Kangaroo, so I set about building an interior. It turned out to be easier than I thought it would. For some reason, even though the Tamiya kit was of 1995 vintage, it had no sponson floors, so the first task was contructing them from .040" styrene, along with the reap firewall from .030. The coolant radiators were built up from .040 and some Plastruct styrene U channel. The drive shaft was made from sprue and .015 to represent the shroud over it. I scavenged the transmission and driver's station from an old much-abused Italeri M7 Priest - not perfect, but it'll be in shadow. Ductwork was constructed from square Plastruct styrene square tube with an Italeri workshop hoist pulley for the fan motor, and the rest of the interior was detailed using bits and pieces of scrap styrene and parts-box junk. A spare No. 19 wireless set from Tamiya's Universal carrier snuggled into the starboard sponson, and an Academy .30 cal machine gun body was added to the bow gunner's station. The upper hull had the turret ring area ground out and bolt holes drilled around the opening. The hull recieved sand shields and the normal details for a Sherman hull with the addition of one of the rear hull stowage boxes from the Priest. As it sits, I just need to detail the escape hatch and it'll be ready for paint on Tuesday when I have access to Bill Eggleton's spray booth (for some reason they won't let me spray paint in the nursing home... Sheesh, go figure!) More details and pix coming soon!


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