Looks as if Waltersons, the new owners of the Forces of Valor brand, has begun showing off its second in a long line of M4 Sherman tanks, which are due out over the course of the next 12 months. Interestingly, Forces of Valor chose a training vehicle as the subject for its first M4A3(75) Sherman medium tank that features a VVSS suspension. The model is purportedly based upon a vehicle attached to C Company, 10th Tank Battalion, 5th Armored Division, which was still stateside here in New York during 1943 before being shipped overseas for the invasion of Europe in the summer of 1944. The 5th Armored did not see action until August 1944, two months after Operation Overlord, and took part in Operation Cobra, the Allies’ attempt to break through the stiff German defenses in and around Normandy, clear the Brittany countryside then sweep around the Germans’ flank in a wide enveloping move aimed at cutting off their retreat.
Its not clear when this Sherman will actually become available, based upon issues still plaguing the global supply chain, production schedules and whether or not our distributor is able to fill a container load to warrant higher than normal shipping costs. We’re guessing it will show up sometime at the beginning of the second quarter, seeing as how it took their first Sherman and inaugural Tiger I tank several months before they were fit for duty here in North America. There’s a good bet that a second Tiger tank is in the offing, so its possible that this Sherman may have to languish on the docks for a bit until the next Tiger is ready for combat.
