Hello to one and all. I am a complete novice regarding British & Commonwealth armour so i would be grateful if anybody could give me some advice or help.

I am interested in building a Firefly belonging to the Irish Guards during the European campaign and have a few questions.

#1- Would it be accurate to use the Fighting48th Sherman V M4A4 Conversion set combined with the Tamiya Firefly Ic kit?

#2- Would it be accurate to use the Fighting48th M4 Track Set Type T62 with the above set?

#3- Are there any suitable decals available for the Irish Guards Fireflys?

#4- What paint colours are recommended?

#5- Recommended reading re Fireflys and the Irish Guards.

Any help or advice would be gratefully received

Thanks

Paul

#1, Yes, though you'll require tools from the A1, Pershing or after market i.e Hauler

#2, Yes, these were a common track type on British Shermans

#3, Bison, Gaso.line and Accurate Armour all do sheets with Guards Armoured Div markings. I'd go for the Accurate Armour set. While its intended for a Cromwell it includes the 53 on red AoS marking appropriate for the Irish Guards.

#4, As the Fireflys received some modifications the likely colour would be SCC15, the British equivilant of OD. This can be obtained from the White Ensign Colorcoats range (enamel) or mixing a little green to Tamiya OD (sorry, I don't recall which green or have a ratio to hand).

Ludovic Fortins excellent book British Tanks in Normandy has a pic on page 38 of a Firefly Vc from the 2nd Armoured Batallion, Irish Guards, and it does indeed have the type T62 tracks. The picture is too indistinct to read the serial number, but it seems to be in white, repeated on the side first level with the front edge of the top deck, mid-hull vertically, and again very close to the top angled edge of the hull where it starts to slope downwards. I can't make out any other markings, but the unit marking would be a white 53 in a red square, plus the blue and red Guards shield with the white eye motif. The pic is from the Imperial War Museum, coded B8293, so you could get a print from them, which would have beter detail.

I'll do some more digging in the meantime....

www.fighting48th.com

Hi Geoffrey & Tim , thanks for your helpful advice
I have taken the plunge and ordered the Tamiya M4A1 and the Firefly Ic as well as Tim's conversion & track sets. I have my eye on the other outstanding parts( AA decals and Armourscale 17 pounder gun ) and will get them soon.

As always any additional info or advice is most welcome

best regards

Paul