I had a great deal of fun building Tamiya’s M4 Sherman.

So much fun, in fact, that I’m chomping at the bit to get cracking on another AFV (armored fighting vehicle).

The problem is choosing. I’ve got a few armor kits in the stash, but I’m having trouble deciding which one to build next, so I’m open-sourcing the choice. Check out the kits, then vote below!

AFV Club Achilles Mk.IIc

During World War II, the Brits had a knack for going all Tim Taylor on American equipment. They shoved a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine into the P-51 Mustang and transformed it into the dominant fighter of the war. They upgunned the Sherman with a 76mm, 17-lb gun, resulting in the vaunted Firefly. The Achilles shares this tradition, and is essentially a U.S. M10 Tank Destroyer modified to carry the same 17-lb gun as the British Firefly.

Dragon Panzer IV Ausf. G

Germany fielded a staggering variety of tanks and other armored vehicles during World War II, but none in greater numbers than the Panzer IV. Much like the venerable Messerschmitt Bf 109, the Panzer IV was in continuous production throughout the war, albeit receiving several upgrades along the way.

While not as sleek as the Panzer V (Panther) or imposing as the Panzer VI (Tiger), I think the Panzer IV might be my favorite German tank. I’m sure that probably has something to do with a Panzer IV being the only tank to survive from my childhood modeling days into the present.

Dragon Tiger I Late Production

The Tiger is the quintessential German tank. Packing thick, tough armor and a massive 88mm gun (versus 76mm guns on upgunned Shermans), but arguably over-engineered and not produced in anywhere near sufficient quantities to hold back the swarms of M4s from the west, and T-34s from the east.

Dragon T-34/76 Cast Turret (Mod. 1941)

Another workhorse of another major power. The T-34 was the Soviet tank of World War II. Like the M4 Sherman, it overcame the German Panzers through quantity more than quality, but it was easy to build and easy to repair, a definite advantage against the more sophisticated German tanks.

Tasca M4A3(76)W Sherman

From the moment it entered service, the Sherman was considered undergunned against German tanks. The British were very quick to begin upgrading their Shermans with a 76mm, 17-lb gun. The Americans soon copied this “Firefly” concept, and the upgunned M4A3(76)W began finding its way to the battlefields of Europe in the autumn of 1944.

Tasca’s kit is reputed to be among the best Shermans on the market.

Tamiya BT-7

This Soviet light tank was one of several iterative tanks that emerged and found their way into obsolescence by the time World War II kicked off. To be honest, I don’t find the BT-7 a terribly interesting subject in itself, but Tamiya’s kit is supposed to be pretty great, and I imagine this would make for a good weathering platform.

*****

So that’s the list. Vote below…I’ll be tallying up and make a decision toward the end of the weekend!