Metal Earth MMS204 Metal Model

I really enjoyed building this Sherman tank!It was my first time building something like this and I was impressed with the quality and difficulty to build.I consider myself very good at building things and I have worked with metal for many years, but I haven't previously built models of any kind.I only used a small pair of needle nose pliers to complete it. I didn't have any issues with removing parts from the sheet. I used my fingers or the pliers. You just need a bit of patience and slowly work the pieces out by bending them a little back and forth until they break free. You can also use small cutters as the manufacturer recommends.I finished it today and have ordered more today.

My husband really enjoyed putting this together. A great little knickknack for his desk.

When I was about to finish it, the bottom part came off, which really sucks.

I have been buying the MetalEarth models for the past several months as an outlet to relieve stress from my day job. Each model is quite detailed and takes me about 2-3 hours to complete. Being "in the zone" and working on these models has helped me relax after a long day.This particular model looks great and is intricate. I recommend getting a decent needlenose pliers to help work bending the small pieces (gear wheels) and a weak magnet in case you drop pieces and need to find them...

This metal model was bought for me, by my son, using my phone! (He's 2) I'd been looking at it, and apparently he thought Daddy needed it... It was so cool though, I wasn't unhappy with him at all... Once I got the model, I was a little shocked to see a lot of pieces, if you've never put a model together in the past, you might want to bear that in mind. Assembly was about 2 hours, but the intricacy and detail once finished is astounding! It now has an honored place on my display shelf.

No way. This thing is impossible to build.So small pieces.

The upward tilt of the photo of this model's barrel was created by an error in its construction. The part that holds that barrel should have bent tabs, not twisted ones, resulting in a level barrel. Also, the headlight covers are mounted upside down, as the instructions erroneously tell you to mount them. The scribed marks on the front face of the tank clearly show an inverted, squared "U" shape suggesting that the headlights aim forward, not upward, to the sky. These are headlights, not flower vases.The instructions are not clear about the treads. Does the etched face go outward, or inward? I put them outward and discovered that the tabs holding the treads to the body of the tank do not come anywhere near the slots they are supposed to fit into, so I snipped them off. If I build another one, I'll see if it fits better with the etched side inward, though that won't look as good from the front or back, since the treads will be shiny and smooth on the outside.Other than that, it was a pleasurable model to build.

These tanks are my favorite of these models. The whole series is fun, and not terribly challenging compared to some others.Disclaimer: with all of these Metal Earth models, be warned! They are not for the impatient! Small pieces, hard to see, very delicate, and can be frustrating. This series of models is for people that are looking for a challenging model!