Jim: The Asuka plastic one-piece tracks are superb. As a long time Sherman builder (with lots of experience with metal and other aftermarket tracks), you lose NOTHING using the kit-supplied tracks. But if you must, then know this: NEVER use Fruilmodel metal tracks for Shermans. They're great if you want to do a Panther's or a T-55's sagging tracks. But US suspensions were designed to be incredibly taut -- defeating the purpose of the weighty, metal Fruil tracks. There aren't good resin Sherman tracks extant. If you must go the plastic route, get Panda tracks. But being a newcomer to AFV modeling, I highly advise you go the simple route -- use the excellent Asuka/Tasca supplied ones. I've had magazine articles published and won many awards with mine... never even gave it a second thought.

If you're new to this, I'd say to just go with the kit tracks as Shermans (and most of the US armor lot) had "live" track. There was no sag in the track which is what you see on a lot of Russian and German pieces. They have whats called "dead" track. (it's late so a good and proper explanation escapes me.) In general, individual track links (especially the metal ones) are less than ideal for depicting live track. Single length, or rubber band, tracks are most ideal. Rubber band tracks aren't the best medium for getting the most detail out but Tasca, AFV Club and the Dragon DS tracks are all very well detailed (I know I left out a few companies who also do rubber band tracks well but I just listed these 3 as points of reference). Plus now in many kits you get tracks that you can connect using regular plastic cement instead of having to melt little nubs. Now the indy link tracks do usually have better detail than the rubber band tracks and are more well suited to depicting "dead" track but they are very tedious to make. You can use these tracks to depict live track too, don't get me wrong, but you then need to correct for sag by taking a link or more out or by adding one or more in if the run is too short. If you're going for the metal tracks they get to be expensive as well. Both options have their pros and cons and a lot of modelers have their own preferences.

hi john i was just wondering how you determine what size track kit to get for this kit.(profiPACK M1A4 Sherman) this is my first tank model i will be building and i do not care for the rubber track that comes with this kit. friulmodel has got track that comes from 175 links to 200 links for sherman tanks. they have a M4A1 tank kit but it does not look like the track that comes with the kit. so if you can give me any help it would surely be appreciated. Than You Jim

M4A1 and most other shermans used I think 79 links per side, so the smaller set would suffice. Besides that you get at least a dozen or two of spare links so you won't be short on the material even if you lose or destroy some. Cheers, Greg

Very nice kit!!! On the bench now. Tasca Sherman with Eduard PE. Grab it!!

Dragon have a pretty good set of Sherman tracks with duckbills..wish I could buy them separately some where.

john Thank you for your advice and seeing that i am new to tanks i will listen to you and stay with the ones that came with the kit. i thought that maybe it would look more like a toy. there is a lot of tanks i have seen on the internet that i thought were something other then rubber track. thank you very much for your help. this will be new but fun i build wooden ships so this will be a change for me. thanks again.

thank you all for all the advice you have giving me, so i think per what you all had told me i will stick with the rubber after all, its not that they looked bad i thought that the tank was going to look toy like. i may do my first diorama with this kit. thanks again for all the help you all have given me

Here's the Eduard M4A1 Sherman that I just completed for a magazine article. I used the kit tracks on this build. Its best if you leave the idler spindles loose (Don't Glue them) so you can adjust the track tension.