Dragon Armor M4A4 Sherman


No. 60284, Vintage year - 2006, Scale - 1:72


Unit - Free French Army/French Army B - this was established after General De Gaulle and the exiled French government issued a call to arms on 18 June 1940. By the time of Normandy in 1944, the Free French Forces numbered 400,000. The Free French 2nd Armored Division drove south to Paris while the 1st Army joined in the invasion of southern France. French Army B was led by Gen. Tassigny and constituted the right flank of the Allied Southern Army Group.

Campaign - Marseilles 1944 - the U.S. 6th Army Group (Southern Group of Armies) was commanded by Lt. Gen. Jacob Devers and was created in Corsica and activated on Aug. 1, 1944 to consolidate the combined French and American forces that were planning to invade southern France in Operation Dragoon. The assault troops were formed of three American divisions of the VI Corps, reinforced by a French armored division. French Army B was later redesignated the French First Army and was joined by French I and II Corps. A planned benefit of Dragoon was the usefulness of the port of Marseilles, given the issues in opening workable ports in the north. Marseilles and the southern French railways were brought back into service despite heavy damage to the Port of Marseille and its rail trunk lines. They became a significant supply route for the Allied advance into Germany, providing about a third of the Allied needs. 


Markings - Olive drab with stars on turret and hull. Additional French insignia and tactical markings (may be the 2nd platoon, 4th squadron of the 2nd Cavalry) on hull in addition to the name "St.-Quentin" 


Model - the M4 was powered by a Chrysler WC Multi-bank engine (formed from five commercial automobile engines aligned on a common driveshaft) and the tank required a lengthened rear hull to accommodate it. Almost 7,500 M4A4s were produced and many were delivered to our Allies, including the British, Poles and French. It was completed in September 1941 and the Sherman was the most widely produced tank of the war. 


Condition - new with minor wear on box 


Thank you for your interest.