The Firefly was a stroke of genius on the part of British tank designers, combining a more potent high-velocity antitank gun with the tried and tested Sherman design. The gun fitted in the turret was the British Ordnance Quick Firing 17 pounder, able to take on even Germany’s most heavily armored vehicles like the Tiger I and Panther. Three different Firefly variants were produced: Ic, Ic Hybrid and Vc. The  Firefly Ic Hybrid denotes a vehicle based on a composite hull. Such vehicles combined the front portion of a cast hull with the rear section of a welded hull. Production of the Firefly began in early 1944 and 342 had been delivered for use in the D-Day landings. Overall production was in the order of approximately 2200, and they served in both Northwest Europe and Italy.

So here we have another fine Dragon Sherman kit. I like Shermans from Dragon for two reasons. One is that they are superbly molded and the second is that the parts count isn't astronomical. This one lists 330 parts, which I can handle. Much of that is because Shermans were pretty simple tanks without a lot of complexity and secondly, Dragon's great deformable styrene tracks that are easy to glue and hold paint as good as the rest of the kit. Of course, we also get the usual small photo etch fret and metal tow cable, but these are not a major exercise in tiny bits. For more PR stuff, here is what Dragon has to say about it.

- Brand new Firefly Ic in great detail
- Stowage box and gun travel lock tooled on engine deck
- Gun travel lock can be modeled in travel or combat modes
-Turret roof w/bomb-thrower port is newly produced
- New gun shield and rotor shield molded in great detail
- Radio box and stowage box at turret rear are realistically produced
- Anti-aircraft MG w/pedestal mount on turret roof as bonus
- Slide-molded anti-aircraft MG w/hollow end
- Composite hull w/cast texture accurately produced
- Driver's and radio operator's hatches tooled w/clear periscope can be assembled open or closed
- Two types of air filter on the rear hull newly made by slide mold
- Newly tooled tow-bar w/hook realistically presented
- Two types of armored plate welded over MG port as option
- Loader's hatch cover newly reproduced w/interior detail
- Spare-track racks w/spare track links on transmission cover are newly designed
- Hull side plates reproduced w/correct horizontal upper edge
- Realistic weld seams on composite hull accurately presented
- Layout of on-vehicle tools accurately reproduced
- One-piece transmission cover w/cast texture
- Transmission cover w/accurate bolts detail
- Siren molded in detail
- Fuel caps w/interior detail can be assembled open or closed
- Finely rendered horn guards for headlight and horn
- Sprocket molded in detail
- On-vehilcle tools delicately reproduced
- DS T48 tracks w/great details

The instructions are superb and show where modifications might be required. There are markings for three tanks. First is the 3rd Squadron 1st Krechowiecki Lancers in Italy during 1945. Next is 3rd Squadron 6th Armored Regiment Dzieci Lwowskich also in italy in 1945. The last is from A Squadron, Coldstream Guards in Germany during 1945. The white areas on this will need to be painted as will the mottled forward gun barrels on all of the options.

Thanks

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