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Dragon M4 (105) Sherman, kit no. 6548

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  • Member since
    July 2014
  • From: Rifle, CO. USA
Dragon M4 (105) Sherman, kit no. 6548
Posted by M1GarandFan on Monday, March 20, 2017 5:33 PM

Has anyone out there successfully built this kit? I just went to test fit the driver's and bog hatches to the hull and the hinges on the hatches seem to be mis-registered or mis-molded. There is no way they are even close. I've noticed a lot of incorrect call-outs on the instructions and this kit includes parts from about 4 other Sherman versions. I know a lot of you really like Dragon stuff. Maybe they only do a good job on the German stuff (?)

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 8:22 AM

I am no expert, let's get that out of the way first but Dragon kits do normally include a pile of extra parts - up to a third in some cases. Just throw them in the spare parts box. I have heard about incorrect part callouts but without having this kit I don't know about that. Not trying to question you but did you carefully check the numbers on the hatches- Dragon does sometimes put multiple ones in the box and only the right ones fit. 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: Sydney, Australia
Posted by Phil_H on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 8:48 AM

Another possibility is that you may have inadvertantly flipped the hatches and they're transposed left to right and inverted. The hinges would appear to be in the right position but they won't fit.

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 10:31 AM

Great point there Phil, I forgot that the driver and bow gunner's hatches were flat plates.... 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    July 2014
  • From: Rifle, CO. USA
Posted by M1GarandFan on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 11:03 AM

[quote user="Gamera"]

I am no expert, let's get that out of the way first but Dragon kits do normally include a pile of extra parts - up to a third in some cases. Just throw them in the spare parts box. I have heard about incorrect part callouts but without having this kit I don't know about that. Not trying to question you but did you carefully check the numbers on the hatches- Dragon does sometimes put multiple ones in the box and only the right ones fit. 

 [quote user="Gamera"]

I am no expert, let's get that out of the way first but Dragon kits do normally include a pile of extra parts - up to a third in some cases. Just throw them in the spare parts box. I have heard about incorrect part callouts but without having this kit I don't know about that. Not trying to question you but did you carefully check the numbers on the hatches- Dragon does sometimes put multiple ones in the box and only the right ones fit. 

 
Gamera,
Yeah, I don't mind having the extra parts for the spares box. The instructions call for use of parts A24 and A25 which have both hinges molded to the hatch. The angle of the hinges is wrong to fit in the closed position. There is another set with the kit, parts R14 and R16, which have one hinge molded to the hatch and the second hinge as a separate part. The molded hatch hinge kinda fits, but the separate hinge would glue on the hatch completely behind the recess in the hull where the hinge goes so I don'the think that's the right option either.
Looks like at this point I'll need to cut off the hinges, fit the hatch, and glue the hinge pieces back in the correct slots. Thanks for your response; I do appreciate it!
  • Member since
    July 2014
  • From: Rifle, CO. USA
Posted by M1GarandFan on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 11:13 AM

Well, I thought that I'd tried to fit them every which way, but I'll check that again. The hatches, that the instructions call out, have enough detail on them that the external surface is quite different from the internal surface, what with handle locations and the periscope assemblys fitting in the hatches. Thanks for your reply, I appreciate you took the time to answer.

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