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12 Days of Christmas Challenge 2019-2020: AFV Club 1/35 Scale M5 3-inch Gun #AF35S64

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  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
12 Days of Christmas Challenge 2019-2020: AFV Club 1/35 Scale M5 3-inch Gun #AF35S64
Posted by Sergeant on Thursday, December 26, 2019 7:33 PM

Starting 2019-2020 Christmas Challenge project today.

Finished 2018-2019 Christmas Challenge project.

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Friday, December 27, 2019 7:45 AM

Very cool and good luck!!! 

Takes me over a year to build anything! Sad

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

 

  • Member since
    July 2014
  • From: Rifle, CO. USA
Posted by M1GarandFan on Friday, December 27, 2019 2:15 PM

Sergeant, Glad to hear from you again after a prolonged absence. The jeep project from last year sure turned out well. It will be interesting to watch your progress on the 3" AT gun. I've looked at this kit a few times and wondered about it. I've never done an AFV Club kit before.

My latest and last kit ( it's always going to be my last build) is the Tacom 1/4 ton truck (jeep) with 1/4 ton trailer. It's my Xmas Challenge, except it is really my Xmas to 4th of July Challenge because it will take that long to finish. As so many of these kits are, I feel as if I'm actually building a jeep. The kit has separate parts for the block, head, coil, distributor, starter, etc. After building Sherman's for so long, these parts look really tiny.

Good luck with your latest build!

  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Friday, December 27, 2019 2:36 PM
Gamera, thank you for the encouragement. This is my first AFV Club kit; however, I have two others I plan to start after the 12 Days of Christmas Challenge is finished.
 
John, the AFV Club kit looks realistic because it has so many very detailed parts. Last night I broke a plastic spring just holding it in my fingers during assembly. Fortunately, I have a good pair of calipers and several sizes of semi-soft aluminum craft wire, so with the correct mandrel I can make almost any spring from scratch. The wire I use has about as much memory as the plastic.
 
I also found a great review to help me with this model, especially the pesky spring equilibrator:

  • Member since
    July 2014
  • From: Rifle, CO. USA
Posted by M1GarandFan on Friday, December 27, 2019 4:44 PM

Harold, I've been lucky so far and haven't lost any small parts or broken any either. But, I'm sure it will happen before I'm done with the kit.

Your replacement spring looks really good. Good recovery!

  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Saturday, December 28, 2019 11:28 AM

At the end of day two I only completed step one. Hopefully today I can make more progress. The manufactures' instructions divide the assembly into 15 sets. Since we have 12 days to complete our projects and I allowed 2 days for paint that gave me 10 days for assembly. I have 14 more assembly steps to complete in 8 days counting today so I need to complete at least 1 1/2 to 2 steps each day to complete my project on time.

Harold

  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Monday, December 30, 2019 8:58 AM

At the end of day three I completed steps 2 through 5 which is mainly the M1 Carriage. Step 6 and 7 is the gun cradle. Step 8 and 9 is the barrel sleigh and recoil mechanism. To say this kit is highly detailed would be an understatement. I hope to have steps 6 through 9 completed by the end of day four. That will leave six days to complete the rest of assembly and two days for paint.

I have attached some fabric to the edge of my work bench so any parts that go flying hopefully land on my lap-cloth, otherwise I'm down on the floor with a lint roller looking for parts. I've been using a new pair of GodHand SPN-120 nippers and they save a lot of time in cleanup.

Harold

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Tuesday, December 31, 2019 2:55 PM

Looks good!!! Always been a big fan of AFV Club kits, the only real problem I have with them is the piles of injection pin nubs and holes over all the flat parts. 

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

 

  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Tuesday, December 31, 2019 3:27 PM

Making better progress now that I've completed step 9. Steps 10 through 15 are controls, shields, wheels and a machine gun. The machine gun is optional, and the wheels are basically done, so I should be ready for paint tomorrow.

The detail on this kit is go delicate, my wife thinks I'm nuts to try this build with shaky hands, poor eyesight and fumble fingers. I broke the main plastic spring on the first day and replaced it with a wire spring that I made from scratch. I lost two important tiny plastic parts to the evil floor monster and replaced them with scratch built from Evergreen Scale Models polystyrene stock. Other than these minor setbacks all are well on New Year’s Eve.

Harold

  • Member since
    November 2004
Posted by snapdragonxxx on Wednesday, January 1, 2020 6:40 AM

Outstanding work there Sarge!

These kits can help you with your co-ordination etc, so they are worth the trouble. Do point that out to Mrs Sarge!

Keep going. 6th January is the finish date!

  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Wednesday, January 1, 2020 1:01 PM

Assembly is almost complete on day six. Time for a primer coat of paint on January 1, 2020... Wow 2019 has gone by fast for me. I left the shield off to make it easier to paint the front of the gun carriage. I will use Tamiya Surface Primer and Vallejo Olive Drab #71-043 which I know from experience last year is a very authentic World War II color for the U.S. Army.

The M5 Gun was first used in combat during the Italian Campaign by the 805th Tank Destroyers Battalion in December 1943. 2,500 M5's were produced between December 1942 and September 1944. The M5 was in service until 1945.

Harold

 

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Wednesday, January 1, 2020 3:47 PM

Looks really good!!! Yes

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

 

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Nashville, TN area
Posted by bobbaily on Wednesday, January 1, 2020 4:18 PM

Have to agree-looks great-and the amount of detail in such a small kit is amazing.

Bob

 

  • Member since
    July 2014
  • From: Rifle, CO. USA
Posted by M1GarandFan on Wednesday, January 1, 2020 11:08 PM

Sarge, I have to agree with Gamera's comment. It looks really good. Love the metal barrel.

  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Thursday, January 2, 2020 4:15 AM
Thank you, James, Gamera, Bob and John for the encouragement. I'm getting close now with a coat of primer on the model. As you can see, I changed my mind and put the shield on before I painted the gun, mainly because the shield has some very delicate support pieces that may be difficult to glue after painting. I also used Mr. Surfacer 500 on two seams around the breech that looked rough.
 
Next step is a finish coat of Vallejo #71-043 Olive Drab with #70-597 Water Based Retarder to slow down the drying time and give me a smoother finish.
 
Harold

  • Member since
    November 2004
Posted by snapdragonxxx on Thursday, January 2, 2020 8:49 AM

Excellent work there, Sarge! Keep going. Another proud addition to the cabinet!

  • Member since
    April 2016
  • From: N. Burbs of ChiKawgo
Posted by GlennH on Thursday, January 2, 2020 8:24 PM

Looks great. I just finished that one about a month back. Yes a whole lot of teeny parts in that kit.

A number Army Viet Nam scans from hundreds yet to be done:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/southwestdreams/albums/72157621855914355

Have had the great fortune to be on every side of the howitzers.

  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Thursday, January 2, 2020 9:42 PM
James and Glenn, thank you for the positive feedback. I put on a finish coat of 1943 European Theater U.S. Army green (olive drab). I don't think the model will need a second coat because it went on smooth and wet. I wish the lacquer-based Tamiya Surface Primer I used had been as smooth, but I'm still working on that technique.
 
It may be hard to see but I painted a rubber sprue with Tamiya Rubber Black #XF-85 to see how well the paint adheres. If it stays on the rubber, I will paint the tires to take the shine off that makes them look plastic.
 
Harold

  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Friday, January 3, 2020 8:03 AM

12 Days of Christmas Challenge - Mission Accomplished!

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Valrico, FL
Posted by HeavyArty on Friday, January 3, 2020 8:56 AM

Very nice.  It came out great.  Now you just need to mount it on a base with a couple gunners.

Gino P. Quintiliani - Field Artillery - The KING of BATTLE!!!

Check out my Gallery: https://app.photobucket.com/u/HeavyArty

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Friday, January 3, 2020 8:57 AM

Harold: Great job there- you knocked it right outta the park!!! Yes

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

 

  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Saturday, January 4, 2020 7:32 AM

Thank you Gino and Gamera for your positive comments. Originally I was not planning to do any more with this model, but Gino's comments got me to thinking about a gun crew and I found one of the few Hobby Fan kits available #HF708 for this model.

Harold

  • Member since
    November 2004
Posted by snapdragonxxx on Saturday, January 4, 2020 11:42 AM

Well done, Harold. Put up your badge! An excellent job and a great build in your display cabinet!

  • Member since
    September 2018
  • From: Vancouver, Washington USA
Posted by Sergeant on Saturday, January 4, 2020 1:16 PM

snapdragonxxx

Well done, Harold. Put up your badge! An excellent job and a great build in your display cabinet!

 

Thank you James, it was fun and a great way to start a new year.

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Nashville, TN area
Posted by bobbaily on Saturday, January 4, 2020 5:19 PM

In agreement with the others-very nice build.

Bob

 

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