Cool, love the Shermans and nice seeing a Lee join them. 

I like it! Youre giving this kit just what it needs.  

Doing anything to the Tamiya Grant or Lee is considered a "labor of love."

Awesome kits back in the day, but better versions are available for the cost of plus ups added to the old kits.

But, if you got it, build it with what you have on hand! Hat's off to you; it's looking good.

Looking GREAT!

Bill

What an inspiring build of that old horse!  I'm bulding the same kit, sans corrections.  I did fall into the aftermarket trap though, when I bought tracks and suspension kits.  The tracks have stalled me, as they are a pig to assemble.  Looking forward to seeing your build up!

Love your work RB. I have the old Academy version with interior. I'm not very familiar with Shermans or Lee/Grants, so I've no idea how good the kit is, but whatever I do, I doubt that its going to come close to your standards.

Well, goll-ee! Thanks all. I admit to having a soft spot for the kits I built as a kid, or some of them anyway. I built a Monogram M4A1 a couple of years ago, just for the sheer "fun" of it, ended up giving it to a neighbor's kid who actually put it on a sheld without "field testing" it. Anyway, I'm having fun, and of course I'll probably go buy one of the Takom kits before I finish this, but it's all for fun, right?

I forgot to post this pic of the underside earlier, which is just some basic corrections since Tamiya Kitted the M3A5, which I may build later if I can score another one of these kits as cheap as I got this one for.

IMG_6869 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

And then there's the rear deck. I did buy the "new" Eduard PE set, and I'm doing my level best to use most of it. This is one area where the kit really shows it's age, with huge locating pins and some really chunky details. The shovel is Dragon, the pry bar brass tube. Under the engine air intake, I just carved out the kit's plastic mesh and painted the recessed area flat black, which saved me having to "represent" the top of the engine and other stuff.

IMG_6867 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

On the front, I'm using lots more PE than my usual, but again, it's so much better than the kit parts. Pick head is Dragon, wire cutters from the kit with the mounts carved off.

IMG_6868 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

And yes, I used up an hour of my life wiring the head lights and siren, but what the heck, I'm in this far.....

Counting rivets.....

IMG_7140 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

And adding very small weld beads to the tool boxes:

IMG_7143 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

I'm expecting another M3 book soon, who knows what I'll find, but I did add a turret splash ring from steam-curled plastic stock, along with welds, too much fun.

You're doing a great job on that grand old kit. 

Thanks! I realize it's not going to be super accurate, but I'm enjoying the process. Maybe I'm losing it, but I thought about correcting the size of the rivets, slapped myself, and moved on.

Redy for paint:

IMG_8046 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

IMG_8044 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

IMG_8045 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

I'm accumulating a few that are "ready for paint".

Thanks!

And at long last, paint:

IMG_8914 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

I used Vallejo US OD in the can, good stuff, dries quick, flat and thin. I really don't care about the flat so much since I'll have to gloss coat it before decals, but the same in the can Valljo clear flat is really, really flat too.

It's awesome to see an old kit like this get some much needed attention to the details. She looks amazing.

Excellent work on the M3, but I have one question:  how do you plan on painting the rubber on the roadwheels?

She looks great in paint! 

richs26

Excellent work on the M3, but I have one question:  how do you plan on painting the rubber on the roadwheels?

 

I do it with a brush, done now actually. I got seriious the other day, did this one, two HVSS and two VVSS Shermans all at once. Tedious but not hard.