M4A2 E8 Progress Pics

renarts

Member since
April 2003
From: Sunny Florida

Posted by renarts on Tuesday, May 11, 2004 9:20 PM

Superb Robert.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. You have the cleanest builds. A testament to what a little extra attention to detail up front will mean in payoffs on the other end. That you are scratchbuilding your details too is that whole old school thing I love. When model building was model BUILDING.

As always, you are the Shermanfreak. When are you going to join the ranks of Zaloga and our own Ron Poniatowski and get published? ya big canadian bacon..... Wink [;)]

Mike

Mike "Imagination is the dye that colors our lives" Marcus Aurellius A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn...that was fun!"

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Dwight Ta-ala

Member since
July 2003
From: Philippines

Posted by Dwight Ta-ala on Monday, May 10, 2004 6:54 PM

Is that no. 3 on you list, Sherm? Boy that really looks great. The conversion looks good, too. I can't wait to see it in a 3-tone camo scheme.

Ooops. He-he-he.

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shermanfreak

Member since
January 2003

Posted by shermanfreak on Monday, May 10, 2004 5:52 PM

The Sherman in my sigline is the Firefly Vc. Basically an M4A4 Sherman with a British 17 pounder stuffed in it. All Fireflies used the 75mm style of turret. There were 2 main versions of the Firefly, the Ic which was based on the M4 Composite hull and the aforementioned Vc, on the M4A4.

Are you planning on using the Tamiya M4 (105) HVSS as the base kit for your conversion?

Happy Modelling and God Bless Robert

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okieboy

Member since
July 2003
From: USA

Posted by okieboy on Monday, May 10, 2004 4:17 PM

Hey Shermanfreak,

Got a question for you regarding the Sherman you have portrayed in your signature box, "The Hunter and the Hunted". I noticed that is has the old style turret, but the 17 pound gun. However, the hull is welded, not cast. Is that a Firefly variant? I ask because I'm researching for my 1/16 Sherman. I want to find a Sherman with the welded hull AND the bigger main gun. I figured you were THE authority. Thank you again.

Okieboy

"We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence upon those who would do us harm." George Orwell

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 10, 2004 2:06 PM

Very tight looking build so far, nicely done! I can't wait to see how it looks once it's 'dressed.'

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 10, 2004 1:29 PM

Excellent Robert!

What is it with Academy not being able to get rear armor at the right angle? If I recall correctly, the M10 / 36 and M18 had 'butt' problems too. Your fix looks super. (looks like a great subject for an FSM article!)

Ron

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 10, 2004 1:19 PM

Very nice work Robert. Looks great so far. Its been said already but hey, cant wait to see it finished.

Keep well.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 10, 2004 9:33 AM

QUOTE: Originally posted by shermanfreak
Brian - it appears that the server where I host my pics is a little sluggish this morning. Hopefully it will get it's act together soon.

Oh, good -- I assumed that I was blocked to the hosting site when the pics didn't pop up, an all-too-common situation. Hopefully I will get to see too.

Say, Robert, what chassis number are you building? Tongue [:P]

I think I may add that to my sig file.

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shermanfreak

Member since
January 2003

Posted by shermanfreak on Monday, May 10, 2004 9:26 AM

Thanks again all for the kind words. I also have DML's M4A3 E8 on the bench that is going to be a companion piece for this one. I'll keep you posted.

Brian - it appears that the server where I host my pics is a little sluggish this morning. Hopefully it will get it's act together soon.

Happy Modelling and God Bless Robert

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J-Hulk

Member since
February 2003
From: Tochigi, Japan

Posted by J-Hulk on Monday, May 10, 2004 8:02 AM

More Shermania from the Shermaster!
All I get are the red Xs, though. I'll try again later.

Funny about that barrel, eh? Geez, they GOTTA know about it! I wonder why they keep passing it on to each generation...kickbacks from the metal barrel boys, I'd bet!

~Brian

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Build22

Member since
May 2003
From: Upstate NY

Posted by Build22 on Monday, May 10, 2004 6:05 AM

Great job, Sherm ! Thumbs Up [tup]

Looking good. Thanks for the pointers on the kit and staples for handles......great idea!

Keep the pics coming !

Jim [IMG]

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tigerman

Member since
March 2003
From: Rain USA, Vancouver WA

Posted by tigerman on Sunday, May 9, 2004 11:14 PM

Another fine build on the way Robert. Looking forward to more pictures.

Eric

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 10:35 PM

Looking really good Robert, keep us posted.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 7:35 PM

Looks great!!!! Now about that zimm....heheheh kidding any way glad to see the kit in a built up stage I am waiting for payday to pic that kit up.

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Keyworth

Member since
January 2003
From: NE Georgia

Posted by Keyworth on Sunday, May 9, 2004 7:15 PM

Great looking build, Robert. Hope to see the finished product soon.

BTW, Robert, the newest edition of Armchair General has an article entitled "A Sherman on Utah Beach". Thought you might be interested Big Smile [:D]

"There's no problem that can't be solved with a suitable application of high explosives"

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 6:40 PM

Lovely work Sherm. Now how many more Sherman variants are left for you to model now? Surely you're running out. Laugh [(-D]

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 5:49 PM

Man that's sweet. You have me considering the upgrade kit for the 1/16. I wish it was used in WWII.
As it's been said before, your usual expected excellence. I think the only suprise from you at this point would be a subpar effort, or even more unlikely, a new German build.
Looking forward to the progress pics.

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shermanfreak

Member since
January 2003

Posted by shermanfreak on Sunday, May 9, 2004 5:14 PM

Thanks all for your kind words.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Captain Caveman

Looks great Robert
are you going to add Zimmerit

Silly boy ...... EVERYBODY knows that was only applied to M4A1s and not M4A2s. Wink [;)]

Happy Modelling and God Bless Robert

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 5:03 PM

Looks very good.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 4:56 PM

As usual, great work Robert,,, But then again I would expect nothing less from the Shermanfreak.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 4:30 PM

Looks great Sherm Cool [8D]

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fightnjoe

Member since
September 2011

Posted by fightnjoe on Sunday, May 9, 2004 3:15 PM

robert looks incredible.

joe

Veterans,

Thank You For Your Sacrifices,

Never To Be Forgotten

Where you can find me:

Workbench on FaceBook Google Plus YouTube

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 2:46 PM

As usual, excellent work Sherm. It looks like a very clean build. Post plenty of pics when you are done painting Big Smile [:D]

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 2:39 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by Captain Caveman

Looks great Robert
are you going to add Zimmerit

enough about the zimmerit.

Looks great Sherm. Can't wait to see the finished model.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 2:22 PM

Looks great Robert
are you going to add Zimmerit

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shermanfreak

Member since
January 2003

M4A2 E8 Progress Pics

Posted by shermanfreak on Sunday, May 9, 2004 2:12 PM

This kit started life as Academy's new Sherman kit #13010 - M4A2 (76) Russian Army.

Overall the kit fits together very nice but has 2 glaring errors in it.

The first is the step (collar) on the 76mm gun barrel near the mantlet. This mistake started way back when with the Italeri M4A1 kit and carried through the DML kits. Now Academy has taken up the flag and carries this mistake on !!!!
I stuffed the barrel in my drill and slowly sanded the step off.

The second mistake is that the M4A2 rear upper hull has a slope of 13 degrees. The kit's rear plate measured out at 3 degrees so in order to correct it, I removed the rear plate and reconstructed it out of sheet styrene to compensate for the error.

I also converted the kit to an HVSS configuration by using a spare set from DML that I had laying around. The tracks I will be using are from AFV Club.

I decided with this build that I would use no AM parts during construction. Hatch handles are staples and the mounting brackets for the dust cover are solder.

When finished this kit will represent a reserve unit Sherman in Canadian service.

The first 2 pics show the overall view with the new HVSS suspension in place.