Nice! I want to do a Black Panthers M5 Stuart some time.

S.H.

Looks cool Tiger, looking forward to this! I built a 761st M4 a few years ago, there's some really nice decals out there for them. 

Gamera

Looks cool Tiger, looking forward to this! I built a 761st M4 a few years ago, there's some really nice decals out there for them. 

 

Hey Gamera, I already received the decals from Star Decals. They do look very nice. Unfortunately they're for the 76mm M4 Sherman with that battalion. But I'm going to make it work.

Well I've done some more work on this kit. This kit is a delight to work with, due to its ease of build plus all the added features, add-ons and details. This M4 is ready for its base coat. All comments and critiques are greatly appreciated.

Tamiya boned up when they included those extra side armor plates on their M4A3 kit. They shouldnt be there, because of the revised "wet" stowage moving the ammo racks off of the sponsons and down into the hull bottom... Only the similar hulled diesel engined M4A2 variant had those plates, as they retained the "dry" sponson stowage on the 75mm gunned ones... The US Army did not use that variant, but the Marines did, and the rest were reserved for Lend Lease.

I built a Tamiya M4A3 Sherman recently, and I loved how it came with the crates. It's very nice to have stowage included in the kit.

S.H.

stikpusher

Tamiya boned up when they included those extra side armor plates on their M4A3 kit. They shouldnt be there, because of the revised "wet" stowage moving the ammo racks off of the sponsons and down into the hull bottom... Only the similar hulled diesel engined M4A2 variant had those plates, as they retained the "dry" sponson stowage on the 75mm gunned ones... The US Army did not use that variant, but the Marines did, and the rest were reserved for Lend Lease.

 

Hey Stik, you might be right regarding the extra side armor plates. But I've found plenty of WWII and museum pics that show that the A3 used them, while in US Army service. I could be wrong, they could be A2's but you have to remember, that the 761st Tank Battalion, normally got the scraps of the armor ie. like the M5 Stuart when there was a shortage of M4's. But since the plates are on and they've cured, they're staying on and they'll work just fine. BTW the first pic is from the upcoming movie regarding this unit and the final pic is from The Museum of the American G.I. Thank you for your comments.

Those photos are all small hatch dry stowage types, M4 and M4A1 with the protruding boxes for the driver and bow gunner. When the hull was redesigned for the large hatch and single piece glacis, the need for the extra armor over the ammo stowage bins was eliminated. 

Here is a good rundown on M4A3 types

http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/sherman_types/m4a3/m4a3.html

 Small hatch early M4A3

http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/manufacturer/m4a3ford/m4a3ford_variants.html

 Large hatch late M4A3

http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/manufacturer/m4a375w/m4a3_75w.html

Thank you for the info, but like I stated, the armor plates are on, and you being a modeler knows what that means. 

TigerII

Thank you for the info, but like I stated, the armor plates are on, and you being a modeler knows what that means. 

 

I do indeed... had the same situation with the first couple of these kits when I built them... 

stikpusher

 

 

TigerII

Thank you for the info, but like I stated, the armor plates are on, and you being a modeler knows what that means. 

 

 

 

 

I do indeed... had the same situation with the first couple of these kits when I built them... 

 

Ah, I'm not worried. I'll make a very good diorama and hope every one likes it. But I'll keep your info handy.

I got some work done on the Sherman. Thanks again Stik for the info. I gave it its base coat, metal weathered it, but not too heavy, added the tools and .50cal MG and gave an oil pin wash. Next I'll be using the kit tracks and painting and adding extra gear, then onto the figures and base. Here are some WIP pics. All comments and critiques are greatly appreciated.

Everything looks really good under a coat of paint. 

Yes Stik, paint and weathering usually hide a variety of sins. I've painted, weathered and added the tracks. I also weathered the running gears and lower hull and probably will add more weathering as I go along. I know the tracks will get some more tweaking. Now I'll be adding decals, extra gear and boxes. Normally this kit comes with 2 figures, but I decided to open up the hull MG's hatch and add another figure propping his head out. Enjoy the WIP photos.

Those tracks look really good!

S.H.

Well, I've added the gear and extra gear from my parts box. Plus I added the stars as transfers from Archer Fine Transfers and decals from Stars Decals of the 761st Tank Battalion. I didn't put the white stars on the turret, because the American tank crews were aware that the white star was a perfect target for enemy tanks and anti-tank guns. I also used pigments and pastels for extra weathering and I'm debating about doing a very thinned wash on the turret and upper hull. Now on to the tank figures and possibly three infantry figures, then the base. As always all comments and critiques are greatly appreciated. Enjoy the WIP pics.

She looks good Tiger, coming along great! 

Thanks G. On vacation will post something next week.

Enjoy your vacation!!! 

Well, I'm back from vacation. I primed and did the faces on the figures. Not my best priming job, but the paint still had something to grab onto. The middle figure is from Dragon and I used a resin Hornet head in place of the very good Dragon head. The tankers were tweaked since they didn't photograph well at all. The Infantry figures are done; I still need to add the rifle slings, and now onto the tank crew.

Looks cool!

S.H.

Yeah, nice work on the figures!!! 

TigerII

 

Excellent job on getting the drab colors to look damp and soaked and cold.

The figure maker for the one on the right has, for some reason fit the figure with a USMC P41 full transport pack (key visual clue beign the diagonal crossed straps from the suspenders)

The suspenders

You need the P41 suspenders to fit that pack as shown.  The shoulder straps go to the back and cross diagonally.  The "shoulder straps" run only through the rings and bac upon themselved.  THis would require a huge amount of scrounging in ETO, and would be complicated further by the fact that the items were scarce enough in USMC service (and that USMC did not start fielding OD 782 gear until April of 1945, with 3MarDiv getting 1st dibs).

WHat the caster wanted to depict was the Army (War Department) M-1944 Field Pack system, which did not see deliveries into the field until early 1945 in ETO.  And was supplanted in April-May 1945 by the M-1945 system, which simplified the straps & attachments.
'44 pack on the left--it has four attachment points for the secondary pack.  It also needed the M-1944 suspenders
'45 pack on right.  Which could be fit to either the '44 or the '45 suspenders.
THe '45 back & suspenders never really saw full Army-wide distribution until about 1947.  The sudden need for web gear in 1950 saw abunch of '44 pattern gear suddenly "modified" to '45 pattern use (This makes collecting these items complicated)

M-1944 Suspenders

The straps on the '44 pack are very short as they only have to reach the loop on the suspenders above the "V" attachment, then doubling back on itself.

Hey Capn, thanks for the history lesson regarding the field packs. I finished the 3 tank crewmen and put them in the Sherman. Now on to the base.  This site is acting up. So here  are the pics.

Looks good! The Sherman's finish is really nice, I usually end up with a glossly tank.

S.H.

Hey  everyone, I started the base and it is drying down, so I can add the accessories. But I did start on one more figure to add to this diorama. It's from Tamiya's Infantry Assault kit except I substituted a Hornets head and instead of the M1 Thompson, I will give him the M3 Submachine gun (aka the Grease Gun). It's a WIP. 

That's a cool pose!

S.H.

Well I finally finished this last figure. I was happy with how he came out. The uniform decals were a bit of a hassle; since they were older Verlinden US WWII Uniform decals, but worth it as it gives the figure character.

I know the site has been going thru some problems. So I finally finished the diorama. The dragon teeth are after market but everything else on the base was scratchbuilt. As always all comments and critiques are greatly appreciated. Hopefully I'll take some pics with background photos.