ARMOR - Sherman Family Group Build

Progress report time.

Progress .... HA .... if you all recall back when this Group Build kicked off, I said I would do a Firefly Ic OOB with the only change being the addition of a Jordi Rubio barrel. Then I added the Ram .... which I also said would be OOB.

Well you've all seen what happened with the Ram ..... there might be 10 pieces that came out of the original kit. But, I managed to hammer through that one fairly quick.

Now comes the Firefly, a very nice kit from DML .... other than the tracks, should tkae me a couple of good nights and this one will be in the bag because it's OOB. A person who shall remain nameless (Renarts) laughed and said "Yah ... right ... sure you will" when I said OOB.
Quit laughing at me Mike !!!!!!!
Anyways .... back to the Firefly. Here's where I'm at so far. The suspension has been tweaked and detailed with Grandt Line bolts (10 per unit). The road wheels were replaced with ones that actually have backs on them. All grab handles sanded off and replaced with staples. The stowage bin on the back was constructed using the kit original as a template, then I backed the hull into a bookshelf to cause the damage. Yes on purpose !!!
Quit laughing at me Mike !!!
Drainage holes were drilled out and the hull was lightly sanded as the casting was a little too rough.
Next comes the PE detail sets ... kind of a combination of bits and pieces from various sets I have laying around.
Here's some pics of the progress



Can you all hear that Mike laughing ..... somebody get him a paper bag, I think he's hyperventilating.

My next kit will be OOB .... Honest.

Sherm: Thanks. I am greatly honored that you find it impressive.

Wipw: I don't really consider myself good and now you call me "guru"? I think I just learned a lot from the forum and lucky enough to succeed in applying what I learned to my work. I am no expert, Bill. Thanks for the compliments, any way. I appreciate it very much.

Dan: Your making me blush. LOL. Anyway thanks for the very kind (and heartwarming) words.

Derek: Thanks. I am happy that you find it OK even though I didn't take the effort to make it accurate or something. I am an OOB builder you know. But when I am a bit older in the hobby I would like to be more accurate with my models, too.

Mark: No problemo. I am just happy to share the pics. Thanks, too.

Great looking Super Sherman Dwight. Thanks for posting the pictures.
mark956

Fantastic Dwight!

Dwight...That is beautiful! Magnificent! Unbelievably ultra-realistic!
Your attention to detail is second to none. The weathering is amazing..



Best of Regards,
Dan

QUOTE: Originally posted by shermanfreak Looking great Trevor ..... but your model club meeting must have been in a bad neighbourhood, someone tried to steal the fuel from your Sherman. Nice workmanship all around !!!!

Yeah, no kiddin' Robert. And what's worse, looks like they did get away with one of the tracks, too! Would have liked to have seen THAT get away!! lol

Loks great, Trevor. You've really done a nice job. I really like the pack on the turret. You've got it painted just right!

Dwight, Looks terrific. I sure wish one of you super modeler guru's would come and teach me with a little hands on time!!

Have a great day, all.

Looks great Dwight ..... impressive looking Shermie !!!!!

Beans: Yes, it is a nice kit. I am also surprised that it turned out OK (I mean my work.) I know that you will enjoy building it. No problem with the badge. Use it if you like it.

Claymore: Thanks for the info. The reason why I asked is because I did the same kit some months back. Well maybe I'll get it right next time.

Trevor: She's coming out just great. I like the dusty look of the lower hull. Great job on the bags. I am also working on mine to be attached on the turret.

Diggeraone: Looking good. You are almost there. After that you'll be painting that baby, I guess. Keep us posted. It is really heartwarming to see these shermans.


Progress Report:

I am almost done with my M-51. Last night I was able to set the tracks, machine gun, antenna, ammo boxes, bags and crates. I am still working on the remaining bags and the tank crew.

So far here is how she looks:









Also I still need to airbrush some portions of the tank specifically near the exhausts, machine gun port and the gun muzzle.

Well, I finally started on my M10. Now I just need to learn how to use a digital camera.

Thanks for all the great comments, you guys are too kind.

When it's done she's going to parked on a street with the track apart and being worked on while it's being fuel and loaded. I haven't worked out the final composition of the dio and when I have that down I'll do the final weathering.

Looking Great Trevor. Thanks for sharing.
mark956

nice job RAF very kool! get some pix of that interior on here , even if it is only partial!

Got it Dwight, ha-ha-ha! My first ever sherman. I must say it's a very nice kit. (my resistance brought about this monstrosity, now I must let it go before it brings another one) lol. Lots of dio-potencial these tanks have.

Beautiful job on your M-51and the badge, hope you don't mind.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Dwight Ta-ala Good progress on the turret, Derek. Maybe I missed the reason...but why are you filling it up?

Dwight, the M4A3 (105mm) had some of the armour removed from the inside if the turret to allow for the 105mm howitzer. "Cheek" armour was ad to the outside of the turret to make up for the lost armour, some were welded and blended nicely while others were pretty rough looking and I am going for the smoother aplication.
Also the Tamiya turret has a lip all the way around the lower edge of the turret and I have not seen a pic that shows this on this vehicle, just a small lip under the added cheek armour.
Hope you can follow that - just got the new machine on-line and it's late for me.

Ga. modele:r Not to get off topic here , But the occurance in florida should be a wake up call to all , as well as michael jacksons latest freakasode , child abuse of that level , and especially homicide has to be not tolerated to the point of making a public spectacle of thier demise! When a society cannot , or will not for that matter , protect thier kids, it has no society! The only thing I hear on the television are sad excuses for doing the things these freaks of nature do, ......well there is no excuse for it ! There I spoke my mind

Trevor,boy what can I say but whao,Looks great.Digger

Looking great Trevor ..... but your model club meeting must have been in a bad neighbourhood, someone tried to steal the fuel from your Sherman.

Nice workmanship all around !!!!

QUOTE: Originally posted by Poniatowski I guess that's why it takes me so long to do a build! Skiing... uhm - hmmmmm! Every chance I get!

actually, i'm with you this weekend, Ron. supposed to be an awesome day tomorrow, something like 0 C (32 F) so a friend of mine asked if i wanted to go skiing. so I guess I am

Oh yeah....looking real good, Trevor

I like your added details: the fuel funnel, tarp and backpacks on the turret.
Your weathering is nice too....dusty!

Regards, Dan

Here's some new photos of my M4A3.



I had these taken at my model club meeting, so I don't have all the accessories attached. I also have a base and a couple of figures to go along with it.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Ga.modler [hug your kids and put in a pray for the family in fla.

Amen to that Ga !!!!!

all most finised with the priest and all ready started on the m4a4 with 60lp rocket. wont get much done on it this weekend for i am leaving for atlanta at 0530 am for a hunting show.even going to try stop by the hobby shop in peachtree city for a few supllies. all the other shermans are looking real good so keep up the good work folks have a good weekend and hug your kids and put in a pray for the family in fla.

I second what Dan said.I will have "DA"Sherman done by Sunday and ready for the Sherman Superbowl,so bring on the tigers and pathers with all the Mark IV Ausf.h.
With all the good work we're doing they don't stand a chance.Can you hear that,you
know the sounds of the emeny shaking there treads off in fear.
Frosty don't worry about perfect it will come at the end.You are doing a great job.
Robert thanks again over and over.
Dwight and Dan with the rest who sent in pics.There looking good and like what I see.
Digger

Thank you everybody...especially Robert for hosting this build and allowing us all
to enjoy this together.

Frosty....here's some more encouragement!
Derek...nice cheek...armor
Robert...it's good of you to post Diggeraone's Sherm...
Trevor...I used candle wick with the embedded wire... it keeps the "rope" shape when I coil it.

Regards, Dan

QUOTE: Originally posted by Larry_Dunn JUST BUILD THE THING LARRY

I'll second that !!!!!

More progress from the workbench of Diggeraone.

Dan : beautiful job there ( if a tank could be !) , serious, great job nice weathering , the works , its got it all !

Good progress on the turret, Derek. Maybe I missed the reason...but why are you filling it up?

QUOTE: Originally posted by shermanfreak Larry - what you have sounds good to me. Yes, you right about the M4A1 being more prevalent in N.A., but I do have some M4 pics there as well. The Tamiya M4A3 kit is the doner kit for the Formations model, you would be able to add the TW suspension without any problems if you decided to go that way.

Ok, thanks. How about the left grab handle near the ...

JUST BUILD THE THING LARRY

........i put my sherman next to my panther...and they're gettin along.......jeffl..(have a modeling weekend)...