ARMOR - Sherman Family Group Build

Thanks Robert. Yeah maybe I just got a bad mold. It fit into the bottom like it was supposed to but the back just didn't fit right. The ack bottom piece looks like it was to small for the top,, just in the back. oh well I fixed it so no worries. And as far as I am concerned there is nothing wrong with being a Shermanaholic. Especially when the only cure is to go out and buy another one.

QUOTE: Originally posted by feldgrau23 And as far as I am concerned there is nothing wrong with being a Shermanaholic. Especially when the only cure is to go out and buy another one.

Now your talking !!!!!!!

Dwight my I suggest for the little lady that you might want to go for the Golden Hind,
its just a little bit bigger then the Mayflower and a lot more colorful.
I just want to say thanks to you all,tomorrow me and the misses will be leaving for
the next six weeks.Its a truckers life for me,so if you can pray for safe return.This has been fun for me and look forward to another sherman build in the future.Which I have the kit already .It will be the firefly from dragon models unless I can find the easy 8 from Tamiya.Digger

I'll try to check the LHS on that one, too Digger. Thanks for the tip. Have a safe trip. May God be with you on your way.

Great job, guys !

Dwight - you definetly have a "dry" look to that one - looks good

Dan - looking good so far

Diggerone - nice job

Okay, Dwight, since we've turned this into a ship build thread...


Heller makes a very nice 1/200 Golden Hind. It is colorful, but the painting on it (if you do the full course) is very intensive, to say the least. I've put probably 40 t0 50 hours in on mine, and it's still not quite finished. Heller's 1/100 Victory is purported to be "the best plastic model ship ever produced". It's got close to 3000 parts to it. It is a beauty! The biggest problem I've seen with it is that it has some MAJOR ejector pin marks on the inside of the hull. Right on top of some otherwise beautiful wood grain pattern. I've been told that once the decks are in place, you can't see them anyway. This model retails for well over $200, (yes, we're talking PLASTIC here), but modelexpoinc.com always sells it for around $79, and often has it for less than that. I've seen it for as little as $49. (Almost makes you want to get two so you have spare parts....not!) Now, if she's wanting you to do a wooden ship, I haven't gotten there yet. I have two or three waiting, but they are way on the back burner waiting for my skills and knowledge to go WAY up.

Good luck.


My wife got back from her foray to California, so I got zip accomplished on my Firefly.

Finished the mold of the aux generator and fuel tank to take up that left rear corner of the sponson... it's not the most accurate, but will look fine when it's in. Anyhoo, dry fit all the interior parts together and had to do some modifications to the drive shaft, but it won't be seen anyway. I also found that the thick Verlinden engine compartment bulkhead made one of the radiators (tranny oil?) interfere with the basket, so that detail was yanked out... still figuring out a fix for that one. Maybe just a flat piece of styrene painted like the radiator... who knows.
Also painted the turret inside as well as the basket. Now it's time for detail painting, washes, etc to bring out the details.
Going to cast an aux generator today, clean up the fire extinguisher system and maybe paint the inside of the hull. Tranny et al is also done, ready to install.

I wonder when I'll be able to start on the exterior!?

Ron

Rich: My M4A3 turret went together OK with a prominent seam around the bustle (no gap). After sanding the seam off I found a pic that showed the seam on a 1:1 M4A3! [:0] Apparently Tamiya's molds part at the same place as the original!
Unfortunately I can't post the image right now because I bought a new 'puter and havent transferred everything yet.

As for my Sherman - waiting for PE.


Might I also suggest Cutty Sark or Thermopyle 9(sp?)? Not war ships but certainly beautiful examples of the shipbuilders art.

Dan, Great looking Sherman!
Dwight, ditto!!

Everybody is doing sooo well on these! I hope mine can compare!

Ron

QUOTE: Originally posted by claymore68 After sanding the seam off I found a pic that showed the seam on a 1:1 M4A3! [:0] Apparently Tamiya's molds part at the same place as the original! Unfortunately I can't post the image right now because I bought a new 'puter and havent transferred everything yet.

Good point! There are a lot of big casting marks on Sherman turrets. I saw one with a huge flaw that had been ground off (perhaps the mold gave way a bit during casting, who knows!), anyway, that's part of what makes replicating cast armor fun.

Good observation!

Ron

Thanks for the Info Derek!! I know the seem your talking about and yeah it was rather odd but i only sanded it down a little. Thank goodness. Like I said I fixed my problem but boy was it off. The good thing about the whole thing is that slowly but surely i am getting better at using putty. Seems like the last couple of models that I have built have required more than I am used to filling. Of course I could be becoming more picky about how acurate my models are looking. Like I said this build has been a great experience and learning time. I am very glad that I decided to do it. And also thanks to all of you for the help.

Thanks for the compliments and help with my computer...!
I found some freeware Html viewer and the Shermies look great on the group site.
Robert , you must be awfully proud watching the Sherms start, mature and finish!

Regards, Dan

Bill: Sorry about turning this thread to a ship group build one. LOL. Anyway thank you very much for that in-depth but quick run down on the ship kits. I'll try to see what's available at the LHS. Our LHS here is never heavy on the ship side and there are only a few kits available.

Derek: Thanks for the tip, too.

Dan: I bet Sherm feels like Patton seeing all these shermies go from the boxes to the bases. All kinds of em at the same time. What a sight to behold, indeed.

Ron: Thanks.

OK folks, we can now go back to our regular programming. He-he-he.

Dan - glad you have things sorted out on the computer end of things.
Indeed I am proud to see this display of Shermans rolling out at the hands of so many very talented modeller's.

Eveybodies work so far looks GREAT!

Here are some progress shots on the BARV. Like I said lots of fiddle bits now. There are over 50 additional parts on this thing from the previous pictures.



Here's another.....

Hey, latch. It is cool-looking. A very unique shermie I might add. Cmon. Paint it already. I am excited to see the final look. It is something different you know.

looking good latch!!!!

Robert I've been having trouble seeing the pictures too, but all I get is the red X. I don't know if it's the same problem as Dan's. Dan maybe you could tell where you got the Html viewer and I'll try that.

Any way my progress has slowed again, because I've started on the other track. I'm back to cleaning up little pieces.

Hey Robert,,, just to let you know I cant get the pictures to show either,,, but I think because I am still using AOL 7 that that might be my problem. I am going to try it on my system at work since it is a little more "modern" and see if it works there.

Latch,,, Looking good man!!!!!

Trevor and Rich, the website for the free html viewer is ...
offbyone.com

Latch, that is one wild looking Sherman..can't wait to see it painted either!

Dwight, I agree with ya...all these shermies crawling around
are a sight to behold...

Dan

Thanks everyone,

It'll still be a little while before paint. All I've done so far is put a big dent in the little parts bag!!!

The BARV is looking good latch. Did you use a PE set on your bogie assemblies? If so what did you use to get the curved bend on the track skid?
mark956

Trevor & Rich - Now I'm terribly confused .... not sure what the problem is. Looked at them from various sources today without any problems. Maybe check out my other site and see if you have the same problems if you would.
http://members.shaw.ca/ShermanFreak/
Its set up is just a little different and maybe that's the problem.

Latch - looking great !!!!!! Got me itching to get one of these babies.

Dwight - your wife wants a ship for the living room .... how about a BARV like Latch's

I thought I was about done with my construction (pending the pesky little periscope guards). But tonight I found some more references and it appears I mistakenly put applique armor on the sides of my M4A3 hull (75mm, late war). Should I remove them? Also, should I add applique armor to the turret cheek?

On the other hand, I've thouroghly enoyed this build (even though the subject wasn't a Panzer) and I feel as if my Sherman is turning out orders of magnitude nicer than if I had done it outside the group build.

gnsnow - You can blame Tamiya for that one. Choice is yours if you want to remove them or not. For accuracy purposes, you've already found out the the 75 late didn't have them. But if this is a kit for your own pleasure, and you don't plan on entering it in any major competitions, I wouldn't worry about it too much. No one here is going to be pointing any fingers at it.

Certainly happy to hear that you have enjoyed being a part of this group. It's been a pleasure having you in it. And you've hit it right on the head with your assessment of a Group Build. It brings the resources of so many other modellers together under one banner and generally improves everyone's builds.

Look forward to seeing your final pics and don't forget your write-up so that I can add them to the Group Site.

I forgot to ask . . .

There's a part for the turret on my Tam M4A3 75mm, B33, that I don't see on any of the vehicles in my references. What is this part supposed to be and should I use it?

Thanks for the rapid reply Sherm. I'll remove them. This model is to be gift for a vet driver - he would notice.

Gnsnow: To my knowledge only the 105mm howitzer Shermans had the additional blended cheek armour because the turrret inside needed to be enlarged for the gun controls and it was only on the right side. Other variants had additional turret armour welded on in the form of large square or rectangular plates that were quite obvious.

Part B33 is a spotlight, I believe all M4A3s (My M4A3 105mm does) had them but am not 100% sure. Anyone else know for sure?

Latch: Looking great!

QUOTE: Originally posted by shermanfreak Dwight - your wife wants a ship for the living room .... how about a BARV like Latch's

Got any ideas how I could put a mast and sail on that one?



Actually I was hoping that since the price of the ship is almost the same as that of the Dragon Wagon I could get the Dragon Wagon instead.

But she said she wanted something with a mast and sail. Couldn't figure out how a Dragon Wagon would look with sails,though. LOL.

Tanks ahooooooyyyyy!

Ok Robert I am at work and the Group site worked fine on my work computer. like I said before it may be just that I am using AOL 7 that is causing the problem or like someone else said before,,, I'm just no letting it completely load up. Geuss I am just not that patient.

Latch, The BARV looks great! I think I'll have to put that type into my 'should build' catagory! I'd like to see the one they bring to Beltring some year (I think that's the show it's at), be nice to get some interior shots of the old girl!

Ron