ARMOR - Sherman Family Group Build

QUOTE: Originally posted by Larry_Dunn QUOTE: Originally posted by shermanfreak As Peter has already mentioned, the G.B. has come to a most glorious completion with only a few stragglers left to come in. Did someone say my name?

Guess I hear my name being screamed, too!

Okay, here's where I am. Firefly is finished, except for the Formations tools (right there with you, Larry) and the tracks (with you there, too!!) Last weekend, I lightened up some of the Humbrol Bronze Green paint I've been using. It came out a little grey for my tastes, but that may be right for all I know. I sprayed a coat on doing my best to leave recesses and panel edges dark. Didn't do real well with that, but I've never done that technique before and it was a learning experience! In the process of turning the tank around, I caught the starboard side PE headlight guard and stripped it right off the tank. Took the headlight with it. It took me until Monday to find the headlight. (Thank you Mr. Vacuum!) So now I get to fix that little challenge. It turns out, I had the guard glued on so well, it actually broke the pe rather than just pop the glue joint.
To be honest, I keep forgetting to work on the Formations tools. They take a lot of delicate work to get them off the carrier. But they sure are worth it! I need to pull them out of their protective box and leave them on my work table. I've got the figure bodies pretty much painted. Still trying to decide on exactly what color to make the commanders scarf. Probably go with a dark brown or an od of some sort. I'm also not sure what color the leggings should be, but since they will probably wind up inside the turret, guess it doesn't matter much. I was thinking a very light khaki, but maybe I'm thinking of the U.S. spats.

Hopefully very soon for this one. Got to get on to other projects (that probably won't get finished for a year or so!!

QUOTE: Originally posted by wipw Okay, here's where I am. Firefly is finished, except for the Formations tools

Picture ! picture ! picture !

QUOTE: Originally posted by Build22 QUOTE: Originally posted by wipw Okay, here's where I am. Firefly is finished, except for the Formations tools Picture ! picture ! picture !

Sir, yse Sir! I'll see what I can do, Sir! Maybe tonight!

I slivered off one more of the Formations tools while I was home for lunch. Managed to stab myself in the thumb only one time! Only bled for 5 mins or so. Amazing how deep one of those #11 blades can go!! lol

QUOTE: Originally posted by wipw ........... Managed to stab myself in the thumb only one time! Only bled for 5 mins or so. Amazing how deep one of those #11 blades can go!! lol

Toughest part is taking that first look - never know how big the puddle is

QUOTE: Originally posted by Build22 QUOTE: Originally posted by wipw ........... Managed to stab myself in the thumb only one time! Only bled for 5 mins or so. Amazing how deep one of those #11 blades can go!! lol Toughest part is taking that first look - never know how big the puddle is

Nope, the toughest part is running screeming for the band-aids only to find out your kids have used them on broken pencils and such!!

QUOTE: Originally posted by wipw Nope, the toughest part is running screeming for the band-aids only to find out your kids have used them on broken pencils and such!!

Hysterical ! Been there ........Only to see Ken or barbie have seven on them




that's why it's always good to have duct tape around the house

Thats what super glue is for.

QUOTE: Originally posted by renarts Thats what super glue is for.

Oh man!!! And all this time, I've been trying to get the super glue OFF my fingers!

Bill - pictures !!!!!! ... we want to see pictures !!!!!!!

Larry - as for O.D. on the tracks, only if there was some overspray when they did a little field painting.

Ron - combine those parts and you'll have an M4A1 (76) HVSS. Commonly used by American reserve units post W.W.II and also used as export to some European countries.

Wipw: Did you paint your firefly white? I can't see it. LOL.

Ooops. I have just added another senseless post to my name. He-he-he. I can hear other people complaining already. LOL.

Okay, okay. Here by "popular" demand are the latest pics I have (about a half hour old) of my poor, defensless Firefly.


The top!!


From the front. Notice the broken off headlight on the starboard side!! Also, they are still awaiting the MV lenses.


Right front. On this one you can really see the messed up angle of the strip between the hull and the trans housing.


Here's a comparative shot of some of the kit tools (grey) and the same tool from the Foundations set. They are COOL!!!!


And finally, the infamous tracks. You can see what remarkable progress I've made on them. I actually had part of it wrapped around the drive sprocket, down to the first road wheel, and back under the lot to the last road wheel. I noticed some misalignment and in straightening them out, this is the result. I sure wish the Friuls were decent!

So now you all know how far I still am from getting this puppy into the war. Long way to go yet.

Oh, and before I forget (actually I did and had to go upload this one to Ron's site!!), here's a pic of the Firefly figures as they stand now. (Of course they are actually having a bit of trouble standing at the moment what without any head or arms.) I think they came out pretty well, so far.



You asked for it!

Bill

She's getting there Bill !!!!

But a Firefly armed with a 17 pounder can hardly be called defenseless.

Ohhhhhh. Looks greeeeaaat. Now if only I can have a lttle progress on mine.

Looks great, Bill !


You must have cleaned up all the blood. I didn't see any puddles

You are coming along nicely. Nice job !

QUOTE: Originally posted by shermanfreak She's getting there Bill !!!! But a Firefly armed with a 17 pounder can hardly be called defenseless.

True, Robert, maybe "neglected" would have been a better adjective!! lol

Thanks for the comments, all. I've certainly had some learning experiences with this kit! Can't hardly wait to do another with a full Formations upgrade kit!

Bill it looks good.

QUOTE: Nope, the toughest part is running screeming for the band-aids only to find out your kids have used them on broken pencils and such!!

Too funny. That's why the rule around my house is No blood, No Band-Aid.

Looking good Bill. Love the first one -Jabo view. You don't see too many direct overhead shots in the forum and its nice for a change.

Seeing as the track links are all separate again, are you going to take the opportunity to drill 'em out now?

Howdy wipw,

Man....your Firefly's looking sweet! You need to go easy on yourself, your work looks very nice (i won't comment on the tracks ;-) ).

"Jabo-view" huh?.........I like that term......hope you don't mind me stealing it. :-)
But, wouldn't that mean, a little further to the vehicle's rear, and to the left?

Tread.

QUOTE: Originally posted by petbat Seeing as the track links are all separate again, are you going to take the opportunity to drill 'em out now?

Yeah, Peter. Sure I am. Right after I get through slitting my wrists!

Thanks for all the kind comments. I'm going to try (keep your fingers crossed) and go back over the edges of the panels, etc. with the base color again. I got it a little too washed out. So I guess this will be a pre-post shading kind of thing!! lol

Looking great.

QUOTE: Originally posted by wipw QUOTE: Originally posted by petbat Seeing as the track links are all separate again, are you going to take the opportunity to drill 'em out now? Yeah, Peter. Sure I am. Right after I get through slitting my wrists!

Bill, Based on your previous posts, you have had a few exacto #11 accidents, so I'll take your response as a yes - you will be drilling the guidehorns straight after release from Hospital Oh for emergancies it's 911 over ther but 000 over here. (Although with so much US television over here, there have been reports of people dying 'cause others have tried to ring 911 here).

Bill your Firefly is looking good.

Thanks, guys. Much appreciated!

Wow,Peter, that's not cool. Maybe the broadcast companies should dub in the 000 over the 911!

Ok, so I'm a little late.

I'm finished construction on my Formations M4A1 last night, and will be blackpriming it tonight. I got a bunch of Archer transfers for it, and I'm looking forward to getting this baby done!

I used almost all of the Formations stuff, and am quite pleased with the results. I'm pondering whether to use the aftermarket treads I bought from the guy in Ohio (forget his company's name) or just saying the heck with it and using the rubber bands from the Italeri kit, which aren't half bad and may actually wind up looking more like live treads than the single link set. (Any thoughts?)

The only etch I used was from the Aber set -- the guards for the front and rear lights. Formations says to use the kit pieces but I couldn't bear it after all the work I did on the tank.

The end is near -- and that's a good thing!

That's great Larry. Looking foward to seeing the finished product.

Keep going Larry. Your on the home stretch

Anyone still there? I just posted some pics of my in-progress Sherman in this thread:

http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=24153

Larry your M4A1 looks great. It looks like a really clean build with lots of details. I though you had a lot of PE on it, but I just went back and reread your last post, that Formations stuff looks good.
I think you should go with the aftermarket tread, I'm not a big fan of Italeri tracks and it would be a shame to cut some corners after all the work you put in to it.
Oh, BTW the color looks a little light just kidding. I think once you wash and weather it should look fine. I personaly use MM OD all the time and I use an ink wash over the whole model and I use more or less depending on how dark I want it.

hi I just bult tamia's m4 sherman (early production)
any tips on how to weather it?

QUOTE: Originally posted by totten hi I just bult tamia's m4 sherman (early production) any tips on how to weather it?

totten:
this thread isn't getting much traffic these days...
suggest u repost ur question as a separate thread in Armor forum,
u will get replies there 4 sure !
HTH,

frosty