Semper Fi War in the Pacific

Hey Shellback,

The wooden sides come with the Academy kit, but GCLaser makes a few outstanding sets, which I used on my 5th Tank Bn Sherman.  If I didn't already have the Academy sides laying around, I would have bought another set!

Semper,

Ski

Here's what happens when you sit at the spray booth without an exhaust fan for  too long .............................

Andy , is that you ?????

Ski , good looking details on the M4A2 . Did this kit comewith the wood planking for the sides or did you scratch it ?

BaBill212

Carl,,  thanks again for the reposts. Yeah, that was crazy with your post / edit / delete. I saw it, clicked, and went back and it was gone...  just in the matter of a minute or two. I thought I was losing what little of my mind I have left.           Your jeep is awesome.      What overall base paint did you use?

Ski,,    that Sherm is going to be sweet. I do like all your add-ons!

Andy,,   I think the count is 9,,   but what the heck,,  10 is a nice round number   !

Bill , you know me , always a fretten ................I changed my post cause i wasnt sure how it would read for you , thought it sounded apicky on my part when i reread it . I dont want to be that way my friend . Good looking work you have done on your jeep so far . I think that my alignment problems on my jeep are due to when i cut out the engine compartment base . So if you do that cutting out on yours keep an eye on the alignment . The overall color is Model Master olive drab fs 34087 . It has a completely different hue to it now since i applied the Krylon matte finish and the burnt umber oil wash .........plus all the differnet shades of chalks ................light and dark gray , tan , black .

Thanks again ..............

A pleasure Ski,,  and thanks for the link!

Bill, thanks a bunch for the kind words! 

Incidentally, I thought I'd attach a link that has a ton of useful photographs of Marines in each of the battles in the Pacific (to include armor and softskin pages).  Hopefully some of you can find them useful:

http://www.historylink101.com/wwII_b-w/marines/index.html

Enjoy!

Ski

Carl,,  thanks again for the reposts. Yeah, that was crazy with your post / edit / delete. I saw it, clicked, and went back and it was gone...  just in the matter of a minute or two. I thought I was losing what little of my mind I have left.           Your jeep is awesome.      What overall base paint did you use?

Ski,,    that Sherm is going to be sweet. I do like all your add-ons!

Andy,,   I think the count is 9,,   but what the heck,,  10 is a nice round number   !

Carl- Last month you owed me 11 so I beleive you only owe me 9 now.  Rob and Bill will confirm as I have asked them to keep count too. 

Ski- Great process on your Sherman.   I didn't realize there was concrete between the hull and wood planks.  See, I am always learning something!  I bought a Dragon kit recently but I really haven't looked inside the box yet. 

Greetings All,

This thread has inspired me to dust off my Academy M4A2, I actually got a little work done last night on it.  The dark green parts are off the Academy kit, the grey are parts from my Dragon Sherman that I didn't use.  I spaced out the wooden hull planking and replicated concrete with Squadron Green and White putty.  If all goes well, she'll have hatch cages (Verlinden), and I have yet to scratchbuild the wading stack modification for the exhaust.  While she won't have the same configuration as my 5th TB build, I at least have to mod the exhaust (she ditched her stacks as soon as she came ashore).

Semper,

Ski[View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0][View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0][View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0][View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0][View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0]

Bill , i thought this would be interesting to you . Its McCarthur in the Phillipines ...............and look at the jeeps !

Andy , i think you would have stuck with it and made the kit better also my friend ...................and thanks for your comments How many beers do you owe me now ?

Carl- What a huge improvement!!!   I respect your determination to make the build better.  Shame on me... I would have either got rid of it and buy a new jeep kit OR send it to my buddy in Washington to do it for me.  

Bill , i thought i had edited out my comment about the seam b4 you read it . I did look at a video of a 1943 jeep and there wasnt a seam in the gas can . Your right , the newer gas cans have the seam . Also the WW 2 German "jerry cans " had a seam . While we are on the subject of accuracy i noticed you filled in the seam where the rear and side panels of the body rap around , good job my friend . I left the seam unfilled in mine and i see where it should have been filled like yours is .Its a pain in the buttock cutting out the engine and there is a lot of scratch work to do .

Bill , i think you saw these pics b4 but here they are again in one place so you can have them for your referrence .

Here's tonights update with the dash and steering wheel in .

Yup,, that's it pal,,,     That is where I was thinking something was possibly different. You did such a nice job of cutting it out, and redoing the engine, it looked a bit different.   Of course because it is much more authentic (dumazz ((to me that is))     And, you're right about the jerry can. I am mistaken about the seam. The ones I saw (with seam) may have been from a later period.

Thanks much for the heads up.        

Bill , here's how mine looked b4 i started cutting on it .

Look the same ?

Stik,,   I agree,,  probably somewhere in the early 80's (thank goodness for resin innovation!)

Rob,,,   thanks, I think I can get by with the seat and the frame was a very lucky fix. That would have been a pain to duplicate / repair.

Carl,,,  thank you too - - The diff's I noticed were in the engine area. BUT, you did so much fine work there which could be what I deemed to appear a bit different. I'll fire off a few pics and you can let me know what you think.

Bill , there could be a few differences between yours and mine but so far they look the same to me . Nice workso far .

BILL - Nice sanding and filling.  She looks like an excellent palate  for some of your fine detailing.  That seat should not be much problem and glad to hear about the windshield frame. 

WW2 - Found another pic for you.  Not the same vehicle but it is part of the same landing.  Those numbers look like they may be white.

ANDY - Thats a scary picture of you

Bill, I suspect that radio set dates from the pre resin/PE days. it looks like the stuff that used to be fairly common to find for AFV accessories in the dark days of the early 80s and before...

Andy,,,,,,    HA!   (Blob)  

As I have been dogging it a bit as of late,,,,   I promised a sit rep on my efforts (lean as they currently are) - -

The jeep

When I opened the box, I found this.......

I have no idea where I got it....  I am thinking it was given to me when I worked part time at a hobby shop or someone just passed it along somehow.      I cannot imagine that I purchased it,,  ummm, as it is a real piece of crappola.

Certainly no offense if anyone is associated with Scale Model Accessories LTD (but if you are,, this item is a real POS).

Not that all is lost on it though,,   I can use the instructions and the item(s) as a template if I decide to add the radio (a small ray of sunshine).

Another few things appeared when I released the kit from its confines....    a broken rear seat brace and a bent windshield frame.     The windshield frame practically fell back into place with a little bit of 60watt light bulb heat (whew).     The rear seat is being repaired. It actually looks a lot better now, than in this photo. I am sure I can get by. If it still rears its ugly head I will camo it with a bedroll or tarp or something.

The main body went together with very little problems. I will blend some of the blatant seams as I go along.

I filled, filed, sanded and buffed some of the rear attachment points as photos show it being a smooth mate.

A lititle bit of clean up on the grill....   

The frame worked out pretty well also....

Jumping around a little bit, I decided to do a little repair on the jerry can and the "tub".   While the jerry can is supposed to have a seam, this one was a bit pronounced. And the jerry can tub should not have a seam. Both needed a bit of TLC.

So, I filled, sanded and then filled again with a little Squadron green putty.

I think it will work out ok.........

Again,, a bit of a lean post but at least I have liftoff......         the next post will be of the engine doings. Carl inspired me on this part of the build.......

Some more "meat" on the next update, for sure......

Thanks

Bill

Hell yeah I am a monster... I am the Blob! 

Because I move at a very slow rate.  <evil laugher>

My pleasure ski,,,,       and yes,     these guys are monsters when it comes to the builds (and I mean that in a very good way).         Some awesome talent abounds......  

Bill,

Thanks for the kind words about my Zippo Sherman, I'm just lucky I joined the Forums at the perfect time!  I am really looking forward to seeing some quality builds of my favorite subject matter.  You fellas really raise the bar with your builds, I'm just happy to be in the company of such pros.

Semper,

Ski

Ski,,   welcome!    The Sherm sounds like a add-on beast,, I like it!

Andy,,  I take forever on some of my builds too...  I tend to get caught up in areas that don't really need the attention..  like areas that will never be seen. BUT, I guess I am a creature of habit.

Carl,,  the jeep looks great.    I hope I can do half a good a job on mine. I am tinkering a bit with my engine as well.... Especially since you have paved the way for me. I do believe our kits have a few small differences though. When I look at yours and compare to mine, there are a few tiny things that differ. Maybe some mold changes through its lifespan with Italeri (?).

Rob,,  I will get some pic / progress posts up soon.    Even if I have to kick my own azz to do it!    Good luck with the fuel tank plates, armor protection plates etc.

SKI - Great to have you   Really liked your M4A3 and if that is just getting back in the saddle, cant wait to see what else you come up with on this and your future builds.  Would have to concur with Andy, nice brush work on your last build.

Have added you to the roster as building an M4A2 by Academy 1/35.  Just let me know if this is not correct.    Love those Sherman's with all the added goodies.  Once again glad your here but more so glad your on the forum now.

CARL - Nice weathering and dry brushing really shows tonal variation

ANDY - Would like to say wish you were building with use now but do take your time with your current projects.  The time you have been putting into your builds has been producing excellent results.  You have been putting out some really nice builds.

BILL - Look forward to your coming post also.

Have been working on fabricating the armor fuel tank plates.  Should be able to finish them up tomorrow then will work on the personnel armor protection plates on the side bulkheads.  Will have some pics in next day or two.

Shellback

Andy , thanks man .............speed ? I've been working on this little thing for a month now .................

I think everybody knows it will take me 3-4 months to finish this little jeep...

Yep, another Jarhead coming aboard!

Andy , thanks man .............speed ? I've been working on this little thing for a month now .................

Ski , another Marine ? .......................

Carl- Looking great!  Wish I have your speed.  

Ski- Welcome to the GB!  Saw your Sherman in Armor... outstanding work especially it was only done by paintbrushes if I understood it correctly!