Well here it is with the decals on.  I just need to fit the landing gear and the canopy w/ a few components. I also gave it a satin clear coat to blend the decals in.  I have only made a couple planes but so far I have enjoyed this build.  Its been quite a change from autos.

Most of it will be visible from one angle or another... it will certainly be busy in there for anyone who looks...

SP: Very nice work- again I wonder how much you'll be able to see inside though!

Steve: Wow, a big thanks to your grandpa and guys like him. I think we often overlook the Coast Guard and all they did during the war.

BD: Gee whiz I'm no expert! I'd call myself competent maybe but not an expert! Look at guys like Disastermaster and Bufflehead if you want to learn from an expert! I try to help out because a lot of this stuff I've only learned recently and am still picking up so I think I'm pretty new to this stuff too!

I have finally resumed work on my Marauder after a few side tracks recently. Last night after dinner, I scratched op the waist gun ammo cans and their rack. I just need to make teh mounting brackets and add some PE flex chutes now.

Thanks for the kind words, Gamera. I'm learning from experts like you.

Raven728, Thanks for sharing that. They were, and still are, an incredible group of men and women--truly America's finest moment in world history, to date.

Thanks guys, I appreciate the constructive criticism. This is my first AFV model in probably 30 years, so Jack is exactly right about my basic skills needing improvement. This build has helped me become much more confident, and I've enjoyed this GB and the community immensely.

This build had some personal meaning for me, as my grandfather was involved in the Normandy invasion. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard aboard an 83-foot cutter engaged in anti-submarine warfare prior to D-Day, and during the invasion his ship patrolled off the beaches in search and rescue operations as part of the 'matchbox fleet' (400 men were saved on June 6). His experiences there affected him very deeply throughout the rest of his life. I loved my Pop dearly, and I've always been very proud of his service in the war, so this model is my small salute to him.

BD: Looks good, I too really like the weathering on the gun there.

Cody: Looks like a 190 to me- nice work!

Steve: The Sherman came out great, I love the olive drab paint and the mud/dirt you've got splattered on there.

If I may be a little nitpicky? Judges at shows have busted my chops about stuff like this and then I wondered- 'why didn't people tell me this before' so I'll let you know here. If you think it's stupid you're free to ignore me!

1). The tracks are a little loose, you can fix this by cutting one of the links off and cementing it back together. You probably don't want to do it here since you're done but you might try it in the future.

2) You can paint the tools a dark grey and then rub some pencil lead on them to get a little metallic sheen. Silver paint is a little strong.

3). The area around the left front light guard is shiny. Hit it with a little of the matte finish you used and it will go away.

4). As Bish noted there looks like a pin mark on the spare track link on the hull front. It's in a kinda hard place to fill and sand there though. If nothing else you can do a cop-out and stick a helmet - US, captured German over it.

BD, I will second stik on that. I can almost guarantee that every time I take some pics, I spot something I have missed with the naked eye. And if I didn't, someone else will. 10 pairs of eyes are far better than 1.

Cody, nice looking 190 there. For someone who has no idea what they are doing, you seem to be doing ok.

Raven, nice looking Sherman. I do see a sink mark on one of the spare track links, but I think that's just something to note for next time. I will gladly be adding this to the front page.

Steve, I like the colours you got going on the Sherman, and I think  the beach sand weathering is quite effective.

Just some basic skills need tightening up, and that will come as you get a few more under your belt.

regards,

Jack

BD, digital photos are great for going over your own work and seeing all the little things that your Mk.I eyeball misses

Cody, your Wuerger is looking mighty purty there in warpaint!

Raven, you did a decent job on an old classic. I would suggest hollowing out the spade grips a bit on teh commander's .50. When viewed from above they should be more "U" shaped and not flat across. It will add a little more life there, and all the little things add up. Also, the antenna should be OD, not bare metal.

Well, I had a few late-build challenges with the Sherman. In addition to my first attempt at weathering, I managed to snap the top off the radio antenna...twice (my repair attempt didn't turn out so well, as you can see, but ehh I'm not gonna mess with it anymore ). Just as I thought I was finished, I discovered that my cat had absconded with the turret-mounted .50 cal. Luckily I was able to recover the weapon mostly intact and complete the model. To recap, this is the Revell 1/32 M4 Sherman Bastogne version, with improvised armor (sandbags and wood planks) and hedgerow cutter (not used). The markings make this this the 3rd Armored Division, 32nd Tank Regiment, C company, 3rd platoon, 2nd tank. Elements of the 3rd AD came ashore at Omaha Beach on June 24, 1944 (D+18) and saw their first combat at Villiers-Fossard.. I tried to weather it as a tank not long off the beaches and advancing inland. I found the kit to be an easy build, with enough detail to make it interesting and no major fit issues. The only real negatives are the large amounts of flash and the figures, which are honestly just awful. I enjoyed this build and am happy with how it turned out. I'm calling this done, but I welcome any advice.

Well I have no Idea what I'm doing but I'm having fun so far 

No turret numbers is helpful. It's hard for anyone to criticize your replication if they don't have a specific, historical vehicle to compare it to!

Thanks, Stikpusher. It's fun doing it. The camera actually helps draw out a lot of the detail my unaided eyes miss. I am going to go for a faded camo on the exterior. Never did one before. That should be interesting.

BarrettDuke

The instructions for this Bronco Models kit has color pics for all four sides, so that would make it pretty easy to do something along those lines. I get nervous when I think about trying to replicate a specific vehicle, though. It's too hard to get everything exact.

I wouldn't worry about getting 100% exact, especially when it comes to German camo. I simply try and get as close as I can. My Panther instructions only came with the scheme on front back and one side. I had a couple of images of a tank in the same scheme from the same unit, but as with mine, there were no turret numbers, so I can't be sure if that scheme is based on that vehicle. So for the top and other side, I had to wing it and take a best guess.

BD, that is looking real sharp! Nice weathering work on the gun.

The instructions for this Bronco Models kit has color pics for all four sides, so that would make it pretty easy to do something along those lines. I get nervous when I think about trying to replicate a specific vehicle, though. It's too hard to get everything exact.

Yes, not sure if its the same kit, but I have seen a couple of reviews showing the instructions and the scheme for a vehicle of the 21st Pz Div which looks really nice.

External scheme....that's a good one. I don't have a clue, yet. :-) I'm pretty sure I don't want to do hard edged camo, though. And I don't want to do winter,especially since this is for a June 1944 time frame, as I recall. So likely some kind of typical disruptive pattern with dark green and red brown stripes.

That's ok then. To be honest, it doesn't look bad at all, I don't think I would have noticed if you hadn't mentioned it. What external scheme are you going to do.

Thanks, Shivinigh. I am learning as I go with this stuff. I never did anything like this before. When I was a kid, I glued the stuff together, maybe slathered on a little paint, and that was pretty much it. These new techniques are fun but time consuming and exacting.

Thanks, Bish. Yes, the rear piece covers it just fine. So, I don't think it will even matter. The rear panel leans in over that space anyway. It wouldn't be noticeable if it were warped twice as bad. :-)

Nice work there Barrett. That back piece doesn't look to warped, will the rear cover that.

nice work there Bob. The figures really add nicely to whole thing.

Barretduke. Looking really good there. I like the weathering on the intior and can't wait to see the how the outside looks

OK, Time for some more pics. I'm about ready to assemble everything. Here are some pics of the components. There are still some things to do. Taking pictures always reveals new things that aren't right, too. So, no doubt, I've got some stuff still do here and there. Generally, the fit on this model has been pretty good. The lower level, driver's compartment and engine compartment aren't worth displaying, though. The engine is essentially two pieces with a manifold that glues on. No hoses to the radiator or connection to the exhaust. Seems really weird to me. I have one small piece to add to the muffler on the outside that is supposed to lead to the engine exhaust, but there's nothing on the inside that would connect it.

Here's looking down into the fighting compartment. You can see the lower compartment a little as well:

This is looking in from the back. I didn't put the rear panel on yet so I could get a good pic of the inside from this angle. I see the back floor panel is warped a little. I don't know if I can fix that now:

Here are some pics of the gun before I mount it. The weathering, etc is just done on the part that's inside the compartment. I figure what's outside will be different. I did two filters, one with dark yellow and one with dark grey, then I did a wash with Vandyke Brown oil paint and mineral spirits. It came out pretty much like I wanted it to.

And here's the other side:

FInally, here is the side view as I get ready to do the camo, weather it, and put on the tracks. I still have a few things to attach on the front and the rear, too.

Thanks guys!

Thanks awesome Bob! I think I can hear the water sloshing around her hull!

silentbob33

Thanks Pyrman and Bish!  And this is my first completed Group Build.  I'm glad I signed up, I can't believe how much I learned from this.  I accidentally pulled the Motor Mac's head off when I was trying to get the dixie cup hat, so I just replaced it.  I'm not sure why I didn't think of doing that with one of the extras in the box the first time...

That turned out really good, the figures definitely add to it. 

Looking forward to what you do with it in a diorama setting for the '44 GB.

regards,

Jack

Good tip on the Bundesarchiv. My German isn't as good as it was, but I still dream in it sometimes. Curse Oxford University Press for selling the official German histories "auf English" for nearly $300 a volume. Crime against military history junkies.

Eric