Wow, four months since I signed up and I haven't done a bit of work on my Sherman.   Happily, I did get back to it last weekend while the NFL games were on, so I figured I'd post a quick pic of where I am currently.

I was expecting to have problems with the bogies, but they went together very nicely. I just picked up my first air compressor, so I'm hoping to lay down a coat of OD this weekend or maybe next.

B-17, ye, defiantly good to join, look forward to seeing those pics.

Not sure why your not on the roster, did I miss your post. Adding you now. Which C-47 kit is it.

Trabi: Hmmm, looks almost like the kit was warped in the box maybe??? Nice job there on getting everything straightened out.

Well I have started a 1/48 C-47 diorama. Got the plane together, still cool to join? Do have progress shots if that helps.

Your work is fascinating Trabi, keep up the updates please. I never built a Churchill, but built most of the others in the Airfix and Matchbox ranges.

Cheers

Tony

Yeah. talk about great engineering! Tamiya could learn a few things from that kit...

That's looking good, I like the springs.

Now those sprue attachments look well thought out and easy to deal with.

Thanks Bish! Ignorance is bliss.

Gamera

Looks great Trabi, guess I'm lucky my AVRE was buildable right outta-the-box without much in the way of corrections.

Not sure there's much you could do to get the spans on the bridge in scale without a nightmare of PE parts.

Thanks Gamera! I´m that old, that I like more scratch building than am parts. That also can be some sort of masochism...

When I started to put hull together I noticed, that if side parts are built like shows in instructions those don´t fit in place. First I thought that I mixed parts for left and right, but after I checked from anothere kit I found, that numbering is wrong. In both, old Matchbox and in Revell release. Parts 5 and 6, suspesion "thingies", are bit wider from other side. Instructions states that narrow side comes inwards. If you do so, bottom doesn´t fit on it´s place and leaves huge gap between sides and hull.

Also those side parts are too narrow, so when placing track guards those tilts outwards. That red line shows how it should be. (Notice that warped front armor)

I solved that problem by adding some styrene strip between side panel and suspension.

Atleast to me it looks better now.

Some comparison how to execute sprocket by injection molding. However both are wrong shape.

Old Airfix from early sixties:

And Matchbox (Revell) from eighties:

Which one you think I like more and why?

Looks great Trabi, guess I'm lucky my AVRE was buildable right outta-the-box without much in the way of corrections.

Not sure there's much you could do to get the spans on the bridge in scale without a nightmare of PE parts.

I don't blame you for leaving the bridge as is, that would be some challenge. Looking good so far.

More with A.V.R.E.

Petard mortar lacked details that much, that I scratch build it totally. Also turret is for MK IV and I want to make from this MK III which is modified to AVRE.

I found from pictures several bit different looking "MK III AVRE" turrets. Some have more round edges and location of burr is either in the middle or in 1/4 from down. I choosed round edged with mid burr.

Little bit scribing and Rock´n Roll with Dremell + drip of putty. I´m going to make resin copys from this, that I can modify several Airfix kits to AVREs.

To be continue...

Thank You Bish! Thank You Waynec!

"Hobart's Funnies"

At quick look it looks just "shake ´n bake" kit, but when you start to build it you find fitting problems, inaccuracies and lack of details. Some details are even better in old Airfix kit, however it´s different model (MK VII, Matchbox is MK III or MK IV). Best details I found from old Esci kit (MK III). Sadly that one is quite hard to get and it looks that hull is ~1 cm too long - even for 1/72 scale. Still width is more like 1/76

But let´s stay in this kit.

"Framing" of bridge looks bit too bulky compared to pictures. I decided to ignore that, because to modify that means, that I had to scratch build it totally.

I propably adopt another bridge from other kit. I saw somewhere picture where AVRE was hauling another bridge as a trailer.

Because suspension of Churchill is quite visible I decided to cut off plastic coil springs and replace those with metal ones.

Stay tuned...

With all the discussions about the invasion stripes. I thought I should post this video I just found on You Tube about it. They actually show what it was like to paint the stripes. The only problem I have with this video is It's not long enough.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVtf2iE5d40

Here's another one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUCmgsKiRNs

Welcome aboard Trabi, nice looking build. Have added you to the roster.

hey trabi

that looks likie a fun build

Hi Bish!

I would like to join this GB with Matchbox/Revell 1:76 Churchill A.V.R.E.

Good call ken. As the other guys said, they were in a hurry. They were not doing these to a parade standard, as long as they could be seen from a distance, I think that was the main thing.

Thanks Guys,

I know i got some paint in there, So, I think I'll leave it that way.

Ok Eric, added your builds to the roster.

Ken, that's looking good. I agree with the guys, I wouldn't get to worried about getting it in those places.

Yep, I agree with Stik.  It was sort of a slap-dash thing, so getting the paint into the nooks and crannys was not a great concern.

Looking good so far, Ken!

Gary

I suppose painting that area depends upon if that area was exposed or not when the painting was done. Painting all those stripes was a huge rush job for the ground crews. Looks good there!

Happy New Year Everyone

Okay here's the latest on my P 47.

Question: Would the invasion stripes be painted in where the flaps slide in (see arrow)

Here are a couple of other shots

June. OK: a 1/48 Tamiya Cromwell, a 1/48 Tamiya P-51 MKIII (Polish Squadron - very active in June over Nomrandy) and a 1/350 DML Gleaves Class DD that I think would serve well for one of a number of DDs that served with great effect in the first 48 hours of the battle at Utah and Omaha.

Eric

Glad to see someone is doing a B-26. I was going to do it but decided not to. Can't wait to see it completed with D-Day stripes!

Update on my carpal tunnel issue. Surgery is set for Feb 11, 2014. And I have a new CPU for my motherboard got fried. Later tonight I will post pics of various pieces and parts from my P-47 Thunderbolt Bubbletop kit I done back in early summer.

I am going to try to work on the D-Day stripes before I head back to work on Jan. 7th.I think I've got the complex design with the silver border around the insignia figured out. There's no way I'm going to wait til after Feb 11th. LOL!

Will be nice to have you on board Eric. let me know the kits and scales and I will add you to the roster.

unfortunately the French one would not count as its after June. But hold that thought, there may well be a follow on GB that will take us up to VE day, there will be a feeler in a couple of weeks.

Bish:

Am getting my Overlord ducks in a row. Barring calamity I'll have a DML US Gleaves Class DD to help out at Omaha, and a Tamiya Cromwell. The French 2d Armored Divsion landed August 1, 44. I was thinking of doing a M-3 Scout Car to help them find Paris. Not exactly D-Day but it would be nice to add an ally. Would that fit the ground rules?

Eric

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays everyone!  Hope everyone is having or will have an awesome Christmas!

Eagle90

A few of the books that I have read about D-Day mentioned a very accurate strike put in by 9th AF Marauders on the German beach defenses near where the off course 4th ID initial landings took place just before those troops hit the beach. Basicly between those strikes and the proper use of DD tanks the Utah landings went off better than had been dreamed. I think the Marauder fits in appropriately as well.

Opps, taken my eye off the ball and let this slip a bit, sorry guys.

Stik, added the B-26 to the roster. rather appropriate really, Hans would be proud.

Awwwwwwww, I think it's great! Personally I think the B-26 was one of the sharpest looking bombers of the war. I picked up the kit in the same vintage box and have to set aside some time to build the darn thing.

Go, go Flying... um.. ah... Working Gal (I hope that term is um... kosher here...)