Awesome work everyone!  Great builds happening here!

Well, I finally got started on mine!    This is my first Allied armor kit I've done!  So far I am VERY impressed with the Tamiya kit!  It is going together very well!  No fit issues at all and the kit overall is really nice!  As you can see, I'm blazing a trail with this kit.  Of course the detailing will slow me down a bit.  The kit comes with 2 figures which are always a challenge for me and a few extras for details.  It comes with 3 rounds too!  But I'm not sure what to do with them.  No interior to see with the figures in the hatches, so I'm not sure what to do with them.  I don't think they would carry them on the outside of the tank.  Anyway, that and the pic with the crazy stamping on the OUTSIDE of the upper hull.  Pretty sure that wasn't on the real tank...(let me know if I'm wrong about that). 

Eagle90

Eagle: Very cool, the Tamiya Sherman is a good kit, goes together without any major problems. The only really big issue is the open areas above the tracks, which you can fix pretty easy with some sheet plastic cut to size.

The casting numbers on the top of the hull were there on the real thing, sorta like VIN numbers on a car I believe.

Gamera

Eagle: Very cool, the Tamiya Sherman is a good kit, goes together without any major problems. The only really big issue is the open areas above the tracks, which you can fix pretty easy with some sheet plastic cut to size.

The casting numbers on the top of the hull were there on the real thing, sorta like VIN numbers on a car I believe.

Thanks Gamera.  She is a very nice kit.  Hadn't thought about the opening above the tracks...but this is my first Allied armor, so thank you again for the advice!  See, I'm teachable!   

Wow!  That's a VIN number!  Glad I haven't sanded it off yet!  That would have been embarrassing!

Eagle90

Hey Eagle, I don't remember if the number is different for each tank or it's there to identify which plant the hull came from and therefore the same for every tank from that factory or not. I'm certain someone here knows but yeah it's supposed to be there, so it's good you didn't sand it off 

Most if not all the older Tamiya kits had open gaps over the treads, not a problem in German tanks with skirts but on some tanks you can look though an open hatch and see the treads! I just cut an index card to get the shape and size right and then transfer that to a piece of sheet plastic and then glue it in there. You can add a little 'mud' in the corners if the fit isn't perfect. 

Also you might want to plug the battery box and motor mounting holes- easy thing - just cover then from the inside and putty from the outside and then sand it down. 

Awesome pics Gamera!  Thanks so much!  I have not even looked for gaps when I fit the upper hull on the lower!  Will check it out tonight for sure!  Thanks for the tip!

Eagle90

Sure, no problem Eagle. I left those gaps open for years until I saw an article in FSM (I think it was FSM) about covering them up.  

Yes, the casting number marks on Shermans (can also be found on transmission cover, turret top, etc) was brought up a few months ago when Ghostrider came across the same thing:

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/29/t/159642.aspx?sort=ASC&pi240=22

The symbol on your example is

American Steel Foundries Cast Armor Plant, East Chicago, Indiana

If interested, a break down of what the symbols and numbers meaning:

http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/casting_markings/casting_markings.html

http://web.inter.nl.net/users/spoelstra/g104/foundry.htm

regards,

Jack

Thanks for the clarification Jack, I remember that it came up before but I must have missed a few posts back there.  Those are fantastic websites- going to have to go back and look at my Shermans and try to figure out which foundry they represent.  

Gamera

Sure, no problem Eagle. I left those gaps open for years until I saw an article in FSM (I think it was FSM) about covering them up.  

Hey Gamera,

Had time after geting home from practice last night to check the Sherman for gaps.......OMG!  You weren't kidding!  I can put my 3 year old through these gaps!    Do you remember which issue of FSM that article was in?  Would like to check it out.  Thanks again for the advice!  I never even looked at that until you mentioned it!

Eagle90

jgeratic

Yes, the casting number marks on Shermans (can also be found on transmission cover, turret top, etc) was brought up a few months ago when Ghostrider came across the same thing:

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/29/t/159642.aspx?sort=ASC&pi240=22

The symbol on your example is

American Steel Foundries Cast Armor Plant, East Chicago, Indiana

If interested, a break down of what the symbols and numbers meaning:

http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/casting_markings/casting_markings.html

http://web.inter.nl.net/users/spoelstra/g104/foundry.htm

regards,

Jack

Jack!  THANK YOU!  Wow!  That is awesome info!  Being a novice when it comes to armor, this is awesome reference material!  Sure glad I didn't sand it off now! 

Eagle90

Eagle: I wish I knew which issue, it was probably something on building your first tank or something like that about ten-fifteen years ago. Or maybe a book I read- frankly my memory is shot- no idea now!

No worries Gamera.  It was pretty amazing the gaps with the kit.  Thanks again for the tips!

Eagle90

M-18 update: I painted the assembled hull last weekend. A lot of pictures I've seen of restored Hellcats have this kind of OD:

I know that shades of OD varied a lot during the war, but to me this looks more like browner/blacker version of the 'classic' OD (more green to my eye). I love the look of this paint on the Hellcat so I mixed my own. I didn't want it to be quite this dramatic, but somewhere between the above photo and out-of-the-bottle Tamiya OD (XF-62). Here's what I ended up with. I like it, it's pretty much how I wanted it to look.

Here's another photo with a different color filter and the unpainted (and unfinished) turret for comparison.

I'm turning into quite a color geek, aren't I? Coming close to the end of the build, but I have some ideas for a (hopefully) cool diorama, so still plenty of work to do.

Great start on your Sherman Eagle!  Like you, I'm an armor novice.  This will be my second armor build, and my first Allied one.

Steve, I've been paying attention to your Hellcat as you've been posting since I've just started the same kit, and yours looks great so far.

I finally got some time on the bench today.  I forgot how much time babies take up .  I don't have too much to show as I've only assembled the front transmission.  I saw on a website someplace where a guy sanded off the molded on half-shells that part of the lower body and scratchbuilt a rack with spare shells.  While the Academy kit does come with a few spare rounds, there aren't enough in the kit to do that.  Being a mostly aircraft and sci-fi guy, I don't have much in the way of spares  for armor.  Probably for the best since when I explained to my wife what the other guy did to his Hellcat, she said I'd be insane to try it and just leave the molded on shells as they are.

Raven: Looks good, like what you've got going there! I need to build a M18- probably my favorite AFV.

BTW: AFV Club does make a really nice set of turned brass ammo. Less than twenty bucks and the real brass looks way better than any plastic painted brass I've ever been able to turn out. 

Thanks guys! I agree that the molded-on shells are kind of hokey looking, but I don't think they're that bad, and I doubt they'll be too visible when the model's completed anyway. I used MM enamel brass paint and think it turned out pretty well (those turned brass shells are really nice though).

SB, 2 things to watch out for: take your time with the turret ring assembly. It's not very well designed and not easy to get things lined up correctly. I did my best with it but I didn't get as good of a fit as I would like. When the turret is installed into the upper hull, it has a tendency to 'pop' out when it's turned. Also, I had a couple of sink marks right on the front armor plate. Easy to repair, but I somehow didn't spot them until right before I was about to paint.

I agree, those brass shells look pretty good.  Thanks for the head's up Steve, it's always nice to know what to look out for.

Steve, I've got that same kit in the stash, with the running gear done and Friuls on, but lost interest for some reason. Watching yours come together is starting to get me motivated to dig it out and take a peek.

Eagle, be careful: once you build a Sherman, it's a long, slippery slope.

I actually ordered and received a very nice Custom Dioramics base for my "super in progress", just a basic 8 1/2 x 11 resin "Tar Macadam" piece, but it's exactly what I was thinking the tank and pile of parts i want to display it with should be on, so I hope to actually FINISH this thing by the end of the month.

RBaer

Steve, I've got that same kit in the stash, with the running gear done and Friuls on, but lost interest for some reason. Watching yours come together is starting to get me motivated to dig it out and take a peek.

Eagle, be careful: once you build a Sherman, it's a long, slippery slope.

I actually ordered and received a very nice Custom Dioramics base for my "super in progress", just a basic 8 1/2 x 11 resin "Tar Macadam" piece, but it's exactly what I was thinking the tank and pile of parts i want to display it with should be on, so I hope to actually FINISH this thing by the end of the month.

Slippery slope?  You mean there are more Shermans?! 

Thanks RBaer.

Eagle90

Can't ever have TOO MANY SHERMANS!  I've done a half-dozen versions so far and haven't run though all the possibilities.

Gamera

Can't ever have TOO MANY SHERMANS!  I've done a half-dozen versions so far and haven't run though all the possibilities.

Better write down this one!  Have a model show coming in April!  I'll be on the look out for some Shermans!  Are all the Tamiya kits like this one?  This has been a really fun kit!  Easy and all the fits are great!

Eagle90

Tamiya Shermans all pretty much fall together, and all have the same slight omissions and inaccuracies. Having said that, there's nothing in any of them that can't be fixed or upgraded with a little modeling.

I would say the worst of the bunch, as far as accuracy goes, is the Jumbo, but you can pick one up for $5 at a show these days.

Geez, Sherman variants.....    I think I have about ten in the display case, another half dozen or more in a box, no two the same. Yeah, 'tis a slippery slope indeed.

RBaer

Tamiya Shermans all pretty much fall together, and all have the same slight omissions and inaccuracies. Having said that, there's nothing in any of them that can't be fixed or upgraded with a little modeling.

I would say the worst of the bunch, as far as accuracy goes, is the Jumbo, but you can pick one up for $5 at a show these days.

Geez, Sherman variants.....    I think I have about ten in the display case, another half dozen or more in a box, no two the same. Yeah, 'tis a slippery slope indeed.

WOW!  You got a pic of those Shermans?  So many variants!  Well, I guess it can't be as bad as Bish's 251 variants! 

Eagle90

still waiting on good painting weather here, so I can get more done on my Sherman.  It seems that whenever it's not raining, it's either too windy or I'm working.  It looks like yours is coming along nicely.

Great builds everyone!  Some really nice work!

Couple of update pics on the Sherman.  I have found this kit to be great!  Other then the major gaps above the tracks (thank you all for the info and help with that!), this kit has gone together very well!  Have had a blast with it!  Putting some final touches on it before gloss coating for the decals and weathering.  Thinking about having an MP40 on top with the commander!  Saw they used them a lot in the movie "Fury".  Let me know if this is not accurate.  I happen to have 2 MP40's from the Testors 234/3 kit, and thought I could throw one on the Sherman with the commander.  What do you guys think?  The figures are time consuming since these are the first 1/35 ones I've done....so be gentle! 

Here she is!

Eagle90

Eagle: She looks pretty good to me. Only difference I'd make is a guy told me awhile back to paint the metal tools with dark grey and then rub a pencil on a piece of paper and then rub your finger in the graphite then rub it on the tool. It gives it a faint metallic sheen like old worn tools instead of shiny new ones.

Now you know I'm going to go and try that now!  Thanks!  That should add some wear and tear to them!  Thanks again!

Eagle90

Seconded on the tools, works good.

One minor point: The large crow bar on the right rear, it's just a long bar with slightly flattened ends. The "boxes" at each end of it are actually the brackets it rests in and should be the same color as the rest of the tank. Other than that, looks primo.

And re the Sherman variants, no group pics. In fact, the pics of almost all of them are in a PB account that I can no longer access, no idea why.....

RBaer

Seconded on the tools, works good.

One minor point: The large crow bar on the right rear, it's just a long bar with slightly flattened ends. The "boxes" at each end of it are actually the brackets it rests in and should be the same color as the rest of the tank. Other than that, looks primo.

And re the Sherman variants, no group pics. In fact, the pics of almost all of them are in a PB account that I can no longer access, no idea why.....

Got it.  Would that be the same for any bracket on the tools?

No pics!  Too bad, I'd like to see the variants!  Guess I'll google it and see what I can find.  Be interesting to see how many there are.  I know Bish is a big 251 fan and he says there are something like 63 variants!  And he has most of them!

Thanks again for the help!

Eagle90

RBaer: If you ever retake any of your photos I'd love to see them. 

BTW: Not to hijack the thread but here are a few of mine, I've got a LONG way to go to get to even half the different versions of the M4 plus SPGs, TDs, etc based off it's chassis.

M4A3/76

Marine Corps M4A2 (diesel engine) Yeah needs a lot more work...

 M4A4 / Mark V British lend/lease (longer hull with Chrysler 'Multibank' engine)

Still need to build a M4, M4A1, M4A3E8 (Easy Eight suspension system), 105mm howitzer version, and finish the M4A3E2 'Jumbo' I started here! 

Plus there were a zillion vehicles based off the Sherman chassis...

M10 TD #1

M10 TD #2

M36 TD