Build Complete #9 Cyber-Hobby Orange Box Sherman M4A4 75mm WIP

wbill76 wrote:

Nice to see you're not dead after all Edmund! The details are taking shape and you've discovered the bane of resin details...the pour block removal on delicate parts! Depending on the parts, you may be better of using, carefully, a pair of sprue cutters vs. a razor saw for the more fragile/delicate items.

Thanks Bill Squared for the comments!  I am funny!

I hear you Bill and I am using a fine razor saw but Holy Cow Man this is Crazy!

ZombieModeler!

Your new name has been chosen.

It looks anything but undead, more like unreal!  The tracks look really good on the glacis, but I can't help but keep looking at all those bright markings and think...Do the Schobs system on it, let's see you make it come alive.

(I posted a quick WIP of that base in dios, of all places--need some color tutoring when you get a chance, buddy!)

Welcome back, Mr. Schnobs!

Bill 

Back From the Dead Build Update:

I was finally able to get back to the bench after a week of Flue.

I was able to mount the headlights, paint the MG's and the periscopes.  I aslo glued on the hatches and painted and weathered the steel tracks for the fornt glacias.

I thought I would post a few pics so you would know I am still alive.  I will work on the Formation pioneer tools next but whoever designed them should burn in six rings of hell.   It's not going to be fun removing them form the resin blocks and getting them ready to paint.

Thanks Rick I will take F'n Nice Build as a jewel of a compliment!

I am just now getting over the flue and should be able to get back to modeling tomorrow.  I am now a Poster Boy for Flue Shots so all you glue spreaders put down the appliactors and go get your flue shots!!!!  YOU DO NOT WANT THE FLUE TRUST ME!!!!! 

Phil_H wrote:

Hey Edmund, She's looking better and better every day. Looks great with the paint and dec's on.

Hey Phil I haven't been able to get near it for almost a week but I will start the process tomorrow it should be fun! Thanks for looking as always.

satch_ip wrote:

It really does look awesome and has me researching kits to build.  Are these Orange Box kits made by Dragon?

Thanks Scott!

They are Cyber-Hobby kits which are an arm of DML.

scratchmod wrote:

Looking good as usual Edmund. Hope you get well soon my friend, I'd like to see this sherman when all is done. Rob

Thanks Rob I am just getting through the worst of it and I cannot wait to get back to it!

Looking good as usual Edmund. Hope you get well soon my friend, I'd like to see this sherman when all is done.

Rob

Hey Edmund,

She's looking better and better every day. Looks great with the paint and dec's on.

Schnobs wrote:

Citadelgrad87 wrote: The dacals went on nicely, Edmund.  I am surprised how colorful this one is, the US versions were pretty drab by comparison. Looking forward to weathering majic. Bill  Thanks Bill I had to perform soem sugery to get them to fit on the front transmission covers but it was worth the effort. I want to aplogize for the lateness of my post replies.  I have just went through two weeks of hell.  Parents with school age children will understand.  My daughter brought home a cold from school that she was over in 2 days and after 1.5 weeks I was just getting over and she brought up the Flue that again she shook off in two days and I am on my third day and just want to die!  Icky stuff gentleman icky stuff.  I want to ground her from school until I can catch up here!   Thansk god for my lovely hard working wife or we would all be naked and hungry!  RBaer wrote: Looking good! One suggeation I might offer: shorten the tracks before you do the final assembly, seems like all the Dragon M4 tracks are two or so links too long. Looking forward to seeing this one move along. Thanks for the suggestion Russ.  I didn't catch that when I dry fitted the tracks.  I will dry fit them with some blue tac to hold them down over the rollers and post pcitures before I paint them.  hughes2682 wrote: Ed, Man that Sherman is lookin' good! Cheers Dave Thanks Dave your build is superb BTW! Cheers Squared!  disastermaster wrote: Remember, only the top left tailight is red. Got it Thanks Steve!

Naked and hungry in the right context is not a bad thing...

Sorry to hear about the plauge hitting your homestead, Edmund.  There is a bunch of the icky stuff going around down here as well.

To the Sherman......F'n Nice Build!  

Rick

Thanks Michael for the kind words my friend.

Edmund - Nice job on the decals...nice build overall. And in my favorite color too!!

I agree with Karl but you have to be comfortable. Before you try with the new AB, test it on something first. If you feel good with the AB, give it a shot. You want to try to get the features to POP

Rounds Complete!!

Thanks Bill I had to perform soem sugery to get them to fit on the front transmission covers but it was worth the effort.

I want to aplogize for the lateness of my post replies.  I have just went through two weeks of hell.  Parents with school age children will understand.  My daughter brought home a cold from school that she was over in 2 days and after 1.5 weeks I was just getting over and she brought up the Flue that again she shook off in two days and I am on my third day and just want to die!  Icky stuff gentleman icky stuff.  I want to ground her from school until I can catch up here!   Thansk god for my lovely hard working wife or we would all be naked and hungry!

RBaer wrote:

Looking good! One suggeation I might offer: shorten the tracks before you do the final assembly, seems like all the Dragon M4 tracks are two or so links too long. Looking forward to seeing this one move along.

Thanks for the suggestion Russ.  I didn't catch that when I dry fitted the tracks.  I will dry fit them with some blue tac to hold them down over the rollers and post pcitures before I paint them.

hughes2682 wrote:

Ed, Man that Sherman is lookin' good! Cheers Dave

Thanks Dave your build is superb BTW!

Cheers Squared!

disastermaster wrote:

Remember, only the top left tailight is red.

Got it Thanks Steve!

wbill76 wrote:

Schnobs wrote: Yes they are and I beleive strongly that the same guy who writes the assembly instuctions for DML moonlights at Ikea. I've yet to build a single DML kit that didn't have at least 1 error in the instructions somewhere. Sometimes the error is just a simple mis-numbering of a part (i.e. B58 when there is no B58 on the sprues)...sometimes it's much more serious as the case here where parts are reversed or not called out at all. I'll never forget the gold standard of errors...the Luftwaffe version of the 251/17...there was an error in EVERY SINGLE step with some steps committing multiple fouls along the way.

Yeah I know the Dragon Imperial Series Stug IV (early) had a glaring error in the instructions. The tow hooks that were in the front of the Panzer IV and Stug IV ( the big pieces in the front that the spare track holder went between) were shown on the box art and the painting instructions but were ommitted in the assembly steps and also marked as do not use on the parts diagram. I haven't started it yet but I also got the eduard zimmerit set and the zimmerit that goes on the front plate reflects that error as well. Oh well I'll just attach it with double sided tape and cut out the notches for attaching the tow hooks and then use the kit part to mark where I am going to cut it out to attach the tow hooks no biggie.

Remember, only the top left tailight is red.

Looking good! One suggeation I might offer: shorten the tracks before you do the final assembly, seems like all the Dragon M4 tracks are two or so links too long.

Looking forward to seeing this one move along.

The dacals went on nicely, Edmund.  I am surprised how colorful this one is, the US versions were pretty drab by comparison.

Looking forward to weathering majic.

Bill 

wbill76 wrote:

Looking good Edmund! I plead the 5th in relation to any humidity issues!

Thanks Bill the low pressure must of moved North!

the doog wrote:

Looking good, Edmund--I would suggest a little bit of post shading with some darkened OD in the creases and corners, if you really want to be adventurous..?. Easy on that Future, bud....

Thanks Karl.  I think I have been fairly adventourous on this one a Canuck Sherman was definately way out of my comfort level.  The pics do not do it justice but is does have some darker shadowing.  I will see what I can do though my fine tip AB is arriving in th email from Badger today. I had it two weeks and I dropped it so I sent it in for free repairs  I am not affliated with Badger in anyway but I have been very happy with their products and their customer service.  They are a fine Midwestern company and will have my business as long as I am in this hobby!

I did appy Fuutre before and after Decals this time becasue on my last build with the Hetzer I actually ended up with a little silvering when I skipped the second coat of future and just shot a coat of MM flat Acryl which I had done successfully before.  It might of been a one off but I didn't want to take any chances.

Looking good, Edmund--I would suggest a little bit of post shading with some darkened OD in the creases and corners, if you really want to be adventurous..?.

Easy on that Future, bud....

Thanks for the kind words and support Bill they are appreciated as always.  I had a little problem with Humidity last night as well.  I was putting down my sencond thin basecoat and I happen to galne at my regulator and i nocied the resovoir was about 1\4 full of water whcih suprisedme and right then I spit 3-5 blobs of water right on the main glacias plate.

Oh well I cleaned it up the best I could and it will be covered by extra tracks used as space armor on the front but it's the principal of the thing.  I will keep a closer eye on tha tin the future and I only glanced at it because I was thinking about Wbill's humdity problems so ultiamtely it's his fault!

I chosse to apply both a brown and green Mig filter last night before I sprayed two light coats  of Future this morning.

After some research on marking placement I applied the decals and after they were dry shot another coat of Future over the top,

Here are some natural light shots before I start the finishing the details and further weathering.

I cannot believe I am the first to say I like it.  Very nice blend there, warm and authentic looking.

I can't wait to see where you take this, Edmund.  The care and attention to detail are shining through, this is going to be a show stopper. 

Well done--so far, but the pressure remains on.  I know you are up to the challenge.

Bill

Hey Steve!

I missed your last suggetion on adding a weld to the front and rear lifting lugs before I basecoated today so I will save that tip for next time!

I sprayed a coat of Gloss White to the inside of the turet due to the the fact that the Ultracast TC will be sitting on the rear of the turret ring and you will be able to catch a glimpse of the inside.

I also glued a black evergreen mount for the figure busts across the sponsons and test fitted the figure placement.

I was satisfied with the fit and the fact that you cannot see past the figures into the interior which is bare as Mrs. Hubboards Cupboards!

I applied the basecoat with a mix of Tamiya Lovie Drab, Khaki Drab, Dark Yellow and Clear.

I will have not applied any highlights as of yet I wanted to get some perspective first.

Schnobs wrote:

LOL!  Both you and Steve made me laugh so hard this morning I burbled coffee through my nose.

  Before all the burbling, here's the picture in my mind....

Just hopefully not back into the cup.

 Your refinements to the headlight guards and the MG ball mount have really helped. You need to add the welds to the front and rear lifting lugs shown below.

LOL!  Both you and Steve made me laugh so hard this morning I burbled coffe through my nose.

I ran my primered pics by my Sherman expert this morning and he nixed my use of the plastic headlight gaurds and I had placed them to far back and also pushed me to use the Formations MG ball mount and resin barrel which I did.  Here are so more before and after pics of those changes and the last pics before I basecoat I promise!

I officially have OCD and refuse to take my meds!

OMG!

I'm gettin' a green on!