USMC M4A3 Flame Tank, 5th Tk Bn Iwo Jima

Greetings all,

First time poster (long time lurker!).  I recently returned to the hobby after a 10 year hiatus, and couldn't resist doing an Iwo flame tank after picking up Tank Warfare on Iwo Jima.  This is the Dragon PTO M4A2 kit, heavily modified to represent a flame tank from "D" Co, 5th Tank Bn on Iwo Jima.  Rather than replicate an actual machine, I decided instead to do a representation of all the modifications typical to a 5th Tk Bn machine (3rd and 4th Tank Battalions also modified their tanks with different methods, each peculiar to their battalions).  So, using various aftermarket parts and items "donated" by an Academy M4A2, I set out on my "back in the saddle" build.  I applied wooden plank armor (by GCLaser) to the hull sides and bogies, wading stacks from the Academy kit, sandbags and spare kit from Verlinden, scratchbuilt the water tank on the engine deck from a resin 500lb bomb, added a tarpaulin-covered .50 machine gun on the turret rear, and scratchbuilt the chicken wire cages over the hull hatches.  I also drilled countless holes on the commander's cupola and loader's hatch to insert wire, cut to length, to represent the nails that 5th Tk Bn welded on the hatches to deter (or at least delay) attempts to open the hatches by Japanese infiltrators.  I finished it off with a brush-painted camo pattern, and weathered it with artist's oils and ModelMaster enamels.  I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out, although my wife wishes I named it after her and not the dog!  Any feedback/critiques are greatly appreciated, as I'm trying to refine my skill set after not touching plastic for way too long!

Semper,

Ski