Mike: Ohhhhh, cool late-model Sherman!!! 

Two questions though- the turret hatches look awfully large, is it my eyes? And do the driver's hatches open or are they molded shut? 

I just finished this same kit on Friday. It's a great kit - keep working through it. I put up a post of my build.

Gamera

Mike: Ohhhhh, cool late-model Sherman!!! 

Two questions though- the turret hatches look awfully large, is it my eyes? And do the driver's hatches open or are they molded shut? 

 

The hatches do look to be a little over-sized, but I'm not worried about it. The driver and co-driver hatches are separate pieces.

However, there are no interior details except for the main gun breach which is why I left the turret hatches open.

DanR1967

I just finished this same kit on Friday. It's a great kit - keep working through it. I put up a post of my build.

 

I almost thought someone had edited my post because of you lol.

Il be checking it out here in a second.

Very good job, Dan!

Now that I can see how nice this kit can look I may need to source out some crew figures.

I decided to continue my progress tonight.

Lights and other details added to the hull and grouser racks added to the turret.

Tools and equipment are next.

Looking good so far.

Thank you, sir. 

Here's a question of curiosity for anyone who may have the answer;

What are those bars protruding from the back of the turret for?

They are the travel mounts for the M2.  The kit is missing the clips to hold the disassembled machine gun on them

Thank you. I'll have to look that up and maybe add those details.

Yes. But first I need to look for some. 

Got the tools and equipment attached tonight. I decided to toss a tarp on the back too. I just soaked it in a Vallejo wash and tucked it on there. It's not diluted while glue, but I figure diluted acryllic paint could work lol.

Ready for the PE.

I don't see why acrylic paint wouldn't give you the same results as white glue. Clever thinking!

And nice work!

Thank you. I was thinking the same thing last night. Time to go see how it has dried.

Gotta go get a picture. 

It's nearly dry, stuck like glue and looks really cool before I've even painted it.

Oh boy is PE a royal pain when all you have is gelled super glue. I also discovered that the vision block guards are included.

That's just the front so far. Agrevating as all get out.

But aren't PE a pain regardless? Yet, I keep using them!

I don't normally mind PE too much, but I'm usually dealing with it in 1/35 scale.

1/48 scale is almost too much!

In other news I have the rest of the PE on and the first round of primer on it.

Bad spray can primer job, but it's mostly covered.

She's coming along nicely! 

Funny the smaller scale you'd think you'd save time but what little 1/48th armour I did took me longer than a 1/35th kit due to the smaller scale detail taking more figgity work.  

Thank you.

Yep. I noticed that - Really fidgety! I'm sure it helps having better glue, too. The stuff I have won't capillary into place because it's gelled on me. So I had to stick blobs in place and that just didn't want to work right.

In the end I have some CA blobs around the join areas but it's better than not having the guards lol.

We've had some good weather this week and today was quite favorable. This let me respray with some Krylon Camo Olive and I got much better coverage overall.

I get to load up the airbrush next!

I had a lot of fun today! 

I used Vallejo Olive Drab for a base color and it's more of a post Korean War shade of dark O.D. so I lightened it with yellow for three shades of tonal modulation.

Then finished it off with Tamiya NATO Black for the field applied camoflage stripes.

Once this cures for the next week I will gloss it and maybe get to the decals after that. Or... Maybe I'll detail paint first. Not sure yet.

My phone made the colors "pop" a bit. It's not so bright green in natural lighting.

Oh, I like!!! 

Though that chrome Deathstar/disco ball thingee is making me curious... 

Thanks Gamera. The modulation turned out so well I can't even see it in these pictures lol. I think some oils will be used on this build along with some washes and powders.

Oh, that little thing? It's no moon. It's a grinder. 

The little Merkava IV in the background also got some paint yesterday. I got a lot of time to play!

Oh, nice work there on the Merkava!!!

I concur what Gamera said: Nice work on that Merkava. Nice job on the pre-shading.

Thanks, guys!

I mixed up my own darker shade of the IDF Sand gray and covered it overall with that first.

I'm happy with it, considering it's 1/72.