Thank you Bill! But having a turret is when a tank really starts looking like a TANK!

Looking good Stik!

Thank you CB!

Well, I just had to forge ahead this morning....

Breech block painted steel. Not sure if it’s accurate or not for the M47, but I like the look, and I’ve seen it before on other types. Besides, the turret hatches will be closed and no one will see it...

Then I glued the upper and lower turret halves together

and well, I just had to fit it on the hull

Now

Next up, adding all the little bits to the turret before the cast armor texturing

stikpusher

 

Breech block painted steel. Not sure if it’s accurate or not for the M47, but I like the look, and I’ve seen it before on other types. Besides, the turret hatches will be closed and no one will see it...

 

 

Then I glued the upper and lower turret halves together

 

 

and well, I just had to fit it on the hull

 

 

Now

it looks like a tank!

 

Next up, adding all the little bits to the turret before the cast armor texturing

 

Looks great.

Thanks PJ! I can finally see the end project look now in my minds eye.

So more work on the turret this week. Firstly I puttied up the points where the cargo rails attach, since I won’t be using the kit parts. I also added some very thin rod styrene along the seam line where the turret halves go together to replicate the weld seam on the real turret. Today I sanded the putty smooth and using some “hotter” plastic cement and my finger nail to texture the weld seam bead.

Excellent progress and thanks for sharing. Can't wait for the painting and finishing stages.  What will be your approach to weathering?

I like to use a simple three step modulation on US Olive drab vehicles with the last modulation zenithal...then the weathering to depict my subject and its environment.  It's funny, none of my armored vehicles look the same when it comes to weathering...because of the varied subjects and photos I use in their rendition.

Oh wow, somehow I missed all your turret updates. She's coming along nicely! 

Thanks guys! HDM, I'm pretty old school in my approach usually. Pin washes and dry brushing work quite well for me. In this case, the tank is going to be in "motor pool" condition, so minimal dirt and such. I haven't decided yet if I am going to black base or not before I apply the base OD. But it's not gonna be in field condition like the M46 that I finished up just before New Years.

Gamera, I'm happy to hear that your caught up now. Stay tuned for more progress reports...

Sounds great

Yesterday I added on the early style grab rails on the turret sides using parts from my spares bin.

Now I just need to add the rod frame type guards on the commander’s and gunner’s sights and the backdating of the turret will be completed. Next up, cast armor texture.

Coming along very nicely! 

Thanks again Gamera. I took a day away from this one today and worked on another project. Tomorrow I'll get more done.

A little more progress to post. Over on Armorama, it was pointed out to me that the turrets had some external “dimples” welded into the armor where the gun trunnions attach to the turret sides. So I cut some small pieces of tube styrene and glued them into the appropriate spots

Then I sanded them to a more scale thickness, doused them with liquid cement, and gave a bit of weld texture around the edges with a toothpick.

Now I can proceed to adding the cast armor texture where needed... nearly all of the turret and much of the front and rear hull...

She's lookin' good! 

Thank you Gamera. I'm getting lots of helpful advice elsewhere and trying to incorporate it here if I get it before it's too late.

One more update- I finished adding the cast armor texture a bit more rapidly than I thought that I would using Mr Surfacer and a Microbrush. 

and a couple close ups

it should look good under a coat of paint...

This will be my last update on this until next week. Have plans for the weekend, so I won’t get any bench time.

I noticed you haven't added the TC's and Gunners periscope guards yet, and I believe there is a light casting texture to the main gun mantlet.

I'm loving what you've got going on.

M. Brindos

I noticed you haven't added the TC's and Gunners periscope guards yet, and I believe there is a light casting texture to the main gun mantlet.

I'm loving what you've got going on.

 

Thanks Mike.

Yes, I still have some small detail parts such as those to add to the turret. And since I'm backdating this build to an early production model, I have to use parts from my spares for the periscope brush guards, not the kit parts. You are correct in the mantlet being cast, but I'm going to add a dust cover using tissue, so that cast texture won't be visible. It made no sense to me to add cast texture to an area that will be covered up.

Stick, your modifications are splendid. Have a safe and happy easter weekend.

DRUMS01

Thank you Drums! You have a happy Easter as well!

stikpusher

 

 

M. Brindos

I noticed you haven't added the TC's and Gunners periscope guards yet, and I believe there is a light casting texture to the main gun mantlet.

I'm loving what you've got going on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks Mike.

Yes, I still have some small detail parts such as those to add to the turret. And since I'm backdating this build to an early production model, I have to use parts from my spares for the periscope brush guards, not the kit parts. You are correct in the mantlet being cast, but I'm going to add a dust cover using tissue, so that cast texture won't be visible. It made no sense to me to add cast texture to an area that will be covered up.

 

I did honestly forget that you're back dating this one. But with a mantlet cover, you're absolutely right. I'd probably have done it and then remembered that I was going to cover it up lol.

I hear ya Mike! But I've already done a good bit of work that is hardly visible in the engine compartment, so no need to dive deeper on that sort of thing...

Well, the back dating of the kit is now complete. I added the wire cage style brush guards to the commander’s and gunner’s periscopes, modified the sledge to reverse its positioning, and then added the hatch handles, rangefinder housing lifting eyes, and rear turret stowage bin. 

All I need to do now is add the mantlet dust cover and armor foundry casting marks

Again, very cool! 

Thank you Gamera.

Wow this build sure does look more like a tank compared to when I last saw it! Really great to see it start to come together.

Thank you John. After a delay of three weeks, and mishap speed bump when I did resume work back in that time I finally have some progress...

Monday and back in action with this one. I added some Archer raised resin decals casting marks to the turret and hull. We shall see how they look under a coat of paint soon.

Yeah, these are for a Sherman, but most likely only a M47 fanatic would know that they are not proper for a Patton

Nice to see you back on this.

Rob & Gino might know about the casting numbers but I had no idea.

Thanks Gamera. Gino has been one among several over on Armorama advising me on how to improve this build. The casting marks being one such piece of advice.

Well, another day, another update: 

I found one more casting mark in some photos over the bow gunners position, so I added another casting mark decal. Some tanks had ‘em, some didn’t. But I figured why not for mine. And then later I created the dust cover for the mantlet using white glue and tissue paper.

So next I have to come up with all the little clamps that hold the dust cover in place around the edges...

Looks good!!!

I tend to put the dust covers on last but what you're doing here makes more sense. I'll have to alter my constrution sequence the next time I build something with the mantlet cover.

Yesterday I finally got around to making the brackets to hold down the mantlet dust cover

Almost ready for paint now. I just need to add a couple of things first.