It's a fun kit. I do remember that the suspension "rocks". The pivot portion has to be glued in place or else the front bogie and rear bogie will lift towards sprocket or idler wheel because of the tension of the tracks.

I still have a lot of affection for the old Italeri Sherman based kits.

Rob Gronovius

It's a fun kit. I do remember that the suspension "rocks". The pivot portion has to be glued in place or else the front bogie and rear bogie will lift towards sprocket or idler wheel because of the tension of the tracks.

I still have a lot of affection for the old Italeri Sherman based kits.

 

yeah been warned elsewhere about the tracks, may have to try to find some aftermarket ones

Does this boxing come with the rubber chevron tracks (T48 type), or the original rubber block tracks(T51 type)? 

I'm looking forward to seeing how this project of yours builds up. Replacing the .50 cal. is a good idea. As well as your other additions. I'm with Rob in having a soft spot for this kit.

robw_uk

 

yeah been warned elsewhere about the tracks, may have to try to find some aftermarket ones

 

It's not so much the tracks as it is the way the suspension was designed. If you just glue the bogie in place, and not let it move, then it'll be just fine.

Stik and I could get lambasted by Sherman purists by liking this kit, but I've probably built over a half dozen kits with this common lower hull and suspension; M4A1, Kangaroo, Priest, M36 Jackson, M32 recovery vehicle, Sherman Calliope, and that M4 USMC one with the wading trunks.

Rob Gronovius

Stik and I could get lambasted by Sherman purists by liking this kit, but I've probably built over a half dozen kits with this common lower hull and suspension; M4A1, Kangaroo, Priest, M36 Jackson, M32 recovery vehicle, Sherman Calliope, and that M4 USMC one with the wading trunks.

I think that it's part nostalgia, and part understanding that Italeri got most of the basics right 40+ years ago. A little extra work on the part of the modeler will cover the shortfalls quite easily. Will it be perfect? No, but it will be good enough to fill the role, just like the real M4 tank. 

Wow love the look of this kit, very cool! Really excited to see it coming together 

thanks all, as always I will look at photos and ohter builds to see what else I can add (need to do some work on the fighting compartment too... 

ok... so "rope" wrapped round the upper part of the gun.... a bit fluffy so need to work out how to stick it down more...

and for completeness, this is the "look" I am going for... stowage, tarps... I know the kit doesnt match a dday version but i am going to make her up to look similar:

https://12thfieldrca.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/0-PRIEST-IN-LST-UK-JUNE-1944.jpg

stikpusher

 

 

Rob Gronovius

Stik and I could get lambasted by Sherman purists by liking this kit, but I've probably built over a half dozen kits with this common lower hull and suspension; M4A1, Kangaroo, Priest, M36 Jackson, M32 recovery vehicle, Sherman Calliope, and that M4 USMC one with the wading trunks.

 

 

I think that it's part nostalgia, and part understanding that Italeri got most of the basics right 40+ years ago. A little extra work on the part of the modeler will cover the shortfalls quite easily. Will it be perfect? No, but it will be good enough to fill the role, just like the real M4 tank. 

 

It was the "best of the first of them". I think the 105 mm cannon on this kit was based on the 105 that Peerless Max released ages ago. Revell released it with Bundeswehr markings from the end of the Cold War era (1989-92 NATO 3-color) along with taillights and modern muzzle brake.

I always liked this vehicle.  They usd to have them in parades when I was a kid. and the main gun would go up and down slowly as they went down the street  Outsideof the light things I drove, this and the Ontos were always my favorite.

It served well in Rat Patrol!

Rob Gronovius

Stik and I could get lambasted by Sherman purists by liking this kit,

I a person were of an age, they'd have to have a heart of stone to not have a soft spot for this kit and it's offshoots (like the Kangaroo and all the rest).

Mind, Rat Patrol probably helped with this one.

I have this vague memory of a dedicated soul fitting up the Tamiya 25 pounder to the M7 kit in one of the glossy-paper magazines.

There were, if memory serves, a number back-converted to B1 cofiguration. 

O, those days before all the wonderous AM "bits" we can get today.

This photo:

Does suggest to me the best way to use the Italeri 50bmg--in a cover
Most of the contemporary phots suggest the tarp bows ought be installed more.

CapnMac82

 

 

Rob Gronovius

Stik and I could get lambasted by Sherman purists by liking this kit,

 

 

I a person were of an age, they'd have to have a heart of stone to not have a soft spot for this kit and it's offshoots (like the Kangaroo and all the rest).

Mind, Rat Patrol probably helped with this one.

I have this vague memory of a dedicated soul fitting up the Tamiya 25 pounder to the M7 kit in one of the glossy-paper magazines.

There were, if memory serves, a number back-converted to B1 cofiguration. 

O, those days before all the wonderous AM "bits" we can get today.

This photo:

Does suggest to me the best way to use the Italeri 50bmg--in a cover
Most of the contemporary phots suggest the tarp bows ought be installed more.

 

never saw Rat Patrol, assume it was a US thing....

and yeah the tarp bows, kit comes with 2 (I assume) moulded on the sides, so need to take them off and replace one with wire an dthen use the other over the rear of the interior....

Yes, an American action TV show based on the Long Range Desert Group in North Africa. Filmed in the US, it was shown in syndication afternoons to children raised in the 1970s.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060018/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt

running gear done (tracks a touch tight but can fix that with super glue to fix the wheels level)... onwards with the gun... started on the small fixtures & fittings and internal gun shield. currently floor plate and gun just placed to check fit (any thoughts on the drivers compartment colour? just white floor and everything else OD?

...

robw_uk

never saw Rat Patrol, assume it was a US thing....

The Internet provides

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNZX2dtDsdA&t=7s

It's not any sort of history, really, and quite silly in it's way.  It had a run on network television, ut most of us born in the 60s saw it in syndication on our small, local, independant tv stations.

It's where we saw Hogan's Heros, or 12 O'clock High (the tv series), Star Trek, Gilligan's Island--all manner of programs put on to sell ads for local business.

On the driver's area, I've seen them restored with off-white, ut, I find that unconvincing.  Contemporary photos do not seem to show a demarcation line.  The panels and parts--levers, transmission, etc.--would be stock items, to give some contrast.

robw_uk

any thoughts on the drivers compartment colour? just white floor and everything else OD?

 

Heres a good overhead shot from WWII. Looks like solid OD in the drivers compartment, with light colored instrument gauges.

lots more photos to be found at this site

http://afvdb.50megs.com/usa/pics/m7priest/m7priest.html

Remember, without Rat Patrol, you Brits never would have won the war in North Africa! 

It made us kids of the 60s think that the US defeated Germany with little more than a handful of Jeeps with .50 cals in the back.

The series did not age well.

I used to watch it from time to time on my B/W TV set.  Back then color was just coming out and was very expensive.  I didn't have one until I got married in the 70s.  Did you notice that it even said "in color"?  When 12:00 O'Clock high came on it would announce that it was a Quinn Matrin production, in color though the first episodes were B/W.

Rob Gronovius

Remember, without Rat Patrol, you Brits never would have won the war in North Africa! 

It made us kids of the 60s think that the US defeated Germany with little more than a handful of Jeeps with .50 cals in the back.

The series did not age well.

 

Bill

She's coming along well! 

I think the rule was that anything able to be seen outside the vehicle was to be painted the exterior colour. Of course anything that SP stated overrides this. 

Gamera

I think the rule was that anything able to be seen outside the vehicle was to be painted the exterior colour. Of course anything that SP stated overrides this. 

 

Well, maybe I shouldn't say rule but I thought you, or Rob, or Gino, or somebody told me years ago that anything that could be seen outside the vehicle should be painted the exterior colour in a question I had about a M10 tank destroyer I was building.

Dunno now, my memory wasn't that good to begin with and advancing age hasn't helped it.

Gamera

Well, maybe I shouldn't say rule but I thought you, or Rob, or Gino, or somebody told me years ago that anything that could be seen outside the vehicle should be painted the exterior colour in a question I had about a M10 tank destroyer I was building.

Dunno now, my memory wasn't that good to begin with and advancing age hasn't helped it.

 

You and me both on that age & memory thing. But yes, with military vehicles it is a standard practice to paint them in such a manner. Pre WWII you will find some white inner hatch faces. But once the war started, that pretty much went away. And I'm sure that one of the three of us, plus good old Hans vonHammer probably said about that more than once.

so front glacis completed have moved the lights up, added the spare track boxes... started to look at stowage - does anyone have any recommendations for what can simulate the cable - in scale is it 1.5mm thick (with a link?) - the photo I am working form has it draped round the light but obviously not stiff like plastic....

next stop will be to start the side modifications (handles, tarp support brackets, wading armour

Nice work! I really like the added texture to the transmission cover.

I use picture hanging wire for a lot of tow cables. Just cut off the ends and drill out the links to get a better surface for cements to. Or just look at PanzerNoob's thread for ideas.

Gamera

Well, maybe I shouldn't say rule but I thought you, or Rob, or Gino, or somebody told me years ago that anything that could be seen outside the vehicle should be painted the exterior colour in a question I had about a M10 tank destroyer I was building.

Dunno now, my memory wasn't that good to begin with and advancing age hasn't helped it.

 

But, to each their own. Items like tow cables, barrel cleaning rods, etc. tend to stay unpainted. Tow cables are a pain in the butt to deal with so would often be left on the vehicle as it was painted.

Some big items like 5 gallon cans might be removed before painting, but items like spare track blocks might be left in place. It all depends.

robw_uk

...so "rope" wrapped round the upper part of the gun.... a bit fluffy so need to work out how to stick it down more...

Maybe brush some white glue well-thinned with water over it?

robw_uk

what can simulate the cable - in scale is it 1.5mm thick

15AWG (American Wire Gauge) is right at 1.4mm diameter, if you found braided wire in that size, you could cut it to length.  The end eyes would probably want drilling out to fit the metal wire.

Those, to my eye, look like the ends of British tank tow cables.  US ones. IIRC. were shorter, a cast eye and a conical, swaged socket. 

Your model, your scenario, your pick.