Firefly construction question

In my kit, those parts are V-5. There is no mention of them anywhere. My instructions show the running gear attaching directly to the lower hull. That is incredibly poor on Dragon's part. Don't they have anybody proofreading their instructions?

Step2 part # C28

Ron, Yep, I Sharpied them, but I haven't flat coated them yet. What step in the instructions are those square jobs shown??

Bill, thanks for the tips and the pics. I have the same gap on my back deck too. Because that part of the deck is notched, there is no way to avoid having a gap. I figured that meant it was supposed to be there, though why was a bit of a mystery.
Shermanfreak, thanks for the tip on the tools.

Indeed they are Rob , the problem I think I have is with the bolt thingies that are in front of the transmission cover,on the bottom they seem to just stop and they kinda lift up at the end , not flush with the rest, and I tell ya something I used Mr. surfacer to get the cast texture on the trans cover and it came out wonderful. Oh ya Bill in my instructions it shows the square peices I beleive you are talkin about , the kit I have is# 6121 the sherm that knocked whittmann to the moon, and yours looks great is that the sharpie method I see on the road wheels?

LOL!! Funny, I was thinking about the same thing when I posted the pics. It should be called the I'm still not done with this Firefly for the group build, group build!!

QUOTE: Originally posted by wipw Robert, what size drill is correct, and how deep should the holes be? Just through the bracket, or all the way through the fender? Thanks, yet again!!

Not being a rivet counter ...... pick a drill, any drill !!!!
I usually just pick one that looks close and drill them all the way through.
In reality, the bracket overhangs the hull a little bit but most kits are molded with it flush to the bottom of the hull.

Gee ..... you guys got your own little group build happening here.

Robert, what size drill is correct, and how deep should the holes be? Just through the bracket, or all the way through the fender? Thanks, yet again!!

Looking good Bill & Ron.

Ron - The C.M.D. Firefly turret is very nicely done isn't it. I've had a few of their products through the years and I highly recommend them. Gotta luv those DML tracks.

Buff Bill - a pin vice is the easiest way to drill those out. If you don't have one, check out Princess Auto (if you have one in your area), if not, go to a welding supply store and get a tip drill. They usually come with 10 - 15 drill bits.

Okay, here they are. I'm posting 6 pictures I took at lunch. I hope they help with you questions. Sorry, they are a little dark.
btw; I LOVE this Humbrol Bronze Green! Color on my monitor is pretty close to the model, if a little dark.


I took this to show what I did with the "welded" cover over the mg mount and where the bead around the mg mount was removed. I could have done better blending it in.


A shot from above. Main purpose here was to show how the stowage boxes fit on the back of the turret.


As you can see from this pic, on mine, the engine deck lined up pretty well with the top of the hull sides. Guess I got lucky on one thing!! lol


This one just shows how the rear plate fit against the hull sides. How do you like the mars across that paint job?? It's what I get for trying to push the deck forward. Note the engine deck isn't glued in. It's a very tight fit. Except for...


Here's the gap between the engine deck and the rear of the turret area. Not sure how I'm going to fix this one, yet.


And finally, here are the boggies. I tried to get a picture of the plate that goes behind them, but it didn't work out too well. I'll try again tonight with a flash and see if it brings them out better. But you can see the edge of the plate, if you look closely.

Have fun. Post some pics of yours, if you can. Mission Models is out of Friulmodel ATL-12's. Which are, I believe, correct for this one. At least they are T-54-1s. The kit ones are a real pain. But I'm still trying, Robert!!

Ron, I'll see if I can get a picture of what I'm talking about and post them at lunch. (Don't hold your breath!!)

Its a from chesapeake model designs and came with the kit as a trade for wingythingies . The PE's on this kit wernt too bad the jagdtigers was like thrimming 1/2 inch steel with a hedge trimmers, I will look into the hull part they seem to fit ok And I live in Millard so not to far from Lavisita small world

Nope, those are only about 3x5 mm and located above the return springs on the sprue, I believe. The ones I'm talking about go on the side of the hull in the slots. They butt up against the ones I think your talking about and are about 1x1 cm. (Understand, I am back at work and my tank is at home. These sizes are total estimates as best I can remember. I'll see if I can get some pics up of these places I'm talking about.

QUOTE: One thing I noticed, and this isn't in the instructions, the slots on the side of the hull have pieces that go in them before you put the boggies on

Bill, you are not referring to the small rectangular pieces that go on the underside, are you?
Bill

Hey, Ron. What part of Omaha do you live in? When I was stationed at Offutt, I lived in LaVista!!

Your build looks pretty good to me. Where did you get the turret, and what manufacturer is it? Looks nice. I'm thinking very strongly of getting the Formations full set and doing another one! One thing I noticed, and this isn't in the instructions, the slots on the side of the hull have pieces that go in them before you put the boggies on. I can't remember the part number, but they are the squarish things on the V sprues. They are right above the return rollers.

One other thing I noticed about this kit. The pe parts are nickle silver, or something. They are very stiff comparted to brass, and a little thicker, I think. I annealed mine over a candle flame and they were still stiff to bend. They look pretty good when done, just a little more force involved in the bending.

Cant believe I missed this tread. Bill if you find fruil tracks for it let me know where I have the same kit with the same problems and their indie's are gonna need some tlc that I dont have, I didhovever by pass alot of the turret/ cuploa issuies by getting a resin one with tools as well.injector marks on front of the tools......what was dml thinking, they are on my jagdtiger's tools as well. Anyway here is a pic of the turret


and how is this suppose to look cause this isnt right the trans cover thingies sorry dont know the correct word for em

Good morning, Bill.

Last nights schedule changed a bit and I was not home until after 9:00. I didn't get anything I had planned done. Except, I did look at my Firefly and the instructions. Believe it or not, I didn't have much of any fit problems with either A27 or A9! Go figure. It seems to me I had to push and prod the rear hull sides to match up with A27, but it worked out okay. I do see what you're talking about on the weld seam on that part, but as I didn't have to use any putty there, I left it as it straight from the box. My rear deck fits close to perfectly, if a little tight. Actually, I have a very small gap at the front of the plate, right behind the turret. With the turret in place, I don't think it will be able to be seen.

The little plastic knobs you were talking about are, I believe, areas where "excess" plastic can flow during molding. That way they can be sure the plastic didn't leave any voids. Also, I think they are yet more ejector pin areas. So maybe they have a double purpose.

I was going to glue the box on the front of the hull in step 10, but could not make it fit so that it looked right. So, I glued it on the rear hull as per step 11.

One place I had a major fit problem, at least it looks like it, but maybe it's right, was step 19. When I glued the B12 box assembly onto the rear of the turret, I wound up with a pretty sizable gap between the top of the box and the turret. Maybe I glued it too high up on the turret. I don't know, but it sure looks weird.

Also, be careful gluing B18 to to turret in step 16. It looks, to me, like it goes right next to the square hatch (B21). If you look at step 19, it shows where I think it goes a little clearer. Both drawings show that there are locator marks on the turret for them. Mine certainly didn't have any!

Hope you're having fun with it. It still was a lot of fun to build, even with all these little challenges. (But I'm about ready to get some Friul tracks for it, if I can find any!)

QUOTE: There are three things that I find fault with on DMLs kits; first are their instructions. They usually leave you guessing on placement of a number of parts, and many have errors on them (like part B24 that I mentioned above). Next is that they have some huge ejector pin marks in bad places, like their track links. And finally, their sprue attachment points are huge, too.

I have found exactly the same problems. They also stick those little plastic knobs on most of the parts, too. That's just more stuff to scrape off. I took a look at the tracks last night, and it seems like every track has ejector pin marks on it. It is all very annoying.

QUOTE: Without the shields in place, which aren't included in the kit, each of these little bumps should actually be holes. Happy drilling !!!!!

D'Oh!!
Robert, what do you recommend for drilling those holes? And I heartily second Bill's last. Your knowledge of the Sherman is awesome. Thanks for all the help.
Bill

I'll wade in here for a couple of answers
Yes A-9 should be flush with the upper hull, I just test fit mine and it appears a little low but not enough to make me shim it.
A weld seem would be fine between the rear plate and the back of the upper hull. There was one there on the real one.
Yes the "plate" that runs the length of the tank should align with the ones on the rear plate.
And in regards to the bolts, rivets or what ever they are supposed to be. The "ridge" that runs the length of the tank was an attachment point for the sand shields. Without the shields in place, which aren't included in the kit, each of these little bumps should actually be holes. Happy drilling !!!!!

Bill, no problem. I'm at work and don't have either my Firefly or the instructions here with me, so I'm not going to be able to be much help until I can go over your questions at home. Sorry. I had a lot of trouble with the back of my Firefly. One big problem I had is that I have a copy of the Firefly release just prior to the newest one and was stupid enough to have both open at the same time to compare the parts. And, you got it, I mixed the parts between up between the kits! Gave me major problems, I can tell you. I'm still not sure I got them all right.

Anyway, the one thing I do know about sitting here is the question you had about the ridges on the hull side. the bumps are supposed to be there, I think they represent bolt heads, but the seam that runs between them is, as you said, a parting line. Stupid place for the, I think, but maybe they couldn't put it anywhere else. It scrapes down pretty easily. What I had a bit of trouble with was the sprue attachment points, which they put on those ridges. There are three things that I find fault with on DMLs kits; first are their instructions. They usually leave you guessing on placement of a number of parts, and many have errors on them (like part B24 that I mentioned above). Next is that they have some huge ejector pin marks in bad places, like their track links. And finally, their sprue attachment points are huge, too. Tamiya and Hasagewa (wingy thingies, at least) have much smaller, less obtrusive attachment points.

Well, enough rambling on. One of my sons has a baseball game then pack meeting tonight. I'll try to remember to get those things out after that and get back to you. It may be tomorrow, though.

Have a good evening.

I have a few more questions concerning this kit.
First, the fit of part A-9, the back deck of the tank. Mine does not fit flush with the rest of the upper hull. It is 1mm below on both of the sides along the length of the vehicle. Is that right, or should I be looking to make it flush?
Second, the weld on the top of A-27, the plate at the back of the upper hull. I assume that since the plate was welded on to the rest of the hull, there should also be a weld seam on the back of the upper hull, other wise it looks as though it wasn't welded on to anything. I have a gap between the A-27 and the upper hull that I need to fill with putty, so should I make a weld seam in the putty to make it look like the two pieces were welded together?
Third, the fit of that same part A-27 with the upper hull. Along the bottom edge of the upper hull there are raised ridges that runs the length of the vehicle along both sides. They are supposed to match identical ridges on A-27, and they do. But just above where those ridges meet, there is a 1/4 inch of vertical hull where the fit is not flush. Those vertical bits of the upper hull stick out about 1mm past the edge of A-27 on both sides. It is very visible, and it doesn't look right. Should those corners of the vehicle be flush?
Finally (thanks for your patience), about those ridges on either side of the hull. They have a series of little bumps along them. Are they rivets or bolt heads or something else? There is a line that connects them together. It looks like a parting line? Is it?
Sorry for all the questions at once but I determined to make this kit to look right. Thanks.

Bill,
Indeed it does. I'll give it a try. Thanks.

Hi, Bill.

Pioneer tools first. Some members paint the tools with them on, others with them off. I prefer to do it separately. If you do them while on the tank, one idea is to slip a piece of Post-it Note paper under the tool to keep the paint off the tank.

The ridge you are talking about. I sliced mine off without too much trouble, then I put liquid cement on the remnants of the molding, let the plastic get a little soft, then stippled it with a stiff brush to blend it in a bit. I was better, but still showed. However, you wind up putting an "armored cover" over the machine gun fitting (careful on placement, it doesn't look anything like it's supposed to in the instructions). After it was glued on and dried, I put a small bead of putty around the join line and pressed marks in it to look like a weld bead. It came out pretty well. Look at some of the molded in weld beads on the tank and you'll get an idea what it should look like.

Good luck. Hope this helps.

I have another question about the DML Firefly Vc (kit # 6182). In step 4, you are supposed to remove a very thin bit that winds its way aroung what would have been (I think) the mount for the bow mg on Sherman variants that had one. Taking that off is going to make a heck of a mess. If I have to take it off, why did they put it there in the first place? And one more questions about tanks, generally. Should I paint the pioneer tools separately, or do I put them on then paint them the same colors as the vehicle itself? As always, thanks for the tips.

Think I'm getting close on this guy. I'm hoping to finish it this weekend. Then it's back to Elefants, and Tigers, and Panthers, OH MY!! lol

Bil,:

Got it. Thanks. Hmmm. I can see myself building it now...in my mind.

Should look good in a 3-tone camo scheme.

Thanks, Robert. I brought in the instruction sheet and looked up the Gunze Sangyo colors and it lists an olive drab as the uniform color. Obviously, they got it all wrong! Sure glad we have you to fall back on!!

QUOTE: Originally posted by wipw I think it's supposed to be some sort of pad for the hatch to rest against.

Your assumption is correct Bill

QUOTE: Another question for you about uniform color. Thanks for the post in the other thread. What paints would you recommend for the kaki color of the uniforms? Thanks, as always.

I actually mixed my own for this one Bill using Artist Acrylics. I just kept mixing until I had something close.