Firefly construction question

Dwight,

I hope you pick this up.

Here's another "fun" thing for you with this kit (also applies to the previous version DML made). In step 19, you have to fold up a little pe part (MA4) that gets glued onto the left side of the turret next to the square hatch on top of the turret. It shows to attach part B24 (a small, rectangular plastic piece) onto it. I hunted and hunted for B24 as it had been removed from my sprue. Then I noticed that in the same step, part B24 is shown as being the "inner mantlet", which it is! So then I spent a bunch more time hunting every sprue looking for the part. (I think it's supposed to be some sort of pad for the hatch to rest against.) I finally decided that the correct part number is B19. It looks right and there is no other reference to that part in the instructions.

Good luck with your model.

Robert;

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.

Thanks, Guys. I put the PE part over the left headlight last night. Came out a little crooked. I'll have to see if I can straighten it out a bit.

Hey, that's a cool tip, Bill. I'll take note of that, too. Thanks.

Nice work on the idlers Bill .... a very effective solution.

Okay, here are the pictures I've taken of the turret ring. I'm also posting some pictures of what I did to the idlers in the Sherman Group Build.


These are the original DML idlers on the left., front and badk. As you can see, the back has no detail, in fact, it's completely hollow. Next is an Italeri (USMC Sherman) idler. They have detail (somewhat soft) on the front and back, but no center covers on the fronts, and big ejector pin marks on the back surfaces. Next are what was left after I turned down and split in half one of the Italeri Idlers.


Here they are with the Italeri centers inserted into the back of the DML idlers.


And one more time after painting.

I don't think they turned out too badly. Since they will be under the tank, they will probably pass all but a judges eye.

Thanks, Jim. I wish I would have seen that one earlier. I have already glued the ring down.

Robert; Thanks so very much. I have done as you suggested.

Dwight; I cut the cylinder in the rear off. It left a bit of a hole under it, so I filled it with Squadron green and sanded it out.

I've got some pictures (found my camera!!!) and I'll post them below once I get them uploaded.

Bill,

One thing Sherm mentioned in another post was that the ring actually rotated so you can position your machine gun in any location aorund the hatch.

Hey, thanks for posting this question, Bill. Gotta keep Sherm's reply on this as I have the same kit that I will be building soon. (Soon could mean in the within the next few years...he-he-he.)

The cylinder is the MG mount ..... the other little part B36 is the travel lock for the .50 barrel.

Thanks a bunch. I knew I could count on a speedy answer out here, as always.

btw, I "solved" the problem of the back side of the idlers not being detailed by shaving down a set of extra Italeri idlers, cutting them in half, and gluing them into the rear of the DML wheels. Took a while to do it, but thanks to Mr Dremel, it wasn't too bad. I took some pictures of the steps, but my camera disappeared (again) at my wife's graduation. I've got her calling around to see if we can turn it up.

Oh, Robert; is that piece a sight, and does it glue down right where the cylinder in question is removed?

Thanks, again.

Cut it off Bill. It's a small error that has ran through the DML line of Shermans.

Pick the one you want to keep.

My best suggestion would be to try looking it up on the net. You never know what kind of information can be found!