Sherman M4A3 105mm HVSS ** Finished!! Pics on pg. 6 - 12/06/08 **

Thanx a lot Manny!
Kudos is very much appreciated!

@666Irish: I don't know really, I'm just humbled by all the kind words I'm receiving on this build. Thanx!

@Dave: Thank you very much again, Dave! No problem replying to all the kind words, and BTW we're all here to contribute, right? Thanx again!

@TacoBuff: He he, thank you very much.

@Huxy: Thanx fellow Norwegian! Yup this one will be displayed at the IPMS Norway nationals in february next year. Just drop me a PM if I can be of any assistance.

@SteveM: Thank you! Glad you like my figure effort!

@panzer88: Thanx a lot! Glad you liked it.

@bultenibo: Thank you very much, Tony! I appreciate the kind words. (Kjempe greit. )

@panzerguy: Thank you so much!

@agentg: Thank you, I appreciate it!

@RBaer: Thank you!

@stikpusher: Thank you very much. Glad you like my efforts.

   Stampede the time and effort that you have put into has really paid off. This is a remarkable build.

  Will this piece of art be getting a base?

First thought: Hey Stampede, you can't post pics of real tanks here - this is a scale model forum...

Second thought: Oh my God - it IS a model!!!

Seriously, it's one of the most realistic builds I've ever seen. Perfect, in one word.

(Kempe grejt?)

/Tony aka bultenibo

Simply stunning. Jaw-dropping work on the figures.

I just don't know what to say... I sooo want to search up your name in the online phonebook and send you an SMS...   but that would be... too... weird... 

Are you going to display this at IPMS Norway next year? I soo want to see this with my own eyes.. it's just... yeah... Awsome!!!!!!  

Thank you so much, not only for such a great build and postings but also for taking the time to reply to the many comments and questions members have made and asked. You are a true asset to the forums.

Cheers,

Dave

@sfcmac: Thank you very much! The antenna is tied down to a lift ring as per a picture I found on the net, but I clearly see your point about it being ripped apart.

@stick man: Thank you very much, glad you like it.

@smokinguns3: Thanx!

@wbill76: Thanks a lot! I'm thinking about a base, but it seems kinda intimidating with the groundwork, guess I'll just have to take the plunge.

@wing_nut:  Thank you, it kinda looks good on the shelf too.

@redleg12: Thank you so much! Museum quality, you are too kind!

@biffa: Thank you so much, Ron! Your 105mm on Armorama was my inspiration to do this vehicle, so your comments are very much appreciated.

@TD4438: Thank you, I appreciate it!

@Pavlvs: Thank you so much, appreciate the 1/1 Sherman comparison. Yes, it is a Tamiya Lunch Box.

@RickLawler: Thank you very much Rick!

@mstazz62: Thank you very much! Glad I could be an inspiration, and maybe get you to build a Sherman. 

@dlowman: Thank you for the kind comments! I will be entering this in a national competition in february '09. I used CA glue for the PE in most cases on this build, mostly applied with a needle or the tip of an X-acto blade.

@Jester75: Thank you very much, glad you like my build!

@dupes: Thank you so much! Glad you like the figures, that tells me that my first serious figure painting effort paid off. Thanx!

@terry35: Thanx a lot!

@Glamdring: Thank you, glad you like my weathering efforts. The kit didn't include a .50 cal, so it is a combination of a Verlinden resin barrel and body, and 32 PE parts from Aber.

@bufflehead: Ah, thank you! Glad that this vehicle can please a Sherman fan!
I saw the port side metal rods in a picture on Real Military Flix if I remember correctly. They were also included in the kit, minus the tie down straps, so I decided to add them. I was told when inquiring about them on another site that they were "aiming sticks". But to be honest I'm not quite sure what they are called.
Yes, it took a while to build this vehicle, I started in march this year, but yes it was worth it! 

Again, thanx to everybody! Your feedback is very much appreciated!  

Well, I am a BIG Sherman fan so I'm REAAALLY liking this build!!  Fantastic work Stampede, simply fantastic!!  The paint job and weathering are top notch, one of the best US Armor I've seen here in a while!  Just one question though; what are those long metal "poles" on the rear deck (port side)?  Never saw them on a Sherman before.  Anyway, it may have taken a while to build but it was worth it!!  Lets see another one!

The weathering is superb!  I'm bookmarking this one for future reference. 

Question: Did the .50 come with the kit or is it an aftermarket addition?

THats on beautifully finished model. Excellent.

Terry.

Double WOW !!!! I am truly amazed going through these posts and the outstanding work you have done. I am new to armor and I just can't imagine putting the kind of work into my build as you have done. You are an inspiration, and you should be extremely proud of the work you have done.

I hope you will be entering this beauty into a contest for it is a sure winner. The detail is beyond comment. It just blows you away.

Can I ask one question? What glue did you use for the PE parts and what tool did you use to apply it to such small parts?

I will be referring back to this post as I build my Chieftain but I know it will be nowhere near what you have done.

Thank you so much for sharing. It's builders like you that make the FSM forums such a great resource for new and returning modellers like me.

Thank you again Erik.

Cheers,

Dave

Holy Crap!!! I am humbled by your talents , dude!  Amazing, simply amazing! Assembly, painting ,weathering, figures - WOW!!!

I'm not real big on Shermans per se , but now I wanna do one. Thanks for the inspiration my friend. And again, congrats on a beautiful build!

Mark

Very well done, Erik.  Everything came together perfectly.

congrats,

Rick

As you may be able to tell by my posts, I'm not a Sherman lover.....BUT.....

OUTSTANDING, EXCELLENT, SPOT ON!!!!!!!!!

This is museum quality. What a great build.

Rounds Complete!!

So waddaya think?

I think it's freakin' fantastic.  I'll be honest the Sherman is not a favortie of mine but that one sure looks nice. Wouldn't mind having that on the shelf at all.

WOW GRRRREEEAAAAT! work!!! that's one of the best sherman builds I've ever seen!

 Been following this very closely and the work and detail is incredible. The Figures the earth tones the weathering all without a flaw as I can see. Only question I would have is technical about where the antenna is tied down. It may well have been done that way but we always tied ours to the turret as it would pull the antenna apart when rotated.  Like I said just grasping at straws as it looks natural that way as well.

Very fine work indeed and one of the best late Shermans I have ever seen!

Huxy and K-dawg: Thank you very much!

**************************************************************

Man, this baby has sure taken a while to complete.
I'm calling this one 99% finished by now. Got the Ohio antenna mounted and tied it down to a lift ring with thin wire.
Seems like the tanker dudes are feeling quite at home, and I think they fit the vehicle well.
A small detail left to fix and that is to paint the leather pad inside the cupola hatch.

Here's some pics of the Sherman 99% complete with the tanker dudes...













So waddaya think?

Very nice work all around man.. The devil is in the details and you've certainly got'em! Well done.. Nice paint work as well..!

Kenneth

How long have you been modeling? Like, wow...

And your second try at figures? I've tried numerous tries and mine looks like crap... Like, how many tanks have you built before? it's just fantastic....

-Huxy

@panzerguy: Thank you very much, highly appreciated!

**********************************************************
Jumped from the figgies back to the Sherman last night.
I had totally forgot about the Ohio antenna so I had to do a quickie and scratch one, I used some pics as reference, and cut it at the length that Hans von Hammer informed me of on this forum.

The base is fairly close to the part as supplied by Dragon, although the two crescent-shaped black insulators are missing.
So, the insulators needed to be added, along with the top part needing to be bent because these antennas were usually tied to the vehicle in some manner. 
I used a slice of Evergreen tube, cut into two to provide the two crescent-shaped parts, these where then cemented to the base, allowed to dry, and then carefully drilled.
I also used thin wire wrapped around the middle section of the base to simulate the antenna cord, this wire was also routed through both insulators.



I drilled the top of the base to accept a 0.1 mm brass rod.  Although the real Ohio antenna was in 5 sections and tapered, that was going to be too difficult to try and represent in 1/35 scale. 
I slipped small pieces of wire insulation over the brass rod at the correct intervals to represent the screw sections. On the Sherman this antenna was about  305 cm so it became about 8,7 cm in 1/35.
I think it turned out quite nice, and I'm sure it'll look even better with some color on it.

Reckon I'll tie the antenna to the vehicle in a lift ring or something similar.

  

     I don't see anything to critique! Outstanding work Erik.

@terry35: Thank you very much!

@redleg12: Oh boy! Thank you very very much! Almost too much for a guy to take in, all these kind words. I've used acrylics for the figures. The faces were painted with the Andrea Flesh Paint set. I'll see if I can get aroundand make an SBS when I'll paint thenew TC for my old StuG IV. Thanx again!

***********************************************************

Recon I'll call it quits on these two guys now, unless anybody has anything to add/comment.
Added the divisonal and rank insignia last night in addition to a final weathering step.
Final weathering on the Sherman is next and then it's time to put these guys were they belong, exiting!

Finished figures...

TC...





Driver...





As always, critique is welcomed!

Per-Erik :)

Fantastic, the faces are a work of art. The scarf is unbelievable. The texture on the helmet is wonderful.

I may have missed it (I'm dense like that), but are you using oils for the figures or acrylic. Either way, would love a description of how you did the face work.

Rounds Complete!!

That is simply beautiful work. simlpy superb.

Thanks for posting those brilliant shots.

Terry.

@doog: Thanx Karl! I really appreciate the kudos, since this is my first two serious tries on figure painting(I can see now that my StuG TC really sucked!). Thank you!

Nothing fancy about the camera really, it's just a Canon Ixus 50. Really good lighting, a photo tent and a tripod can do wonders IMHO.

@wbill76: Thanx! You point out a couple of my favorite details too. Can't wait to put them in the Sherman. Thanx again!

WOW, Per-Erik, and I do mean WOW!

Those faces are just perfect!The expressioins are just tremendously rendered!

I have to tel you also, that I'm impressed with your camera! I can't believe the "macro" setting you have!

Thank you very much for the kind words, guys! I really appreciate it.

I am soo sorry that I just caught your WIP.  Your pigment work is stunning.  The effect that you achived is beautiful.

Keep up the great work and I'll be watching for more.  It makes me want to break out my firefly.

   Marvelous!, Spectacular! Unbelieveable detail! Too Cool for words...

   P.S.: You da man! You da Sherman man!!!  

the doog wrote:

OH MAN! GORGEOUS!!!! JUST GORGEOUS! Makes me wanna slap my mamma!

@Doog: He he! Don't you go slappin' you mamma over this!

Thanx for the kudos man, I appreciate it very much!

@Stick Man: Thank you.

Thats just to good!!!!!! it's AMAZING!!!! I wish I could get reasalts like that

GGGRRREEEAAAT work!!!!!! 

OH MAN!

GORGEOUS!!!! JUST GORGEOUS!

Makes me wanna slap my mamma!

@RBaer: Thank you very much for the kudos.

I'll be home with belts on.... ( Dolly Parton re-written!  )

Got a couple of things done this evening, and finally got the tracks mounted.
Had to shorten the kit supplied DS tracks with one link, even with the idler in the most rearward position, no biggy, but kinda lame on Dragons behalf.
With that being done it was time to match the weathering on the lower hull with the tracks.
Did the same "layering" with the pigments on the tracks, and I feel it came out pretty good.
I also had a go on the front and rear with the pigments before I mounted the tracks, and I used a bit of MIG Dark Wash to simulate oil stains and stuff.

I also got my tie down rope today, so finally I'll be able to tie down the stowage with non-fraying rope...yihaa! ;)

Here's the result of this evenings work...






 

@WarHammer25: Thank you very much!

@the doog: WOW Karl, thanx a lot!!! This sure is a great compliment coming from one who's work I admire.
I saw that Rick Lawler had answered your fixer Q so I won't repeat that.
Again, thanx a LOT!

@stick man: Thank you very much!

@RickLawler: Thanx a lot Rick! I've seen some of your great work over at the MIG forum so your comments are very much valued. Thanx again!

Thanx for answering the fixer question too.

Very well done with the pigments.  Nice color variation and overall balance.

the doog wrote:

Is that pigment fixer really anything much different than regular mineral spirits?

Doog, yes there is a difference.  Spirits work very good for application and keeping the pigments more or less in place, but the Fixer locks them down permenently, plus it has a quality to it which will allow you to blow, or dust the pigments on lightly and they will stick - works great for light, dusty effects.

Again, nice work on the Sherman,

Rick

the doog wrote:

OUTSTANDING!!!!  Seriously, this looks phenomenal!!!! WOW! That is just one of the best applications of pigments I've ever seen!

That absolutly INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!  

GRATE JOB!!!!

OUTSTANDING!!!!

 Seriously, this looks phenomenal!!!! WOW! That is just one of the best applications of pigments I've ever seen!

Is that pigment fixer really anything much different than regular mineral spirits?

@jthurston: Thanx, appreciated!

Been kinda slow progress on this here Sherman lately.
The wife found out all by her lonesome that we oughta do some rebuilding at home. So it's been quite a bit of building, but not models. The upside of it is that I got myself a bigger hobby room!     | |) Not much activity there lately either but I got a little bit done yesterday and this evening.

I've started the pigment phase.
Mixed a light mix of MIG P026 Concrete, P028 Europe Dust og P037 Gulf War Sand. Put it on with an old brush and used Pigment Fixer to set it.

First step...


Then I mixed a 2nd darker blend. Applied this too with the old brush and used the fixer to set it aswell. I found it to be smart to re-wet the entire section so that no tide marks were left from the Fixer as it dried. The colors I used are in the pic.

Step two...


Then I used MIG Dark Wash to re-define earlier made oil stains, stains by the wheel hubs, grease nipples etc. Not so visible in the pic, but it's there. ;)



Finally I mixed a 3rd even darker blend to put a layer down low and on the road wheels. Re-wet the entire area with the Fixer, and here's the result. The colors I used are in the pic.




Hopefully I'll get some more work done in the near future on this one.
Time will show...  ;)
 

Man, this is one seriously sweet build!!! you're makin me wanna do a Shermie...time to check the stash...

@wing_nut: Thanx! I agree with you regarding the rope, I don't like it that much either. I recon I need to find a better alternative.

@doog: Thanx man! She's coming along slowly but SHurely... Glad you liked the stowage too.

@bultenibo: Thanx Tony! Glad you like it, and thanx for the professional built comment *bow*. I'm not planning any vacations until the end of september, so hopefully it'll be finished before that time.

@RBaer: Thanx again!

@redleg12: Thank you very, very, very much!

@Townsy11: Wow, thank you! 

@Wirraway: Dito on the rope, I'm searching for an alternative. Thanx for the cudos, just doing the best I can manage.

Stampede,

I can only echo what Marc said about that rope.  I had the same problem when I used cotton for rope on a 1/72 PT Boat.  Spraying the hull seemed to make the paint stick to the fibres and made the cotton twine very "wooly".  I am doing a M4A1 at the moment and I will not be attaching the rope until after all the painting/weathering is done.  Kudo's on everything else.  You have made it very hard for the rest of us with a Sherman on the bench !

Whoa..

Holy $#@%! that's one nice Sherman!

It's not even finished yet and I can easily say it's the best I've ever seen..

Great work Stampede!

Very, Very, Very, Very, Very, Very....Nice, Good Great....Wow

Rounds Complete!!

It is such a beauty!

I just love following a post like this, where one can see a professional built kit slowly coming into being!

Please don't take a vaccation now, Stampede!

/Tony aka bultenibo

WOW, man--this Sherman is SHweet! SHexy! Fer SHure! LOL!

Honestly, it's gorgeous--great stowage and the weathering is really nicely rendered!

Outstanding work. The overall look is really great and the tool/stowage detailing and painting looks sweet.

If I may I only have 1 critisism.  The rope looks out of scale to me.  Everything else looks so good  but the rope stands out a little.  The fibers are larger than what would appear on even a worn hemp rope. 

sfcmac: Thank you very much! I didn't have a clue when I started this Sherman, but the internet is a great reference resource. I also appreciate that you like my paint job so far. It is a real challenge to get the OD color to look pleasing to the eye. Now I've just got the rest of the weathering to go.

Thanx!

The slow part is finally coming to an end soon. Got all the stowage painted and have slowly started the weathering process. This one is going to get dirty cause most of the Sherman pics I've seen are of dirty ones. Painted the stowage with a combination of Vallejo Model Color and their Panzer Aces colors, and some various MIG washes. Struggling a bit when it comes to getting any variation on the OD, but I put a first aid bag back there and some other stuff with a bit of color on them. Recon I'll put an orange air recognition panel back there too for some more color.

I've started with the rest of the vehicle adding a pin wash with MIG Brown wash and more heavy specific washes with MIG Dark wash in various places.
I've also tried to add fuel stains with layered washes around the caps and on the visible parts of the rear deck and hull. More stains and grime will follow later. I also noticed when starting to do the different washes that the work I did with the weld seams around the armored fuel cap shields and turret vents paid off, they are really standing out when washed.

Here's the rear turret vent...

Found a color pic of an M6 perscope showing that the "holder" was painted light grey and the periscope itself in OD, so the "holder" is now grey...with a dark wash ;)

Some front detail...
 

And here is how she stands now, ready for some more weathering. It's time to bring out the oils and do some fading and some dust in the nooks and crannies. :)

@RBaer: Thanx, glad you like it so far.

@the doog: Thanx Karl, I'll look into the post shading thing.

@Manny: Thank you VERY much! Comments like this is always inspiring. Glad you liked the track sequence too.  I'm planning an orange air recognition panel. I'll see what I can come up with, in terms of the size of it and the color, shadows on it.

@Dannenbergerblitz: Thank you, thank you! Well, I don't live with men in white, but sometimes I feel'em just around the corner! Glad you can use my WIP log for reference.
Mr Surfacer is a kind of liquid putty/primer that comes in different thickness. It can be used to fill small seams and i.e. make texture like I've done. I've used #500 for the coarse texture and #1000 for the finer texture. You just brush it on and stipple with a stiff brush until dry, which is really quick. If I recall correctly I think I bought it at Internethobbies.

Incredible work!  Are all of you master modelers living with folks in white jackets and pants?  The extent and expertise of the detailing is extroardinary.  I just ordered this one and now perhaps I should just slit my throat?!  LOL!  Wow!  I will print this off as a tutorial on Shermans.  BTW  what is Mr. Surfacer and where can I get it?

Buck 

Stampede, you know I was just thinking--you can also "post shade" these one-color vehicles to great effect--take a look at my "E-100" thread when you get the chance, and see what a difference it made in the base coats?

The E100 post is titled "3-18-08 finished photos-DML E-100 'Hans and Franz's new ride'". Find it in the Search engine.. 

@commando: Thanx!

@the doog: Thanx Karl, I appreciate the nice words! I'm tryin' to do the best I can with this Sherman and the OD paint job, hope I can pull it off in the end. Thanx for the cudos on the pics and explanations too. 

This is really a great thread for Shermaholics and the OD crowd especially, Stampede!

Your build here is looking beautiful! Great attentio to detail and really great pics and explanations!

@Bultenibo: Thanx for the kind words, neighbor.
Happy that some of my techniques can be of assistance.

@panzerguy: Thank you very much! Glad you like my work so far. I sure hope I can pull the stowage painting off in a realistic way.

@doc-hm3: Why not call it a toot-wip? Go ahead, pick up a Sherman, kinda fun actually. Thank you for liking my work.

   Erik, nice man, real nice. I'm sure the stowage will come out fine as did the rest of this build so far. Looking foward to seeing your weathering updates.

Stampede:

This is an amazing WIP post! Full of great advice and new techniques. Heja Norge!

I'm also busy with a Sherman - the old Tamiya kit (M4A3 74 (W) VVSS), but I'm building it straight OOB and I don't really have a clear picture of what kind of result I want to achive. But  just beacuse of that, it is even more interesting to following your work on a sophisticated kit, built methodically. I'm more into improvisation ("Oh, oh, that didn't work! Let's try this out...")

Thanks a bunch for the tutorial on the painting of the tracks - I'll try to follow "in your tracks".

/Tony aka bultenibo 

Here's a small update on the painting process.

Quite a challenge to paint these mono colored vehicles.
Here's some pics after the first three transparent coats of OD and two transparent coats of OD mixed with Tamiya Sky in a shade I thought looked ok. I tried to apply the lighter shade of color along the edges and where the light would fall naturally. I used a lamp as a "sun template" in front and slightly elevated over the vehicle to notice the highlights when airbrushing.

Then I airbrushed two coats of MIG filters, first Green for Light Green and then Grey for Bright Green. I applied the grey to try and fade the OD even more.
I then made a mix of Abteilung Faded Grey and Odourless Turpentine and brushed it over the entire vehicle. Left this to dry for a while and used the same mix and a flat thin brush on edge to make some rain streaks, you can barely see them on the turret here. More of these streaks will be applied when the weathering starts.
 

I decided that the vehicle should belong to the "Tiger Division"  20th Armored Infantry Battalion, 10th Armored Division in Germany spring/summer 1945.
I put the decals for this unit on with Solvaset and I think I steered clear of the dreaded silvering.
I then mixed an even lighter green shade and brush painted the parts sticking out on the vehicle like filler caps, hinges and so on. Not very visible in the pics but it's there.

Well here she is now with decals, another filter coat of Faded Grey filter and a Vallejo Air satin clear applied.

I'm now starting the tedious process of painting the stowage and detaling the lower hull so I recon it will be some time until the next update. Cannot say that I'm looking forward to painting all that stowage in the back, hopefully I'll pull it off.
When that's done the real fun begins...weathering! 

Bare with me on the pics, I've got some weird problem with my cam so they are kinda blurry.

@doc-hm3: Thanx! Dunno how many hours a day exactly, but I recon 2-3 hours every other day.

@wing_nut: Thanx!

@RBaer: Thanx!

@panzerguy: I agree, kinda a shame to cover it up, but it has to be done. I don't feel brave, feel kinda stupid actually, I know I'd been better of painting it before I put it on the tank. It just layed down so well so I didn't wanna mess it up by removing it again. Hope I pull the painting of it off.

@droogie2799: Nothing ignorant about this question, we're here to help, and we've all started once. I painted the rubber portion of the wheels before attaching them, but I didn't attach them until after I sprayed the base coat. I'm going to paint the storage with a brush and several different oil washes while on the tank.

/P

Stampede,

You initially painted the wheels then attatched them to the vehicle. Since the wheels were painted did you just avoid spraying them during the base coat?  Sorry if this is an ignorant question, I am just getting into the hobby and trying to learn the art of weathering.

 I'm interested to see what you do with the stowage.  Are you going to get in there with a brush and paint the individual items or just paint then the same as the tank. 

   Having to cover up all that wonderful PE work just makes me want to

      Your a brave man Stampede, painting the stowage on the tank!

  This Sherman is SWEET!!! How many hours a day do you think you invest in this project? Again your attention to detail is second to none.

I've slowly started on the painting process.
Here's a couple of shots of the Sherman so far, nothing fancy yet. Just the Tamiya Surface Primer and a preshade coat of Tamiya XF-61 Dark Green. I've applied the dark green to get a nice dark base for the shadowed areas of the vehicle. I will subsequently lighten and fade this base color.  First step is to spray the OD from above to get it to blend in with the Dark Green in the lower areas of the vehicle, I hope. 
Well anyways, that's next, here's some pics...

The surface primer...

The XF-61 Dark Green

Hopefully more coats of paint will follow with success...

...and one more thing, remind me the next time I'm building a Sherman to hold back on mounting the suspension until after painting the first base coat! What a p.i.t.a to get inside all those nooks and crannies!

Later... 

@RBaer: He he, thanx for the shrink the real tracks comment. The tracks are just the kit DS type.

@panzerguy: Thanx for the nice comment, I recon your E8 will be as good as this.

@doc-hm3: Thanx for the nice comments, Doc! The trick on working with PE is just patience and a good set of tweezers and PE folding tool I guess, but it helps with some "power-words" and some in a nearby wall from time to time too... The casting numbers was a fun but tedious thing to do, but I think it was worth the effort.

@Bodge: Thank you very much, Bodge! Some of the finest work on here, well, I thank you for that comment but I feel I still got a long way to go. Tuition is no problem, but I don think the builds I've seen on here done by you require that much tuition.

Stay tuned...

  Erik what a great job you've done I hope my E8 is just half as good as this baby.

   Careful you dont hurt yourself picking this bad boy up 

Ditto what Redleg said on the stowage......

Question for ya: Are those the kit tracks, and if so, are they the "DS" type? If not, how did you shrink the real thing to 1/35?

@redleg12: Glad you like the tracks, quite satisfied myself too,

I know about the securing of the stowage, that's next in line as I wrote in my earlier post.
Hopefully I will get everything secured and safe, guess I'll find out if I've done a good job by turning the tank upside down.

Very nice work on the tracks

On the stowage...having all the "stuff" piled on the back is fine butttttttt, think in real terms as you pile it and secure it. If the tank was to piviot would that "stuff" stay secured. How would the crew secure that pile so over bumps and thru turns they would have half a chance to not loose it!!

Rounds Complete!!

 Hello Stampede,

 That is seriously radical PE work. I would have had to buy three sets just to cover the ones that got away and would have been cross eyed for several weeks. I love what you did with the Mr. Surfacer and the texture too. That truely is a beautiful work. 

 Those are some nice pics, great detail shots. Thanks for posting! And Keep Posting!

 Best Regards,

@kielers: Thanx for the kind words on my build! Glad you like my WIP thread.

@disastermaster: Thanx for the cudos on my tracks, highly appreciated! It means a lot coming from a modeler of your standards.

****************************************************'

Got started with the stowage the other night. I think stowage kinda belongs on a Sherman, but I bet it's gonna be a pain to paint and weather.
Made a cover for the luggage and a camo net just to get something else back there other than back packs, sleeping bags and fuel cans. Just need to tie the stuff up with some rope.

So waddaya think, does this look ok?

Those tracks are absolutely unreal. But they sure look real! You need a certain amount of in this hobby and you definitely have it. Great work!

                                                                                                        DISASTERMASTER 

Your build is awesome, great WIP thread.  I normally build WWI Iplanes; its' been awhile since I did an armor piece.  But I have a couple Shermans, a King Tiger and a T-34 on my shelf and after viewing your build thread I might be due for another armor build.   

Keep posting and thanks for the WIP stuff.

Steve

wbill76: Thanx! Highly appreciated!

***************************************************

Recon I'll call the tracks done at this point. Some extra weathering will be done when I mount them on the vehicle I guess.

Made a mix of MIG Europe Dust, Light Dust og Brick Dust and applied it with an old brush and worked it into the tracks.
I then drew a soft bristeled wide brush over the tracks in one direction to simulate "movement".
Then I used an ordinary HB pencil and some MIG Gun Metal pigments to get the metallic sheen on the outside and on the horns.

Here's the result...

The outside...

The inside...

And now I hear the preshade color XF61 call my name!   
This is gonna be fun...I think

@Hellcat man: Thanx!

The fun has slowly begun...I'm painting tracks!  | |)

Airbrushed a coat of Panzer Aces Track Primer...

Masked of the outsides and the guide horns...

Airbrushed a coat of Panzer Aces Dark Rubber...

Then a couple of washes with Abteilung 502 Light Rust Brown. I added some Light Rust pigments to the last wash too...
The outside

and the inside...

I also used some MIG Black Smoke pigments on the rubber portion of the track to get a bit more greyish black color to it, and also to simulate wear.
Some drying time is needed for this, and the next step will be some dry brushing and some graphite I guess...well, we'll see.

Waddaya think?  m:-)
 

Thanx for the kind words on my PE work guys! Highly appreciated!

 *************************************'

Here's the last addition of casting numbers on the inside of the drivers hatch. I copied these from a ref pic.

Now I GOTTA get down to painting this thing soon!

The original...
  

WOW you've got some amazing PE going on there! the browning is sweeeet this is going to look sooooo good when it's painted!

Checking refs isn't always a good thing when you want to finish a model in a timely fashion.
I'm officially not certifyable anymore, I'm adding casting numbers!

Dragon was kind enough to include some of the numbers molded to the kit, but a ref check revealed that more of them was needed. 

Here's some of the numbers I've added so far, and according to my refs there will be more.  But, detailing kits are fun...

I front of the gun shield...

On the turret top...

Outstanding PE work. I think I would go blind doing all those small PE parts Looks fantastic. Can't wait to see it painted.

Rounds Complete!!

You must have eyes like a hawk and the smallest hands ever i could never do that

WOW, that looks great. I'm awed by the .50 cal and all its parts. One thing that I might suggest is replace the .50 ammo that you have there with something different. The PE sort of looks 2 dimensional.

Keep it up,

David

Phew!

The Browning finally done!

32 parts in all on this one was a challenge itself to get togheter, quite a bit of soldering I tell you  8O , but I'm quite happy with the result if I may say so.

It'll be exiting to get some paint on this one too. The ammo belt is just put down in the box for "illustrational purposes only". I gave it a coat of white glue for some volume, but I'll recon I'll give a coat or two more before painting.

Here's some pics from all angles and more... 

dette er Norsk kvalitet!

Ser kjempebra ut!

Found a better picture of the gunners periscope and noticed that it was placed farther in and lower, in the armored cover so I repositioned it. I also made the tubes for the headlight socket covers with the chains.

I've also started to work on the stash and the Browning .030.

Some pics...

The Periscope...

The covers...

 

The stash I'm planning to add...

The Browning parts...

Later... :)

@RBaer: Thanx a lot! Kinda agree with you on the covering with paint issue, but I cannot go with the factory production look.

@SteveM: Thank you very much!

@Biffa: Thanx a lot Ron! This comment means a lot coming from you, cause your work inspires me! Thanx again.

T26E4 wrote:

Great stuff so far!  One thing I noticed is the skewed horizontal volute spring housings.  Make sure that they are straight before you glue everything down.  If I recall, the internal spring makes this problem.  I did away with that on my Thunderbolt M4A3E8 but omitting the springs and gluing everything square. Keep up the good work

Dear Lord, not the horizontal volute spring housing issue again!

FANTASTIC WORK!!

Thanx for the kind words!

I'll be sure to fix the spring housings before I glue them down. Seems like I should've omitted the springs completely and just glued everything in place the first time. Thanx for noticing.  

Great stuff so far!  One thing I noticed is the skewed horizontal volute spring housings.  Make sure that they are straight before you glue everything down.  If I recall, the internal spring makes this problem.  I did away with that on my Thunderbolt M4A3E8 but omitting the springs and gluing everything square.

Keep up the good work

I'm closing in on the paintjob on this one soon. Just gotta get all the yankee stash loaded on to the rear of this Sherman. Not a big fan of that but I think it's needed on Shermans.

Finished the fender supports and turret. Brushed and stippled some Mr. Surfacer 1000 for some structure on the turret.

Here's a few pics...

I banged up the front fender supports a bit to go with the miss-aligned and banged up fenders. On the left side I removed the front support completetly. I drilled a hole in the fender where the bolt should have been, and added a small PE bit on the hull to simulate the broken mounting point.
  

On the right side I bent the bracket and added another small PE bit on the hull to simulate the broken mounting point on that side.

Inside the commanders cupola a standard M6 PE periscope was mounted. I used some small plastic tubing cut in half to simulate the pivot points on the periscope. The hatch shutter mechanism consisted of three parts that where quite fun putting togheter. In addition to that I drilled and hinged the hatch to make it moveable, I think this look better too

In the rear of the turret I fabricated the missing foundry symbol of letters shaved from a piece of sprue. I also added a weld seam to the .050 transport bracket(?), and I added another small tie-down.
 

.050 barrel bracket...

Some turret details in the next two pics...

  

Loaders hatch and periscope detail. I made the hatch springs because the molded on ones didn't look very nice.

 

Here's the hook that holds the loaders hatch down while in open position.

I tried to simulate the cast seams on the turret with Mr. Surfacer. One of the seams can be seen below the turret lift ring.
  

I've noticed something typical on the pistol ports of the Sherman on all pics I've seen, it's a kind of "punch mark". Usually we remove these marks when building, but I added this one on purpose with Mr. Surfacer and an aluminum tube. 

Last detail shot is the gunners periscope and the commanders vane sight. (I think that's what it's called)
 

And finally some "full figure" shots so far.

I can't wait to start painting this one... 

@Dre: Thanx! The periscopes was kinda PITA but I've done worse, like the clamps for the tow cables on this here Sherman...

@doog: Thanx man, highly appreciated!

@wing_nut: Thanx! Decided to go the whole nine yards with this one. Well, some of the parts are quite tiny, the clamps for the tow cables measure 3mm in total length...

@biffa: Thanx Ron, hope the paint turns out the way I hope it will.

@panzerguy: Thanx! Not all the PE is from the kit, I bought the Aber 35032 kit additionally.

@SteveM: Thanx! I'm working on those covers and holders at the moment.

@Thanx Manny, a shame with that OD huh?

@IA Novice: Thanx! I hate to dissapoint you dude but my hands are of normal size. But, loads of swearing when bending PE goes a long way...

@RBaer: Thanx for the cudos on my PE work, highly appreciated. I hope it'll turn out like a looker in OD.

Nice, sharp detail work. Hats off! One cool detail- I dunno if this was on all Shermans- are the cover holders for the headlamp and horn ports (?) that are attached to the side of the brush guards:

(also on loan from Toadman) 

When the lamps, horn are in position, there's a cap in the holder with a chain attached. Before action, the lamps and horn were removed, I believe, and the caps placed in the sockets.

If I'm wrong with any of this information, pelase correct me.

Steve

It's looking good so far- you've got more patience for all those little fiddly bits of PE than I do.  Those are the first PE periscopes I've ever seen- were they as much of a PITA as I imagine?

I look forward to the finished product.

Details, details... :)
I used the PE fenders that came with the Dragon kit. Banged them up a bit before I mounted them. In addition I used some fender parts from the Aber set to complete the fenders, the profile on the transcover and the vertical profile on the fender. I this pic you can also see the front tow cable shackle.

Various protection on the front of the hull.

The fenders on the right and left side. To complete the fenders I just have to mount the fender support braces.

I filled the gap between the "bolt strip" and the front glacis plate, and I also gave the transcover a Mr. Surfacer treatment for some serious structure.

Nice little hook for the gun travel lock...

I chose to have one hatch closed and one open to show some of the detail inside the open one.
The closed hatch with the periscope in the upper position.

The open hatch with the periscope removed from the "holder", and some additional details.

Protection on the rear lights and a little wire for detail.

Last pic tonight is the shackle for the tow cable in the rear.

More will follow cause I'm in da groove...  ;)

Been kinda slow progress on this Sherman for a while now due to too much sunny weather up here in Norway. And sunny weather is show'n shine time for my 1/1 car.
But I've gotten some more PE applied, nothing much but I'd call it progress...

Some straps and buckles, a drain hole drilled is also visible in this pic...



I need to clean up the glue around all those tiny tie-downs and make'em look like weld spots.
Tedious work but I think the end result will be worth it.

Started the PE periscopes...



Added chain and a handle on the fuelcaps, drilled a drain hole and added a weld seam on the inside of the armor protecting the fuelcap. 

Here's the fuel cap and drain hole on the other side...


Hopefully more progress in a while cause they say the rain's coming...

Thanx for the nice comments guys, highly appreciated!

roosterpelo: I applied the Mr. Surfacer with a paint brush, small sections at a time, and dabbed it with a stiff brush until it was dry, which was really fast. I then blended the next section into the already dry one with the stiff brush during the next application.

T26E4: Thanx for the cudos! 
Thanx for the pics and the tip regarding the blending of the bolt strip, and the crank handle is now a gonner, and I've tilted the lifting lugs inwards.

Fine work you have going there!  One thing to know: DML made a mistake with the crank handle behind the rear "luggage rack".  It should be omitted completely.  It was only a feature of radial engined Shermans (M4, M4A1s).  Also, when you mate the upper and lower hulls, make sure you blend in the bolt strip that you've already glued to the lower part of the glacis.  This bolt strip was integral to the transmission cover and not to the glacis.  Here's a pic from Toadman's galleries:

One final nitpic: the rear corner lifting lugs should be perpendicular to the ground, not to the angled rear plate.  Maybe tilt yours inwards a tiny bit?

wbill76: Thanx for the tip, I'll keep that in mind.  

A little progress to the 105 this weekend.

Got some more weld seams applied to the front and rear. Made a bit more texture to the upper hull with some Mr. Surfacer 500, great stuff btw.. I also got some PE and tools mounted.

Small detail on the rear lamp here too.

I had to move the gun travel lock fasteners a bit down due to the fact that they were molded to high up for an M4A3 105mm

PE weld under the lifting eye.

Some tools...

This thing was kinda tricky to put togheter, because it is supposed to be movable. I had to make sort of a split rivet out of brass to make it work. But I got it togheter and it moves.
I also found out that the Sherman's got loads of tie downs , this unit alone has 8 of them, and they're really tiny and a p.i.t.a. to mount.

This is the under side of the stowage shelf with the gun cleaning rods.

Feedback are always welcome...

Be careful when fitting the rubber tires to the wheels, you may have to scrape some paint (on the wheel, the tire inner surface, or both) to avoid them splitting when you do the installation.

Off to a good start!

Stampede wrote:

Hmm... Seems like I've gotten kinda stuck here in the dark zone. Haven't quite got the inspiration to build a car model after being done with the StuG IV. So I decided to do some more armor . . . .

Once you go track, you never go back!  Looks like you're off to a good start.  Never mind about the grease fittings- you know they're there, and that's what counts.